NUX Tape Echo Review

Save for controls for reverb, input, and output level (which are a big deal for many original RE-201 users), the NUX unit’s control set approximates that of the Space Echo. And the interface is great. The small digital readout, while hard to read on account of its tiny size, provides useful graphical representations of the on/off positions of the three virtual tape heads and the delay time. (Maximum delay for the heads are a fairly authentic 183, 366, and 550 ms, though you can create delay times up to 1600 ms with the tap tempo switch.) The compact dial arrangement also makes it easy to create realtime, dramatic pitch shift and swelling oscillation effects with ease. These effects are some of the real joys of a genuine Space Echo, and the fact that you can so readily achieve those effects on the fly is awesome. With an external expression pedal (not included) you can probe this interactivity even further. That long list of features makes the NUX a value at $179.