The Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo Delay is a compact delay pedal that emulates the Maestro Echoplex EP-3, the solid-state tape echo that emerged in 1970 and that MusicRadar calls "the definitive delay for many players"1. Rather than a multi-mode digital delay, it puts one vintage machine in a stompbox: the hazy, lo-fi repeats of a well-used tape echo, with controls for how worn the tape is and how much mechanical wobble creeps into the sound.
Universal Audio released the Orion in August 2023 as one of four pedals launching its Compacts line, alongside the 1176 Studio Compressor, Heavenly Plate Reverb and Evermore Studio Reverb2. It brings the EP-III tape echo algorithm from the full-size Starlight Echo Station to a smaller, more affordable pedal2.
What it does to your sound
The Orion is built around a single voice: the EP-III tape echo. Delicious Audio describes it as giving "the magical hazy delay effects of vintage '70s Maestro Echoplex EP-III tape delays"2, and on That Pedal Show the team noted that "the Orion is aiming more at a kind of Echoplex EP-3 sound"3. MusicRadar's reviewer found it delivers "superb vintage rockabilly slapback and gritty atmospherics for longer delay times," with the longer settings sounding "especially grand with single-coil Strat chime"1.
The tape age switch is where much of the character lives. A single three-way mini toggle moves the emulated machine between three states of decay12:
| Mode | What it emulates |
|---|---|
| Mint | New old stock tape with "snappy" compression1 |
| Worn | A "gently used" early '70s machine, without the compression circuit1 |
| Old | A mid-'70s machine with worn tape and "warbly, chorus-like" repeats1 |
Delicious Audio frames the three modes as hi-to-lo-fi options that "simulate the sound of Mint, Worn, or Old tape repeats, conferring the tone a more or less lo-fi effect"24.
Controls and how to use them
The front panel keeps things simple, with the expected delay controls plus two tape-specific knobs2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Sets the tape echo rate, 80 to 700 milliseconds1 |
| Mix | Sets the dry/wet balance; full is 100% wet delay1 |
| Feedback | Sets the number of repeats1 |
| Wonk | Wow and flutter, a subtle random modulation from tape rolling through the magnetic heads2 |
| Rec Level | Adds saturation to the repeats2 |
| Tape age toggle | Mint / Worn / Old tape condition1 |
| Footswitch | Bypass1 |
The Wonk knob is the Orion's personality control. Delicious Audio calls wow and flutter "a subtle random modulation created by the slight irregularities" of tape passing over the heads2, and Universal Audio describes the result as "modulated repeats and vibey tape splice sounds"5. Rec Level adds tape-style saturation, letting repeats get grittier as you push them2.
The preamp, and using it with the delay off
The original EP-3's preamp is part of why players loved the unit, and the Orion includes an emulation of it. MusicRadar notes that "the emulation of the original unit's preamp stage isn't just included here, but you can switch it on and off at the rear of the pedal"1. In Trails mode, also switchable at the back, the preamp emulation keeps working with the pedal off, so it can run as an always-on tone booster in front of your amp1.
"The Orion is a top-tier emulation of the EP-3 and its always-on preamp option should not be overlooked as an attractive and useful part of the deal."
Power and build
The Orion needs a 9V DC pedalboard isolated power supply and draws 250mA1.
At 250mA, the Orion draws more current than many compact analog pedals. A small daisy-chain supply or a battery is not a realistic option; budget a pedalboard power outlet with that headroom.
Build-wise, MusicRadar describes a black metal casing that "reveals a blue sparkle in the sunlight," with rugged plastic jack socket nuts and matte control knobs, though the reviewer's verdict on looks was blunt: "Sounds matter most but it doesn't look like a $220 pedal"1. Delicious Audio calls it a rugged, compact stompbox "built for decades of dependable performance"2.
How it compares to the Starlight Echo Station
The Orion shares its EP-III algorithm with the full-size Starlight Echo Station, but the two pedals serve different needs. The Orion is a single-voice tape echo at a more affordable price2; the Starlight offers more delay types in one box. MusicRadar's take on the trade-off: "The Starlight is a better deal if you need more delay types"1. If Echoplex-style tape delay is the sound you are after, the Orion covers it in a smaller footprint; players wanting digital, analog and multi-head emulations alongside it have their answer in the larger pedal.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's 2026 review was positive overall, calling the Orion "the best pedal Echoplex EP-3 emulation we've heard" and praising "the level of control impresses Vs the competition"1. The criticisms were the looks relative to price and the Starlight's better value for players who want multiple delay types1. Gearnews reviewed the compact UAFX quartet in October 2023 and praised the Orion alongside the 1176, while finding the Heavenly and Evermore reverbs inferior to the full-size Del-Verb6. Delicious Audio added the Orion to its roundup of the best tape echo pedals2.
Videos
Sweetwater
Universal Audio
Chords Of Orion
Questions
What is the maximum delay time on the UAFX Orion?
The Delay knob sets the tape echo rate from 80 to 700 milliseconds. That range covers vintage rockabilly slapback through longer, more atmospheric delay times, matching the shorter repeat lengths of the original Echoplex-style tape machines rather than modern long digital delays.
Can the Orion preamp be used with the delay off?
Yes. The pedal includes an emulation of the original unit's preamp stage, with an on/off switch at the rear. In Trails mode, also switchable at the back, the preamp emulation stays active even when the pedal is off, so it can serve as an always-on tone booster.
What is the difference between the UAFX Orion and the Starlight Echo Station?
The Orion is a compact pedal built around the Echoplex EP-III tape echo algorithm, launched at a more affordable price than the Starlight. MusicRadar's reviewer noted the Starlight is a better deal if you need more delay types, since the Orion focuses on one tape echo voice.
Does the UAFX Orion need an isolated power supply?
It runs on a 9V DC pedalboard isolated power supply with a 250mA draw. That current requirement is well above what a typical battery or a simple daisy chain can comfortably deliver, so plan on a pedalboard power supply with adequate headroom.
What does the Wonk knob do on the Orion?
Wonk controls the wow and flutter effect, a subtle random modulation created by the slight irregularities of tape rolling through magnetic heads. Universal Audio describes it as producing modulated repeats and vibey tape splice sounds.
Sources (6)
- Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo Delay pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-10-28
- UAFX Orion Tape Echo, Delicious Audio, 2023-11-07
- UAFX Orion Tape Delay And Fulltone TTE, That Pedal Show, 2024-02-20
- New Pedal Line: UAFX Compacts (Orion, Evermore, Heavenly And 1176), Delicious Audio, 2023-08-22
- UAFX Orion Tape Echo, 1176 and more expands pedal range, gearnews.com, 2023-08-22
- Best Tape Delay Pedal: Get the Sounds of Echoplex and Space Echo on your Board!, gearnews.com, 2025-06-16
