Wampler Pedals Faux Tape Echo V2 Delay Review (2023)

Build Quality:
Hardware:
Electronics:
Sound:
Value:
Average:

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Pros:

• Vintage
• Warm tones
• Easy to adjust the tone
• Precise sound

Cons:

• Might develop “white noise”

We have all been there – at some point during our musical experience we have encountered a skirmish between the aficionados of digital and analog delays. The differences between their viewpoints does not seem to end and after each and every debate we have the sole result – each “group” continues to love and appreciate the products they are loyal to. But what if all those differences did not make sense anymore? What if there was a delay pedal on the market that offered the best of both worlds? All of our problems would be solved and the controversies would be put to an end.

And let me tell you, my friend, that such a product does exist and it is basically a white flag sent to us to unite the musicians. You already know from the name of this article, but I will still repeat myself – I am talking about Wampler Pedals Faux Tape Echo V2. Since the first version was a total hit, the team behind the brand decided to make it even better, add some extra features and create an exquisite delay pedal. Did they succeed? We shall see below. Let’s get started!  

Features

The feature set of Wampler Pedals Faux Tape Echo V2 is quite overarching – it has everything one could ask for and more. The versatility it carries does not mean solely the diversity and abundance of functionalities or parameters. But rather, it indicates that the pedal is replete with all the essentials, and the extras it has are extremely useful as well. When talking about Wampler pedals, I cannot help the urge to take a moment and emphasize the design and build quality. This brand excels at both and Faux Tape Echo V2 is no exception either. Two different shades of purple cover the enclosure, white knobs mount the surface and silver footswitches finish off the whole design.

Every single constituent of the pedal is of high quality, including soft encoders and toggles and heavy-duty footswitches. More importantly, Faux Tape Echo V2 has an analog circuit with a digital delay line. This enhances the purity and length of the effect and retains overall tonal quality. One of the improvements in the newer version is the extended delay time (now we have 800ms), which is something you do not usually see in the units of such ilk. This stompbox also has Tap Tempo with dedicated footswitch and subdivisions, allowing you to set the delay time more freely and easily. Its Relay True Bypass makes sure that your signal is not compromised in any way and transfers it without any interaction. Faux Tape Echo V2 has a standard input and output and can be supplied with a battery or AC adapter.

Controls

If you take a look at the control section of Faux Tape Echo V2, you will see that there are quite a few knobs on the surface. Their quantity does not complicate anything by any means, they just give you more precision and accuracy. You have the ability to tweak the parameters of your sound to a great extent, which is always amazing, especially if you are a bit picky. Briefly, you have all the control you will need and then some.

Let’s get modulation out of the way and start with the encoders that are in charge of this effect. Rate and Depth modify the speed and intensity of the modulation, respectively, and allow you to create something that is tailored to your delays. Moving on to the star of the show (i.e. delay), we have four main knobs. Delay defines the delay time and ranges from fast and rhythmical to slow and long repetitions. Delay Mix modifies the level of the effected signal and determines, how it blends with the original.

Repeats change how many times the delayed sound will be fed back into your signal, while Tone balances out low and higher frequencies and either adds some darkness or makes everything brighter and cleaner. The Sub Division toggle allows you to choose between quarters, eighths, dotted eighths, and triplets and sets the ratio in accordance to the tempo. The footswitches are self-explanatory, so you will not have any problem with that.

Wampler Faux Tape Echo Sound

The distinctive pattern that follows the majority of Wampler pedals is that they sound expensive. There is something in their sound that justifies every penny spent and subjugates your heart for good. Faux Tape Echo V2 has the same pattern and emits sophisticated sounds with every setting. The range of versatility we have here is out of this world, since you have numerous options and parameters to choose from. Delays are saturated with analog characters and have that distinctive grit and dirt.

It becomes more audible as you extend the delay time and enter the realm of 600-800ms. That slight distortion over the edges is what distinguishes this pedal from its competitors. The tone control is very useful here, since it changes the character of your delays with just a twist and thickens its body even more. The modulation gets on with the delays like a house on fire, and makes your sound more interesting. This unit strives towards emulating the tape echo and succeeds by creating organic and natural delays. On the whole, Faux Tape Echo V2 is a high-end pedal with high-end sound.

Conclusion

As you can see, sometimes investments are completely justifiable. It is not about getting your money’s worth. It is about purchasing something that elevates your performance and makes it more memorable. Faux Tape Echo V2 is exactly that. The quality Wampler Pedals brags about is heard through every note and sound, and this is not an exaggeration. If you want to experience ecstatic emotions with every fretted chord, this is what you should go for. You will not know how wonderful it is unless you get your hands on it and start playing. Good luck on your journey and may this pedal guide you through delayed wonderland!

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