Universal Audio runs the game when it comes to spot-on emulations of classic studio hardware and effects, all powered by their cutting-edge DSP. Now, they’ve taken those effects to the stage with a killer line of guitar pedals packed with emulations of some of the most desirable delays of all time. The Universal Audio Starlight Echo Station is a delay lover’s Holy Grail, loaded with two stunning re-creations of legendary echo units and a pristine custom-designed digital delay in a single, ultra-robust chassis. From the crunchy repeats of the Tape EP-III and the dark, brooding modulated bucket-brigade echoes of the Analog DDM to the crystalline chime of the Precision delay, the Starlight Echo Station is the ultimate foil for shoegazers, psych-rockers, and experimentalists. Plus, with enhanced features such as stereo and dual-mono operation, true bypass with silent switching, and a preset mode for switching between two delay types while preserving your echo tails, the Starlight Echo Station offers inexhaustible creative potential!

Tape EP-III

There’s something special about tape delay — the less-than-perfect repeats, the subtle wow and flutter of the tape, and that intangible vibe that just makes you crave more! The Echo Station’s Tape EP-III effect is an accurate emulation of one of music’s most renowned tape delays, which was heartily embraced by guitar luminaries such as Neil Young, Jimmy Page, and Eric Johnson. The Tape EP-III captures the vibe of the original unit, including the musical preamp section, which can be driven into gritty distortion for adding more bite to the delayed signal — making for the opposite effect of the darkening repeats heard on bucket-brigade delays. Additionally, the Tape EP-III features the dropouts, tape slices, and noise inherent to the vintage devices, but it allows you to season them to taste. Finally, the Tape EP-III comes in three variations, each with its own distinctive character.

Stock: In this mode, the boost is pure clean gain without any added distortion. When you start cranking the knob, the midrange and treble response kick in, with a reduced bass to prevent flubbing.

KP-3K: TIf you’re after clarity and high-end detail, this one’s for you! This boost brightens up your tone by borrowing the preamp design from a famous ’80s digital delay pedal.

EP-III: Thick, saturated, and warm — how does that sound? The EP-III boost is based on the tape echo of the same name, with plenty of gain and color on tap to add a delightfully vintage character to your tone.

Analog DMM

Based on the iconic vintage delay pedal housed in a massive trapezoid chassis, the Analog DMM is the prototypical bucket-brigade delay: warm and wooly with disintegrating repeats that made it a favorite choice of shoegazers in the 1990s. Like the original, the Analog DMM includes a chorus-vibrato control for adding a touch of seasick warble. Plus, Universal Audio took this effect further than the original, stretching the delay time to a full second versus the original unit’s contestable claim of 400ms. Faithfully re-creating the standard by which all other bucket-brigade delays are judged, the Analog DMM is absolutely addictive!

Precision

While many musicians love colorful analog delays, sometimes a part demands the pristine clarity of a cutting-edge digital delay unity. That’s where Precision comes in. Designed from the ground up for the Starlight Echo Station, Precision serves up crystal-clear repeats with loads of modulation options derived from UAD’s venerable plug-in library. For crisp ambient textures, Precision is a no-brainer; however, it also pairs excellently with hardware synthesizers for concocting Vangelis-style synthscapes!

Free bonus effect: Cooper Time Cube

Along with the three stunning stock effects, Universal Audio throws in an additional effect when you register your Starlight Echo Station — Cooper Time Cube — which can be loaded onto the pedal via USB. Designed by Bill Putnam and Duane H. Cooper, the Cooper Time Cube was the world’s first electromechanical delay, which used a coiled garden hose to provide a unique echo effect with a fixed delay time. With modern champions like Jack White and award-winning engineer Vance Powell, the Cooper Time Cube has seen a recent resurgence — it has a magical way of fattening any signal and adding stereo width to a mono source!

UAFX Control app for even more control

Download the UAFX Control app for iOS or Android and expand your sonic options. The app lets you witch between true bypass and trails bypass on your Starlight Echo Station. Plus, the app lets you turn on preamp coloration even when the delay effect is off, along with changing the behavior or the right footswitch to choose a preset, tap tempo, or both.

What Universal Audio Says...

Fasten your seatbelts for sonic time travel with UAFX Starlight Echo Station, featuring jaw‑dropping emulations of classic tape echo, bucket-brigade, and digital delay units in a single, uber‑powerful stompbox. Built upon futuristic UAFX dual‑engine processing and unflinching sonic accuracy, Starlight sets a new benchmark in delay effects, beautifully crafted to travel the farthest reaches of your imagination for decades to come.

• Create with stunning emulations of iconic tape echo hardware, with selectable New, Used, and Worn tape machines
• Quickly access sounds with Live/Preset modes, and play with silent switching, spillover, optional preamp coloration, tap tempo, and true or buffered/trails bypass*
• Craft legendary bucket-brigade analog delay effects with the color, texture, modulation, and haze of the original hardware
• Download additional vintage Cooper Time Cube delay effect at product registration
• Play pristine, studio-grade digital delays with dynamic and inspiring modulation textures
• Build your pedalboard around timeless UA design and robust craftsmanship, built to last decades

Tape EP-III: Perfectly Captured Tape Delay and Preamp

A glorious system of motors and tape, vintage early‑'70s tape echo units are beyond legend — and Starlight Echo Station's Tape EP‑III is, soup‑to‑nuts, the most complete circuit emulation of the classic hardware. From its wow/flutter randomness to the sound of the tape splice, every eccentric trait of the hardware is here, including its incredibly musical preamp circuit. Plus, you can tweak your repeats with New, Used, and Worn tape machines for tons of color and texture.

Analog DMM: Iconic Bucket‑Brigade Effects

Syrupy repeats, thick modulation, and mind-bending sci‑fi effects are calling cards of this vintage American bucket‑brigade delay. Starlight Echo Station captures the best characteristics of multiple handpicked units from the late‑'70s/early‑’80s, modeling the entire circuit — right down to the colorful preamp and unpredictable clock rate dumping — giving you startling "whoosh" effects, astonishing vibrato and chorus textures, and all the hazy zaniness of the original.

Precision: Hi-Fi Delays, Inspired Modulation

Featuring pristine, mirror‑image repeats with dynamic, shimmering modulation effects, the Precision effect is a goldmine of modern delays. Easily craft with hi‑fi studio‑grade flange and chorusing textures and pepper your creations with ping‑ponging repeats, adding movement and interest to your parts.

Dual Stereo Delay Engines for Endless Creativity

Starlight's UAFX engine powers separate stereo instances of each delay effect, thanks to its unique dual‑engine processing. It's like having two tape or bucket-brigade hardware units running simultaneously, giving you a full stereo spread of complex, awe‑inspiring spatial textures, and seamless delay effect transitions with trails.

A State-of-the-Art Stompbox