RECORDING March 2023 - 55

significant refinement of the tapebased
delay FX unit.
It combined a multihead record/playback
tape loop system with a spring
reverb tank. Significantly more robust
and better sounding than previous tape
delays, the Space Echo ruled both in the
studio and on the road. Today, it shows
no sign of relinquishing the crown.
The inspiration is instantly recognizable
in the plugin's layout and color
scheme. As per Black Rooster custom,
they've layered a host of customization
options onto a " near perfect " capture of
the original's audio performance.
Three Heads are Better than One
The top of the display contains the
main controls, many akin to the hardware
unit, including the multistage tape
head/reverb Mode Selector dial, Bass
and Treble EQ, Intensity (feedback),
Repeat Rate, and individual Echo and
Reverb Volume.
There is a switch to toggle on a virtual
preamp that adds a bit of saturation.
And there are input and output controls,
and a VU Meter.
Bend, Manipulate and Fold
The Black Rooster enhancements selection
here is extensive and lets you
fine-tune the effect in multiple creative
ways. You can sync the tempo of the
delay to your DAW or tap it in manually.
The dynamic range of the effect can
be manipulated by adjusting the tape
headroom.
Uniquely, you can tweak the depth
of the repeats by fine-tuning each
tape head position. Each head also
has an individual volume and pan
control. Typical tape-related artifacts
like noise, wow and flutter, and motor
speed variances all have their own
controls, making it easy to coax even
more vintage flavors.
Don't Delay
While it's easy to marvel at how
great the original design is, the plugin's
enhancements build on these features,
and extend the range and sonics. I
could effectively mix a tune with this
as the only time-domain effect. (I used
to do this with the original in my predigital
home studio).
Both are way more capable and subtle
than they may seem. Although the
self-oscillating capabilities captured my
younger self's guitar god imagination,
the doubling or thickening effects you
can achieve are sonically delicious.
I often put a delay unit in my vocal
chain, and the TD-201 is perfect for
this application. I recently mixed a tune
where I was struggling to find the right
vocal ambiance. I
tried
the TD-201,
found the head and density combo that
worked best, and tweaked those to perfection
for the final mix.
It sounded better than what I had
when using my other selection of premium
delay and reverb units. Plus, I put an
instance of the VLA-2A Mark II in front
of the delay to act as a bit of a ducker.
Amazing combo!
Tape echo is still the boss for me on
guitar, and I'm oscillating myself into
nirvana with this plugin. Yeah, I love it!
Again, it sounds great and is super versatile,
but it's also very affordable.
Price: $59 VLA-2A Mark II; $49 TD-201
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RECORDING March 2023

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