Cicognani Engineering Pompeii PE-603 (PE603)

Cicognani Pompeii PE-603 for sale – ex-demo but “as new”.

Designed and built in Italy.

This pedal emulates a 4-head Binson Echorec. So the controls are simpler than their EchoLTD pedal, but you have all the head settings available on an Echorec.

Nothing can touch the sound and individuality of a fully restored Binson Echorec, but such a machine is out of the reach of most musicians, and owning one is a responsibility that many more would not want to take on (and you’d have to be very brave indeed to take one out live! – looking at you Sam Shepherd…). So, into this space have stepped numerous effects designers and there have been some good, some useful, and even some pretty great pedals created along the way. Among the best were the original, Italian-made Gurus Echosex 2 and later LTD, both of which we still rate highly; we were therefore intrigued to be contacted by the designer of that pedal with details of his new 4-head (T7E / P.E.603 – type) Binson simulation. Initial testing reveals definite sonic similarities with the first (Italian-made) Gurus Echosex 2 T7E: designed and built with love in Italy by people who care about quality (but let’s never speak again of the later Gurus output from China which are not in the same league sonically, or in quality).

They’ve recreated the magic eye, a tube preamp and all-analogue signal path take care of the sound, and the delay is digitally generated. The “Magic Of Age” control allows you to dial in as much warp and warble as you want. This pedal deliberately limits the controls to those found on a classic Binson (although with the addition of varispeed and wet-only out) – if you want something with more features then take a look at the Cicognani EchoLTD. Solid Italian build-quality – so far we’ve only had one Cicognani pedal with any kind of issue on arrival.

Like the original T7E pedals, there is a trade-off that’s had to be made for quality when cascading four heads: self-oscillation only occurs when the tone control is turned up to maximum (otherwise things might descend into chaos far too much for most users). While it would be wonderful to have a pedal that self-oscillates exactly like an Echorec, it’s highly unlikely to ever happen. We’re not fans of DSP to emulate echoes in pedals and it’s here that the Pompeii scores well – the tone of repeats is very pleasing. If you want a well-made pedal that gets you close to a multi-head Binson for regular use and are not seeking extended crazy self-oscillation effects, then look no further than the Pompeii

Studio-ready with a separate wet-only output.

POWER: Requires a 12v 500ma centre negative supply – NOT INCLUDED

From Cicognani Engineering:

Inspired by the famous Italian echo, Pompeii Pe603 is equipped with 3 styles (Echo-Rep-Swell), four heads, 12 combinations with the possibility of changing the delays via “Varispeed” keeping the synchronism unchanged the refined design offers an Italian green backlight.

Tone-wise the PE603 provides anything from classic slap-back to up to 740mS delay. It has single repeats, which is your typical echo and the multiple head combinations allow all sorts of musical textures. The swell mode creates a reverberation and is made possible through the use of all the heads simultaneously. Both wet & dry signal pass through a 12AU7 tube for the warmest sound with maximum transparency. A Fet cascade circuit is employed to mix gains and buffer the signal. Thanks to great signal dynamics the Pompeii can either be used in front of the amp or in the FX loop at instrument or line level without making any adjustments. 

A great deal of time was spent developing the feedback and tone circuits; as a result, the interaction between the feedback and tone controls can create the most beautiful of sounds. The old PE603’s motor could be modified to change speed, lengthening the time between recording and playback heads (and therefore repeats). This was called the “VARISPEED” mod. By applying the same concept and using an ultra-low harmonic distortion circuit, a delay time of 740ms can be achieved on the new Pompeii with the “VARISPEED” knob turned to its maximum setting. To fully re-create the original magic, the Pompeii is a “multi-head” echo, sharing the same first twelve switch positions as the early machines. The head selections are displayed graphically on the panel, backlit by the Italian green lighting. This, combined with a hammered silver finish, robust metal case completes an image that truly echoes its inspiration.

This pedal requires a 12V centre negative power supply (not included).

Find the manual here.