The Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay is a compact delay pedal from Dunlop that puts the echo effects and controls of the original Maestro Echoplex EP-3 tape echo unit into a box the size of a Phase 901. Released in 2016, it is a digital pedal with an all-analog dry signal path, designed to deliver vintage EP-3 tape echo warmth and modulation without the tape, maintenance, or bulk of the original machine231.
Guitar World's reviewer found it unusually faithful to its source: where most digital emulations of the Echoplex sound comparatively flat, the EP103 "absolutely nails the EP-3's unique character"1. Delicious Audio called it "one of the best-sounding delay pedals on the market"4.
What it does: EP-3 tape echo in a pedal
The EP103 is based on the Maestro Echoplex EP-3, the solid-state tape delay that emerged in 1970 and that MusicRadar calls "the definitive delay for many players"62. The original was a tape machine with a preamp that added color and bite to the signal, plus a delay time slider; on the Sweetwater demo of the EP103, Don Carr compares working the pedal's delay control to using that slider on the old EP-372.
Dunlop bought the Echoplex name and has manufactured the digital EP103 since 201681. The pedal keeps the EP-3's control layout and echo character while adding things the tape unit never had: Age mode, stereo operation, wet-only mode, and optional tap tempo13.
Pedal of the Day described the range of sounds available: "If you want dark, brooding repeats, but also the option to have bright, clear delay tones, and a mix of everything in between, this pedal can do it all"3.
The controls
The top panel keeps the EP-3's three-knob layout1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Sets delay time, 65 to 750 ms25 |
| Sustain | Sets the number of repeats35 |
| Volume | Sets output level; hold for 2 seconds to enter Age mode3 |
Beyond the three knobs:
- Age mode, entered by holding the Volume knob for 2 seconds, dials in darker, warmer tones and increased wow and flutter modulation that replicates worn-out tape13. Premier Guitar's reviewer found that it "darkens the repeats, adds cool coloration, and at times even seems to lend randomness" to the modulation5. Your final Age setting can be locked in and stored, so the pedal wakes up with it engaged1.
- Wet mode sends only the wet signal to your amplifier, selectable through the startup mode procedure in the manual2.
- STEREO/MONO switch (internal) toggles stereo or mono input functionality2.
Guitar World's reviewer summed up Age mode this way: it "replicates the warm sound and chorus-like wow and flutter of aged tape to provide truly accurate analog tape tones"1. Pedal of the Day added that "the wow-and-flutter of the Age mode really makes this thing sing, and captures those special and hard-to-achieve tones very easily"3.
Power and connections
The EP103 runs on 9 volts DC and draws 240 mA2. That current draw is high for a compact pedal, and it is the reason the pedal has a reputation for pickiness with power: Delicious Audio lists "trouble with some 3rd party PSUs" among its cons4. A small daisy chain or an isolated supply with a low-current output may not keep up.
At 240 mA, the EP103 draws more current than many pedals on a shared or low-current power supply can tolerate. Plan on a dedicated, adequately rated 9V DC output24.
Connections include a Tap jack for the optional MXR M199 Tap Tempo switch1. With the M199 connected, the maximum delay time extends from 750 ms to about 4 seconds53. The inputs and outputs can run in stereo3, and Delicious Audio noted it as the only pedal in its roundup offering both remote tap tempo and stereo functionality4.
Bypass is selectable: a true bypass relay that cuts the delay off when you stomp, or a buffered trails mode that lets repeats keep fading after bypass13.
Where it came from: the Maestro Echoplex EP-3
The Maestro Echoplex EP-3 was a solid-state tape delay that emerged in 1970, replacing the tube preamps of its two forebears6. One bonus of using an original is the added color and bite of its preamp, as Premier Guitar notes in its review of the related Echoplex Preamp9. The EP-3 became one of the most famous echo machines ever made, "a warm echo machine full of tasty modulation" in Pedal of the Day's words3.
Dunlop acquired the Echoplex name and began manufacturing the digital EP103 Echoplex Delay in 201681. Premier Guitar's reviewer called the pedal "an excellent delay and an authentic homage to the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 and it's many quirks"5.
Sweetwater's demo video walks through the pedal's EP-3-style behavior, with Don Carr comparing the delay control to the tape unit's delay time slider752:
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Premier Guitar
Sweetwater
Questions
Is the Dunlop EP103 Echoplex analog or digital?
It is a digital delay, but the dry signal path is all analog, so your untouched signal stays clean when the pedal is bypassed. Dunlop bought the Echoplex name and has manufactured the digital EP103 since 2016. Reviewers found its digital emulation of the EP-3 character more convincing than most.
Can the EP103 Echoplex run in stereo?
Yes. An internal STEREO/MONO switch toggles stereo input functionality, and the inputs and outputs can run in stereo. Delicious Audio noted it as the only pedal in its roundup with both remote tap tempo and stereo functionality.
How do you turn on Age mode on the Echoplex Delay?
Press and hold the Volume knob for about 2 seconds. Age mode darkens the repeats and adds wow and flutter modulation that replicates worn-out tape. Your Age setting can be locked in and stored so it is the sound you get at startup.
Does the EP103 work with tap tempo?
Yes, with the optional MXR M199 Tap Tempo switch plugged into the Tap jack. The Delay knob alone covers 65 to 750 ms, and the tap switch extends the maximum delay time to about 4 seconds.
Is the Echoplex Delay pedal true bypass?
It offers both options: a true bypass relay that cuts the delay off when you hit the bypass switch, or a buffered trails mode that lets repeats continue to fade after bypass. You choose between true relay and trails bypass modes.
Why does the EP103 have trouble with some power supplies?
It runs on 9 volts DC but draws 240 mA, which is more than many small pedals and some third-party power supplies can deliver on a single output. Delicious Audio listed trouble with some third-party power supplies among its few cons.
Sources (9)
- Review: Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay Pedal, Guitar World, 2016-09-07
- EP103.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2019
- Dunlop Electronics EP103 Echoplex® Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2018-01-19
- The 3 Best Delay Pedals Per Type, In 2023, Delicious Audio (delicious-audio.com), 2023-08-25
- MXR EP103 Echoplex Delay Review, Premier Guitar, 2017-01-16
- Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo Delay pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-10-28
- Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe Tape Echo Demo, Sweetwater, 2021-10-31
- Echoplex, Stompbox Book (stompboxbook.com), 2019-03-03
- Quick Hit: MXR Echoplex Preamp Mini Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-06-09
