Boss revives the iconic Roland Space Echo in the RE-202 and RE-2 digital pedals
Both pedals were designed to capture the sounds and behaviours of the RE-201 in “flawless detail.”
Image: Boss
The legendary Roland Space Echo RE-201 is getting a major reboot in the form of two pedals from Boss.
- READ MORE: The Big Review: Boss RE-2 Space Echo – A compact recreation of Roland’s venerable tape delay unit
The Space Echo is well-known for its distinct analogue preamp tone, rhythmic echoes and sonic quirks. According to Boss, both pedals were designed to capture these sounds and behaviours in “flawless detail.”
Boss RE-202 Space Echo
The RE-202 is positioned as an accurate digital recreation of the original magnetic tape echo machine without the need for troublesome hardware maintenance. It’s said to replicate all the major features of the original – from its 12-position mode selector to subtle pitch fluctuations that come from tweaking the Repeat Rate knob – but adds some modern features too.
Delay length has been doubled, and the RE-202 further accommodates tap tempo and onboard presets. Meanwhile, a fourth virtual tape head extends its sonic variety with five additional sound combinations. Players also have the option of using the warm and rounded preamp sound of the original, or opt for a completely clean signal with no processing. Further, the RE-202 also has a true stereo I/O to accommodate multi-amp setups.
Boss RE-2 Space Echo
The RE-2 is for players wanting to add a Space Echo to their boards in the familiar Boss enclosure. Along with the promise of authentic RE-201 tones, the compact stomper offers access to an 11-position mode selector, three virtual tape heads (with or without spring reverb) and an echo-reverb blend with independent level controls. On top of that, there’s also a Wow & Flutter controls, stereo I/O, tap tempo and more.
In Guitar.com’s review of the RE-2, we said: “If the mission was to capture the entire personality of the Roland Space Echo in a standard Boss enclosure, the RE-2 is an indisputable success.”
Pricing and Availability
The Boss RE-202 and RE-2 Space Echo pedals are available now for $399.99 and $249.99, respectively.
Learn more at boss.info