Strymon EL Capistan User Manual

USER MANUAL

dTape Echo

®

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Front Panel

®

TIME: Controls the delay
time according to the selected

TAPE HEAD type. In FIXED and
MULTI this will change the tape
speed. In Single this will move
the record head to change the
delay time.

TAPE AGE:
Controls the
bandwidth of the
tape just as it would
change over time
in a traditional tape
delay machine. As
regular tapes wear
out, their bandwidth
becomes limited.
The TAPE AGE
control recreates
this. Set to minimum
for a fresh, full
bandwidth tape. As
the knob is turnes
clockwise, the tape
will get progressively
darker.

REPEATS: Varies the
number of repeats from one
to saturated oscillation.

TAPE HEAD SWITCH:
Changes the selected tape
machine / head configuration.
See the Tape Machines
section of the manual on page
3 for detailed info.

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
single

REPEATS

dTape Echo

MODE SWITCH:

Changes the mode
for each associated
tape machine. See
the Tape Machines
section of the manual
on page 3 for detailed
info.

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

BYPASSTAP

®

MIX: Controls the balance of dry
signal and wet signal from 100%

dry at minimum to 100% wet
at maximum. The mix occurs
entirely in analog. Set to 3:00 to
get a 50/50 mix.

WOW & FLUTTER:

Controls the amount
of mechanically
related tape speed
fluctuations.

MIXTIME

This also results
in natural tape
machine style
modulation. Turn
the knob fully
counter clockwise
for a perfectly
tuned, cleaned
and serviced tape
machine. Turn the
knob fully clockwise
to hear the sound
of a tape machine
in need of service.
In between the
extreme settings,
a natural tape
modulation is
achieved.

TAP FOOTSWITCH:
Tap quarter notes to set the delay time.

The TAP LED will flash to indicate the
tempo. TIP: Holding the tap footswitch will
result in infinite repeats.

BYPASS FOOTSWITCH:
Engages and disengages effect. Bypass mode is

true bypass by default. LED on indicates that the
effect is engaged. TIP: Hold the bypass footswitch
during power up to change the bypass mode to

analog bypass with trails (delay persist).

pg 2

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Secondary Functions

TAPE BIAS: Adjusts tape
machine bias, from under­biased to over-biased. Higher
bias levels result in reduced
echo volume and limited
headroom. Lower bias settings
result in the cleanest echos
with the most headroom. For an

SPRING REVERB: Controls
the mix of the integrated
spring reverb tank in any of
the delay modes.

optimally biased tape machine
set to 9:00. For an under biased
tape machine with extra high
frequency response set to
minimum.

®

BOOST / CUT: Controls the
+/- 3dB boost or cut when the
pedal is engaged (12:00 on the
Mix knob is unity gain)

LOW END
CONTOUR:

Controls the
low frequency
shaping of the
echo repeats.
Set to minimum
for extended
low frequency
bandwidth. Set
to maximum
for extremely

high-passed,
magnetic drum

style repeats.

fixed
multi
single

( SPRING

REVERB )

( LOW END CONTOUR )

TAPE HEAD

REPEATS

( TAPE BIAS )

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

dTape Echo

®

BYPASSTAP

MIXTIME

( BOOST /

CUT )

TAPE CRINKLE:
Controls the
amount and
severity of tape
irregularities,
including

friction, creases,
splices and
contaminants.

Tape Crinkle
characteristics
track accordingly
to tape speed. Set
to minimum for a
fresh, clean tape.
Set to maximum
for a tape that has
been mangled
and chewed for
years.

Hold down BYPASS and TAP to access all secondary functions on the knobs

pg 3

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

In Depth: Tape Machines

®

Fixed Tape Head: Time knob varies the
tape speed while the playback head is

fixed in position.

Multi Tape Head: 2 of 3 playback
heads are selected at once. The
TIME knob varies tape speed.

Mode A: Heads 1 & 2 selected.
Mode B: Heads 2 & 3 selected.
Mode C: Heads 1 & 3 selected.

Multi Head Mode:

Head 1Head 2Head 3

A
B
C

Record

Head

< tape direction

Mode A: Head 1, short delay with 1/16th note tap tempo.
Mode B: Head 2, medium delay with dotted 1/8th tap tempo.
Mode C: Head 3, long delay with 1/4 note tap tempo.

Fixed Head

Mode:

fixed
multi
single

C

Head 3

TAPE HEAD

B

Head 2

MODE

A

Head 1

< tape direction

A
B
C

Record

Head

MIXTIME

Single Head: The tape speed is

fixed while the TIME knob varies the
position of a sliding record head.

Mode A: Tape motor at double speed.
Mode B: Tape motor at normal speed.
Mode C: Sound on Sound mode.

Sound on Sound: Single tape head
mode C will play the entire tape loop
upon entering the mode. Whatever
one has recorded in modes A or B will
still exist in mode C. Record is always

active. Two tape speeds are available:
Double speed with the TIME knob left

of 12 o’clock and normal speed with
the TIME knob right of 12 o’clock.

Press the TAP footswitch once to set
the first tape splice point. The second
TAP press sets the second tape splice
point. The third press of the TAP
footswitch will perform a bulk erase
of the tape.

Splice > Splice > Clear

Single Tape Head Mode:

delay time

REPEATS

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

BYPASSTAP

dTape Echo

®

< tape direction

pg 4

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Rear Panel

®

Standard 9V DC center
negative power input.
250 mA available
current required.

INPUT

High impedance
mono input.

EXP

OR

RIGHT OUTLEFT OUT

9VDC

+

-

Stereo outputs.
Use LEFT OUT
for mono signal
output.

Connect a Favorite Switch to save
your favorite setting. See the Favorite
Switch manual for more detail.

TRS

®

FAVORITE

Connect a standard TRS
expression pedal for continuous
control over any selectable knob
parameter. To select the knob
controlled by the expression
pedal, hold the TAP footswitch
during power up. The first knob
turned is then then assigned
to the expression pedal. The
maximum position the knob
is turned up to becomes the
expression pedal “toe down”
maximum value.

pg 5

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Factory Settings

Bypass Mode: True Bypass
Secondary functions: Spring Reverb set to OFF, all other secondary functions set to 50%
EXP input jack: Assigned to use an expression pedal and vary the TIME knob

®

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

Delay Time Ranges

Fixed Head A: 50ms - 250ms
Fixed Head B: 150ms - 750ms
Fixed Head C: 300ms - 1.5s

Multi Head A: 240ms - 1.2s (heads 1 & 2 selected)
Multi Head B: 240ms - 1.2s (heads 2 & 3 selected)
Multi Head C: 240ms - 1.2s (heads 1 & 3 selected)

REPEATS

(TAPE BIAS)

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

MIXTIME

Single Head A: 25ms - 770ms
Single Head B: 50ms - 1.5s
Single Head C (sound on sound): TIME knob left of 12 o’clock (double speed): max delay time 10s
TIME knob right of 12 o’clock (normal speed): max delay time 20s

pg 6

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Sample Settings

®

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(TAPE BIAS)

REPEATS

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

MIXTIME

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

REPEATS

(TAPE BIAS)

Bright Tape Saturated Wash

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(TAPE BIAS)

REPEATS

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

MIXTIME

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(TAPE BIAS)

REPEATS

DUB Worn Out Tape

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

MIXTIME

MIXTIME

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

(SPRING

REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(TAPE BIAS)

REPEATS

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

MIXTIME

(SPRING
REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

REPEATS

(TAPE BIAS)

MODE

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

Dirty Slap Wow & Flutter

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

(TAPE BIAS)

REPEATS

MODE

A
B
C

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

TAPE HEAD

fixed
multi
singl e

MIXTIME

(SPRING
REVERB)

(LOW END CONTOUR)

REPEATS

(TAPE BIAS)

MODE

WOW & FLUTTERTAPE AGE

(TAPE CRINKLE)

Magnetic Drum Wash Dirty Multi Head

A
B
C

MIXTIME

A
B
C

MIXTIME

pg 7

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Features

• Hand crafted dTape algorithms for meticulous and nuanced recreations of tape echo systems

• Ultra Low Noise, high performance A/D and D/A Converters

• Premium analog front end and output section

• Analog dry path for a zero latency dry signal that is never converted to digital

• High Performance DSP

• Three tape machines in one: Fixed (one fixed playback head), Multi (multiple playback heads), and
Single (sliding record head)

• Three modes on each tape machine for extremely flexible echo options

• Sound on Sound mode with instant tape splice and bulk erase for tape-style looping

• Stereo Output

• Expression pedal input with selectable control over any knob parameter

• +/- 3dB adjustable analog boost or cut when effect is engaged

• Tap Tempo footswitch

• Rugged & Lightweight Anodized Aluminum Chassis

• No-Nonsense User Interface

• Bypass selectable between True Bypass or Analog Bypass with “trails”

®

Specifications

Input Impedance 1Meg Ohm
Output Impedance 100 Ohm
Signal to Noise 115 dB typical
A/D & D/A 24-bit 96kHz
Frequency Response 20Hz to 20kHz
Max Input Level +8dBu
DSP performance 1596 MegaFLOPS
Bypass Switching True Bypass (electromechanical relay switching)
or Analog “trails” Bypass (selectable)
Dimensions 4.5” deep x 4” wide x 1.75” tall

Power Supply

Input Voltage 9VDC Center Negative
Required Current 250mA

pg 8

El Capistan - dTape Echo User Manual

Strymon Non-Transferrable Limited Warranty

Warranty

Strymon warrants the product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year
from the original date of purchase. If the product fails within the warranty period, Strymon will repair or, at our
discretion, replace the product at no cost to the original purchaser.

Exclusions

This warranty covers defects in manufacturing discovered while using this product as recommended by
Strymon. This warranty does not cover loss or theft, nor does the coverage extend to damage caused by
misuse, abuse, unauthorized modification, improper storage, lightning, or natural disasters.

Limits of Liability

In the case of malfunction, the purchaser’s sole recourse shall be repair or replacement, as described in the
preceding paragraphs. Strymon will not be held liable to any party for damages that result from the failure of
this product. Damages excluded include, but are not limited to, the following: lost profits, lost savings, damage
to other equipment, and incidental or consequential damages arising from the use, or inability to use this
product. In no event will Strymon be liable for more than the amount of the purchase price, not to exceed the
current retail price of the product. Strymon disclaims any other warranties, express or implied. By using the
product, the user accepts all terms herein.

®

How to Obtain Service Under this Warranty

For North American customers: Contact Strymon through our website at http://www.strymon.net/support for
Return Authorization and information. Proof of original ownership may be required in the form of a purchase
receipt.

For International Customers: Contact the Strymon dealer from which the product was purchased from in order
to arrange warranty repair service.

Strymon® is a division of Damage Control®, LLC.

REV D

pg 9