User Manual

MAINTENANCE

The Replicator Junior’s moving parts as well as the tape heads WILL need a bit of cleaning

every once in a while. If the unit is used on a regular basis, the tape cartridge will wear out

faster and the various parts will need cleaning more often. In contrast to older tape echo units,

the Replicator Junior is very easy to maintain and the cartridge can be replaced in seconds.

Replacing the tape cartridge: Turn oﬀ the eﬀect (motor stops) and take out the knurled

screw. Pull down the lever below the heads and lift out the cartridge. Insert a new cartridge

while pulling down on the lever. Install the knurled screw and release the lever.

Cleaning the tape heads/roller: Take out the tape cartridge and release the lever. Use a cot-

ton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol (wipe oﬀ any excess liquid on a piece of tissue paper)

and carefully clean the heads where the tape touches them. If the heads are very dirty, you

may do this a few times until the cotton swabs no longer has residue on them.

Clean the roller wheel by turning the pedal on and carefully put a cotton swab dipped in

isopropyl alcohol (wipe oﬀ any excess liquid on a piece of tissue paper) up against the wheel

while this rotates. Again, if the wheel is very dirty, do this a few times until the cotton swabs no

longer has residue on them.

Note!: It may be necessary to remove the metal cover before performing the above steps, for

better access to the heads/cartridge.

Adjusting the heads: The heads can be adjusted for optimal sound and performance of the

pedal. This is done by turning the small screw on the lever. If the tape heads are too close

or too far away from the tape reel, the pedal will not perform its best and sound quality is

compromised. Turn the screw clockwise until the delays can no longer be heard, then counter-

clockwise until the delayes are audible and clear with no “ﬂuttering”. This is easier to do if the

delay level is turned up, the feedback turned down and the kill-dry is set to ON. When adjus-

ting the screw, use small turns and listen carefully, then turn again. It is important to stop tur-

ning when the echos are loud and clear. Adjusting the heads too close to the tape can cause

the tape cartridge parts to de-form (and cause a wobbly, vibrato-like sound) so be careful not

to overdo this. Adjustment of the heads is normally not needed at every cartridge replacement

but should be performed if the echos are particularly dark sounding/not audible or you have

excessive ﬂutter in the sound.

HELPFUL HINTS

Sound quality: As the motor´s speed is increased, so does the high frequency content of the

delays. Conversely, if the motor is running at a slow speed, there will be a high frequency loss.

The Replicator Junior has auto-compensation for this, in order to deliver the best sound quality

at any motor speed (delay time).

However, there will be some treble loss as the delay time approaches maximum. In the old

days, players would hear this when they modiﬁed their tape echos by slowing down the (ﬁxed)

motor speed and because the Replicator Juniors works on the exact same principle, so will you.

It is just one of the many quirks that makes a tape echo stand out from other delay designs

and we encourage you to take advantage of this “split personality” by using it musically and

creatively.

Saturation/delay level: The Saturation knob works like an input level control for the delays

and the Delay level knob works like an output level control, so turning one of them up will

make the delays louder (unless you saturate the record head). If turning the Delay Level up

does not give you enough eﬀect, please check if the Saturation knob is set too low.

Delay time/feedback: You can create various eﬀects by turning these knobs in real-time. For

example, if the feedback is turned to maximum, the oscillation that occurs can be swept up