The Moon Armada Copy Box is a desktop delay module, not a foot pedal, from a maker known for its Baby Bots. It is a delay effect box offering warm, saturated and lo-fi sounds like those found with tape delays, and it is built for movement: an in-built LFO sends the delay times off on journeys of discovery, and the delay time can also be modulated externally by CV1. Robin Vincent, writing at gearnews.com at its February 2022 release, described the sound as "full of tape-style character, warmth and playfulness from subtle modulations to mighty mangles"1.
How it works and what it is based on
The circuit is based on the PT2399 chip, known for its warm, analog feel1. That chip is a common foundation for delay designs, and here it is voiced toward the saturated, degraded character of a tape delay rather than a clean repeat. The LFO is central to the design: it modulates the delay time, and the modulation gives the Copy Box an opportunity to play in the arena of other effects such as chorus, tremolo and FM1. For players who already own dedicated delay pedals, the Copy Box sits apart as a desktop unit intended to be twiddled rather than stomped.
Controls and connections
On the top you have controls over wet/dry mix, feedback and delay time, plus three controls for the LFO including the shape1. The maker describes the sound as "full of tape-style character, warmth and playfulness from subtle modulations to mighty mangles"1, and the minijack-sized inputs and outputs are meant for easy incorporation into a modular setup1.
- Wet/dry mix: blends the delayed signal with the dry one1
- Feedback: sets how repeats build and decay1
- Delay time: the base length of the echo1
- Three LFO controls, including shape: determine how and how wildly the delay time wobbles1
The inputs and outputs are minijack sized for easy incorporation into a modular setup1, and the delay time can be modulated externally by CV1, so a modular system can drive the delay time alongside the internal LFO.
The Copy Box is a desktop module with minijack connections, not a standard 1/4-inch pedal. Adapters or a modular-level signal chain are part of the picture, and it runs on a 9V battery1.
Availability and price
Copy Box was available as of February 2022 for €219 from Powland1.
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Questions
Does the Moon Armada Copy Box run on a battery?
Yes. According to gearnews.com, the whole unit runs on a 9V battery, which suits a desktop module that may not live on a pedalboard power supply. No external power specification was given in coverage of the release.
What chip is the Copy Box based on?
The circuit is based on the PT2399 chip, which Robin Vincent of gearnews.com describes as known for its warm, analog feel. That character underpins the Copy Box's saturated, lo-fi take on tape-style delay.
Can I control delay time with CV?
Yes. As well as the built-in LFO, the delay time can be modulated externally by CV, so a modular system or other CV source can sweep the delay time alongside the unit's own modulation.
Is the Copy Box a pedal or a modular unit?
It is a desktop delay module rather than a foot pedal, from Moon Armada, a maker known for its Baby Bots. Its minijack inputs and outputs are sized for easy incorporation into a modular setup.
Can the Copy Box do chorus or tremolo sounds?
Robin Vincent writes that the Copy Box's modulation gives it an opportunity to play in the arena of other effects such as chorus, tremolo and FM, so players looking for wobbly, modulated textures beyond straight delay have options on board.
Sources (1)
- Moon Armada Copy Box: Lo-fi delays and modulated echoes, gearnews.com, 2022-02-15