one cool feature of the RE-501 over the older 201s or 150s is the stereo function, obtained by using the line outputs A+B together, and then panning them full L/R. you'll get the delay on one side, the reverb on the other, and the original signal and chorus in the middle - put some synth pads through it, and the vintage pad ambience is guaranteed !
As a roots reggae and dub reggae head for 30 years, i am more famliar and have an RE-201, but absolutely love your demo of the RE-501. Big up Jamaica 6:38! Thank you Doc+tor Mix for another great video!!!
Wow, those voice samples played through the tape delay and then played on youtube processed through my dolby ProLogicII surround decoder became very trippy. With the source, being out of phase, was sent to the surrounds and the delayed copy being in phase mono going to the center channel. Probably an unintended effect, but trippy indeed. :D
I have nothing to do with music, I have no musical creative talent, but I like listening... and I really like listening to sounds, electronic sounds expecialy. That is why I subscribed and am watching stuff I have nothing to do with :) Thank you
After lusting over Tomita album equipment lists I wanted an RE201 space echo. Nice name too, but despite the less exciting name I ended up with the 501 chorus echo cos it does quite a bit more. Long live analogue!
I lucked into one of these a decade ago... the input section is much better than the cheaper Rolands, and the chorus is Trower-esque to the max. I love it so much I don't play through it... I just look at it occasionally.
I'm a happy owner of a RE501 (for 10 years now,) and it's really one of the most amazing FX units ever made! I'm still trying to solve some wobble issues, even after replacing all rollers and felts with the echofix kit. I wonder which kit or tape you used in this one? Mine looks pristine too!
Awesome. Does anyone know what's the signal path inside the RE-501? Delay, chorus and reverb are in parallel or series? If they are in series, what is the order? Delay > chorus > spring? Thanks!
I have also one. I using this gear very nicely. Robust build by Roland I think 501 was the last tape model. I have also RE3 It also very nice sonic sound. I thanks to for nice video
You make it sound like chorus and spring reverb are features exclusive to the RE-501. They're not. The RE-201 and RE-301 also have spring reverb, and the RE-301 also have chorus.
Also, you get the sound-on-sound functionality completely wrong. It has nothing to do with how long before "the next repetition". Sound-on-sound, in essence, disables the delete head - making it possible to record on top of already recorded/echoed stuff (which is not deleted). The wording kinda says it all .... "sound on sound".
It sounds great but I must confess I wouldn't have the patience to get the various echoes to match the tempo or subdivisions thereof to achieve the effect I want. I guess I'll stick to MIDI-synchronised delays! 😂
In the 1990's my dad bought one of these off a guy for £10. I was in a (short-lived) band and knowing it was worth a lot more, me and my dad sold it on eBay for around £150. Today they are £1,500.
how can i get my hands on a Roland RE-501 Tape Delay ? Is the one on the video for sale? Can I get a less expensive echo machine if I am just interested in the sound on sound feature unlimited clean slow delay repeat?
I am guessing it’s best to have it that way because of the speed of the delay can be changed on the fly. Sped up and slowed down. The tape wouldn’t stay wrapped around the reel and would jam up.
What was said above, but also consider that it is a loop and thus cannot easily be spiraled in any sense--this way maximizes the possible length of the loop and hopefully letting the tape last a little longer
Brilliant ! Thank you for your very prompt reply. I've had my 501 since 1983. Along with a Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, with a couple of chips, that keep going to sleep.
I have a 201, a 301, a 501 and a 555 (the rackmount): I wouldn't say the 501 is "better" than the 201 or 301, they have slightly different flavours, as well as the different features ... other owners I know prefer the 201or 301, and I can see why.
Kieren Moore I’m jealous. I have a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo but I still want a RE:201 as bad as ever. All tape echos are special but the Space Echos are in a class of their own. The built in reverb and multiple playback heads plus whatever other magic is inside really give them a wonderful sound that Echoplex style machines can’t imitate.
@@saren6538 no, unfortunately I haven’t managed to get a RE:201 yet. I still lust over them. What I do have is a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo (an earlier version without the hard top). Getting the TTE derailed my acquiring of a 201 a few years back. While it’s a good tape echo (if you’re after an Echoplex type), however it falls short of the RE:201 being that it isn’t a multi tap design and lacks the spring reverb.
What could be a decent VST unit to use within Ableton and receate this sound? i wanna use this effect to play electronic music live, so far ive tried buiolt in Ableton delays, some plugins made by Audioware like the psp42 but still cant find one that sounds like this.
I have the UAD RE-201 plugin - it's pretty good, but it doesn't quite have the dirtiness that my real RE-501 has. It's a bit too perfect. Still, it's pretty good if you're using it subtly and not as a main/loud effect. If you want the effect to be in-your-face then using the original units is much better.
As an owner of an RE-501, UAD's RE-201 (now renamed the Galaxy Echo) is pretty darn close to a real Roland tape echo. Keep in mind the 201 will behave slightly differently, as the RE-501 was designed to self-oscillate less and has overall cleaner sound than the 201.
Roland / BOSS already did kind of make a digital recreation of it with the BOSS RE20 Space Echo many years ago. It sounds reasonable close to the real thing. watch?v=EyWfD33wdB8 watch?v=gKScK9M5AYU
The Queen of Roland Tape Echo is the RE-301, not the RE-501. The RE-301 has all the functions of the RE-501, spring reverb and Chorus too (unlike what dr Mix is saying wrongly about all other models) but it has three inputs instead of only one for the 501, and each input on the 301 has its own level switch selector and volume knob, whereas the 501 only has a one volume with one level selector. The RE-301 has a true needle VU input level indicator instead of 8 leds in the RE-501. The RE-301 just like the also has A, (A+B) and B outputs, there is no function from the 501 that the 301 doesn't have. The only differences are the 501 has a balanced (single) XLR input and output while the 301 has jacks inputs and outputs. Roland also advertised noise reduction system in the 501 but a spectrum analyzer would show similar noise levels on both models. The 501/555 was advertised as updated version of the 301's functions with more printed-circuit mounted components for easier production (which is not necessarily better). In my view this was mainly to make the product more profitable without loosing any of the functions of the 301. I do own the RE-301.
Yo, Doc, could this pull off the varied pitch and time shifting echo heard at the end of the vocal lines, here? ua-cam.com/video/IC8sxfHhtz0/v-deo.html If not do you know something that could?
I've got one and I plan on selling it soon and not a dime below $3k. That's just the way things go sometimes in the music gear world and it's the same in all aspects of collector gear. Look at the Klon Centaur, same thing. And it's not that I agree with it, it's just that I accept the reality of business. Have you checked the price of a Burst lately? I bought my Space Echo around 1984 and I'm probably only the 2nd owner so it's in perfect shape, never been gigged or moved out of a home studio environment. In short, of course you can get just as good (and even better) sounds out of modern gear. Smart players wouldn't dispute that. But when you own the REAL THING, you own a working piece of the history which created the stuff you're talking about. One last funny story. Around 1997 I worked with a guy who played bass and I told him I owned one of these things and he laughed and I asked why are you laughing? And he replied, "well they're kind of cheesy." Anyway, I doubt he would be laughing now in 2020.
one cool feature of the RE-501 over the older 201s or 150s is the stereo function, obtained by using the line outputs A+B together, and then panning them full L/R. you'll get the delay on one side, the reverb on the other, and the original signal and chorus in the middle - put some synth pads through it, and the vintage pad ambience is guaranteed !
This is the exact reason I'm looking at getting one of these.
The 301 does this too. I haven't really used the dual output but maybe I need to.
As a roots reggae and dub reggae head for 30 years, i am more famliar and have an RE-201, but absolutely love your demo of the RE-501. Big up Jamaica 6:38! Thank you Doc+tor Mix for another great video!!!
A very classic effect used in many many many many tracks. That delay and sound is unmistakable.
Yeah, that dub effects sounds
Wow, those voice samples played through the tape delay and then played on youtube processed through my dolby ProLogicII surround decoder became very trippy. With the source, being out of phase, was sent to the surrounds and the delayed copy being in phase mono going to the center channel.
Probably an unintended effect, but trippy indeed. :D
I have nothing to do with music, I have no musical creative talent, but I like listening... and I really like listening to sounds, electronic sounds expecialy. That is why I subscribed and am watching stuff I have nothing to do with :) Thank you
Man I miss my 501... The chorus in it was incredible as well.
"dark & dirty get the 201, nice & clean get the 501" was the advice I had years ago so went for the 201 which I've still got 25+ years later
Nothing like tape delay. Awesome machine. Oyelo! Afro Cuba!
L'ho preso oggi ;) stupendo. ciao Claudio!
After lusting over Tomita album equipment lists I wanted an RE201 space echo. Nice name too, but despite the less exciting name I ended up with the 501 chorus echo cos it does quite a bit more. Long live analogue!
I lucked into one of these a decade ago... the input section is much better than the cheaper Rolands, and the chorus is Trower-esque to the max. I love it so much I don't play through it... I just look at it occasionally.
Incredible. Love this thing.
Thank you for another great video! Love from Canada :)
I'm a happy owner of a RE501 (for 10 years now,) and it's really one of the most amazing FX units ever made! I'm still trying to solve some wobble issues, even after replacing all rollers and felts with the echofix kit. I wonder which kit or tape you used in this one? Mine looks pristine too!
Super intresting video and very nice presentation as always. Thx a lot and best wishes from Germany.
This thing is ancient!!
Can’t believe the price!!!
YES!
Great demo!
5:40 sounds like a sound effect from an old TV show, like a transition. Anyone know what it could be I can't remember?
It sounds like lots of the creepy sounds that early Cabaret Voltaire made came out of earlier versions of this thing.
Flood was engineer?
Thanks for making me want more stuff..
Is this what they use to overdub vocals??
Awesome. Does anyone know what's the signal path inside the RE-501? Delay, chorus and reverb are in parallel or series? If they are in series, what is the order? Delay > chorus > spring? Thanks!
I have also one. I using this gear very nicely. Robust build by Roland I think 501 was the last tape model. I have also RE3 It also very nice sonic sound. I thanks to for nice video
Just bought one - great video, nicely explained, now I'm excited...
Hey man! Enjoy! Glad you found the video useful :-)
Where did you buy it from
@@judah7608 If I'm not mistaken, you can find one of these babies at Reverb.com or eBay!
After how many hours of use is it suggested to replace the tape ?
Curious if there's a plugin reproducing this unit. 😁
Grande Claudio
I hear zero warble, it's super well maintained!!
Quite a show!
Great review. Thank you :)
Back in 2004 I was lucky by getting a NOS RE-501 for 500$ ;-)
You make it sound like chorus and spring reverb are features exclusive to the RE-501. They're not. The RE-201 and RE-301 also have spring reverb, and the RE-301 also have chorus.
Also, you get the sound-on-sound functionality completely wrong. It has nothing to do with how long before "the next repetition". Sound-on-sound, in essence, disables the delete head - making it possible to record on top of already recorded/echoed stuff (which is not deleted). The wording kinda says it all .... "sound on sound".
Impressive!
thats amazing
+franzmann erer isn't it? :-)
amazing sound!
@Doctor Mix Can you also review some more mastering gear like you've done before?
Shujing Music | Electronic Music Promotion sounds cool :-) we can sire do more of that ;-)
+Doctor Mix And BTW after reading your content I bought a piece of mastering equipment... keep an eye on this channel for our September videos ;-)
siiick! any more high end gear would be awesome haha
Shujing Music | Electronic Music Promotion yeah!!!
let me dream a bit... manley massive passive, elysia museq, ssl sigma, elysia alpha compressor, ... ok i stop :D
It sounds great but I must confess I wouldn't have the patience to get the various echoes to match the tempo or subdivisions thereof to achieve the effect I want. I guess I'll stick to MIDI-synchronised delays! 😂
Really cool brother. Peace Christo ✌️👽
In the 1990's my dad bought one of these off a guy for £10. I was in a (short-lived) band and knowing it was worth a lot more, me and my dad sold it on eBay for around £150. Today they are £1,500.
You can send it to me thanks
+djentlover 1 or 2?
3 thanks
Please just 2!!
Do Nils Frahm use this?
Absolutely, you can see it on his kexp session by the way
He used to have 3 of them. But lately he switched to Echo Fix units because less maintenence.
can you get the signal to distort by turning up the input ? i can see a volume nob but im not sure if that us output or input
What amp are you using here?
Is it normal "sound on sound" feature sounds more low (less high eq) than echo mode?
how can i get my hands on a Roland RE-501 Tape Delay ? Is the one on the video for sale? Can I get a less expensive echo machine if I am just interested in the sound on sound feature unlimited clean slow delay repeat?
Can you plug a mic in and get all the effects you show here with your voice?
Love Judah Sound System yes you can use it to process vocals
what is the intention of leaving the tape so messy in that closed space instead of wrapping it up to a reel or a hub??
I am guessing it’s best to have it that way because of the speed of the delay can be changed on the fly. Sped up and slowed down. The tape wouldn’t stay wrapped around the reel and would jam up.
What was said above, but also consider that it is a loop and thus cannot easily be spiraled in any sense--this way maximizes the possible length of the loop and hopefully letting the tape last a little longer
Are you using the original tape ? If not, where did you get the replacement ?
We only use and recommend tape from echofix.com - he's in Australia, but you can also buy it from us at soundgas.com
Brilliant ! Thank you for your very prompt reply. I've had my 501 since 1983. Along with a Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, with a couple of chips, that keep going to sleep.
Makes me want to create Dub Music
💚💛🖤
I have a 201, a 301, a 501 and a 555 (the rackmount): I wouldn't say the 501 is "better" than the 201 or 301, they have slightly different flavours, as well as the different features ... other owners I know prefer the 201or 301, and I can see why.
Kieren Moore I’m jealous. I have a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo but I still want a RE:201 as bad as ever. All tape echos are special but the Space Echos are in a class of their own. The built in reverb and multiple playback heads plus whatever other magic is inside really give them a wonderful sound that Echoplex style machines can’t imitate.
@@brianrodman1033 did you ever get a 201 ?
@@saren6538 no, unfortunately I haven’t managed to get a RE:201 yet. I still lust over them. What I do have is a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo (an earlier version without the hard top). Getting the TTE derailed my acquiring of a 201 a few years back. While it’s a good tape echo (if you’re after an Echoplex type), however it falls short of the RE:201 being that it isn’t a multi tap design and lacks the spring reverb.
@@brianrodman1033 just got a 201 today in absolute mint condition first ever tape echo :)
@@saren6538 that’s awesome, you made the right choice. You’ll have to let me know how you get along with it. Would love to hear it in action too.
What could be a decent VST unit to use within Ableton and receate this sound? i wanna use this effect to play electronic music live, so far ive tried buiolt in Ableton delays, some plugins made by Audioware like the psp42 but still cant find one that sounds like this.
i use outer space by audiothing and i really fell in love with it
I have the UAD RE-201 plugin - it's pretty good, but it doesn't quite have the dirtiness that my real RE-501 has. It's a bit too perfect. Still, it's pretty good if you're using it subtly and not as a main/loud effect. If you want the effect to be in-your-face then using the original units is much better.
As an owner of an RE-501, UAD's RE-201 (now renamed the Galaxy Echo) is pretty darn close to a real Roland tape echo. Keep in mind the 201 will behave slightly differently, as the RE-501 was designed to self-oscillate less and has overall cleaner sound than the 201.
you can try the Valhalla Freq Echo, the devil is in this vst !
2017 1 single ring - 2019 8 rings
Can you please try to make the Bionic woman / 6 million dollar man sounds.
Similar to the space echo fred(e)rick.😮
Where can I purchase one of these and around how much would it cost
nowhere, $2000+ lol
Fuxk , for a second i thought they had made a acb botique 501 :(
Roland / BOSS already did kind of make a digital recreation of it with the BOSS RE20 Space Echo many years ago. It sounds reasonable close to the real thing.
watch?v=EyWfD33wdB8
watch?v=gKScK9M5AYU
it's a little too large for my pedal board, nice though... the sound is really dark
The Queen of Roland Tape Echo is the RE-301, not the RE-501. The RE-301 has all the functions of the RE-501, spring reverb and Chorus too (unlike what dr Mix is saying wrongly about all other models) but it has three inputs instead of only one for the 501, and each input on the 301 has its own level switch selector and volume knob, whereas the 501 only has a one volume with one level selector. The RE-301 has a true needle VU input level indicator instead of 8 leds in the RE-501. The RE-301 just like the also has A, (A+B) and B outputs, there is no function from the 501 that the 301 doesn't have. The only differences are the 501 has a balanced (single) XLR input and output while the 301 has jacks inputs and outputs. Roland also advertised noise reduction system in the 501 but a spectrum analyzer would show similar noise levels on both models. The 501/555 was advertised as updated version of the 301's functions with more printed-circuit mounted components for easier production (which is not necessarily better). In my view this was mainly to make the product more profitable without loosing any of the functions of the 301. I do own the RE-301.
Yo, Doc, could this pull off the varied pitch and time shifting echo heard at the end of the vocal lines, here? ua-cam.com/video/IC8sxfHhtz0/v-deo.html
If not do you know something that could?
Way too expensive for a good one. I got the Pedal version with a separate vintage chorus pedal, just as good.
I've got one and I plan on selling it soon and not a dime below $3k. That's just the way things go sometimes in the music gear world and it's the same in all aspects of collector gear. Look at the Klon Centaur, same thing. And it's not that I agree with it, it's just that I accept the reality of business. Have you checked the price of a Burst lately? I bought my Space Echo around 1984 and I'm probably only the 2nd owner so it's in perfect shape, never been gigged or moved out of a home studio environment. In short, of course you can get just as good (and even better) sounds out of modern gear. Smart players wouldn't dispute that. But when you own the REAL THING, you own a working piece of the history which created the stuff you're talking about. One last funny story. Around 1997 I worked with a guy who played bass and I told him I owned one of these things and he laughed and I asked why are you laughing? And he replied, "well they're kind of cheesy." Anyway, I doubt he would be laughing now in 2020.
It would have been a bit more interesting with a little music. instead of machine percussion !
lol African chant sample
Yoruba baby
I was looking for any demo of S on S or chorus... all this was was basically RE-201