Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

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Stosh221
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Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by Stosh221 » Tue May 16, 2017 6:05 pm

Read through multiple topics pertaining to members' thoughts on tape echoes, but curious if anyone can provide a specific opinion on the relative merits of the Belle Epoch vs. the EP103 Echoplex delays?

I really like the modulation provided by the Belle, and I'm good with the gritty tape saturation control. But even after looking at scores of online videos I can't determine if the tape saturation distortion can be dialed out. Is there always a bit of grunginess with this pedal?

To my ear, and based only on YouTube reviews, the EP103 modulation sounds good. Maybe not quite as nice as the Belle Epoch. But I can't figure out if there's an option to defeat the modulation entirely (as there seems to be on the Epoch).

Has anyone direct experience with both pedals? They're not available in stores around here, and I'm about resigned to purchasing both online and returning one. Or maybe I'll just toss in the towel and get a TC Flashback, which does a bit of everything—if not as well as the EP103 and Belle Epoch in the tape echo department. Argh!

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Jaguar018
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Re: Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by Jaguar018 » Wed May 17, 2017 8:04 am

I bet if you asked this over on The Gear Page you might get an answer from someone who has played both pedals. While we all love to make snarky remarks about the stereotypical TGP person (they apparently all play white guy blues or praise & worship music, own lots of overpriced gear, and Hawaiian shirts), there are some pedal junkies over there that obsess over delay like you wouldn't believe.

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JazzmasterJonny
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Re: Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by JazzmasterJonny » Wed May 17, 2017 9:40 am

Played the Belle Epoch. Loved it.

Not played the Dunlop.

But if I were you I'd hold out for the Belle Epoch Deluxe...coming soon and it looks AMAZING!

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MechaBulletBill
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Re: Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by MechaBulletBill » Wed May 17, 2017 9:54 am

The Belle Epoch is nice but I really don't like the modulation on it, it makes a horrible click when you activate it in TB mode and in trails mode it's too similar to my RE20 so I flipped it.

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Stosh221
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Re: Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by Stosh221 » Thu May 18, 2017 5:32 am

JazzmasterJonny wrote:But if I were you I'd hold out for the Belle Epoch Deluxe...coming soon and it looks AMAZING!
Yep, been reading about that one. Sheesh, pedal pondering. What a rabbit hole.

Also thinking maybe what I like about these is more the queasy warble than the delay. Is there even such a thing as a chorus pedal that has a random modulation setting—like these delays do in attempt to mimic the mechanical limitations of old analog tape delays? (Rhetorical question. Off to do more research.)

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Re: Belle Epoch vs. Dunlop EP103

Post by rkharper » Thu May 18, 2017 5:38 am

sts221 wrote:
JazzmasterJonny wrote: Also thinking maybe what I like about these is more the queasy warble than the delay. Is there even such a thing as a chorus pedal that has a random modulation setting—like these delays do in attempt to mimic the mechanical limitations of old analog tape delays? (Rhetorical question. Off to do more research.)
the Strymon DECO does just that, and even more.

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