The Echo Fix EF-X2 Tape Echo is a real tape echo unit released in 2019 by Echo Fix, an Australian company1. It is not a single-effect box: Pedal of the Day's review describes four core functions in one chassis, tape echo, real spring reverb, DSP reverb/chorus and preamp1. Guitar.com's news piece on the launch puts it slightly differently, saying the EF-X2 houses three main functions: a tape echo, DSP-based reverb and preamp2. Either way, the idea is one rack-style unit that covers delay, reverb and gain structure at once. Pedal of the Day called it "an all-around beast of a modulation unit with elements of not only delay, but preamp, chorus and reverb as well"1.
What it does to your signal
Because the EF-X2 uses real tape, the echo repeats come from an actual tape mechanism rather than a digital model. That Pedal Show described it as "a multi head you know real tape echo"4. The echo section carries a two-band EQ, with Bass and Treble control of the echo signal, and the Time and Feedback parameters are adjustable12. The spring reverb is a real spring tank, and the DSP section adds reverb and chorus on top1.
For players comparing it with vintage units, That Pedal Show's comparison against a vintage Roland RE-201 found the Echo Fix had "more clarity yeah more Headroom yep brighter sounding"4. That is the reviewers' read, not a verdict on which is better, but it gives a sense of where the EF-X2 sits tonally next to the classic Space Echo design.
Controls and connections
| Control or connection | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Echo time, also adjustable by CV (0-5 volts) or expression pedal1 |
| Feedback | Repeats, also adjustable by CV (0-5 volts) or expression pedal1 |
| Bass and Treble | Two-band EQ for the echo signal12 |
| Motor ON/Switch | Stops the tape for a slow down effect, or to conserve tape when only using the reverb or preamp1 |
| Front panel inputs | Independent instrument-level and line-level inputs, each with a level control12 |
| Rear panel | Balanced input and output2 |
The Motor switch is worth knowing about as a player: switching the motor off gives you the tape slow down effect as the transport stops, and it also saves tape wear if you are only using the reverb or preamp side of the unit1.
The CV and expression control over Time and Feedback means the EF-X2 can sit in a setup with an expression pedal or a CV source and sweep delay time or repeats live1.
Where it came from
JHS Pedals' history of tape echo traces the EF-X2 to its designer, Shane: "the guy who created it, Shane, took his cues from Mike Fuller... It took him about three years, a pile of money"3. The piece dates the release to 2019 from the Australian company Echo Fix3. Pedal of the Day's review tells a similar story from the maker's side: after years of working with, repairing and studying vintage tape delays, the Echo Fix crew spent three years prototyping, testing and designing the unit in secret1. Shane had serviced Space Echos for about 10 years before building his own3.
That Pedal Show put the EF-X2 up against vintage units in a 2019 episode, "Tape Echo: Echo Fix EF-X2 meets Vintage Roland RE-201... And Others"5.
The EF-X3 mod kit
Echo Fix also sells a DIY modification kit, the EF-X3 & EF-X2 MK2 DIY Erase + Record Head Off MOD, which lets the user switch off the erase and record heads6. According to the maker's product page:
- It is a DIY mod that can be easily installed by the user6
- It ships with a new top PCB cover, cables and an instruction guide6
- Echo Fix can install it with a new EF-X3 purchase by adding it to the tape echo order6
- It is not compatible with the EF-X2 MK16
The Erase + Record Head Off mod fits the EF-X2 MK2 and the EF-X3, not the original EF-X2 MK16. Players of a first-generation unit cannot use this kit.
Echo Fix has since built on the EF-X2 with other units, including the Echo Fix EF-P2, a compact real spring reverb pedal that Pedal of the Day grouped with the EF-X2 as "some of our favorite units we've reviewed"7.
Review video
That Pedal Show's comparison video puts the EF-X2 beside a vintage Roland RE-201 and other tape echoes. Dan and Mick found the Echo Fix had more clarity, more headroom and a brighter sound than the vintage unit4.
Videos
Echo Fix
AndyDemos
Vintage King
Questions
Is the Echo Fix EF-X2 a real tape echo?
Yes. That Pedal Show described it as a multi-head real tape echo, meaning it records your signal to actual tape and plays it back, rather than modeling tape behavior digitally. Alongside the tape mechanism it also carries a real spring reverb, a DSP-based reverb and chorus section, and a preamp, so one unit covers several effects at once.
What colors does the Echo Fix EF-X2 come in?
Pedal of the Day's review lists three front panel color options: Blue, Black and Vintage Green. The panel color is a cosmetic choice and does not change the controls or the circuitry behind them.
Can you control the EF-X2 with an expression pedal?
Yes. The echo's Time and Feedback parameters can be adjusted with Control Voltages between 0 and 5 volts and with compatible expression pedals. That means you can sweep the delay time or the number of repeats by foot while playing, or drive those parameters from other voltage sources.
What does the Motor switch do on the Echo Fix EF-X2?
The Motor ON/Switch stops the tape motor. Players use it for the tape slow down effect as the transport winds down, or to conserve tape when they are only using the EF-X2's reverb or preamp and do not need the echo running.
Does the EF-X2 work with instrument-level and line-level signals?
Yes. The front panel carries independent inputs, each with its own level control, for instrument-level sources like a guitar and line-level sources like a mixer or recording interface. There is also a balanced input and output at the rear for studio and stage setups.
Can the EF-X2 be used outside the United States?
Yes. The unit ships with a worldwide-compatible power supply that runs from 100 to 240 volts, so no step-down transformer or other converter is needed when traveling between countries with different mains voltages.
Sources (7)
- Echo Fix EF-X2 Tape Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2020-11-17
- Echo Fix’s EF-X2 might be the next evolution in tape echo units, Guitar.com, 2019-04-10
- ULTIMATE HISTORY OF TAPE ECHO, JHS Pedals
- Multi-Head Tape Delays: Roland RE-201, RE-20 & Strymon Volante, That Pedal Show, 2020-07-10
- Tape Echo: Echo Fix EF-X2 meets Vintage Roland RE-201… And Others, That Pedal Show, 2019-07-26
- EF-X3 EF-X2 MK2 DIY Erase + Record Head Off MOD, Echo Fix
- Echo Fix EF-P3 Chorus Vibrato, Pedal of the Day, 2024-01-17
