$39
It’s fitting that the first plugin on our list should be something humble and unassuming. Before we turn our attention to the more complex digital options or the emulations of expensive hardware, let’s pay tribute to one of the most affordable varieties of delay effect that ever hit the market.
Until the mid 1970s, the only way to create artificial echo effects was with moving parts – tapes, discs, springs and the like. That changed with the introduction of bucket brigade device (BBD) chips, as utilised in iconic guitar pedals such as the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man and later found in a number of rack units. Digital delays would steal the limelight before too long, but there’s still a lot to be said for the dark, warm sound of a good BBD echo, not to mention the simplicity and ease of use that typically came with it. That’s exactly what Audio Damage’s DubStation plugin replicates, with a classic analogue sound and just a simple set of controls to adjust the basic parameters.
As the name suggests, it’s great for the kind of intense lo-fi delays found in dub, but it’s also a great choice any time a simple, easy-to-use delay is called for. Stick it on vocals, synths or drums and the results are usually pretty good. Sometimes you don’t need anything more complex than this. If you just want character and colour with a minimum of fuss, DubStation is the perfect choice.
Not grungy enough for you? Try Audio Damage’s Ratshack Reverb plugin too…
09.00 AM
I always loved Nomad Factory’s “Echoes”. Just a beautiful sounding bit of kit. Fxpansion’s “Bloom” is equally lovely, just ridiculously complex with it.
Love it that there’s a shout out for “Ratshack Reverb” too. I put that on so many of my tracks, I think I need an intervention….
09.48 AM
I was just about to question the lack of UAD Space Echo, then I noticed they’ve discontinued it. Anyone know what’s happened there? Looks like Roland have withdrawn the licences for Roland emulations or something? I’m guessing they’re going to release plugins of their own…
06.07 PM
Also missing Valhalla Ubermod, more than just delay. I didn’t know about the UVI one, seems great.
02.14 AM
Echoboy is incredible, definitely one of my desert island plugins. I lot of the time I don’t even use it as a delay, turning the echo time to 0ms and tweaking the saturation settings to get awesome lo-fi tape warmth and wobble. Echoboy is more than a plugin, its an instrument.
11.52 PM
Wow you’re right Spicer, good thing I finally just purchased it a couple weeks ago when it was on sale.
11.59 PM
Hey Spicer there is an emulation of the space echo in NI Guitar Rig that has a great vibe.
Gotta say the Waves J37 is my all time fave tape delay in the box.
02.07 PM
The PSP 42 isn’t actually endorsed by Lexicon. There is a post on a well known forum where one of their engineers said he relayed that he didn’t think it sounded that close. But the next thing he knew PSP was marketing it as such.
12.44 PM
REPLIKA
REPLIKA
REPLIKA
or however you spell the damn thing
04.35 AM
This seems ridiculous to split up an article into 11 pages. Does anyone actually like clicking through to the next page 10 times?
10.54 AM
more page vieuw but less readers