Legendary Japanese echo tones in a compact two-button enclosure, built-in looper, MIDI, tap tempo, and a desktop editor for less than 200€. But is the NUX Tape Echo actually good?
That is what I wanted to find out with this review.
Disclaimer: NUX Tape Echo was provided to me by NUX. However, the company has no say in the things I mention in the video or this post, nor do they get to see the video or article before it is published.
NUX Tape Echo Specifications
The NUX Tape Echo comes with up to 1600 ms of stereo delay time using tap tempo, seven repro tape-head combinations, and reverb-only operation. It also has NUX’s Core-Image technology, which is meant to bring back that natural tape echo sound with parallel spring-style reverb.
There is also a 40-second stereo phrase looper with an OLED status display, MIDI in and out, tap tempo subdivisions, and the option to display delay time either in milliseconds or BPM.
The pedal runs at 48 kHz, uses 32-bit A/D conversion and 32-bit signal processing, and takes a standard 9V DC power supply with a negative center pin. The current draw is around 100 mA, with a maximum of less than 150 mA. The enclosure measures 105 x 115 x 58 mm and weighs 440 g.
So yes, for a compact delay pedal, there is quite a lot going on here.
What Is NUX Tape Echo?
It is no secret that the NUX Tape Echo is trying to capture the legendary tones of the Roland Space Echo. NUX even shows the pedal placed on a Space Echo-style unit in some of their own material, so the inspiration is not exactly hidden.
And honestly, that is fine. The Space Echo sound is iconic for a reason.
In addition to echo and reverb sounds, this two-button pedal also gives you a built-in looper. Holding the ON switch creates self-feedback, which is exactly the kind of slightly dangerous feature a tape echo-style pedal should have. The tap footswitch controls the tempo of the repeats and can also be used to change subdivisions.
You can also plug the pedal into a computer and use the editor software to tweak the sounds more deeply. That is always nice, especially with pedals like this where small changes can make a big difference.
Using the NUX Tape Echo for Music Production
For this NUX Tape Echo review, I wanted to do something a bit more useful than just play a few random delay sounds.
So I decided to re-record one of my own songs using the NUX Tape Echo. The song was “Ocean” from my EP The First Four, and the goal was to see how the pedal would work in an actual music production situation.
I ran the pedal in the effects loop of my Line 6 POD Go and used the NUX Tape Echo for all the reverb and delay sounds. Depending on the part I was recording, I changed the amount of reverb, modulation, and delay to fit the song.
That ended up being a really fun way to test the pedal, because instead of asking whether it sounded good in isolation, I could hear how it worked inside a finished track.
Using a bit of reverb on the rhythm guitar tracks helped glue the production together. If I’m totally honest, this version of the song might actually sound better than what’s on the official release.
Which is slightly annoying, but also kind of nice.
Is NUX Tape Echo Good?
Yes, the NUX Tape Echo sounds really good.
I’d like to think I know the sound of the original Space Echo well enough to recognize the general character, and NUX’s take on it gets very close to that world. The repeats have that warm, slightly soft, musical thing going on, which is exactly what I want from this kind of pedal.
The reverb also works well. It does not feel like a random extra effect added just to fill the feature list. Used carefully, it helps create space around the guitar without completely washing out the dry sound.
The pedal also has clever features that make it a viable option for live use. The looper, tap tempo, MIDI, self-feedback, OLED display, and desktop editor all make it feel much more practical than a simple vintage-style delay box.
All of the NUX Verdugo series pedals I’ve tried — the ones with two footswitches — have felt solid, and this one is no exception. The company also keeps updating its products, and since the time I shot my demo, they have added a Freeze function to the pedal as well.
That is always nice to see.
Final Thoughts on the NUX Tape Echo
If you are a fan of Space Echo-style sounds, the NUX Tape Echo is a very solid option with a price that does not completely destroy your pedal budget.
It sounds good, it feels well-built, and it has enough modern features to make it genuinely useful for recording, live playing, and just getting lost in delay sounds at home. Which, let’s be honest, is probably what most of us want from a tape echo-style pedal anyway.
The most important thing is that it is inspiring to play. The repeats sit nicely around the guitar, the reverb adds space, and the self-feedback feature gives you that slightly chaotic tape echo fun when you want it.
For less than 200€, I think the NUX Tape Echo makes a lot of sense.
If you’re interested in acquiring this pedal and supporting what I do, you can find affiliate links here:
►►Get NUX Tape Echo On Thomann(affiliate):
https://thmn.to/thoprod/539421?offid=1&affid=394
►►Get NUX Tape Echo On Reverb:
https://reverb.partnerlinks.io/nux-tape-echo
►►Hanki NUX-tuotteet Suomesta:
https://www.musiikkisilfverberg.fi/tuotehaku?s=nux
https://www.vantaanmusiikki.fi/tuotehaku?s=nux