The TC Electronic Alter Ego 2 Vintage Echo is a compact digital delay pedal that gathers recreations of some of the most sought-after echo units of the past into one box: the Echorec, the Space Echo and the Echoplex among them1. It was announced by TC Electronic in September 2014 alongside the T2 Reverb2, and it packs eleven delay types into a small pedal3.
The idea behind the pedal is straightforward: instead of hunting down vintage tape and drum echo machines, a player gets their characteristic sounds in a stompbox. The delay sounds were carefully reproduced by the echo experts at ProGuitarShop and TC Electronic4, and the pedal covers analog, digital and tape delay territory5.
Vintage echo machines in one pedal
The heart of the pedal is the Type Selector knob, which lets you choose from eleven different echo modes5. Nine of the delay modes were created by an alliance between TC Electronic and ProGuitarShop416, and they span the whole history of echo: warm, saturated Echoplex-style repeats, the unique magnetic drum delays of the legendary Binson Echorec, and a modulated take on TC's own classic 2290 rack delay unit4.
The modes as printed on the pedal are:
| Mode | Modeled on |
|---|---|
| EREC 2 | Binson Echorec 2 |
| DMMC | Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Chorus |
| T ORG | Tel Ray Organ Tone |
| 2290 M | TC Electronic 2290 Modulated |
| REV M | Reverse Modulated |
| BDM2 | Boss DM-2 |
| CKAT | Watkins Copycat |
| EP1 | Maestro Echoplex 1 |
| SP | Roland Space Echo |
| Looper | Built-in looper |
| TonePrint | TC's TonePrint presets |
The list covers analog, digital and tape delay designs, which is the point of the pedal: TC aimed to bring the very best of all three worlds to the masses in one unit5.
Echo modes, looper and stereo
Beyond the nine vintage recreations, the Type Selector knob also reaches a built-in looper and TC's TonePrint technology5. The looper allows 20 seconds of stereo record time and 40 seconds in mono5. TonePrint lets you load artist-designed and custom delay settings into the pedal, and MusicRadar's reviewer counted the TonePrint presets among the reasons to buy it3.
The pedal runs in stereo or mono, with stereo inputs and outputs53. There is no dedicated tap tempo footswitch, but you can use the bypass switch as a tap tempo switch5, and the pedal also offers an audio-tapping feature that senses the tempo of your playing5.
The looper's record time depends on how you run the pedal: 20 seconds in stereo, 40 seconds in mono5.
From the Alter Ego X4 to the Alter Ego 2
The Alter Ego 2 did not appear from nowhere. TC's Alter Ego line began with the Alter Ego Delay, which was upgraded in June 2014 to the larger Alter Ego X4 Vintage Echo, a four-button pedal with three assignable presets, tap tempo, a 40-second looper, a choice between true and buffered bypass, stereo in/outs and MIDI programmability78.
Hot on the heels of the X4, the compact Alter Ego 2 moved nine of the lush echo sounds from the Alter Ego X4 into the compact form factor known from TC Electronic's original Flashback Delay61. MusicRadar reported it as 11 delay types, nine of them borrowed from the Alter Ego X43. The pedal combines the best features and sounds from the original Alter Ego and the Alter Ego X44.
Compared with the original Alter Ego Vintage Echo, the Alter Ego 2 is an upgraded version that also received an elegant graphical overhaul54.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review of the Alter Ego V2 found warm, tape-like repeats, 11 delay types in a small pedal and the TonePrint presets, all cited as reasons to buy3. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the pedal stacks up nicely against the rest of TC Electronic's pedal lineup, calling it another gem in a classic lineup of delay pedals5.
"Warm, tape-like repeats. 11 delays types in a small pedal. TonePrint presets."
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Questions
How many echo modes does the TC Electronic Alter Ego 2 have?
The Type Selector knob gives you eleven different echo modes. Nine of them are recreations of vintage echo machines such as the Binson Echorec 2, the Maestro Echoplex and the Roland Space Echo, alongside TC's own modulated 2290 sound, plus a looper mode and a TonePrint mode.
Does the Alter Ego 2 have a looper?
Yes. The pedal has a built-in looper with 20 seconds of stereo record time and 40 seconds in mono. The looper also gets its own position on the Type Selector knob, so it works as one of the eleven selectable modes.
Can the Alter Ego 2 run in stereo?
Yes. The pedal has stereo inputs and outputs, so it can be run in stereo or mono. In stereo the looper's record time is 20 seconds, while in mono it extends to 40 seconds.
Does the Alter Ego 2 have tap tempo?
Not a dedicated tap tempo footswitch, but the bypass switch can be used as a tap tempo switch. The pedal also offers audio tapping, where it senses the tempo of your playing to set the delay time.
Which echo units does the Alter Ego 2 model?
Its modes recreate the Binson Echorec 2, the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man chorus sound, the Tel Ray Organ Tone, TC's own 2290 modulated delay, a reverse modulated delay, the Boss DM-2, the Watkins Copycat, the Maestro Echoplex and the Roland Space Echo.
How is the Alter Ego 2 different from the original Alter Ego?
The Alter Ego 2 is an upgraded version of the original Alter Ego Vintage Echo with a graphical overhaul, and it combines the best features and sounds from the original Alter Ego and the larger Alter Ego X4. Nine of its echo sounds were moved over from the Alter Ego X4 into the compact Flashback-style enclosure.
Sources (8)
- TC Electronic Announces Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo and T2, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-09-22
- TC Electronic unveils Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo and T2 Reverb, MusicRadar, 2014-09-24
- TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo review, MusicRadar, 2015-01-22
- Alter Ego Vintage Echo V2 by TC Electronic, RockBoard PedalPedia (www.rockboard.de), 2026
- TC Electronic Alter Ego 2 Vintage Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2015-09-17
- TC Electronic Launches Alter Ego V2 & T2 Vintage Echo, Premier Guitar, 2014-09-22
- TC Electronic Announces the Alter Ego X4 Vintage Echo, Premier Guitar, 2014-06-17
- TC Electronic Alter Ego X4 Vintage Echo review, MusicRadar, 2014-08-18
