In the early aughts, Danish brand T-Rex was highly regarded among pedal lovers, in particular for their delays. They were among the first (if not THE first) to blend analog and digital technologies – an approach that was destined to be a game-changer in the stompbox world and that was later referred to as “analog heart, digital brain,” but that – at the time – mostly coincided with having Tap Tempo. That’s what made the original 2010 Replica huge – although it sounded great too.
We are not entirely sure what went wrong around the late ’10s, probably a couple of ambitious and expensive real tape delay design not selling as well as expected, but the brand went through some financial trouble and stopped releasing new products for a while. A couple of relaunch attempts seemed short-lived.
That’s why Sweetwater’s announcement of a new, stereo version of their flagship delay, the Replica, caught us by surprise – it’s an endorsement strong enough to put the company back on the map, which is exciting because of its history and past relevance.
The new Replica, besides being stereo (which is already an awesome upgrade), expands the sonic palette with an extra mode “Modern,” which delivers a more pristine delay compared to the “Vintage” mode, which sounds like the original unit (but stereo), and sends the repeats through a compressor/expander circuit, which makes the sound smooth and dynamic.
The new Replica also adds a High Cut knob to darken the repeats, and an Input Gain, to compensate for possible signal loss, while maintaining the Three subdivisions options.
The new Replica also offers MIDI compatibility, MIDI-clock and, of course, Tap Tempo.
We added it to our guide about the best analog delay pedals.
T-Rex Replica Delay, Builder’s Notes
T-Rex Effects is proud to announce that the legendary Replica Delay is back with an even larger and more powerful “engine”, but still delivers the same iconic sound and simplicity.
The Replica is built with high-quality European components and Danish craftsmanship; we are happy to say that we have achieved a new level.
You will discover two different modes, ¨Vintage mode¨, where the repeats are passed through a compressor/expander circuit, which makes the sound smooth and dynamic. This circuit was used in the first generation of the Replica.
As an extra feature, we have added a ¨Modern mode¨ dedicated to musicians who are searching for a more open sound with clear repeats.
T-Rex Effects has always combined the best from the analogue and digital worlds.
While the core of the new Replica is digital, the direct signal and feedback circuit are pure analogue. In our world, this is the ultimate way to go if you want an immediate response and dynamic sound. The repeats can be divided into quarter notes, triplets and dotted eights.The new Replica offers versatile MIDI options, Bypass, TAP-Tempo and MIDI-clock.
TRUE STEREO TAP-DELAY
High-performance DSP technologyTrue stereo Delay
Made of high-quality European components in Denmark
Selectable Vintage / Modern mode
Three different note divider options
Versatile MIDI options
Standard 9 Volt DC supply
