The Surreal Audio Echo Sphere is an analog delay pedal that pairs an old-school bucket-brigade signal path with modern digital control. Its audio runs through four MN3005 bucket-brigade chips, the kind of chip prized in classic analog delay designs, while an internal processor generates control voltages that shape the circuit. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio put it plainly: "It is not a digital emulation cloaked in nostalgia, but a genuine analog delay powered by a quartet of the coveted MN3005" bucket-brigade chips1.
An analog delay with digital control
The Echo Sphere's design splits the job in two. The sound itself stays analog: "Its signal path remains resolutely analog, from input to echoing output, preserving every non-linear quirk and harmonic" character of a true bucket-brigade circuit1. The control side is where the digital processor comes in, feeding control voltages to the pedal's network of Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers and Filters. That arrangement is what allows the pedal to store and recall settings, something a conventional analog delay cannot do on its own.
For a player, the practical result is a delay that covers a wide range of territory, "from slapback to modulated wash"1, with the repeatability of a preset-based pedal.
Presets, tap tempo and control
The Echo Sphere's control set is built around saving and shaping sounds:
- 32 savable presets: the pedal's Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers and Filters "can be shaped into 32 distinct, savable personalities," each recalled with a tap1
- Tap tempo with subdivisions for setting delay time against a beat1
- A momentary Swell footswitch for on-the-fly swells1
- An assignable expression input, so an expression pedal can be set to control a chosen parameter1
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio's verdict was strongly positive. As De Gregorio wrote: "The Echo Sphere is a noteworthy achievement. It grants the player the archival precision of the digital domain while del"ivering true analog delay overall1. The review frames the pedal as resolving a familiar trade-off for players who want both the character of a bucket-brigade delay circuit and the recall of a digital unit.
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Questions
Is the Surreal Audio Echo Sphere truly analog?
Yes. Delicious Audio's review describes a signal path that stays analog from input to output, built on four MN3005 bucket-brigade chips. What is digital is the control side: an internal processor generates control voltages that shape the pedal's Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers and Filters, so the delay itself is a genuine analog circuit rather than a digital emulation.
How many presets does the Echo Sphere hold?
The Echo Sphere holds 32 distinct, savable personalities, each recallable with a tap. These presets store settings for the pedal's network of Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers and Filters, letting a player switch between very different delay characters without re-turning knobs.
What bucket-brigade chips does the Echo Sphere use?
The Echo Sphere uses four MN3005 bucket-brigade chips, which Delicious Audio describes as coveted components for analog delay designs. Bucket-brigade chips are the integrated circuits that hold and pass an analog audio signal along in stages, which is what gives a classic analog delay its character.
Does the Echo Sphere have tap tempo?
Yes. The pedal offers tap tempo with subdivisions, so a player can set the delay time by tapping and choose how the repeats divide against the tapped beat. It also includes a momentary Swell footswitch and an assignable expression input for hands-free control.
Can I connect an expression pedal to the Echo Sphere?
Yes. The Echo Sphere has an assignable expression input, meaning a connected expression pedal can be set to control a parameter of the player's choosing rather than being fixed to one function.
Sources (1)
- Surreal Audio Echo Sphere Analog Delay, Delicious Audio, 2025-12-11
