The Foxgear T7E Baby is a stereo echo pedal designed as a direct emulation of the Binson Echorec, the early Italian echo machine that used a magnetic drum instead of tape12. Where a tape echo reads repeats off a moving loop of tape, the Echorec recorded to and played back from a spinning metal drum with multiple playback heads, and the T7E Baby reproduces that architecture digitally in a compact box. Foxgear, a brand born from a collaboration between Italian boutique builders Gurus Amps and Baroni Lab, announced it in June 202134.
The pedal offers both mono and stereo operation, with standard left and right inputs and outputs, in an enclosure that Delicious Audio called one of the most pedalboard-friendly of the Binson-inspired pedals13.
A Binson Echorec-style echo in a small box
The original Binson range included, among others, the Echorec Baby and the T7E Echorec 2, and the name T7E comes straight from that model number13. The Echorec was an early Italian-made echo machine that used a magnetic drum instead of tape, originally manufactured in Italy during the 1960s5. Its four playback heads could be combined for different repeat patterns, which is the core of what the T7E Baby recreates.
The pedal is not a literal clone with a motor inside. It is a digital emulation, but it keeps the Echorec's control logic: head combinations, a motor speed control, and the echo, repeat and swell behavior of the original. Compared with other modern takes on the format, such as the T-Rex Binson Echorec, which T-Rex describes as a genuine multi-head magnetic drum echo with reduced mechanical noise for a cleaner, more stable sound, the Foxgear takes the emulation route rather than rebuilding the drum mechanism6.
The controls and modes
Guitar.com's review lists the full control set: Rep. Tone, Length of Swell, Age of Damage, Motor Adj., Mode Selector, Volume, Head Combination, Bypass and Swell7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Head Combination | Selects different iterations of the Echorec's four-playback-head array, from subtle slapback to offbeat and dotted delays7 |
| Motor Adj. | A delay time setting that affects each playback head individually while retaining their relative spacing; emulates a slowed-down magnetic drum137 |
| Rep. Tone | Shapes the tone of the repeats7 |
| Length of Swell | Sets feedback length, working toward self-oscillation in Rep mode7 |
| Age of Damage | Replicates the effect of an old damaged Echorec unit with worn mechanical parts7 |
| Volume | Output level7 |
| Mode Selector | Chooses Echo, Rep or Swell7 |
The Mode Selector offers three settings7:
- Echo: the classic tape-style delay, delivering a single repeat of each playback head for the selected head combination17
- Rep: applies feedback to the playback heads, getting closer to self-oscillation when combined with the Length of Swell control17
- Swell: applies feedback to all four playback heads, bypassing the Head Combination knob, for a reverb-like wash, the kind of effect used on Pink Floyd's "Time"17
A second footswitch alongside the bypass switch is a Swell switch, letting you jump immediately to the swell mode, which functions as a reverb3. The delay time runs from 86ms to 880ms overall, with each head covering its own band: Head 1 from 86 to 200ms, Head 2 from 172 to 422ms, Head 3 from 258 to 625ms, and Head 4 from 334 to 882ms1. For context, a vintage Binson offered approximately 300ms of delay8.
From the Echosex 2 T7E to the Baby
The T7E Baby is based on the Gurus Echosex 2° T7E, losing that pedal's integral valve but keeping pretty much the rest of its character1. The Echosex 2° T7E, announced in 2017, was itself a recreation of the sought-after Binson Echorec 2° vintage echo unit, carrying over all the features and controls of the old model, including its multi-heads with a 12-position switch and a 3-way selector for echo, rep and swell mode96. Gurus said the Echosex 2° would stay in production alongside the newer pedal9.
The Baby is a fraction of the Echosex 2's size3. Gurus Amps noted that musicians like Steve Lukather used the Echosex 2° T7E for all of his soloing parts9, and the Echosex 2° will stay in production alongside the newer pedals9.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen found that "the sound of the repeats is true to your input tone, but the trail dissipates and blends nicely as it fades, not unlike a good BBD analogue delay," and concluded that "the repeats here work great with guitar, and this is an excellent pedal in its own right, chock-full of gorgeous vintage-style echo variations"1.
"A very unique sounding echo pedal that takes some getting used to."
The Age of Damage control was highlighted as a fascinating modification, replicating the effect of an old damaged Echorec with worn mechanical parts7. Guitar World listed the price at £1991.
The pedal's 9V to 12V DC adaptor is not supplied, and it draws 140mA, so plan on a dedicated outlet on your power supply rather than assuming one is in the box1.
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Musicmaker
Foxgear Pedals
Questions
What is the delay time range of the Foxgear T7E Baby?
The delay time runs from 86ms to 880ms overall, with each of the four playback heads covering its own band: Head 1 spans 86 to 200ms, Head 2 spans 172 to 422ms, Head 3 spans 258 to 625ms, and Head 4 spans 334 to 882ms. The Motor Adj. control adjusts the delay time, emulating the slowed-down speed of the magnetic drum.
Does the Foxgear T7E Baby run in stereo?
Yes. It has standard left and right inputs and outputs, and an internal stereo engine that works on a phase and split-frequency basis. It can also run in mono, and its relay-assisted true bypass lets you place it at the end of a chain between other stereo pedals.
Does the Foxgear T7E Baby come with a power supply?
No. It runs on a 9V to 12V DC adaptor drawing 140mA, and the adaptor is not supplied with the pedal. You will need to power it from your own supply.
What do the Echo, Rep and Swell modes do?
Echo gives one echo tap for the selected head combination, a single repeat of each playback head. Rep adds feedback to the selected head combination, getting closer to self-oscillation when combined with the Length of Swell control. Swell applies feedback to all four heads at once, bypassing the Head Combination knob, for a reverb-like wash.
Is the Foxgear T7E Baby true bypass?
Yes. It uses true bypass assisted by a relay, which Foxgear describes as letting you put it at the end of your chain between stereo pedals without coloring the signal when bypassed.
Where is the Foxgear T7E Baby made?
The Foxgear T7E Baby is made in China. Foxgear itself was born from a collaboration between Italian boutique builders Gurus Amps and Baroni Lab, and the vintage Binson Echorec it emulates was originally manufactured in Italy during the 1960s.
Sources (9)
- Foxgear T7E Baby review, Guitar World, 2022-05-17
- The Best Binson Echorec Pedal Clones For 2026, Tone Island (toneisland.com), 2026
- Foxgear T7E Baby Stereo Echo, Delicious Audio, 2021-07-01
- Best New Guitar Pedal Releases, Delicious Audio, 2021-07-06
- BOONAR Tube Deluxe Multi-Head Drum Echo, Dawner Prince Electronics
- → T-REX EFFECTS ← Pedals for guitar and bass players!, T-Rex Effects
- Foxgear T7E Baby review: an affordable Echorec tribute for Floyd fans to fawn over, Guitar.com, 2022-02-22
- Foxgear T7EBABY Review, Premier Guitar, 2021-09-18
- Gurus Amps Presents the Echosex 2° T7E, Premier Guitar, 2017-07-24
