The Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Stereo Echo/Chorus is a vintage analog delay and chorus pedal, part of the long-running Memory Man line from Electro-Harmonix. Pedal of the Day describes it as "basically a 2-in-1 pedal, with one lone fat, black switch accessing both the delay and chorus," housed in a large metal box with a single Input jack and a bypass switch1.
It was built in limited numbers. As Pedal of the Day put it, "Only so many of these were ever produced," so today it is a secondhand-market pedal rather than a current catalog item1. Other Memory Man versions remain in production from Electro-Harmonix, including the Deluxe Memory Man and the compact Nano Deluxe Memory Man23.
Analog echo with chorus
The Stereo Echo/Chorus works as an analog delay with a modulation delay mode. On its delay side, Pedal of the Day found "the warmest of the warm in analog echoes," and summed up the pedal's character this way1:
"with its classic vintage tone and tasty modulation, this delay produces some of the most beautiful sounds we've ever heard come out of a (giant) metal box"
That character comes from the Memory Man family it belongs to. The Memory Man delay was first released in 1976, and the version reviewed by Pedal of the Day in 2021 was its fifth incarnation4. Across the line, the reviewer's view is that the Memory Man "has always been regarded as one of the, if not the very, best delay ever produced"1. The wider story of the family is that Electro-Harmonix enriched the original echo sound with chorus and vibrato, resulting in the popular Deluxe Memory Man5.
Controls and stereo outputs
The control set is small: three knobs, Blend, Feedback and Delay, which Pedal of the Day says each serve "their rightful purpose and letting you dial in an enormous amount of different tones"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Blend | Dials in the amount of effect in the tone1 |
| Feedback | Sets the number of delay repeats6 |
| Delay | Sets the delay time1 |
The stereo side is the feature the pedal is named for. Two Output jacks allow stereo operation, which Pedal of the Day says opens up "the sonic possibilities even more"1. You feed one input and take two outputs, spreading the delayed and modulated signal across two amps or channels.
One practical point for anyone used to modern pedals: this version of the Memory Man was the first to include a status LED, so you could actually tell when the effect was engaged1. Earlier Memory Man versions gave no such indication.
How it differs from other Memory Man pedals
The Memory Man line has several branches, and the Stereo Echo/Chorus sits apart from the best-known one, the Deluxe Memory Man12.
| Stereo Echo/Chorus | Deluxe Memory Man | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 2-in-1 delay and chorus, one switch for both1 | Analog delay, chorus and vibrato pedal2 |
| Delay time | Not stated for this version | Up to 550ms2 |
| Modulation controls | Blend, Feedback, Delay knobs1 | Depth knob controls the amount of chorus/vibrato; rear switch selects chorus or vibrato27 |
| Outputs | Two Output jacks for stereo1 | Echo and direct outs on the rear to separate the two audio lines7 |
| Status | Limited production, discontinued1 | Revised versions still available from Electro-Harmonix8 |
The Deluxe Memory Man, which Guitar World calls a benchmark design whose "various revised versions of it are still available from original manufacturer Electro-Harmonix," offers up to 550ms of what its maker describes as vibrant echo that rivals tape delay, with a Depth knob for the chorus and vibrato and a rear switch to choose between them287. Original units carry the words "Echo/Chorus/Vibrato" on the enclosure9. A compact version, the Nano Deluxe Memory Man, delivers the same delay, chorus and vibrato in a pedalboard-ready chassis3.
The name should not be confused with a later stereo pedal either: the Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai is a different Electro-Harmonix product, a digital design offering up to 3 seconds of stereo echo with adjustable reverberant washes10. The Stereo Echo/Chorus is the earlier, analog, limited-run pedal.
Videos
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Pedal of the Day
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Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Stereo Echo/Chorus still in production?
No. It was built in limited numbers, and only so many were ever produced, so it is a vintage pedal found on the secondhand market rather than in current catalogs. Electro-Harmonix does still sell other Memory Man versions, including the Deluxe Memory Man and the compact Nano Deluxe Memory Man.
Can the Memory Man Stereo Echo/Chorus be run in stereo?
Yes. It has two Output jacks, which allow stereo operation, opening up more sonic possibilities than a single-output delay. You feed one input and take two outputs, so the delayed and modulated signal can be spread across two amps or channels.
What is the difference between the Memory Man Stereo Echo/Chorus and the Deluxe Memory Man?
The Stereo Echo/Chorus is a 2-in-1 pedal with one fat black switch accessing both delay and chorus, and it was the first Memory Man version to include a status LED. The Deluxe Memory Man is a separate analog delay, chorus and vibrato pedal with up to 550ms of delay time, a Depth knob for the modulation and a rear switch that selects either chorus or vibrato.
Does the Stereo Echo/Chorus Memory Man have a status LED?
Yes. This version of the Memory Man was the first to include a status LED, so you could actually tell when the effect was engaged. Earlier Memory Man versions did not have one.
Sources (10)
- Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Stereo Echo/Chorus, Pedal of the Day, 2016-05-25
- Deluxe Memory Man, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
- Nano Deluxe Memory Man, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
- Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Echo Chorus Vibrato, Pedal of the Day, 2021-06-12
- 7 Guitar Effects Pedals you need to know, gearnews.com, 2023-02-11
- Maxon AD999 and Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Review, Godlyke, Inc. (maxonfx.com), 2006
- The FX files: Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, MusicRadar, 2018-09-27
- J Rockett Clockwork Echo review, Guitar World, 2021-11-01
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Deluxe Memory Man review: big-box vintage delay tones in a pedalboard-friendly package, Guitar.com, 2021-12-24
- Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
