UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual
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Chapter 51: Roland RE-201 Space Echo
CHAPTER 51
Roland RE-201 Space Echo
Overview
In 1973, Roland created the Space Echo system that utilized multiple play
heads to create warm, highly adjustable echo effects, which added wonder-
ful tape character and chaos to performances and recordings. The Space
Echo can be heard on numerous recordings, from 70’s space rock like Pink
Floyd and David Bowie, to countless Reggae and Dub albums, to more recent
bands like Portishead and Radiohead. Universal Audio has been entrusted by
Roland to re-create the highly beloved RE-201 unit, considered the best of the
Space Echo line. Our team spent over a year developing our RE-201 Space
Echo, which truly captures the physical behavior of this complex device
“warts and all”, down to the distortion, wow and flutter, pitch shifting, and
warmth that tape based delays are famous for; but our plug-in goes even fur-
ther, capturing the complex self-oscillation that makes the Space Echo more
than an effect, but a unique instrument unto itself.
UA’s RE-201 Space Echo faithfully retains all the controls and features of the
original, such as the Mode Selector for various head combinations, Repeat
Rate for fine timing control, and Intensity which sets repeat count and allows
the unit to achieve self-oscillation. The all-important Echo/Normal “Dub”
switch is retained for muting, as well as the simple tone controls. Last but cer-
tainly not least, the atmospheric shimmer of the Space Echo’s spring reverb is
faithfully captured, putting this fantastic plug-in on par with the original unit as
a tool of infinite creativity.
