Universal Audio UAFX Starlight Echo Station Delay Pedal
Universal Audio runs the game when it comes to spot-on emulations of classic studio hardware and effects, all powered by their cutting-edge DSP. Now, they’ve taken those effects to the stage with a killer line of guitar pedals packed with emulations of some of the most desirable delays of all time. The Universal Audio Starlight Echo Station is a delay lover’s Holy Grail, loaded with two stunning re-creations of legendary echo units and a pristine custom-designed digital delay in a single, ultra-robust chassis. From the crunchy repeats of the Tape EP-III and the dark, brooding modulated bucket-brigade echoes of the Analog DDM to the crystalline chime of the Precision delay, the Starlight Echo Station is the ultimate foil for shoegazers, psych-rockers, and experimentalists. Plus, with enhanced features such as stereo and dual-mono operation, true bypass with silent switching, and a preset mode for switching between two delay types while preserving your echo tails, the Starlight Echo Station offers inexhaustible creative potential!
Tape EP-III
There’s something special about tape delay — the less-than-perfect repeats, the subtle wow and flutter of the tape, and that intangible vibe that just makes you crave more! The Echo Station’s Tape EP-III effect is an accurate emulation of one of music’s most renowned tape delays, which was heartily embraced by guitar luminaries such as Neil Young, Jimmy Page, and Eric Johnson. The Tape EP-III captures the vibe of the original unit, including the musical preamp section, which can be driven into gritty distortion for adding more bite to the delayed signal — making for the opposite effect of the darkening repeats heard on bucket-brigade delays. Additionally, the Tape EP-III features the dropouts, tape slices, and noise inherent to the vintage devices, but it allows you to season them to taste. Finally, the Tape EP-III comes in three variations, each with its own distinctive character.
Analog DMM
Based on the iconic vintage delay pedal housed in a massive trapezoid chassis, the Analog DMM is the prototypical bucket-brigade delay: warm and wooly with disintegrating repeats that made it a favorite choice of shoegazers in the 1990s. Like the original, the Analog DMM includes a chorus-vibrato control for adding a touch of seasick warble. Plus, Universal Audio took this effect further than the original, stretching the delay time to a full second versus the original unit’s contestable claim of 400ms. Faithfully re-creating the standard by which all other bucket-brigade delays are judged, the Analog DMM is absolutely addictive!
Precision
While many musicians love colorful analog delays, sometimes a part demands the pristine clarity of a cutting-edge digital delay unity. That’s where Precision comes in. Designed from the ground up for the Starlight Echo Station, Precision serves up crystal-clear repeats with loads of modulation options derived from UAD’s venerable plug-in library. For crisp ambient textures, Precision is a no-brainer; however, it also pairs excellently with hardware synthesizers for concocting Vangelis-style synthscapes.
Free bonus effect: Cooper Time Cube
Along with the three stunning stock effects, Universal Audio throws in an additional effect when you register your Starlight Echo Station — Cooper Time Cube — which can be loaded onto the pedal via USB. Designed by Bill Putnam and Duane H. Cooper, the Cooper Time Cube was the world’s first electromechanical delay, which used a coiled garden hose to provide a unique echo effect with a fixed delay time. With modern champions like Jack White and award-winning engineer Vance Powell, the Cooper Time Cube has seen a recent resurgence — it has a magical way of fattening any signal and adding stereo width to a mono source.
UAFX Control app for even more control
Download the UAFX Control app for iOS or Android and expand your sonic options. The app lets you witch between true bypass and trails bypass on your Starlight Echo Station. Plus, the app lets you turn on preamp coloration even when the delay effect is off, along with changing the behavior or the right footswitch to choose a preset, tap tempo, or both.
Features:
- 2 legendary echo unit emulations and a cutting digital delay powered by UAD DSP
- Tape EP-III re-creates the vibey, idiosyncratic character of celebrated tape echo
- Analog DMM is a faithful reproduction of the standard-bearer for bucket-brigade delay
- Precision offers crystal-clear digital delay with modulation derived from UAD’s plug-in library
- Preset mode for switching between 2 different effects with a spillover option for preserving echo tails
- Free bonus effect upon registration: Cooper Time Cube
- Operates in mono, dual-mono, and stereo modes with automatic mono/stereo detection
- Rugged enclosure with top-notch components
- True bypass and optional buffered bypass modes
- UAFX Control app expands functionality
Specs:
- Pedal Type: Delay, Echo
- Analog/Digital: Digital
- Presets: Recall Stored Settings, 6 x Subdivision Options, 2 x Dual-delay Modes
- Effects: Tape EP-III, Analog DMM, Precision Digital Delay, Cooper Time Cube Delay (download)
- Max Delay Time: 2500ms
- Inputs: 2 x 1/4" TS (L/mono,R)
- Outputs: 2 x 1/4" TS (L/mono,R)
- USB: USB-C (updates)
- True Bypass: Yes, Switchable to Buffered (via software)
- Features: Dual-processor UAFX Engine
- Software: UAFX Control app (Android/iOS 11 or later)
- Power Source: 9V DC 400mA power supply (sold separately)
- Height: 2.56"
- Width: 3.62"
- Depth: 5.55"
- Weight: 1.24 lbs.
