Hughes & Kettner Replex

Hughes and Kettner is a German amp and guitar gear maker that was started in the mid 80s. They make high end amps and accessories for professionals and their gear and priced as such. The Replex is a tube driven digital analog tape delay simulator. The overall delay is created with a digital signal and is then warmed up with the 12AX7 preamp tube. There is no analog tape unit in this pedal thats why it is a tape delay simulator. The inconsistencies of an analog tape delay are all simulated with the digital devices. There is one input jack and one output jack. It can only be powered by the DC connector there is no space for a battery.

UTILIZATION

There are 9 knobs and 4 foot switches on the face of this pedal. I will go through them left to right starting with the knobs. The first knob is an imput knob. When this is maxed out it can provide a little tube distortion break up but it is not much and does not sound good. The second knob is the output knob. This controls how much of a signal goes to your amp. This is not a stereo delay so there is only one output. The third knob is a reverb volume knob. This controls the saturation of the reverb effect. The reverb on this pedal is okay it is not a great substitute for real amp reverb. The fourth knob is the delay volume. This controls the saturation of the delay sound. The fifth knob is the feedback control. This could be the slapback knob. This controls how long your repeats of the delay occurs. A higher setting will create a longer delay effect. The sisth knob is the vintage factor knob. This knob effects how "old sounding" a delay effect you will get. You can go from a perfect digital delay effect to a dirty vintage tape delay sound. The seventh knob is the single head time control knob. This controls the delay in variables from 10ms to 900ms. The eight knob controls the double head time. This is the second layer to the delay so you can get the effect of two delays at once. The ninth knob just controls the volume of the 2nd layer of delay. The first switch on the left is the Replex's true bypass. I would expect no less than true bypass on a pedal this expensive. The second switch is an on and off switch for the reverb function. The third and fourth switch turn on the single head delay and double head delay respectively.

SOUND QUALITY

The delay sound is not very good from something of this price. The sound is pretty flat and generic for a delay pedal. I do not know how to describe it. It sounds like any delay pedal you could get for 80 bucks just with some reverb thrown on and that is not even very good.

OVERALL OPINION

The Replex is not really a competitor for other delay pedals. Hughes and Kettner is trying to compete with real tape delay units with this. At 500 dollars it is very expensive for a delay unit but a real tape delay is around 1000 dollars. If you are willing to spend 500 dollars on a delay unit you should get a rack unit or something. And if you are looking to get a tape delay sound and can afford this you probably can afford a real tape delay.

This unit has two effects DIFFERENT: a rverb (no more correct) and a time limit with the old vocation mulate band echoes of the past (echoplex, Selmer etc.). It must immediately prciser any combination of the two effects is authorized: either we use the rverbe or the time limit. I will not dwell on rverbe: that is honnte, nothing more. Section time limit is much against INTERESTED: this is a section numrique (unlike a Deluxe Memory Man Electro-Harmonix from home, who, and Fully analog). What effect can numrique NICE cho mulate a band? thanks the lamp 12 AX7 that this contains. This lamp is a "+" indniable: the more we shall decide to route the sound through the lamp (thanks a potentiomtre dnomm "vintage factor"), plus the sound is " dirty "as in an old cho band he rsulte the famous treble dgradation chos typical band. In addition, Hughes and Kettner offers two modes of time limit (single head) and (second head) the corresponding evolution What they experienced the same dlais band: the beginners, one read head used CRER the time limit, and then the MODELS "latest issue" have about a deuxime read head. In short, the Replex is complete on this point.

UTILIZATION

The Replex will ask you for patience: if gnrer a "slapback" mode thanks to the "single head" is a breeze, the way Russia will "dual head" you will take longer . Do not dcouragez because it's worth, the first week, I thought I would sell my Replex to buy myself a time limit electro-harmonix (easier to use)! ! I could not make anything of that accursed time limit !!!!!! especially since the user guide is too short: no rglage do is about !!!!!! and then force traffickers Lles buttons of the machine, I did it!

The Replex dot is a true bypass: be careful when you engage the effect, when your signal is gnral same lot changed: I suggest you to avoid the "change its too audible "to use channel" rverbe "as a bypass: the RULES rverbe is" 0 "so that this channel will be your basic sound, then you switch to the single or head the dual head when you want to use it, you Vitera of it "skips between the sound of your amp and that of the time limit. of course, the user manual suggre do nothing!! it's you to fumble for the little tricks ... shame, what a waste of time.

the few difficulties I encountered and overcome or Tattone m'amnent to note 5 / 10; another user that I could finally DCID pleased to sell its effect t as prsevrer, all because of the manual ... it's a shame, because once we have understood the Systm, the note would be to use 10.

SOUND QUALITY

The Replex is simply amazing!! if you can not use it, you'll get "just" a digital time limit fawn Boss DD3 home (incidentally a good time limit) but given the price of Replex, this one would be to rsultat cevant! But once you know to use it, you hallucinate compltement: Replex mimics the band things: IT IS no diffrence (except we do not have to change the tape every the months since there is no !!!!): dgradation the treble is perfect: the people who I did listen the songs I recorded are convinced that contains trmolo my guitar, chorus and while there is time limit and the time required, the time limit as the GNR EXCLUSIVELY Replex, yet this type of sound (the time limit so rptitions DGRAD in acute that one can almost hear the chorus ...) do things in retouve band Bravo Hughes: it's perfect. In addition, the Replex allows you to do all the effects psychdliques chos old band (the "if-fi" sounds: dcollage and landing of flying saucers !!!!! you play a note and turning the tempo and the number of rptitions, you get sound compltement psychs !!!!!)

OVERALL OPINION

I possde my Replex for three months now and do it again this choice without any problem. I wish that I prciser extremely demanding in choosing my dlais: the dlais of line 6 are unable to re-create such a cho band. DSOL for supporters of the modlisation numrique, but it compltement the rat. I tried all the dlais march band and things, old times in a poor state, and the latest issue, I give you my rankings (I prcise I am a chos bit of tape: do not s'tonner the first of my rankings are authentic echoes of the band ... I can not help it, it fascinates me to hear my guitar signal d formed with a cassette !!!!!)
1) Tube tape cho Fulltone manufactured home in March 2004 (it is a "real" band and cho and more light: a killing, but $ 999 ...): If you can not s try, go to the Fulltone site to hear it, you'll understand ...
2) Tape Echo Hiwatt in the format "rack" made in 2003 (it is also a real cho band must be great but dbourser 865 dollars)
3) Hughes and Kettner Replex: the voilou! now that I know use it, I manage to get the sound from Fulltone! simply amazing (I have more pay "only" 375)
4) T. Rex Replica: T. Rex effects are a killer!! This time limit digital and analog is an example. I put it just below the Replex because it is less convincing (this is not its vocation forcment not rained) and also expensive.
5) Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man (Fully analog): Fully analog design is a good choice: rsultat guaranteed vintage (Note however that in order to imitate the sound of a band cho, electro harmonix has a section chorus and vibrato to come to the aid of Dlay which itself would probably not enough ...) your exact is really good for an effect that is much less expensive.

My ranking does not take into account the effects more "cheap" such as Danelectro (danecho, real echo): these effects are good but when you have the sound of the band echoes in the head, they are found grossly inadequate.
CONCLUSION: If you love vintage dlais, go ahead buy the Replex: it is perfect. If you do not like dlais vintage, you really wasted your time reading my comment. Keep 'Rockin' !!!!!!