(lost in) space echo - now with demo
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- StrummersOfThunder
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(lost in) space echo - now with demo
Danger Swell Throbinson!
Heres a thing:
I picked up what I believe to be an early roland space echo RE 201 recently
Its quite cool. It has a funky low serial number 000004 and is 220v from the factory (more on this)
It works as it should but for a fair amount of tone suck. Now i would say i did expect some of that, and in a sense its part of the lofi charm of the unit, but this has a fair bit.
So naturally I have ordered a new tape for it and will set about cleaning the heads (+/- demagnetising).
So I decided to take it apart of inspect and this is where things get interesting...
Heres a thing:
I picked up what I believe to be an early roland space echo RE 201 recently
Its quite cool. It has a funky low serial number 000004 and is 220v from the factory (more on this)
It works as it should but for a fair amount of tone suck. Now i would say i did expect some of that, and in a sense its part of the lofi charm of the unit, but this has a fair bit.
So naturally I have ordered a new tape for it and will set about cleaning the heads (+/- demagnetising).
So I decided to take it apart of inspect and this is where things get interesting...
Last edited by StrummersOfThunder on Mon Jan 15, 2024 5:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
I looked at a bunch of stuff on line for layouts and schematics in prep for a potential recap. You can order stuff from a site called echo fix in aussie (tape, felt, springs, caps etc) all in kit form.
When I cracked my space echo I found it differed in a key aspect. It had another small PCB over laying the PT.
All the otehr untis I found online had one large and one small board both affixed to the roof of the unit, where as mine has three.
Also there appears to be some ahem after market fiddling done to the (I presume) power board.
Roland denote their boards with a 6 number serial xxx-xxx and the service manual has these numbers for the main board, power board etc
None of the boards in my unit match up to any numbers ion the service manual, yet they all look very much like roland PCB boards and have the same serial config.
Here is an example of a standard unit from online
When I cracked my space echo I found it differed in a key aspect. It had another small PCB over laying the PT.
All the otehr untis I found online had one large and one small board both affixed to the roof of the unit, where as mine has three.
Also there appears to be some ahem after market fiddling done to the (I presume) power board.
Roland denote their boards with a 6 number serial xxx-xxx and the service manual has these numbers for the main board, power board etc
None of the boards in my unit match up to any numbers ion the service manual, yet they all look very much like roland PCB boards and have the same serial config.
Here is an example of a standard unit from online
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
And here is my unit.
Note the third board riding the PT
And it looks pretty legit from behind:
Note the third board riding the PT
And it looks pretty legit from behind:
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
And last but not least (sorry to start a sentence with 'And') there is a section of missing components from the main power board plus some evidence of jiggery pokery
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
So ... was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick and a jar of vasaline?
Some theories thus far:
1. After market fiddling
2. Given the very low serial and the (what would have been) unusual factory voltage 220v (euro spec) maybe this was just one of a handful of factory modded units destined for Ibiza
3. Other
Looking for info so if there are any RE-201 boffins in the house please reach out
Some theories thus far:
1. After market fiddling
2. Given the very low serial and the (what would have been) unusual factory voltage 220v (euro spec) maybe this was just one of a handful of factory modded units destined for Ibiza
3. Other
Looking for info so if there are any RE-201 boffins in the house please reach out
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Also this is amazing
The spring reverb tank is made in Wisconsin be beautiful women in a sealed chamber
The spring reverb tank is made in Wisconsin be beautiful women in a sealed chamber
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Fixed. Uncomfortably.StrummersOfThunder wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2024 6:46 pm Also this is amazing
The spring reverb tank is made in Wisconsin be beautiful girls in a sealed chamber
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Far out, excited to hear more as you discover its history!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Credit for this!
As for everything else, I got nothing.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Thanks Bruce
Thought you might be the one to spot circa 1965 reference
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
I might try and record something tonight. Id like to document pre- servicing sounds anyway
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Re: (lost in) space echo (Re-201 content)
Sigh..... Yeah.StrummersOfThunder wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:01 amThanks Bruce
Thought you might be the one to spot circa 1965 reference
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
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