The IdiotBox Repo Man is a delay and overdrive pedal built as one signal path: an echo running into an overdrive running into another echo1. In practice that means your dry signal is repeated, pushed into drive, and then repeated again, with each stage under its own control. It was reported as IdiotBox's latest release in May 20212.
The controls
The Repo Man carries five knobs, and each governs one stage of the chain. The DRIVE knob controls the amount of drive, OUTPUT sets the amount of volume, and COLOR is for tone shaping1. The two echo stages have their own knobs: SPACE is echo 1, which cuts quick when bypassed, and TIME is echo 2, which trails when bypassed1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described the Space knob as the first delay in the chain2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| SPACE | Echo 1, which cuts quick when bypassed1 |
| DRIVE | Controls amount of drive1 |
| COLOR | Tone shaping1 |
| OUTPUT | Amount of volume1 |
| TIME | Echo 2, which trails when bypassed1 |
The difference between the two echoes matters when you switch the pedal off. As Delicious Audio put it:
"SPACE is echo 1 (which cuts quick when bypassed) and TIME is echo 2 which trails when bypassed)"
With the TIME echo engaged, repeats can trail away naturally after bypassing rather than stopping dead, which is worth knowing if you like spillover between patches on a board12.
Power and connections
The Repo Man runs from a common 9V DC center negative 2.1mm BOSS style power input, the same connector standard as most compact pedals, and draws 50mA1. A power supply is not included1, so you will need your own adapter or a feed from a pedalboard power supply rated to cover the 50mA draw.
The pedal uses buffered bypass switching rather than true bypass1. If your board relies on true bypass throughout, the built-in buffer is the difference to plan for.
A battery snap is included according to Delicious Audio's 2021 report, alongside the note that a power supply is not included2.
Size on the board
The pedal is built in what IdiotBox calls a smaller 125B sized enclosure, measuring 4.7" x 2.6" x 1.5"1. That is a narrow footprint, though five knobs across the top edge means it is worth leaving room for fingers.
For other takes on the stacked delay idea from the same maker, see the IdiotBox Effects 3D Triple Delay and the IdiotBox Effects Quickstep Momentary Delay, or browse the wider delay pedal and overdrive pedal categories.
Videos
Demos In The Dark
Questions
Does the IdiotBox Repo Man run on a battery?
The maker's product page lists a common 9V DC center negative 2.1mm BOSS style power input and notes that a power supply is not included. A battery snap is included according to Delicious Audio's 2021 write-up, so the pedal can be run from a battery, but you will need to supply your own power supply or battery.
Does the Repo Man come with a power supply?
No. IdiotBox Effects states plainly on the product page that a power supply is not included. The pedal takes a standard 9V DC center negative 2.1mm BOSS style adapter, the same type most pedalboard power supplies provide, and draws 50mA.
Is the Repo Man true bypass?
No. IdiotBox describes the Repo Man as using buffered bypass switching. Delicious Audio's review notes a practical difference between the two echo sections: the SPACE echo cuts quick when bypassed, while the TIME echo trails when bypassed, letting repeats ring out after you switch off.
What size enclosure is the Repo Man?
The Repo Man is built in what IdiotBox calls a smaller 125B sized enclosure, measuring 4.7 inches by 2.6 inches by 1.5 inches. That is a compact footprint by pedal standards, though the five-knob layout means close neighbors on a board can crowd the knobs.
Sources (2)
- repo man, IdiotBox Effects
- IdiotBox Repo Man Double Delay + Drive, Delicious Audio, 2021-05-24
