Monacor ME-200 Disk Echo

Uncommon and unique echo unit, even rarer in working order. Serviced and in great cosmetic condition; working well, but with some foibles and flaws - a great character echo - see below for more information.

Two demos of this machine below. Set for 220v operation.

We've had this a while unlisted so have discounted it - it's working well, but there can be a bit of crackle from pots when unused for a while. They are not the quietest machines: they can't match one of our Space Echoes for clarity, but they have a unique sound: Tony's had one in the studio for years.

The disk is showing its age - it has some slight ripples on it (normal - due to heat inside the machine) - but it is sounding good. There is some low-level but audible rumble in these machines - but they're not for those wanting pristine repeats. This machine has enough character to make its idiosyncrasies bearable, or indeed part of the texture it adds. It should be purchased on the understanding that this isn't a perfect machine. As with all our gear, if you buy it and find it's not to your taste, you can return it for a full refund of the purchase price.

Produced around the beginning of the 80s, these units can be found in various colours badged Echolette, JBX, Melos and Univox. These machines are rare in good working order because of the unique method they use to generate the echoes - heads positioned above a spinning magnetic disk, not unlike an old computer floppy disk. The idea was to make a machine where changing the recording surface was easy and did not necessitate re-aligning the heads. Unfortunately, since they stopped making the machines the replacement disks have become pretty much impossible to find, so finding one with a usable disk is not easy. 

Sonically they are like no other echo - we've had one in the studio for some years and we haven't found anything that sounds quite like it. Clear, bright echoes are produced with very little wow and flutter compared to tape. Inevitably, given the age of the disc, it's not perfect - but then if you're interested in this, you probably don't need perfect. It's brighter than tape, but exhibits similar characteristics when abused: switching the coarse speed control from fastest through to slowest when repeats are self-oscillating yields some impressive dive bombs that are reminiscent of dub yet unmistakably different ("space dub" anyone?).

The two-knob speed control comprises a six-speed switched pot together with a rotary fine tuning control which work well for tempo-matching or echo-abusing.

This unit is in excellent condition with very few signs of cosmetic damage or wear. The tolex is very clean with almost no wear. The face is also excellent, having only a couple of noticeable scratches and dings. See photos for more info on cosmetic condition.

For sales in UK/EU the price will include VAT. VAT-free sales are possible to businesses and individuals in the EU (outside the UK) with a valid VAT Number - please get in touch if you wish to buy this way.

Demo with the CR-78 we've just listed.

Roland CR-78 and Monacor Disk Echo plating nicely together. The disk echo is great fun and has bags of character: the recording medium being a circular disk, like a large floppy disc. Both on the site now.

A post shared by Soundgas Limited (@soundgasltd) on Jun 7, 2018 at 8:11am PDT

A post shared by Soundgas Limited (@soundgasltd) on Jun 7, 2018 at 8:11am PDT

Some of our gear will have VAT at 20% added in the UK/EU, but a lot of it won't. This should hopefully clarify the situation but if you have any questions then please get in touch.

ITEMS WITH VAT:

• These items will have two prices visible: with and without the tax.
• If you are buying in the UK/EU you will receive an invoice showing the tax component.
• If you are buying these items outside the EU when you get to the check out and enter your shipping location you will be charged the ex-VAT price.
• VAT-free sales are also possible to businesses within the EU with a valid VAT number. You will need to contact us in order to buy via this means.

ITEMS WITHOUT VAT:

• Much of what we sell is classified as "Second Hand Goods" and so while we still pay some tax, there is no recoverable/deductible component for sales to any part of the world.
• So, the price you see is the price you pay wherever you are.

ALSO NOTE:

• Shipping charges are also subject to VAT at 20% within the UK/EU - this is included within the prices you see for shipping to those areas - it is not shown separately in the cart but will be shown on the VAT invoice you receive with your goods.

We are very experienced at packing and shipping valuable and sensitive gear worldwide. Binson Echorecs, large valve amps, vintage synths, rare racks, and even a CS-80 or two - you name it, we've sent it and it has arrived in one piece and ready to play.

SHIPPING DISCOUNT ON MULTIPLE ITEMS:

We keep it simple: if you buy more than one item you only pay the shipping on the item that has the highest shipping cost. This is the same no matter how many items you buy together (so the more you buy together, the bigger your shipping discount). If you check all the items out all together this will be calculated automatically at checkout. However, if you make an order and then wish to add to it before it ships please get in touch and we will refund the shipping on the item(s) that are cheaper to ship.

Note that this also allows you to purchase add on items such as transformers and other accessories, and also t-shirts and other merch, without paying any extra shipping on them.

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CAN I COLLECT MY GEAR (and save on shipping?)

Yes! If you want to use this option either get in touch before you purchase, or contact us afterwards and we will just refund you the shipping. Note that collection is by appointment only and only during weekday office hours.

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MORE SHIPPING INFO:

The shipping prices for our gear vary considerably depending on the type of gear, value and destination. To see shipping costs put the item you are interested in the cart and then either use the shipping estimator or go into the check out process. Or just contact us and we'll tell you what you need to know.

It is a fact that, with vintage items, there are going to be times when gear arrives in need of some adjustment or calibration, and some times a piece of gear that was working 100% just chooses the day after arriving for a new fault to develop. However, having been working with sensitive vintage gear for many years, we are very experienced at dealing with these occurrences and will always work with you and get the problem solved as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Note that we have have not entered automatic shipping for every country. The countries we ship to most often will have shipping rates and we are in the process of adding more shipping fees to the check out process. But if you are looking at an item that doesn't have the fee information you need then please use the contact page or call on +44 1773 856475.

Which carriers do we use?

We usually use Royal Mail, UPS and DPD/Interlink - it depends on the item and destination as to which is the most economical. If you have a preference then we should be able to accommodate it (but we may need to pass on any additional costs) - just let us know what you need.