Soundtoys EchoBoy

At Soundtoys we are more than a little obsessed with delay effects, and EchoBoy is the ultimate realization of that obsession. It wraps decades of echo device history and new forward-thinking features into one versatile effect that will find its way into every corner of your mixes.
Tonal excellence is on full display in the EchoBoy, a delay plug-in that expertly matches the tone and response of some of the earliest and most iconic analog delay effects. Additionally, it has dual delay modes, extremely detailed delay EQ, and contains some features that make it easy and fast to dial in some naturally rhythmic echoes, as well as some wild saturation and flutter effects.

The actual echo section of this plug-in is really cool. You have dry/wet, echo time, feedback, low and high cut controls. If you’re in dual delay mode, you’ll have individual echo time controls for each signal (same with ping-pong, which lets the signals bounce back and forth across the stereo field.) You can set the tempo manually or using tap tempo (or just sync it to your DAW. There’s additionally a Rhythm Editor section that makes it easy to get your delays in sync with your tracks. You can get up to 16 taps with differing volume and EQ levels at each tap. The Groove and Feel controls let your delay play a little behind or ahead of the beat, and can make the rhythm more of a shuffle feel if needed. We thought this mode was a really interesting take on delay, and it makes for some fun experimentation and crazy rhythms. Each mode has a few additional unique controls that can further refine the delay time, panning, width, and other parameters.

Vintage Tone
The way original analog delay effects impart that classic saturation on the signal is arguably just as important as the echo itself. Our friends at Soundtoys understand this and have done an expert job modeling the characteristics of the Echoplex, Memory Man, and the Ampex ATR-102 tape delay, in addition to analog and digital delays and choruses (all of which have their own cool saturation types). These are all available by using the “Style” control, which also includes some interesting, creative presets that can make this thing get wild. These different styles are all pretty tonally distinct, and it’s definitely worth it to try them all out in different situations. They range from extremely warm and fuzzy to cold and digital, and also include some crazy telephone and distortion effects.

Expressive Tools
As great as all of these emulations and delay styles are, the Style Edit menu that drops down underneath the interface lets you get even more hands-on. The style settings will adjust these parameters automatically, which we liked, but it was even better when we actually tweaked them further ourselves. It has an interesting EQ menu that applies to the echo effect. With this, you can not only give your delay signal a different frequency response than your dry signal, you can actually set decay knobs so that each repetition of the delay signal further changes the EQ. This is great if you want your delay effect to blend into the background of a mix, or if it needs some extra high or low-end boost as it progresses. Additionally, there are further controls, including diffusion (a reverb-like effect), wobble (tape vibrato), and additional saturation controls that can further adjust the character of your delay signal, getting more of a tape style flutter or an almost distortion-like saturation. With all of these styles, presets, and meticulous tone controls, this plug-in has potential far beyond that of mere echo, and can be an extremely useful as a tone shaper and manipulator.

Main Features:

• Thirty different echo styles, modeled after vintage tape, analog, and digital delays, plus choruses, vibrato and other analog effects. Include Echoplex, Space Echo, Memory Man, DM-2, CE-1 Chorus, and many others
• Fantastic analog saturation – tape sounds based on the Ampex ATR-102, modern tube tape units as well as a cheap tape option, with controls for saturation, tape flutter, and diffusion. Tighten up drums, warm up vocals, or add some grit to guitar solos
• Mono and Stereo Effects, including Dual Delay and Ping-Pong modes
• Rhythm Echo Mode – Instantly get your delays in line with your tracks, making complex rhythmic delay effects with adjustable EQ and rhythmic fine-tuning controls
• EQ your delay signals separately, and create delay patterns with fluctuating EQ curves that change with the amount of repeats
• Dozens of fantastic-sounding presets that illustrate the full range of the plug-in’s potential

Controls:

Delay Modes:

• Single Echo, Dual Echo, Ping Pong, and Rhythm Echo

Delay:

• Dry/Wet Mix, Feedback, Low and High Cut controls, plus echo time control for each signal
• Set delay time manually by time or note, with tap tempo, sync, or Rhythm Echo editor
• Groove and Feel controls set your delay ahead of or behind the beat, accenting different parts of the groove
• Rhythm Echo allows for up to 16 rhythmic taps, with gradual decay shaping, grid and length controls
• Additional Left/Right Offset, Stereo Width, Balance, Accent, Feedback Mix and Balance controls (with cross-feedback option)

Gain/Saturation:

• Saturation, Input and Output Gain Controls

Delay Style:

• Choose between 30 different delay, tape, or chorus emulations

Style Editor: 

• Three band EQ applies to delay signal only, with Frequency, gain and decay knobs for each channel (plus resonant frequency control for Mids)
• Adjust the EQ of the delay effect as it continues by changing Decay controls
• Diffusion (Reverb) Amount and Size Controls
• Wobble effect includes Depth, Rate, and Sync controls, plus different shape settings
• Separate Saturation controls for delay signal, with decay and output saturation controls as well as up to 8 saturation type settings

Specs
Current Version: 5.3.7
Plug-in Formats (both 32 and 64-bit):
• AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite, VST, and Audio Units (AU)
Supported Sample Rates:
• Minimum: 44.1 kHz, Maximum: 192 kHz

System Requirements:
• Operating systems: Mac OS X 10.8 or later; Windows 7 or later
• An internet connection is required at the time of activation.
Supported Hosts:
• Pro Tools (10.3.5 or later), Live, Cubase, Nuendo, Sonar, Logic, Digital Performer
• Click here to view our full list of compatible host applications.
Other Requirements:
• Free iLok.com account.