POMPEII PE603

FOUR HEAD SONIC ECHO

€539,00

MANUAL

INFORMATIONS

POMPEII PE603 is an echo unit that aims to revive the emotions of the past but in a smaller pedal and with improved sonic performance. Tonewise the PE603 provides from classic slap-back to up to 740mS delay. 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 PE603 can either be used in front of the amp or in the FX loop at instrument or line level without making any adjustments.

About POMPEII PE603

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. To fully re-create the original magic, the POMPEII PE603 is a “multi-head” echo, sharing the same first twelve switch positions as the early machines.

ATTENTION! The peak current of the tube in the preheating can exceed 1A (1000mA).
The HISTORY SERIES is equipped with an internal voltage doubler circuit. For this reason it’s necessary to use a stabilized power supply capable of guaranteeing a maximum working voltage of 12VDC with 500mA continuous.

The SELECTOR allow you to choose the echo mode:
• ECHO: Classic 60’s “slapback echo”. One single repeat from the selected head (no feedback available)
• REP: Normal echo mode with selectable heads in feedback combinations;
• SWELL: The typical Old Italian reverb effect made with the use of all the heads simultaneously.

SWITCH has the task of choosing the heads and their combinations. The combinations are exactly the first 12 positions of the vintage PE603.

MAGIC OF AGE: This simulates the mechanical aging of the glorious Old Italian Echo. Is a particular modulation that acts on the echo delay.

LENGTH OF SWELL and TONE: use the feedback control to create the tridimensional carpet of sound.

The TONE control is strictly connected to the feedback and its task is to change the tonality of the oscillations.

VOLUME ECHO: Is the parallel mix of the effect. It can be adjusted from 0% to 50% of the 50% dry signal. This analog mixer has been completely redesigned to keep pure performance in all conditions of use. (The Volume Echo does not work in the “wet-out” socket).

VIDEO

A BIT OF ECHO HISTORY

The Italian Echo Units were produced by the famous Italian company in Milan since the 60s and they were soon appreciated all over the world and used by many artists. In several years of my career, I have had the opportunity and the pleasure of repairing, and restoring many of them, so that I can understand the product well. The operating principle is based on the “filophone” magnetic wire recorder. This aluminum drum with some coils of magnetic wire wound around it and are positioned around it: demagnetizer, recording head, play heads.

The historic echo models worked with 4 play heads and some models from the 70s were then expanded and equipped up to 6. This process required constant maintenance of cleaning and lubrication of the touch parts. A technical feature that saw assigning the longest time was the maximum space between the recording head and the most distant play in about 300ms.

Avarage delay time:

First Tap = 74mS
Second tap = 148mS
Third tap = 222 mS
Fourth tap = 296mS

CONTROLS

BASS/TREBLE: Tone of the repeats
MAGIC OF AGE: Modulation
VARISPEED: Change the base delay time
INPUT CONTROL: Setting the input volume
LENGTH OF SWELL: Feedback
SELECTOR: 3 mode selector: Echo, Rep., Swell
SWITCH: Heads selector; 12 position switch to select the head combination
VOLUME ECHO: Set the mix of Volume Echo
WET OUT: Unbalanced Lo Z 100% effect out. 1/4”(6,3mm) mono jack.
OUT: 1/4"(6,3mm) mono jack
INPUT: 1/4"(6,3mm) mono jack
BYPASS: On/Off effect

SPECIFICATIONS

Power In

9 to 12VDC (Negative Tip)

Consumption

From 350 to Max 500mA

Input Impedance

<1M Ohm

Input Sensivity

1Vpp MAX

Output Impedance

<47K Ohm

Wet Out Impedance

<47K Ohm

Linearity Response

7Hz to 200Khz @1db

S/N Ratio Preamp

<91db

S/N Ratio Heads

- 90dbV

Effect Mix Level

MAX 50%

Wet Out Mix Level

100% WET

Heads Times

874 - 148 - 222 - 296mS

Varispeed Max Time

+100% MAX (592mS)

Heads Distortion

MAX 5% THD

Tone Frequency

Roll Off 1Khz @6db/oct

Switching Mode

Reed Relays

Input Buffer

1/2 12AU7B

Output Buffer

1/2 12AU7B

Int. Working Voltage

MAX 24VDC

Estimated Tube Life

Up to 3000 hours

Weight

0.7Kg (1.5 lbs)

Length

130mm (5.1")

Width

220mm (8.6")

Height

50mm (1.96")

GALLERY

2022 Cicognani Engineering copyright all right reserved.