ezhi&aka Double Tape T Broken Tape Deck Emulator

I first got my hands on an effects unit from ezhi&aka about 6 years ago (the magnificent Moomindrone T Drone Delay), and is the years since, have had the pleasure of checking out their Polarized Flutter Lofi Tapestop and Polarized Flutter + Echo pedals, and they’re all nothing short of brilliant. Today’s unit from them, the Double Tape T Broken Tape Deck Emulator, might just be the best one yet. Aside from being the BIGGEST pedal that’s ever been in the shop (or possibly existed in general), it has so many sounds and noises and experimental properties trapped inside, you’d have to be a real stick-in-the-mud not to enjoy it. Enough talking already, let’s dive in and see what this one is all about…

The Double Tape T is a true stereo/double mono version of the advanced broken tape deck emulator. It’s basically two original Tape T circuits in one larger enclosure with separate true bypass footswitches and a parallel (stereo)/series (double mono) switch to be used in different applications. Each Tape T circuit takes you clean signal, applies lofi filtering and clipping, add noise and clicks. Separate dry and wet mix controls allow to add as much lofi to your original sound as needed.

If you want more – there is a dedicated unique ‘burnt tape’ mode which sounds just like it’s called. Each circuit has a built in digital comparator Tape Fuzz combining lots of gain and low end boost with a very reliable noise gate, while providing a very long sustain. The Tape Engine of both circuits can modulate pitch and amplitude of your signal with two tap tempo multi-waveform LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators).

There is one pitch modulation/vibrato mode, controlled by its own LFO and varying from slight jumping vibrato to complete pitch destruction, broken tape style. You can also modulate this LFO’s depth or speed via the second LFO to add some unpredictability and life to your tape chewing vibrato. Both LFOs can modulate the signal’s amplitude in any of two modes – pretty straightforward amplitude tremolo, lowering the volume of wet signal or new reverse tremolo, adding gain to the wet signal under control of the LFO.

A FSR (force sensitive resistor) touchpad is connected directly to main chip’s clock for manual wobble, flutter and tapestops. Vibrato, FSR clock manipulation, amp and reverse tremolo and lfo1’s pitch or depth modulation can be applied simultaneously. The knobs and switches interact with each other so if you enjoy twiggling the controls while you play you will be getting very unique and strange sounds. Or just go ahead and get lost…

The Double Tape T features some more possibilities than the original. Beside true stereo operation with separate bypass and tap tempo controls it allows to synchronize either LFO3 and LFO4 (two LFOs of the left channel) to LFO2 (of the right channel) and switch the whole pedal to series/mono operation. This thing, if you can’t tell already, is a monster noisemaker, and I’m here for it all. Been waiting a while for this one to finally arrive, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Thanks so so so much to Alexey from ezhi&aka for sending this beauty my way – please visit his website and order a couple of pedals, he’s making some revolutionary gear!! Vashe zdorov’ye!!