The CNZ Audio STE-10 is a mini delay pedal that takes the idea of reel-to-reel style tape echo and puts it into a small enclosure with easy to use controls. CNZ Audio describes its range as running from classic Sun Records slapback to psychedelic sounds with the Time and Regen knobs cranked. The pedal carries white reel-to-reel tape graphics and a solid aluminum housing on all sides1.
The controls
The STE-10 keeps its control set to three knobs, Level, Time and Regen, plus one toggle switch for selecting the echo mode1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Adjusts the presence of the echo, from loud and clear to subtle1 |
| Time | Changes the tempo and speed of the echoes, subject to the Level and Regen settings1 |
| Regen | Adjusts the longevity of the echoes, from a single burst to nearly one hundred repeats1 |
| Echo toggle | Selects clear, normal or reverse echo1 |
The toggle switch is the pedal's character control. CNZ Audio explains the three positions this way: clear gives a slightly brighter tone, normal gives a full sound, and reverse lets you hear your playing backwards. As the maker puts it, "The Tape Echo Pedal comes with the option of clear, normal and reverse echoes with the toggle switch."1
Power and connections
The STE-10 runs on a 9VDC input with the center pin negative and the outside positive, drawing 10 mA1. That low current draw means it fits comfortably alongside other pedals on a standard 9V supply. Connections are a single 1/4 inch input at 470K ohms input impedance and a single 1/4 inch output at 470 ohms output impedance1.
Size and build
As a mini pedal, the STE-10 measures 3.75 inches long, 1.77 inches wide and 1.9 inches high, and weighs .53 lbs including the box1. The housing is solid aluminum on all sides1. The small footprint makes it a candidate for crowded boards where a full sized tape echo emulation would not fit.
Related CNZ Audio delays
The STE-10 sits at the simple end of CNZ Audio's delay offerings: a tape echo pedal that takes reel-to-reel style echo and puts it in a mini pedal with easy to use controls, one echo character per knob setting, and no presets1. CNZ Audio describes its range as running from classic Sun Records slapback to psychedelic sounds with the Time and Regen knobs cranked1.
Videos
CNZ Audio
Questions
Is the CNZ Audio STE-10 true bypass?
Yes. CNZ Audio describes the STE-10 as true bypass, which the maker says provides a transparent tone when the pedal is switched off. That means your guitar's signal passes through the pedal untouched when it is not engaged, so the echo circuit only colors your sound while the effect is on.
What power supply does the CNZ Audio STE-10 need?
The STE-10 runs on a 9VDC input with the center pin negative and the outside positive, drawing 10 mA. That low current draw means almost any standard 9V pedal power supply can run it, and it is easy to share a supply with other pedals on a board.
Does the CNZ STE-10 have a reverse echo setting?
Yes. A toggle switch selects between clear, normal and reverse echo settings. CNZ Audio says clear gives a slightly brighter tone, normal gives a full sound, and reverse lets you hear your playing backwards.
How big is the CNZ Audio STE-10?
CNZ Audio lists the STE-10 at 3.75 inches long, 1.77 inches wide and 1.9 inches high, weighing 0.53 lbs including the box. It is a mini pedal, built to take up little room on a pedalboard.
How many repeats can the STE-10 produce?
The Regen knob adjusts the longevity of the echoes, and CNZ Audio says it runs from a single burst to nearly one hundred repeats. Combined with the Time knob, that covers everything from short slapback to long, self-generating echo trails.
Sources (1)
- STE-10 | Echo Pedal | CNZ Audio, CNZ Audio
