Strymon Volante Magnetic Echo Machine Pedal Overview
The Strymon Volante Magnetic Echo Machine Pedal recreates the sound of vintage echo machines and allows you to get extremely specific with the numerous parameters, great for experimenting and getting the perfect sound. It has three fundamental sounds that are easily switchable with the toggle switch on the left - tape echo (‘Tape’), which recreates analogue tape repeats, magnetic drum echo (‘Drum’), which is based on the spinning plate magnetic delay, and reel-to-reel studio echo (’Studio’). This pedal is also a multi-head delay that has a looper and spring reverb. The Speed toggle switch on the right lets you choose from Half, Double, and Normal speed.
Strymon has paid attention to every detail to faithfully recreate all the nuances of classic drum and tape echo machines, from the soft clipping of magnetic media, natural saturation, and multiple controls for wear, low cut, and head-spacing.
Turning up the Rec Level knob gives a crunchier response and makes the repeats distorted, while the Low Cut knob provides thinner sounding repeats. Wear produces softer, duller sounding repeats, emulating the sound of wear on a real tape machine, and Mechanics delivers a flutter-style pitch modulation.
On the right-hand side of the Strymon Volante are controls for setting the character of the echo delay - Repeats controls the amount of feedback, allowing for the infinite delay, Echo Level controls the level of the delayed signal, Spacing controls the ratio of repeats with Even, Triplet, Golden and Silver modes, and Spring controls the output of the separate spring reverb tank.
In the middle is a Playback / Feedback section, with four heads that determine the entry point of the delay, so by selecting different combinations, you can change the rhythm.
The Strymon Volante Magnetic Echo Machine Pedal has three footswitches - On, Favourite, and Tap Tempo, and has ability to connect an external expression pedal, and on top of this it has MIDI and USB compatibility, giving you a lot of control options. It’s powered by an extremely powerful SHARP DSP processor, so you will get very high-quality sounds, making it great for studios.
Overview by Strymon
Sounds From The Expanse.
Create instant retrofuture atmospheres with evocative vintage delay tones. Activate your imagination with evolving ambient echoes and warm, organic feedback with just the right amount of grit. Sculpt your soundscape in real-time as Volante becomes an extension and expansion of your musical instrument. Infuse your pedalboard with stunning vintage vibes that resonate and inspire.
Delays For Days.
Three Magnetic Delay Types, Reverb, Sound on Sound, and More.
Delivering truly exceptional sound quality and intuitive playability, Volante is designed to radically enhance the sonic expressiveness of your pedalboard. Featuring magnetic drum echo, tape echo, and reel-to-reel studio echo, Volante is a stereo multi-head delay that also offers a Sound on Sound mode and a vintage spring reverb algorithm. Volante’s powerful sound-sculpting controls provide limitless sonic possibilities.
Vintage Vibe.
To capture the nuance and complexity of classic tape and drum echo machines, every last magnetic delay system attribute was relentlessly studied and faithfully recreated. From the sought-after natural saturation and soft clipping of magnetic media when driven hard, to hands-on real-time controls for mechanics, wear, head-spacing, and low cut, Volante instantly adds tons of vibe to your sound.
Multi-Head Maven.
Volante provides the full experience and sonic attributes of iconic multi-head echo machines. At the centre of Volante’s control surface are four delay playback heads with individual feedback, panning, and level controls—delivering unlimited creative options right at your fingertips. All of this range allows the creation of complex rhythmic patterns as well as reverb-like atmospheric textures.
- Multi-head magnetic media delay machine providing four playback heads with individual feedback, panning, and level controls
- Processor-intense algorithms deliver meticulously nuanced recreations of vintage magnetic echo systems (drum echo, tape echo, studio reel-to-reel echo)
- Dedicated control over echo machine tone and media: Low Cut, Mechanics, Wear
- Input Record Level for clean reproduction to warm, fat saturation
- Independent Spring Reverb
- Sound on Sound looping mode with reverse, pause, splice, and infinite repeat functions
- High impedance stereo input
- Stereo output
- Input Level switch allows for both instrument and line level signals
- On, Favorite, and Tap Tempo footswitches
- Expression pedal input allows the connection of an expression pedal, external tap pedal, 1/4″ to MIDI cable, or MultiSwitch Plus.
- Full featured MIDI in/out supporting MIDI CCs, program changes, and more
- USB jack for controlling MIDI via computer
- Analog dry path for a zero latency dry signal that is never converted to digital
- Premium JFET analog front end
- Ultra low noise, high performance 24-bit 96kHz A/D and D/A converters provide uncompromising audio quality
- Super high performance SHARC DSP
- 32-bit floating point processing
- 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response
- Audio Input Impedance: 1M Ohm
- Audio Output Impedance: 100 Ohm
- True Bypass (electromechanical relay switching) or selectable transparent Analog Buffered Bypass
- Strong and lightweight anodized olive green aluminum chassis
- 9V DC power supply included
- Power requirements: maximum 9 volts DC center-negative, with a minimum of 300mA of current
- Dimensions:
- -4.5" deep x 7" wide x 1.75" tall
- -114.3 mm deep x 177.3 mm wide x 44.5 mm tall
- Designed and built in the USA