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Fat, shimmering tone and breath-taking spatial depth - no doubt about it, tape echo devices were responsible for some of stellar moments in rock and pop history. Hank Marvin, David Gilmour, Jimmy Page and Eddie van Halen are just a few luminaries among several generations of guitarists whose trademark tone would have been inconceivable without an Echoplex or similar tape delay.
The tube-driven tape echo units of yesteryear were not perfect, but therein lies their charm. In contrast to the technically faultless but tonally sterile digital delays of today, these original units were more than just accessories. They were instruments with a musical identity of their own. More than just an effect, they were an essential key to unlocking the magical mysteries of tone.
With the new Replex®, Hughes & Kettner revives the spirit of vintage tape delays and ushers it into the 21st century. Featuring a unique combination of traditional tube circuitry and state-of-the-art DSP technology, the Replex® is a dead ringer for the 60’s-era tape delays, with their tonal richness and responsive feel. The onboard circuit simulates the complex sonic phenomena produced by tape echo devices with astounding authenticity. A twist of the Vintage Factor knob is all it takes to conjure up the original character of these prized vintage devices with their subtle combination of pitch shifting, wow and flutter, tape saturation and aging. But with no tape to break or wear, the new Replex® is far more robust and reliable than an old tape delay.
What’s more, Replex® is three effect units in one: a single-head delay, a dual-head delay, plus a vintage reverb that delivers that wide-body sound of big reverb springs. Like all devices in the TubeTools® series, the Hughes & Kettner Replex® achieves its extraordinary sensitivity and dynamic range by supplying a real tube with high voltage (300 volts). Whereas on some devices that faux-tube glow is cosmetic tomfoolery at best, here it’s the real thing, a bona fide tube circuit that delivers the full range of to-die-for tube-driven tone.
You connect the Replex®, like a traditional echo unit, between your guitar and amp. Single Head Delay, Dual Head Delay, Reverb and the True Bypass are foot-switchable. Living up to the stringent TubeTools® standard for road-worthiness, the rugged metal housing is built to withstand the rigors of the stage.
Like its predecessors in the TubeTools® line, the Replex® is a high-quality professional tool. It was designed specifically for knowledgeable, talented players who value a truly musical experience.
Makes all the difference: The VINTAGE FACTOR knob in the Delay section. Spin this knob to take a trip through time. Go back 40 years, or stop anywhere along the way. Set to the far left, it delivers uncolored digital delay. As the knob is turned clockwise, it delivers more and more of the three-dimensional "wow, flutter and spin" that made vintage tape delays so desirable.
Features:
• The original sound of tube-driven vintage tape delays
• Your choice of single-head or dual-head delays or vintage tube reverb
• Vintage Factor infinitely variable between modern digital delay and vintage tape delay
• True Bypass setting leaves source signal completely unaltered
• Rugged metal housing
• Delay time is variable between 10 and 900 ms.
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