The T-Rex Binson Stereophonica is a stereo drum delay built for studio use, and T-Rex describes it as inspired by the legendary Binson Echorec, the vintage Italian unit that produced its echoes from a magnetic drum rather than tape. T-Rex calls it the world's first stereo drum delay, and says it delivers the warmth, movement and harmonic character that only genuine magnetic recording can create, with authentic magnetic saturation1. It sits in the delay family alongside the company's other Binson-based pedal, the T-Rex Binson Echorec.
Controls
The Stereophonica's control set mirrors the layout of a magnetic drum echo, with switching for the record and playback heads that gave the original Echorec its character1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Echo Volume | Sets the level of the echo signal |
| Record Head 1-2 switch | Selects between record head 1 and record head 2 |
| Drum Speed | Sets the speed of the magnetic drum |
| Record Level | Sets the record level |
| Playback Heads 1 to 4 | Controls for the four playback heads |
| Repeat | Sets the repeats |
| Repeats and Swell switch | Switches between Repeat and Swell modes |
| Echo Tone | Shapes the tone of the echoes |
| Bypass switch and indicator | Bypasses the effect |
T-Rex specifies two modes, Repeat and Swell, selectable from the front panel1.
Power and connections
The Stereophonica runs on 24V DC, center negative, with a 2.0 mm center pin, and draws 350mA at 24V DC. T-Rex includes a power supply with the unit1.
The Stereophonica is a substantial unit for a pedalboard: it measures 250 x 142 x 224 mm including knobs and weighs 3,34 kg / 7.36 lbs excluding packaging1. Plan your board's spacing and weight around it.
Input impedance is greater than 500K Ohm at 1KHz1.
T-Rex describes the Stereophonica as having true balanced stereo inputs and outputs, aimed at studio as much as stage use. Its external connectors are1:
- Instrument Input
- Balanced input, left and right
- Non-balanced input, left and right
- Balanced output, left and right
- Non-balanced output, left and right
- DC power inlet
- Expression pedal input for speed and feedback control
- MIDI In and Out
The Binson connection
The Stereophonica takes its name and its approach from the Binson Echorec, the magnetic drum echo unit T-Rex has also recreated as a pedal. The original Binson range included, among others, the Echorec Baby and the T7E Echorec 2, as Guitar World's reviewer Trevor Curwen noted in a review of a Binson-style unit2. T-Rex's own take on the original is the T-Rex Binson Echorec, a mono magnetic drum echo, while the Stereophonica extends the concept into stereo for studio use1.
Physical
The unit measures 250 x 142 x 224 mm (9.84 x 5.59 x 8.81 inch) including knobs, width by height by depth, and weighs 3,34 kg / 7.36 lbs excluding packaging1.
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Questions
What power supply does the T-Rex Binson Stereophonica need?
It runs on 24V DC, centre negative, with a 2.0 mm centre pin, and T-Rex includes a power supply with the unit. The current draw is 350mA at 24V DC. That voltage and current draw are higher than a typical 9V pedal supply provides, so it needs its own supply rather than a standard pedalboard power output or a daisy chain.
Does the Binson Stereophonica have MIDI?
Yes. T-Rex describes the Stereophonica as having full MIDI implementation, with both MIDI In and MIDI Out among its external connectors. That places it alongside other MIDI-equipped delays for players who run preset switching or sync their delay time from a MIDI controller.
Can the Stereophonica be controlled with an expression pedal?
Yes. The Stereophonica has a dedicated expression pedal input, and T-Rex specifies it for speed and feedback control. Plugging in an expression pedal lets a player sweep the drum speed and the feedback of the delay by foot while playing.
How is the Stereophonica different from the T-Rex Binson Echorec?
The Stereophonica is a stereo drum delay designed for studio use, while T-Rex's earlier Binson Echorec pedal is a reproduction of the original mono magnetic drum echo unit. The Binson range itself included models such as the Echorec Baby and the T7E Echorec 2, and T-Rex has built its Binson-based pedals around that magnetic drum sound.
Where is the T-Rex Binson Stereophonica made?
T-Rex states that the Binson Stereophonica is handcrafted in Denmark by T-Rex Effects.
Sources (2)
- → T-REX EFFECTS ← Pedals for guitar and bass players!, T-Rex Effects
- Foxgear T7E Baby review, Guitar World, 2022-05-17
