Tape reverb device
A tape reverberation device (sometimes also known as a tape echo ) is an electroacoustic system that creates artificial reverberation . Tape reverb devices are to be classified as historical due to the development in the field of microelectronics and the advent of digital delays .
A tape reverb device consists of an endless magnetic tape and an associated speaking and playback head or listening head. The audio signal is recorded on the magnetic tape via the headset. Depending on the speed of the magnetic tape, the signal passes the hearing head a short time later and is played back. The delay time can be set using the speed of the magnetic tape. Some tape reverb devices have several switchable heads so that several echoes can be generated. The intensity of the reverberation can be adjusted via various controls, and a head can also be set as a variable erase head, so that the signal can be completely or partially deleted or overlaid with new signals after it has passed through.
Further electromechanical systems for generating artificial reverberation are the so-called spring reverb and the reverb plate (acoustics) .
Advantages and disadvantages of the tape reverb device
The advantage of the device is the small size for the time and the possibility of generating a reverb or echo effect with moderate effort.
The disadvantages of the device are mechanical wear (drive of the magnetic tape, speaking and earphones) as well as the stress or wear and tear of the magnetic tape. In addition, the magnetic tape has to run very smoothly so as not to produce a "boisterous" sound. The magnetic tape adds unwanted noise to the signal depending on the tape speed.