T-Rex shows Binson Echorec reproduction at NAMM 2023

January 1, 2023 · 3 sources

T-Rex presented its completed Binson Echorec reproduction at NAMM 2023 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the company's long-running project to return the magnetic drum echo unit to production¹². The price of $2,100 was confirmed by B's Music Shop of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in the comments for a video it shot at the show, according to MusicRadar¹. Guitar World reported the same figure². Gearnews listed a different price of $1,690.00 at Thomann³.

The unit is a reproduction of the original Echorec circuit with a spinning drum, built into what Guitar World called a "(massive) stompbox"². The original worked on a magnetic disk that used a thin wire rather than tape to imprint the delay signal². T-Rex has added features beyond the original circuit. The input stage offers a choice of two recording heads: a short head specified to reproduce the original Echorec's timing, and a long head that captures a longer initial sample¹². There are four selectable playback heads, switched with light-up push buttons¹². A speed control adjusts the drum by plus or minus 20 per cent¹². A tone dial sets the EQ of the repeats, and a toggle switches between the echo of the repeat setting and the quasi-reverb ambience of the swell mode¹². The front carries a green "magic eye" indicator tube that lights as input signal increases and shows when the unit is clipping¹². The rear panel offers balanced and unbalanced I/O, and there are connections for external speed adjustment and bypass¹²³. The enclosure has a bypass footswitch on the bottom right corner; holding it down for three seconds stops the drum rotating¹².

The units are handmade in Denmark¹³. Guitar World reported that T-Rex had about 500 built at the time of the show². The two publications differ on the project's length: MusicRadar described an eight-year project, during which the company shared a prototype before returning to the drawing board¹, while Guitar World said T-Rex spent about seven years getting it right². Gearnews also put the total at eight years³.

MusicRadar noted that original Echorecs were retailing for $6,000 or more depending on condition¹; Guitar World gave a range of $3,000 to $7,000 for originals depending on condition and model².