The Roland RE-201 Space Echo stands tall as one of the most innovative and inspirational delay effects units in music history. Nearly 50 years later, the distinctive echoes and unique character of the RE-201 is revived in the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo Digital Delay Pedal, meticulously crafted to deliver 1:1 performance yet packaged in a pedalboard-friendly enclosure. One look is all it takes to see that the RE-202 is no mere clone — Music Experience's Space Echo diehards were happy to see all 11 original echo combinations on tap, with an additional 12th coming courtesy of a fourth tape head. Classic controls for bass, treble, repeat rate, and more will feel familiar to experienced users yet easy enough for first-time players to access that special Space Echo charm, with added Saturation and Wow and Flutter knobs to dial in extra color and modulation, respectively. Modern guitarists looking for extra flexibility and functionality in their digital delays have a lot to love in the RE-202, with four onboard presets for instant recall of your favorite sounds, Warp and Twist footswitch controls, and so much more. Channel the sound and feel of a delay effect deity with the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo Digital Delay Pedal!

BOSS RE-202 Space Echo Digital Delay at a Glance:

• The timeless sound and feel of Roland's RE-201 immortalized in a modern-playing pedal
• Delivers coveted multi-head echoes with expanded delay time
• Includes all original 11 echo combinations with an additional 12th courtesy of a fourth tape head
• Independent stereo reverb section includes original spring reverb as well as hall, plate, room, and ambience
• Saturation control dials in compression and preamp coloration; Wow and Flutter control adds in different levels of tape modulation
• Tape button swaps between "new" and "aged" tape sounds for even greater sonic variety
• Input button toggles between Guitar and Level modes to match any rig
• 4 onboard "Memories" expandable to 127 via MIDI
• Warp and Twist your sound via delineated footswitches
• Stereo I/O; tap tempo and carryover functions

Vintage features and then some

Though designed to package the classic Space Echo sound into a reliable, convenient, and much more affordable pedal, BOSS is aware of the demands today's guitarists have when outfitting their rigs. The RE-202 takes the best of classic digital delay sounds and combines them with contemporary performing and recording features for a vintage-yet-modern feel. Four user presets in the form of "Memories" make it easy to store your delays, with external MIDI expanding this to 127 total presets for even greater functionality. Want to experiment with "new" and "aged" tape modes? The RE-202's Tape button instantly swaps between these two options to find that perfect sound. And whenever you want to mix up your sound with some added warping and twisting, footswitch controls for each function allow for enhanced creativity and complete control over every aspect of your delay.

What BOSS Says...

Introduced in 1974, the Roland RE-201 Space Echo stands among the most legendary and sought-after effect units ever produced. This tape-based classic remained in production for over 14 straight years, and its distinctive rhythmic echo sounds, warm character, and highly playable sonic quirks still inspire musicians, producers, and audio mixers over four decades on.

A Masterpiece Returns in the Modern Era

Backed by intensive R&D and our latest innovations, the RE-202 faithfully delivers the authentic sound and behavior of the Space Echo like never before. Built by the company that designed the original, this advanced pedal captures the RE-201’s magic in flawless detail, from the magnetic tape and motor properties to the vibrant spring reverb and colorful preamp circuit. And to take things even further, we’ve expanded the vintage Space Echo experience with lots of new features tuned for today’s music.

Tape Echo Magic

Tape echo was the first delay effect and one of the first effect processors available for electronic musicians. In contrast with today’s CPU-based digital units, a tape echo is a simple machine that uses a motor to pull magnetic tape across one or more record/playback heads. Warm, full, and dynamic, the tape echo sound is influenced by many factors. The ever-changing input level colors the sound with varying amounts of tape saturation and compression. In addition, motor speed fluctuations, friction, wow and flutter, and other elements introduce an appealing modulated character that’s subtle and continually evolving.

RE-201 Space Echo: Simply Legendary

The RE-201 was a benchmark Roland product and one of the leading tape echo units of its era. It featured three evenly spaced heads that produced a wider range of echo effects than typical single-head designs, plus an innovative free-running tape system that provided superior performance with minimal tape wear. Grab-and-go controls enabled quick access to clean, single delays or various head combinations for dense, rhythmic echoes. A spring reverb tank was included too, making the RE-201 a one-stop shop for quality ambience effects. Last but not least, analog preamp circuitry was another key ingredient in the Space Echo’s rich sonic recipe.

A Masterpiece Reborn

Realized through the latest technologies and exhaustive analysis of several vintage RE-201s—including a pristine original unit from the BOSS and Roland factory archive—the RE-202 brings the complete Space Echo experience to life in a versatile modern pedal. While previous BOSS designs captured the true sonic flavor and essential characteristics of the Space Echo, new advancements have allowed us to go much deeper than ever before. With the RE-202, our engineers have fully reproduced all the complex, non-linear behaviors that contribute to the RE-201’s immortal character. Everything that influences the sound was carefully examined and recreated with all-new algorithms, including the tape path, record/playback mechanism, motor variations, preamp coloration, tape age, spring reverb character, and more.

Retro Sound at Your Fingertips

The RE-202 delivers the full vintage vibe of the RE-201—without the need for regular tape replacement and hardware maintenance. All the core controls of the original are here, including the iconic 12-position mode selector. Every behavior is replicated with complete accuracy, such as the gradual pitch change that occurs when the Repeat Rate knob is tweaked, or the cool runaway feedback that happens when the Intensity knob is maxed. With selectable tape age and variable controls, you can dial in everything from a brand-new Space Echo to the worn character and quirks of a well-loved vintage piece. The Saturation control has been carefully calibrated based on the actual magnetic tape and preamp behaviors of the RE-201, with the sound becoming warmer and more compressed as you turn up the knob. And with the expressive Wow & Flutter control, you can conjure all the natural modulation characteristics that are essential to the Space Echo sound.

Sonic Enhancements

The RE-202 includes many new features that extend the Space Echo for today’s musicians. Twice the delay time is available, along with a fourth virtual tape head that unlocks five additional sound combinations. There’s also an echo type that changes the distance between the heads, something not possible with the original. In contrast with the mono RE-201, the RE-202 provides true stereo I/O and selectable operation for guitar or line-level devices. For the dry sound, you can choose between the warm and fat RE-201 preamp tone or a clean signal with zero processing. Also included is a stereo version of the original spring reverb sound from the RE-201, along with hall, plate, room, and ambience types for additional versatility. Expressive Warp and Twist effects are available as well, allowing you to launch the sound into outer space with the press of a footswitch while performing.

Modern Control

To complement its vintage heart and soul, the RE-202 has all the modern features you’d expect from an advanced delay pedal. There are four onboard memories for storing and recalling favorite sounds, and 123 more are accessible via MIDI program change. Tap tempo is also on hand, as well as selectable delay carryover when switching memories. It’s also possible to mute the dry signal for parallel effect setups and studio usage. Expanded control is available via external footswitches, an expression pedal, and MIDI, including real-time operation of multiple parameters at once.