The J. Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo is an analog delay pedal that revives the sound of the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man in a modern, pedalboard-friendly format. It was designed in conjunction with Howard Davis, the engineer who conceived the original Deluxe Memory Man, and it uses classic bucket brigade (BBD) delay chips that are digitally controlled for tap tempo only; the rest of the circuit is analog12.
Released in 2021 after four years of development, it was the first pedal in J. Rockett's Vintage Series3. Premier Guitar's reviewer found Davis's design input "clearly audible in the authentically DMM-like output of the Clockwork," and called it a lively, dynamic pedal with practical improvements on the original design4.
What it does: BBD delay with modulation and tap tempo
The Clockwork Echo is a stereo analog delay built around bucket brigade chips, the same technology as the vintage Deluxe Memory Man. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "as musical as an echo can get, go from lush long delays to amazing room like slap back echoes"1. Delay time runs from almost imperceptible, where the short delays create chorus and Leslie-like sounds, up to 600 ms104. That is longer than the 300 to 400 ms maximum of an original Deluxe Memory Man, a comparison Premier Guitar highlighted as one of the pedal's practical improvements4.
Turning the Repeats knob far enough sends the echoes into oscillation, and MusicRadar notes you can "max out repeats and put the unit into self-oscillation mode"710. The modulation section is footswitchable, with dedicated Speed and Depth controls, and experimenting with those controls yields chorus, rotating speaker and flange sounds19.
The pedal also carries an "Always On" boost: the Level control works whether the delay is engaged or not, so it can push your amp independently of the echo110.
The controls
Guitar World lists the control set as Mix, Level, Time, Repeats, Speed and Depth, plus three footswitches: bypass, Modulation and Tap Tempo9.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Blends your dry signal with the wet signal10 |
| Level | Sets output level; works even with the delay disengaged, giving a boost10 |
| Time | Sets delay time, from near-imperceptible (chorus and Leslie sounds) to 600 ms10 |
| Repeats | Sets the amount of repeats, from one repeat to self-oscillation109 |
| Speed | Sets the speed of the modulation910 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the modulation9 |
Two expression pedal inputs let you control Time and Repeats externally1. Premier Guitar's reviewer found this and the tap tempo switch expand the Clockwork's capabilities beyond what a vintage Deluxe Memory Man offers4.
Power and connections
The Clockwork Echo runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 100mA1. Guitar.com's review notes it is powered by a 9-volt mains supply only, so there is no battery option6. Connections are a standard input, standard L and R outputs, and expression pedal inputs for repeats and delay time79.
The stereo output is true stereo rather than dual mono, with one side out of phase15. MusicRadar confirms it "can be run in full stereo"7, though Guitar World's reviewer cautions that "the way the stereo output is configured won't suit everyone"9.
The 100mA current draw is higher than many analog pedals, so check that your power supply can feed it before daisy chaining it with other pedals.
History: co-designed with Howard Davis
The Clockwork Echo grew out of a collaboration between J. Rockett Audio and Howard Davis, the designer who conceived the original Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man111. MusicRadar reports that Davis "sat in with J Rockett for the development"7, and the pedal took four years to bring to market97.
It launched in 2021 as the first pedal in J. Rockett's Vintage Series96, at $3996. Gearnews framed it at announcement as a pedal that "revives the magic of the old Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man"11.
How it compares with a Deluxe Memory Man
Premier Guitar's review set out the differences directly. Where the DMM has a single depth knob for its chorus/vibrato, the Clockwork has both speed and depth controls, and its modulation can be switched in and out with a footswitch, which "was not possible on the DMM"4. The modulation section is "vastly more versatile than the chorus/vibrato on a Deluxe Memory Man," with an expansive depth and speed range4. J. Rockett opted for the vibrato effect exclusively, but the extra control makes chorus and flange-like effects possible4.
"It's hard to imagine a more intriguing replacement than the Clockwork."
The reviewer also found it "a lot more fun than most digital DMM emulations," feeling more lively, responsive and interactive, with a genuinely organic quality in the way the repeats decay and blend into a cohesive wash4. The enclosure is a fraction of the size of a DMM but weighs more, thanks to what the reviewer called a burly and bulletproof folded steel build4.
What reviewers said
- Guitar World (Trevor Curwen): "If you want BBD analogue sound rather than a digital approximation of it then J Rockett's Clockwork Echo is the real deal," with the familiar vintage sound bolstered by modern features9.
- MusicRadar: the Clockwork Echo "does a neat job in presenting the analogue magic of classic bucket brigade delay and modulation in a more functional format," with longer delay times expanding on the old Memory Man's repertoire7.
- Premier Guitar: lively and super dynamic, with colorful, sometimes hazy and dirty delays; the reviewer noted it might lose some magic in the wash of a 10-pedal board but still sounds amazing under such conditions4.
- Pedal of the Day: "We are just over the moon with the sounds that this delay can create"10.
Videos
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Questions
Is the J. Rockett Clockwork Echo analog or digital?
It is an analog delay. The Clockwork Echo uses classic bucket brigade (BBD) delay chips, with digital control applied only to the tap tempo. The rest of the circuit is analog, which is why reviewers describe it as delivering genuine vintage BBD sound rather than a digital approximation of it.
How long is the delay time on the Clockwork Echo?
The Time knob ranges from an almost imperceptible delay, which produces chorus and Leslie-like sounds, up to 600 ms of delay. That is longer than the 300 to 400 ms maximum of an original Deluxe Memory Man, and maxing out the Repeats knob pushes the pedal into self-oscillation.
Is the Clockwork Echo true bypass?
Guitar World and MusicRadar both list the Clockwork Echo as true bypass, while Guitar.com's review describes it as buffered bypass. Its Level control works even when the delay is not engaged, giving a boost that is always available regardless of bypass state.
Does the Clockwork Echo run on a battery?
No. It runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply only, drawing 100mA, and Guitar.com's review notes it is powered by a 9-volt mains supply only. There is no battery option, so it needs a spot on a pedalboard power supply.
How is the Clockwork different from a Deluxe Memory Man?
It was co-designed by Howard Davis, who conceived the original Deluxe Memory Man, and its output is described as authentically DMM-like. But it adds tap tempo, dedicated Speed and Depth modulation knobs, a footswitchable modulation section, expression control of time and repeats, and 600 ms of delay instead of the original's 300 to 400 ms.
Sources (11)
- Clockwork by J. Rockett Audio Designs, RockBoard (rockboard.de), 2026
- Clockwork Echo: Analog Bucket Brigade Delay with Modern Features, rockettpedals.com, 2026-03-31
- J. Rockett Clockwork Echo Review, Premier Guitar, 2021-07-16
- J. Rockett Clockwork Review, Premier Guitar, 2021-08-25
- J. Rockett Clockwork Analog Stereo Echo, Delicious Audio, 2023-04-25
- The Big Review: J. Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo, Guitar.com, 2021-09-30
- J Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo review, MusicRadar, 2021-12-23
- 10 Delay Pedals You Need to Check out, Premier Guitar (www.premierguitar.com), 2022-08-12
- J Rockett Clockwork Echo review, Guitar World, 2021-11-01
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2022-05-14
- J Rockett Audio Clockwork Echo revives the allure of the Deluxe Memory Man, gearnews.com, 2021-06-29
