The J Rockett Clockwork Echo is an analog delay pedal from J. Rockett Audio Designs, built around classic bucket brigade (BBD) delay chips and designed in conjunction with Howard Davis, the creator of the original Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man123. It was first introduced in 2021 as the first pedal in J. Rockett's Vintage Series4, after four years of development5.
Where a vintage Memory Man is a large box with limited delay time, the Clockwork Echo packs the BBD sound into a standard pedal format with modern conveniences: tap tempo, footswitchable modulation, stereo outputs and expression pedal control of time and repeats61. MusicRadar's review team found it "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 than the old Memory Man3.
A BBD analog echo in the Memory Man tradition
The Clockwork Echo uses classic analog bucket brigade chips for its delay, with a digital side that exists only to provide tap tempo61. Delicious Audio describes the tap tempo as a digital function that does not affect the signal8. The pedal is modeled on the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, and gearnews.com framed it at launch as reviving the magic of the old Deluxe Memory Man2.
Guitar World's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, was direct about where it sits among analog delays:
"If you want BBD analogue sound rather than a digital approximation of it then J Rockett's Clockwork Echo is the real deal"5
RockBoard's PedalPedia describes its range as going from lush long delays to room-like slapback echoes, with the wow and flutter of an old tape echo available through the modulation section1. The delay time runs from doubling through slapback up to a maximum of 600ms5, and at the shortest settings the delay becomes almost imperceptible, which is what produces the chorus and Leslie-style sounds9.
The controls
The pedal carries six knobs and three footswitches5:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Sets the delay mix7 |
| Level | Sets output level, engaged even in bypass7 |
| Time | Sets delay time, from almost imperceptible (chorus and Leslie sounds) up to 600ms59 |
| Repeats | Sets the amount of repeats, from one repeat all the way to oscillation65 |
| Speed | Sets the speed of the vibrato/modulation69 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the vibrato/modulation59 |
The three footswitches handle bypass, modulation on/off, and tap tempo5. The modulation section is footswitchable with its own Speed and Depth controls, and Guitar World's reviewer found this gives much more nuanced control than a vintage Memory Man's single modulation setup5. Experimenting with the modulation controls yields chorus, rotating speaker and flange sounds, the last at very short delay settings110.
The pedal also includes an "Always On" boost that can be used whether the delay is engaged or not1.
Power: 9V stepped up to 24V inside
The Clockwork Echo runs from a standard 9V DC supply, center negative, with an internal voltage converter stepping it up to 24 volts internally153. The higher internal voltage is what lets the BBD chips run at their best, in the tradition of the old 24-volt Memory Man circuits.
The maker's listing states a current draw of 100mA1, while Guitar World and MusicRadar both specify a 30mA minimum and note that the adaptor is not supplied53. Guitar.com's review states the pedal is powered by a 9-volt mains supply only, so there is no battery option7.
Stereo outputs and expression jacks
Connections are a standard mono guitar input, standard L & R outputs, and two expression pedal inputs53. The stereo output is described by the maker as true stereo rather than dual mono, with one side out of phase18. Gearnews.com notes you get the full effect of the delay via the stereo output, with one side neatly phase-shifted2.
The two expression jacks control Time and Repeats, so you can sweep delay time or push the repeats toward oscillation on the fly13. Guitar World's reviewer cautions that the way the stereo output is configured won't suit everyone5.
History: designed with Howard Davis
The Clockwork Echo was designed in conjunction with Howard Davis, the creator of the original Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man61. MusicRadar notes that Davis sat in with J. Rockett for the development3, and gearnews.com reported at launch that the pedal was developed in collaboration with him2.
The pedal took four years of development53. It was introduced in 20214 as the first pedal in J. Rockett's new Vintage Series7, and Delicious Audio reported it shipping in April 20238. It is made in the USA53.
What reviewers made of it
Published reviews were positive about the core sound. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen called it "the real deal" for BBD analog sound, bolstered by what he described as modern accoutrements5. MusicRadar's verdict:
"The Clockwork Echo does a neat job in presenting the analogue magic of classic bucket brigade delay and modulation in a more functional format"3
Delicious Audio called it "as musical as an echo can get", a phrase Pedal of the Day repeated89, and included it in a best analog delay pedals roundup, noting the modulation section can deliver chorus, rotating speaker and even flange sounds at very short delay settings10. The main criticism in print came from Guitar World, whose reviewer found the stereo output configuration won't suit everyone5.
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Questions
Is the Clockwork Echo true bypass?
Guitar World and MusicRadar both list it as true bypass, but Guitar.com's review describes it as buffered bypass, so published sources disagree on this point. What is agreed is that the pedal has an output level control that stays engaged even in bypass, and that it runs on a 9-volt mains supply only, with no battery option.
What is the maximum delay time on the J Rockett Clockwork Echo?
The maximum delay time is 600ms. Guitar World's reviewer found the delay time runs from doubling through slapback up to that 600ms maximum, and Pedal of the Day notes that at the shortest settings the delay is almost imperceptible, which is what produces the chorus and Leslie-style sounds.
Does the Clockwork Echo sound like a Deluxe Memory Man?
It was designed in conjunction with Howard Davis, the creator of the original Deluxe Memory Man, and is modeled on that pedal. MusicRadar's review concluded it presents the analog magic of classic bucket brigade delay and modulation in a more functional format, with longer delay times than the old Memory Man offered.
Does the Clockwork Echo have tap tempo?
Yes. It has a dedicated Tap Tempo footswitch. The underlying delay circuit uses classic analog BBD chips, and the digital side of the pedal exists only to provide tap tempo control, so the signal path itself stays analog.
Can the Clockwork Echo self-oscillate?
Yes. Turning the Repeats knob up puts the pedal into self-oscillation, and MusicRadar notes you can max out repeats to enter self-oscillation mode. The maker describes the Repeats control as going from one repeat all the way to crazy oscillation.
Sources (10)
- Clockwork by J. Rockett Audio Designs, RockBoard (rockboard.de), 2026
- J Rockett Audio Clockwork Echo revives the allure of the Deluxe Memory Man, gearnews.com, 2021-06-29
- J Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo review, MusicRadar, 2021-12-23
- J. Rockett Clockwork Echo Review, Premier Guitar, 2021-07-16
- J Rockett Clockwork Echo review, Guitar World, 2021-11-01
- Clockwork Echo: Analog Bucket Brigade Delay with Modern Features, rockettpedals.com, 2026-03-31
- The Big Review: J. Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo, Guitar.com, 2021-09-30
- J. Rockett Clockwork Analog Stereo Echo, Delicious Audio, 2023-04-25
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Clockwork Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2022-05-14
- 2023 UPDATE: The Best Analog Delay Pedals (Mono & Stereo), Delicious Audio, 2024-01-04
