Cicognani 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).

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.