Excellent cosmetic condition, originally restored some years ago by Eric Snowball, has now had a deep service/overhaul performed by our head tech, Dr Huw. The result is a stunning six head solid state Echorec with varispeed. A seriously creative character effect.
Many of our Echorecs sell on pre-order. Some are listed here, but if you don’t see what you need get in touch now.
Excellent cosmetic condition, originally restored some years ago by Eric Snowball, has now had a deep service/overhaul performed by our head tech, Dr Huw. The result is a stunning six head solid state Echorec with varispeed. A seriously creative character effect.
NOTE: This machine is awaiting final adjustment. Shipping around 21 working days from order.
This 603 was originally restored by Eric Snowball at ESE Music with his varispeed modification. We acquired it some years ago and had further servicing and rewiring work done by a tech who used to service Binsons for us. He found some decaying cables that had been left unchanged (including a live mains cable that was intermittently touching the case!). However, the performance was not as we’d expect and it has been in the very long Binson queue ever since. Dr Huw has now delved into it, finding in the process several incorrect components and a multitude of other issues and errors. These have been corrected and, combined with our usual performance upgrades, the results are stunning: this rare six head 603 lives again and now has the Soundgas seal of approval. See the photos for details of the rewiring work completed by Dr Huw.
The varispeed is functioning well and covers the standard range of Echorec speeds. A remote control has been added for the varispeed for ease of use when racked. The control knob on the rear in some photos has been replaced with a 5-pin socket. See photos for more information.
The PE 603 series were the most rugged and advanced machines Binson ever produced; this is essentially a 6 head Echorec 2 housed in a very robust and heavy metal case. The stock six head 603 was already a formidable machine – add in the varispeed control and you have a very flexible, creative beast.
Read more about Binsons in our introduction to these machines, and also Tony’s recent blog post on some of the different models.
Back from a mechanical and electrical refurbishment/rebuild, including a full rewire. The machine has been carefully set up and the heads aligned for optimum performance. Noise increases, and fidelity decreases as the motor speed is reduced, leading to some beguiling lofi repeats. See demo below.
MORE INFO
Soundgas are vintage echo experts. We’ve sold many excellent Echorecs over the past twelve years to very satisfied customers (see feedback examples below); we understand how they should sound and function. In our experience, most Binsons sold as being in working condition (even ones that are sold as serviced or rewired) are not up to scratch. Echorecs require a technician with a rare combination of technological skills: tape/recording, valves, mechanics and electronics.
Many different effects can be had by selecting combinations of the 6 replay heads via the individual head selector switches – either for single repeat echoes, or complex multi-tap repeats via the 6 feedback switches in Repeat or Swell modes. The Swell setting features the unique reverb-like Binson ‘bloom’. The Echo/Repeat buttons switch between a single echo or multiple repeats, with the Length Of Swell pot controlling the amount of feedback – from minimal subtlety to frenzied cosmic mayhem…
It sounds wonderful and inspires creativity when you play through it – whoever buys this will be getting a great characterful machine in excellent condition which should give many years good service.
The motor starts well and spins happily and without issue. It will go into self-oscillation very swiftly on certain settings if required (this can be adjusted via the internal trimpot for more subtle or extreme effects, but it’s been set-up for optimum performance) and it’s capable of all sorts of cosmic noises – Binsons do tend to encourage experimental noise-mongering. The repeats are not hifi – this is after all 50 year-old technology – if you want perfect repeats buy a digital delay.
Voltage is switchable between 110v/240v.
Cosmetic condition is excellent for its age with some wear to the metal casing but nothing too serious. The face is very clean with only minor scratching to the perspex showing up under certain lighting. See photos for more information on cosmetic condition.
Switchable voltage - 110/220v - will be set up ready for you to use before we ship.
For sales in UK/EU, this item is on the margin scheme for second hand goods. VAT-free sales are not possible for this item.
Binson Echorecs have been our obsession for many years. They are amazingly engineered machines: where a tape echo’s input sound is recorded to tape, with a Binson it is recorded onto a circular spinning drum which has replay heads positioned around it.
Every Echorec we sell is the result of many hours spent dismantling, rebuilding, calibrating, listening, tweaking. The distance between a “good” Binson and a truly “great” one may appear to be short in purely functional terms (how many times do we hear of a Binson that is “nearly there, just needs a little extra calibration to be perfect…”); but they are a world apart in terms of the time, patience and experience required to make them function and sounds as good as is possible.
To find out more about these machines – the history, how they work, and what we do to make them sing – head to our Binson pages now:
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