Catalinbread Belle Epoch We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of the Belle Epoch , our first compact delay with full tap tempo capabilities and a slew of other upgrades to our flagship tape echo simulator. Much R&D was implemented to make the Belle Epoch the best version of itself that it could possibly be. Tapping in a beat couldn’t be easier; simply hold the footswitch to enter tap mode and hold it again to enter tap bypass mode. Apart from the tap tempo circuit, the Belle Epoch just gives you more, more headroom, a redesigned Mix control, improved buffered bypass, a touch of noise gating and better impedance specs for rig integration. The preamp has been tweaked to provide a higher dynamic range with the same feel and response of the original Echoplex pre, giving you a more hi-fi sparkling tone that you’ve come to expect from the classic circuit. We’ve also expanded the feature set by offering three modes that correspond to wear on the virtual tape, from a pristine “fresh off the line” Echoplex to a dusty unit that’s been sitting in an attic for 40 years. Step into (and onto) the next generation of our classic echo unit! CONTROLSSUSTAIN: This controls the amount of signal fed back into the delay line, resulting in more or fewer repeats. Turn it down for a killer slapback delay or up for an expansive barrage of repeats. May self-oscillate at extreme settings. MIX: Goes from 100% dry (whatever you feed into the Belle Epoch ) to 100% wet (only the delayed signal will be heard). The original Belle Epoch had this control active even when in buffered bypass, that is no longer the case.TAPE FX: The wow and flutter found in tape echoes are what separates them from a normal delay; this control increases the amount of tape warble found in the repeats.REC LEVEL: This control governs how hard the preamp hits the delay line and affects the first repeat, giving you a measurable initial attack from which the repeats then decay. This control includes a tape saturation circuit that emulates the crunch found on the EP-3 when you dig in. Higher levels give a thick, gainier initial burst of signal while lower levels sit a little lower in the mix for organic echoing that enhances leads and solos. ECHO DELAY: Governs the delay time, giving up to ~900ms of rich tape-like delay. Turning this knob while in Tap mode will return the delay time to the knob position.*Running dry into the Belle Epoch will require some careful adjustment to get the most from the pedal. Try rolling up the Sustain and Rec Level controls until the Belle Epoch reacts how you want.FLOW CHARTPOWER SUPPLYThe Belle Epoch accepts a center-negative power supply capable of supplying 9VDC with at least 200mA of current (over 200mA is fine). Anything beyond these specs (center-positive, AC, etc) will cause the Belle Epoch to not function properly (best case) or brick (worst case). Improper powering voids your warranty and your excitement. Please do not do this! Double check your supply!
