This article contains complete operating instructions for the UAFX Galaxy ‘74 Tape Echo & Reverb effects pedal. 

• Galaxy Quick Start
• Get the Latest Firmware
• Galaxy Overview
• Galaxy Power
• Galaxy Connections
• Galaxy Operation
• Galaxy Controls
• Galaxy Settings in the UAFX Control App
• Galaxy Specifications
• Galaxy Safety

 

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A Letter From Bill Putnam, Jr.

Congratulations on your new UAFX pedal. We know that buying any new piece of gear requires an investment of time and money, and we aim to make your investment pay off!

At UA, we are dedicated to the idea of building “instant classics” — the type of music and audio gear that delivers album-worthy sounds to inspire you for decades.

UAFX pedals represent more than 20 years of research into vintage analog effects, coupled with next-generation digital engineering and rock-solid reliability.

Please let us know how we’re doing. Feel free to reach out to us via our website www.uaudio.com, and via our social media channels.

Thank you for your support, and enjoy your sonic exploration!

Sincerely,

Bill Putnam Jr.

 

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Galaxy Quick Start

Download Galaxy Quick Start

 

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Get the Latest Firmware

Be sure to update your pedal’s firmware with UA Connect to get the latest features and functionality. To learn how to use UA Connect with your UAFX pedals, go here.

 

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Galaxy Overview

Explore the outer limits of analog time and space.

Built upon award-winning UAFX dual-engine processing and an unquenchable thirst for sonic authenticity, Galaxy '74 Tape Echo & Reverb captures the warm, warped, relentlessly analog effects of the iconic mid-'70s Roland Space Echo* hardware, for a crayon box of lush textures, right at your feet. 

• Get organic multi-head tape delays with all the analog character of the vintage hardware
• Explore experimental textures with the ambient shimmer of genuine spring reverb
• Fatten up tones with a jaw-dropping emulation of the original Space Echo's coveted analog preamp 
• Tweak footswitch settings to add tap tempo, adjust realtime effects, and customize unique oscillation sounds with UAFX Control mobile app

Swim in Warm, Gritty Delay Textures

Get iconic tape textures filled with the musical wow and flutter and saturation of the original Space Echo, and use the multi-head design — along with doubled delay times and tap tempo — to create rhythmic subdivisions not possible on the original hardware. You can even bend minds in realtime with a self-oscillation feature for crazy runaway delay effects.

Get Lost in Cavernous Spring Reverb

Only Galaxy '74 gives you the authentic dub-heavy effects of the original's spring reverb — along with a Dwell control for even wilder sounds — hurtling your tone into the cosmos, with textures that leave other emulators of this hallowed hardware behind in a puff of space dust. 

Dual Stereo Effect Engines for Endless Creativity

Galaxy '74 runs two separate instances of the entire Space Echo emulation. It’s like running two units simultaneously with ganged controls, giving you wow and flutter and rich-sounding randomness for stunning three-dimensional stereo depth that is unmatched by any other stompbox.

Personalize your Pedal with a Mobile App

With the UAFX Control mobile app, you can tweak footswitch settings, adjust realtime effects, and customize unique oscillation sounds to blast your tones into the stratosphere.

Get UAFX Control

Galaxy Features

• Authentic emulation of the classic mid-'70s Roland Space Echo* hardware
• Full modeling of the classic multi-head tape delay mechanism
• Exacting emulation of original hardware's spring reverb
• Definitive capture of iconic analog preamp section
• Doubled delay times for effects that go beyond the original hardware
• Download the UAFX Control app and tweak footswitch functionality, adjust realtime effects, and customize unique oscillation sounds  
• Silent switching, buffered bypass, analog dry through, spillover/trails, stereo/dual mono operation

*All trademarks are property of their respective owners and used only to represent the effects modeled as part of Galaxy '74 Tape Echo & Reverb.

 

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Galaxy Power

To learn how to power your UAFX pedal, go here.

 

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Galaxy Connections

To learn how to wire your UAFX pedals, go here.

 

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Galaxy Operation

The controls on Galaxy always match the sound you hear. Galaxy footswitches can be configured for different footswitch modes with the UAFX Control app, including performance effects, which allow you to temporarily alter the echo rate or feedback amount by holding the right footswitch.

Footswitches

The behaviors of the left and right footswitch can be changed to suit your preferences with the UAFX Control app. By default, the left footswitch toggles both effects on and off, and the right sets tap tempo.

The following footswitch modes are available in the UAFX Control app: 

Effects | Performance 

Bypass: Press the left footswitch to toggle delay and reverb on and off. When on, the left footswitch LED stays lit. 

Tap Tempo: Tap the right footswitch twice or more to set the tempo for the echo. Note that each head of the tape delay is set at a different tempo subdivision (see Echo Rate), and the tap tempo rate sets the quarter note delay time, which is the rate for the third tape head (bottom LED of Head Select switch). The right footswitch LED blinks at the current quarter note tempo.

Feedback Swell: Press and hold the right footswitch to swell feedback until you release the switch. 

Echo Rate Ramp: Press and hold the right footswitch to ramp the echo rate either up or down until you release. Echo rate ramp up makes the delay times shorter; echo rate ramp down makes the delay times longer.

Reverb (Always On): In Effects | Performance mode, you can configure reverb to be always on. When this is enabled, reverb is on even when the pedal is bypassed. Adjust the reverb level with the Reverb knob. 

Performance effect notes

• The tempo LED does not reflect the rate of the performance effect, but continues to indicate the current tempo.
• Echo Rate Ramp Up and Down only function when delay times allow. For example, if the delay time is already at the longest setting (fully counter-clockwise if set manually), echo rate down has no effect. 

Delay | Reverb 

Delay: Press the left footswitch to toggle delay on/off. When enabled, the footswitch LED is lit. 

Reverb: Press the right footswitch to toggle reverb on/off. When enabled, the footswitch LED is lit.  

Effect Bypass Routing

Galaxy effect bypass routing can be set for Trails Off or Trails On bypass using the UAFX Control app. Bypass routing determines how the pedal behaves when the effects are off.

Trails Off

When bypass routing is set for Trails Off and the effect is off, effects stop immediately when bypassed. By default, your UAFX pedal is set for Trails Off. 

Trails On

Trails On (spillover) bypass can be set in the UAFX Control app. When bypass routing is set for Trails On and the effect is switched off, delays and reverb tails play out naturally, rather than stopping suddenly.

 

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Galaxy Controls

Galaxy’s knobs and switches control the delay and reverb parameters.

Echo Rate

Adjusts the echo rates for the three tape heads. Note that echo rate can be tapped with the right footswitch, when tap tempo is enabled, and the tap tempo rate sets the quarter note delay time, which is the rate for the third tape head (bottom LED of Head Select switch).

When changing delay times, the delays ramp up or down and change pitch, depending on the new delay tempo. The delay ramp times and pitch changes are accurate to the original hardware, so they may take some time to “catch up” to fast delay time knob changes or tapped tempo changes.

Feedback

Adjusts the number of repeats. Echoes will self-oscillate at higher feedback levels.

Self-Oscillation/Runaway Audio

Your sound can self-oscillate or repeat indefinitely with very high feedback. To stop runaway audio, adjust Feedback lower. To quickly stop runaway audio, reduce Feedback to the minimum setting. 

Echo Vol

Adjusts the level of echo that is mixed in with the dry signal. When you rotate this knob fully clockwise, the signal becomes 100% wet — you only hear the echo signal and the dry signal is muted (kill dry).

Input Vol / Tape Age

Adjusts two different settings, depending on the position of the Main / Alt switch.

• MAIN mode: Adjusts the tape recording level. When this control is all the way down, there is no input signal to the delay.
• ALT mode: Adjusts the age of the tape. Higher settings increase tape wear, wow, and flutter.

Dwell / [Bass]

Adjusts two different settings, depending on the position of the Main / Alt switch.

• MAIN: Adjusts the drive into the reverb tank. 
• [ALT]: Adjusts the echo bass EQ. Bass is flat at noon.

Reverb Vol / [Treble]

Adjusts two different settings, depending on the position of the Main / Alt switch.

• MAIN: Adjusts the level of reverb that is mixed in with the dry signal.
• [ALT]: Adjusts the echo treble EQ. Treble is flat at noon.

Head Select Switch

Cycles through tape head combinations. LEDs indicate the active heads. You can select any single tape head, or any combination of tape heads, by cycling the switch.

Main / [Alt] Switch

Sets the controls to their main or alternate functions. Note that Alt settings are saved automatically when you set this switch back to Main.

Left Footswitch

Press to toggle the effects on/off (Effects + Performance mode) or to toggle the Delay on/off (Delay + Reverb mode).

Left Footswitch LED

The left footswitch LED stays lit when either of the effects are active (Effects + Performance mode) or when the Delay effect is active (Delay + Reverb mode). 

Right Footswitch

Quick press two or more times (do not hold) to tap tempo (Effects + Performance mode). Press once to toggle the Reverb effect (Delay + Reverb mode). Press and hold for Performance effects. By default,Feedback Swell is set as the performance effect. 

Right Footswitch LED

By default, the right footswitch LED flashes at the current quarter note tempo (Effects + Performance mode). The right footswitch stays lit in Delay + Reverb mode when the reverb effect is active. 

 

 

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Galaxy Settings in the UAFX Control App

With the UAFX Control app, you can change the operation of your pedal to suit your preferences.

Tap Settings at the bottom right of the screen to access the settings for the pedal. You may need to scroll down on this screen to see all available settings. 

Configuring Trails Bypass

Galaxy bypass modes can be set for trails off or trails on. Bypass routing determines how the pedal behaves when the effect is off.

In both Trails modes, and when the effects are both on and off, the input signal always remains analog dry-through and the pedal output is always buffered. For additional details about why you might want to use trails or no trails bypass, see this article.

To set Galaxy bypass for trails off or trails on

Under Trails, tap Off or On.

Trails Off

When Trails is set to Off, the delay and reverb effects stop immediately when the pedal is bypassed.

Note: If the Footswitch Mode is Delay | Reverb, switching off delay or reverb in Trails Off mode does not stop the other effect from playing out.

Trails On

When bypass routing is set for trails on bypass and the effect is off, the effect plays out naturally, rather than stopping suddenly.

The dry signal remains analog dry-through when the effect is on and off, and the output is always buffered.

Galaxy footswitch modes

Footswitch modes can be changed in UAFX Control to suit your preferences. You can configure the switches to toggle effects on and off and to control performance effects, or to individually enable delay and reverb effects.

Choosing a footswitch mode

To select a footswitch mode, open the Settings screen. Then tap the current footswitch mode (colored bar) and choose a mode from the drop menu.

The following Galaxy footswitch modes can be selected.

Effects | Performance

In Effects | Performance mode:

• Left Footswitch toggles delay and reverb on/off (unless reverb is set to Always On)
• Right Footswitch can be configured for up to three performance effects (effects can be enabled simultaneously):
  • Tap Tempo — Short press (don’t hold) this two or more times to set the quarter note tempo
  • Feedback Swell — Press and hold the right footswitch to swell feedback until you release the switch 
  • Echo Rate Ramp — Press and hold the footswitch to ramp the echo rate either up or down until you release the switch. Echo rate ramp up makes the delay times shorter; echo rate ramp down makes the delay times longer
  • Reverb — Switch to Always On to enable reverb at all times, even when the pedal is bypassed (control the reverb level with the Reverb knob). When this is not enabled, Reverb is enabled/bypassed with the left footswtich

Delay | Reverb

In Delay | Reverb mode, you can toggle delay and reverb on and off individually. There is no tap tempo in this mode.

• Left Footswitch toggles Delay on/off
• Right Footswitch toggles Reverb on/off

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Galaxy Specifications

All specifications are subject to change without notice.

 

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Galaxy Safety

Caution: To help maintain the safety of your product, the chosen power supply must be a certified power supply complying with Limited Power Source (LPS) requirements with the following characteristics and electrical ratings: Isolated 9VDC, center-negative, 400 mA minimum, 2.1x5.5 mm barrel connector. Additional details at help.uaudio.com.

Before using this unit, be sure to carefully read the applicable items of these operating instructions and the safety suggestions. Afterwards, keep them handy for future reference. Take special care to follow the warnings indicated on the unit, as well as in the operating instructions.

• Read the instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with dry cloth.
• Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not install near any heat source such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
• Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other.
• Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
• Only use with attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
• Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
• This equipment does not contain a fuse or any other user-replaceable parts.
• A compliance marking label is provided on bottom of the unit.

United States Class B Manual Statement

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Japanese Class B Manual Statement

この装置は、クラスB機器です。この装置は、住宅環境で使用することを目的としています が、この装置がラジオやテレビジョン受信機に近接して使用されると、受信障害を引き起こ すことがあります。取扱説明書に従って正しい取り扱いをして下さい。VCCI-B

(This is Class B equipment. Although this equipment is intended for use in residential environments, it could cause poor reception if used near a radio television receiver. Please follow all instructions in the instruction manual.)

License exempt. This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence. L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l'appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en compromettre le fonctionnement.

Taiwan NCC Warning Statement

本公司產品取得NCC 低功率射頻器材審驗證明依據「低功率射頻器材技術規範」之新警語如下:「取得審 明之低功率射頻器材，非經 核准，公司、商號或使用者均不得擅自變更頻率、加大功率或變更原設計之特 及功能。低功率射頻器材之使用不得影響飛航安全及干擾 合法通信;經發現有干擾現象時，應立即停用，並 善至無干擾時方得繼續使用。

The company's products have obtained the NCC low-power radio frequency equipment verification certificate according to the new warnings of "Low-power radio frequency equipment technical specifications" as follows: "The low-power radio frequency equipment that has obtained the verification certificate shall not be changed by the company, firm or user without approval. Frequency, increase power, or change the features and functions of the original design. The use of low-power radio frequency equipment shall not affect flight safety and interfere with legal communications; continue to use.

Used electrical and electronic equipment should not be mixed with general household waste. Please dispose in accordance with local regulations.

• IEC 62368-1
• FCC ID: 2AXKQ2029
• IC ID: 26610-2029