The Mr. Black SS-850 Solid State Echo Chamber is a solid state echo chamber delay unit, a take on the echo chamber idea built as a pedal. It covers a delay range of 85 to 850ms, set with a slider rather than a knob, and adds character controls that push the echoes toward looser, analog-style behavior.1
Controls
The SS-850 keeps its control set small and focused on shaping the echoes themselves1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay time slider | Sets the delay time; an LED built into the slider blinks the echo tempo1 |
| Echo Level | Sets how much of the effect is present in your signal, from a subtle hint of delay to full-on cavernous, spacious echoes1 |
| Regeneration | Varies the feedback and repeat numbers of the echoes themselves1 |
| Clock Error | Adds in a bit or a lot of gnarly, analog warble, at your discretion1 |
| Tap switch | Sets the delay time on the fly; doubles as a Hold function producing instant oscillation when depressed1 |
The slider is described as vintage yet futuristic-looking, and the built-in LED gives you a visual pulse of the echo tempo as you set it.1
Tap tempo and Hold
The Tap switch does double duty. A tap sets the delay time for on-the-fly adjustments, while holding the switch down engages the Hold function, which produces instant oscillation. That makes it possible to push the pedal into a self-sustaining wash of repeats without touching the Regeneration knob.1
Dry signal and pre-amp
Pedal of the Day notes that your dry signal is 100% analog when the pedal is in bypass mode, so the guitar's own tone passes through untouched when the effect is off. The pedal also carries what the reviewer called a unique and finely-tuned pre-amp inside.1
"The third and final knob, Clock Error, lets you add in a bit or a lot of gnarly, analog warble, to use at your discretion."
Where it sits in the Mr. Black range
Mr. Black has built several delay pedals around different takes on echo, including the Ambience Echoverb, a multi-tap delay and reverb pedal, the JDD-3000+, a limited run recreating the KORG SDD-3000, and the DoubleTracker Stereo. The SS-850's echo chamber approach, with its slider, Clock Error warble and Hold oscillation, is its own direction within that range. For more on the category, see Delay Pedals1.
Videos
Jack Deville
Pedal of the Day
Shelter Dog Demos (Canuck Pedal Fiend)
Questions
Does the Mr. Black SS-850 have tap tempo?
Yes. The Tap switch sets the delay time on the fly for on-the-fly adjustments. The same switch doubles as a Hold function: holding it down produces instant oscillation, which lets you push the echoes into a self-sustaining repeat for transitions or sound effects.
What does the Hold function do on the SS-850?
The Hold function is produced by depressing the Tap switch. When held, it creates instant oscillation, meaning the echoes repeat and build on themselves. It shares the switch with tap tempo, so a tap sets the delay time and a held press engages the oscillation.
Is the SS-850's dry signal analog?
According to Pedal of the Day, your dry signal is 100% analog when the pedal is in bypass mode. The pedal also carries a finely-tuned pre-amp inside, which the reviewer described as unique.
What does the Clock Error knob do?
The Clock Error knob lets you add in a bit or a lot of gnarly, analog warble to the echoes, at your discretion. It works alongside the Regeneration knob, which varies the feedback and repeat numbers of the echoes themselves.
What is the delay time range of the SS-850?
The SS-850 covers a range of 85 to 850ms of delay time, set with a vintage yet futuristic-looking slider on the pedal.
Sources (1)
- Mr. Black SS-850 Solid State Echo Chamber, Pedal of the Day, 2019-02-20
