The Fishman AFX EchoBack Mini is a mini delay pedal made for acoustic instruments, part of Fishman's AFX Mini series of acoustic pedals. It puts three delay types in one box, Analog, Digital and Tape, selectable with a single switch, and Fishman voices and mixes them in parallel with your direct sound so the dry signal stays intact1.
The EchoBack Mini's Digital mode is a no-nonsense echo-maker with clear and pronounced repeats, while its Tape mode draws inspiration from the classic echos created by recording sound to tape and playing it back1.
Analog, Digital and Tape delay for acoustic instruments
The core of the pedal is its three delay types, each a different take on echo, chosen with a selection switch1.
| Delay type | How Fishman describes it |
|---|---|
| Analog | "Designed to reproduce the warm, lush character of legendary bucket-brigade delays from the 80's," with echo high frequencies degrading as Feedback is raised1 |
| Digital | "A no-nonsense echo-maker with clear and pronounced repeats"1 |
| Tape | Inspired by "the classic echos created by recording sound to tape and playing it back"1 |
Because the Level control mixes the delay in parallel with your direct sound rather than replacing it, you can add as much or as little echo as you want on top of the untouched acoustic signal1. That parallel mix matters for acoustic players, where a series delay can smear the attack and body of the instrument.
Controls and tap tempo
The control set is small and covers the basics of a delay pedal1.
- Delay: chooses a delay time from 0ms to 800ms
- Repeats: sets how many echoes you hear
- Level: mixes the delay in parallel alongside the direct sound
- Selection switch: quick access to the Analog, Digital and Tape delay effects
- Footswitch: engages the effect, and doubles as the tap tempo control
Tap tempo works by holding the footswitch for 2 seconds. The LED turns green and flashes the current tempo, you tap the footswitch twice to set a new tempo, and the pedal exits tap mode after 5 seconds1.
Bypass and delay trails
The EchoBack Mini ships with true bypass, which Fishman describes plainly:
The EchoBack Mini's analog signal path presents a 10M Ohm input impedance and a 1k Ohm output impedance, while its digital signal path uses 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion1.
A switch lets you choose buffered bypass instead1. The choice also affects trails: delay spillover, where repeats continue after you bypass the pedal, works only when the Bypass switch is set to Buffer. If you would rather have a full mute on bypass, hold the footswitch while applying power1.
Power
The pedal runs on 9V external power only, with the adapter sold separately, and draws 53mA typical1. The connector is a standard 5.5mm OD, 2.1mm ID barrel with center negative, so it works with common pedalboard power supplies, though Fishman recommends a filtered and regulated supply and specifically recommends its own 910-R (120VAC) or 910-U (230VAC) adapter to ensure the published specs1. There is no battery option.
Delay spillover works only in buffered bypass. If you run the pedal in true bypass, repeats stop when you switch the effect off1.
Signal path and specifications
The EchoBack Mini is a digital pedal with an analog front and back end: 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion around 32-bit signal processing, with a 100dB dynamic range analog signal path1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Signal processing | 32-bit1 |
| A/D, D/A conversion | 24-bit1 |
| Dynamic range (analog path) | 100dB1 |
| Signal-to-noise (analog path) | -100dB1 |
| Input impedance | 10M Ohm1 |
| Output impedance | 1k Ohm1 |
| Current draw | 53mA, typical1 |
| Enclosure | Durable aluminum1 |
The 10M Ohm input impedance is high enough to be friendly to piezo pickups, which is what you would expect from a pedal in Fishman's acoustic-focused AFX line, alongside pedals like the Fishman AFX Acoustic Delay, Fishman AFX AcoustiVerb and Fishman AFX Pocket Blender Mini.
The 1/4" TRS input and output jacks enable Dual Path functionality, which lets the pedal carry two signal paths over TRS cables, useful in a stereo or dual-source acoustic rig1.
Videos
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Questions
Does the Fishman EchoBack Mini have tap tempo?
Yes. Hold the footswitch for 2 seconds and the LED turns green and flashes the current tempo. Tap the footswitch twice to set a new tempo, and the pedal exits tap mode after 5 seconds.
Is the EchoBack Mini true bypass?
Yes, it ships with true bypass, which removes the pedal's electronics from the signal chain entirely. A switch lets you choose buffered bypass instead, which is also the setting required for delay spillover when you bypass the pedal.
Does the EchoBack Mini have delay trails?
Yes, but only in buffered bypass. Delay spillover lets repeats continue when you bypass the pedal, and Fishman notes it works only when the Bypass switch is set to Buffer. Holding the footswitch while applying power changes this to a full mute.
What is the maximum delay time on the EchoBack Mini?
The Delay knob selects a delay time from 0ms to 800ms, so the maximum is 800 milliseconds. Tap tempo gives you another way to set the time against your tempo.
What does Dual Path do on the AFX Mini pedals?
The EchoBack Mini has 1/4 inch TRS input and output jacks, and Fishman states that using TRS cables enables Dual Path functionality, which lets the pedal carry two signal paths, such as separate channels of an acoustic rig.
