EC-300

Echo Collection

User Manual

McDOWELL SIGNAL PROCESSING, LLC

 McDSP EC-300 Plug-in Manual

McDSP
McDowell Signal Processing, LLC
2083 Old Middlefield Way #204
Mountain View, CA 94043
Support
Email: info@mcdsp.com
Technical Support: help@mcdsp.com
World Wide Web: www.mcdsp.com

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 McDSP EC-300

Special Thanks to:

• Rob Barrett Jr., our #1 customer

from the entire McDSP development team.

Copyright Notice:
Copyright 1998-2019 McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company
All Rights Reserved. The McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company’s EC-300 Plug-In and
corresponding User’s Manual is copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Information in this document is
subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of McDowell Signal
Processing, Limited Liability Company. This document may not, in whole or part, be copied, photocopied,
reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form for the purpose of
resale without prior consent, in writing, from McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company.

Trademarks:
McDSP is a trademark of McDowell Signal Processing, LLC.

All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

mcdsp.com Page iii

 Table of Contents

McDSP EC-300 Plug-in Manual ii

McDSP License Agreement vi
Getting Started with EC-300 viii
System Requirements viii
Installing the EC-300 Plug-in ix
Installation on Mac OS X ix
Installation on Windows x
Installation on VENUE S6L Systems x
Authorizing your McDSP Plug-ins xii
Authorizing with the iLok License Manager xii
Demos xii
Redeeming License Codes xiii
Registering Your McDSP Plug-in xiii
Using Your McDSP Plug-ins xiv
Starting a McDSP Plug-in xiv
Exiting a McDSP Plug-in xiv

EC-300 EC1

The Quick Start Tour: The EC-300 Plug-in EC2

EC-300 Echo Collection Overview EC3
Magnetic Delay EC4
Controls - Magnetic Delay EC5
Dual Delay Adjust Controls EC5
Delay Modifier Controls EC5
Filter and EQ Controls (In-Loop) EC6
Delay and Stereo Width Controls EC6
Delay Dynamics Controls EC7
Delay Levels and Tone Controls EC7
Delay Toolbar Controls EC8
Digital Delay EC9
Controls - Digital Delay EC10
Dual Delay Adjust Controls EC10
Delay Modifier Controls EC10

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 McDSP EC-300

EQ and SIM Controls EC11

Delay and Stereo Width Controls EC12
Delay Dynamics Controls EC13
Delay Levels and Tone Controls EC13
Analog Delay EC14
Controls - Analog Delay EC15
Delay Modifier Controls EC15
Delay Levels and Tone Controls EC15
Dual Delay Adjust Controls EC16
Stereo Width Controls EC16
Delay Controls EC17
Delay Dynamics Controls EC17
Displays EC18
Meters EC18
General Information EC20
Automation EC20
Presets: Using the Presets and Making Your Own EC20
Using the EC-300 EC21
Basics EC21
Echo, Echo, Echo EC21
Flanging and Chorusing Effects EC22
A Closer Look at the EC-300 Plug-in EC23
Feedback Mix and Balance EC23
Stereo Width and Spread EC23
Modulation Sources EC23
Saturation EC24
SIMs EC24
EC-300 Applications EC25
Vocals EC25
Lucky Man EC25
Create Some Space EC26
EC-300 Plug-in Reference Guide EC27
EC-300 Specifications EC27
DSP Delay EC30
DSP Usage EC30
Pro Tools™ HDX hardware EC30
Maximum Instantiation Counts at 48kHz EC30

mcdsp.com Page v
 McDSP License Agreement
The software described in this manual is furnished under a license agreement and may be used only in
accordance with the terms of the agreement.

McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company License and

Warranty:
The software which accompanies this license (the “Software”) is the property of McDowell Signal
Processing, Limited Liability Company or its licensers and is protected by copyright law. While McDowell
Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company continues to own the Software, you will have certain rights to
use the Software after your acceptance of this license. Except as may be modified by a license addendum
which accompanies this license, your rights and obligations with respect to the use of this Software are as
follows:

You May:
• authorize 1 (one) copy of the Software on 1 (one) PACE Anti-Piracy iLok USB Smart Key or iLok Cloud
session, for use with no more than 1 (one) computer at any given time;
• make copies of the Software for archival purposes, or copy the software onto the hard disk of your
computer and retain the original for archival purposes;
• after written notice to McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company, transfer the Software on
a permanent basis to another person or entity, provided that you retain no copies of the Software and
the transferee agrees to the terms of this agreement

You may not:

• copy, duplicate, or reproduce the documentation which accompanies the Software for the purpose of
resale;
• sublicense, rent or lease any portion of the Software to a third party without expressed written
permission from McDowell Signal Processing, LLC;
• reverse engineer, de-compile, disassemble, modify, translate, make any attempt to discover the source
code of the Software, or create derivative works from the Software;
• make any attempt to circumvent any copy protection software;
• use a previous version or copy of the Software after you have received a replacement set or an upgraded
version as a replacement of the prior version, unless you donate a previous version of an upgraded
version to a charity of your choice, and such charity agrees in writing that it will be the sole end user
of the product , and that it will abide by the terms of this agreement. Unless you so donate a previous
version of an upgraded version, upon upgrading the Software, all copies of the prior version must be
destroyed.

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 McDSP

Limited Warranty:
McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company warrants that the media on which the Software
is distributed will be free from defects. Your sole remedy in the event of a breach of this warranty will be
that McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company will, at its option, replace any defective media.
McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company does not warrant that the Software will meet your
requirements or that the operation of the Software will be uninterrupted or that the Software will be
error-free. THE ABOVE WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON INFRINGEMENT. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS.
YOU MAY HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

Disclaimer of Damages:
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY REMEDY SET FORTH HEREIN FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE, IN NO
EVENT WILL McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY SPECIAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT OR SIMILAR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS OR LOST DATA ARISING
OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE EVEN IF McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability
Company HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE
LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SO THE ABOVE
LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO CASE SHALL McDowell Signal Processing,
Limited Liability Company’s LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE FOR THE SOFTWARE. The disclaimers and
limitations set forth above will apply regardless of whether you accept the Software.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights:

RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND: Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as
set forth in subparagraph (c) (1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS
252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Software Restricted Rights clause at 48 CFR
52.227-19, as applicable, McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company, Mountain View, CA 94043
(info@mcdsp.com).

General:
This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California. This Agreement may only be modified
by a license addendum which accompanies this license or by a written document which has been signed both
by you and McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company. Should you have any questions concerning
this Agreement, or if you desire to contact McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability Company for any
reason, please email: legal@mcdsp.com. By downloading, using, or copying this Binary Software, Licensee
agrees to abide by the intellectual property laws, and all other applicable laws of the U.S., and the terms of
this License. Ownership of the software shall remain solely in McDowell Signal Processing, Limited Liability
Company.

mcdsp.com Page vii

Getting Started with EC-300
Each McDSP plug-in is delivered inside an installer application, and uses an iLok2,
iLok3, or iLok Cloud session to authorize each plug-in.

System Requirements
McDSP HD and Native plug-ins are compatible with Pro Tools, Logic X, Cubase,
Nuendo, Abelton Live, MOTU Digital Performer, Studio One, Sonar, and other
DAWs that support AAX, AU, VST and/or VST3 plug-in formats.  
McDSP Native plug-ins support AAX Native, AU, VST, and VST3 plug-in formats. 
McDSP HD plug-ins additionally support the AAX DSP plug-in format, as well as
AAX Native, AU, VST, and VST3 plug-in formats.  McDSP plug-ins support Mac OS
10.8.5 (Mountain Lion), Mac OS 10.9.5 (Mavericks), 10.10.x (Yosemite), 10.11.x (El
Capitan), 10.12.x (Sierra), 10.13.x (High Sierra), and Windows 7, 8, and 10.  
McDSP plug-ins require an iLok2 or iLok3 USB Smart Key, or an iLok License
Manager account and an iLok Cloud session for authorization.
McDSP AAX plug-ins require Windows 7 or later, Mac OS 10.8.5 or later, and
support Pro Tools 10.3.8 or later, Pro Tools 11.1.3 or later, Pro Tools 12.x or later,
and Pro Tools 2018.x or later.
McDSP AU plug-ins require Mac OS 10.8.5 or later, and support Logic X, Digital
Performer, Abelton Live, and other AU compatible DAWs.
McDSP VST and VST3 plug-ins require Windows 7 or later, Mac OS 10.8.5 or later,
and support Cubase 8.x or later, Cubase 9.x or later, Nuendo 6.5.x or later, and
other VST and VST3 compatible DAWs.
McDSP HD plug-ins also support the VENUE S6L systems. 
Please visit mcdsp.com for the latest compatibility information.

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 Getting Started

Installing the EC-300 Plug-in

Installation on Mac OS X
The EC-300 plug-in package includes this manual, ReadMe and Release Notes,
a folder of presets for the EC-300 plug-in, and the EC-300 plug-in. Two copies
of the EC-300 Licensing Agreement are included - one in this pdf manual and a
second as a separate text file. The EC-300 plug-in manual requires that Adobe
Acrobat reader (or similar .pdf reader) is installed.
The authorization of the EC-300 plug-in is still required after running the
installer, and those steps are detailed in the following sections.

Installing the EC-300 plug-in and presets with the Installer:

The online version of the package has been prepared for Internet delivery, and is
transmitted as a compressed file in zip format (.zip). Simply double click the zip
file to unpack the installer.
• Run the EC-300 plug-in Installer application to install (copy) the EC-300 plug-
in, presets, and documentation to a local folder on your system. The plug-in
will be placed in the ‘Plug-ins’ folder, and the presets will be placed in the
‘Plug-ins Settings’ folder.
• If a previous version of the EC-300 plug-in (or other HD, Native, or LE version)
was already in the plug-ins folder, it will automatically be updated (or
replaced) by the installer.

mcdsp.com Page ix
Installation on Windows
The EC-300 plug-in package includes this manual, ReadMe and Release Notes,
a folder of presets for the EC-300 plug-in, and the EC-300 plug-in. Two copies
of the EC-300 Licensing Agreement are included - one in this pdf manual and a
second as a separate text file. The EC-300 manual requires that Adobe Acrobat
reader (or similar .pdf reader) is installed.
The authorization of the EC-300 plug-in is still required after running the
installer, and those steps are detailed in the following sections.

Installing the EC-300 plug-in and presets with the Installer:

The EC-300 plug-in package contains a Windows self extracting executable
(.exe). The EC-300 plug-in executable file will automatically install the plug-in
and its presets on your system. Double click the file to launch the installer to
install the EC-300 plug-in, presets, and documentation.
Authorization of the EC-300 plug-in is still required after running the installer,
and those steps are detailed in the following sections. Note that after installing
new versions of the PACE iLok drivers with the EC-300 plug-in installer, you will
be prompted by the EC-300 plug-in installer to reboot your system. If you are
not prompted by the installer, there is no need to reboot.
• Run the EC-300 plug-in Installer application to install the EC-300 plug-in,
presets, and documentation to a local folder on your system. The plug-in will
be placed in the ‘Plug-ins’ folder, and the presets will be placed in the ‘Plug-
ins Settings’ folder.
• If a previous version of the EC-300 plug-in (or other HD, Native, or LE version)
was already in the plug-ins folder, it will automatically be updated (or
replaced) by the installer.

Installation on VENUE S6L Systems

The EC-300 plug-in package for VENUE S6L systems includes presets for the EC-300
plug-in. The EC-300 Licensing Agreement is displayed when installing the product on
an S6L or S3L. The pdf manual can be obtained by running the Mac OS X or Windows
version of the EC-300 Pro Tools plug- in installer on any available computer.
The VENUE compatible installer will automatically install the EC-300 plug-in and its
presets on your system. The authorization of the EC-300 plug-in is still required after
running the installer, and those steps are detailed in the following sections.
Note that only McDSP HD plug-ins support the VENUE S6L systems.

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 Getting Started

Installing the EC-300 plug-in and presets on VENUE with the ‘HD Disk’:
The installer for all McDSP VENUE compatible plug-ins is available at the McDSP
website (mcdsp.com). Once located and downloaded, the installer must be
copied to a USB flash drive in order to run the installers on the VENUE system.
For convenience, all McDSP VENUE compatible plug-ins are located in the same
downloadable zip file, so only one file needs to be copied onto a USB flash drive
to install all VENUE compatible McDSP products.
• Unzip the downloaded file and locate the folder named “AAX Plug-Ins”
inside the unpacked folder.
• Copy this folder and its contents to an MS-DOS (FAT32) formatted USB flash
drive.
• Once you have copied this folder, you should see it at the root level of the
USB flash drive (i.e. “D:\AAX Plug-ins”). Important: If the “AAX Plug-ins”
folder is not located at the root level of the USB flash drive or has been
renamed, the VENUE console may not properly recognize the installer.
Once the USB flash drive has the “AAX Plug-ins” folder at its root level, continue
to the next steps below.
• Insert the USB flash drive into an available USB port of the VENUE S6L system.
• Ensure your system is in ‘CONFIG’ mode, you cannot install plug-ins in ‘SHOW’
mode.
• Navigate to the ‘OPTIONS’ page and then select the ‘PLUG-INS’ tab.
• You should now see the all the McDSP VENUE compatible plug-ins available
on the left hand side.
• Select the EC-300 plug-in and select ‘INSTALL.’
• If a previous version of the EC-300 plug-in was already installed, it will be
updated by the installer.
• To authorize, insert an iLok2 or iLok3 containing the appropriate license into
your VENUE S6L console. Note McDSP plug-ins running on an S6L may not be
authorized from an iLok Cloud session.
Note that after installing new versions of the PACE iLok drivers with the EC-300
plug-in installer, you will need to reboot your system. You will not be prompted
to reboot, and if you don’t you may see an error message saying “TPkd driver
required, and a reboot. Please reboot or reinstall the software.’ If you see this
message, simply reboot the console and try again.

mcdsp.com Page xi
 Authorizing your McDSP Plug-ins
McDSP plug-ins require an iLok2 or iLok3 USB smart key, or an iLok Cloud
session, to purchase or upgrade McDSP plug-ins. Management of authorizations
(licenses) are handled via the iLok License Manager software application. Both
the iLok License Manager software and iLok3 USB smart key are available at ilok.
com. Additional information about the iLok License Manager is available at ilok.
com.

Authorizing with the iLok License Manager

To use your McDSP plug-ins, you will first need to download an authorization
license for your product. Visit iLok.com and download the latest version of the
iLok License Manager. Please note that the iLok License Manager requires:
• Mac OS X 10.5.8 and above (Intel only)
• Windows 32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP (SP2) and above
• An iLok account

After you’ve downloaded and installed the iLok License Manager, make sure
your iLok is plugged into the USB port of your computer and login.

Demos
All McDSP plug-ins can be demoed immediately without any iLok USB smart
key. Even if the user does not have an iLok account, a McDSP plug-in will
guide the user to create an iLok account and will automatically deposit a demo
authorization into the newly created account.

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 Authorizing Your McDSP Plug-ins

Redeeming License Codes

Once logged in, click on the upper right
section of the iLok License Manager
and choose the button for ‘Redeem an
Activation Code’. Here you can enter the
activation code. Once it is redeemed,
drag this license and drop it on the iLok
of your choosing to activate it. Once the
activation is complete, run the McDSP
installer corresponding to the activated
license. Note McDSP HD licenses
authorize HD plug-ins, and McDSP Native
licenses authorize Native plug-ins.

Registering Your McDSP Plug-in

If you purchased a McDSP plug-in or McDSP plug-in bundle electronically from
mcdsp.com, your purchase is automatically registered with McDSP.

If you purchased a McDSP plug-in or McDSP plug-in bundle electronically from

an authorized McDSP dealer, your iLok.com account is used to confirm your
purchase should you wish to upgrade at a later time.

mcdsp.com Page xiii

 Using Your McDSP Plug-ins

Starting a McDSP Plug-in

Follow the installation, authorization, and registration instructions above.
Launch your DAW host, and the McDSP plug-in and its presets are ready for use.
Refer to your DAW User Manual for details on general plug-in operation.

Exiting a McDSP Plug-in

A McDSP plug-in is exited by closing the plug-in window, or de-instantiating the
plug-in. Your DAW host sessions will save instantiated plug-in configurations
and their settings. Refer to your DAW User Manual for details on general plug-in
operation.

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 McDSP EC-300

EC-300

The EC-300 Echo Collection brings the sound of dozens of echo and chorus effects
into a single plug-in. The three delay types - Magnetic, Digital, and Analog -
come with a generous collection of user controls, plenty of character modes,
highly stylized visual feedback, and McDSP’s nearly two decades of gear modeling
experience.
Each EC-300 delay type comes with additional character modes to create new
and unique sounds. Other delay features include adjustable saturation, wow and
flutter, delay output ducking, in-loop filtering and EQ, and level control at the
input and output stages. The EC-300 can operate in single, dual, and ping-pong
modes, and delay time can be synced to session playback or to a tapped tempo.

Feature List:
• Three delay types - Magnetic, Digital, and Analog
• Wide variety of character modes per delay type
• Saturation, Wow, Flutter, Ducking, and other delay features
• Single, dual, and ping-pong delay operation
• Tap tempo and session sync
• Double precision processing
• Mono, stereo, and mono-to-stereo versions

mcdsp.com Page EC1

The Quick Start Tour: The EC-300 Plug-in
Start the DAW host and instantiate the EC-300 plug-in
• Launch the DAW host and open a session.
• Verify the Display-> Mix Window Shows->Inserts View option is checked.
• In one of the inserts of a stereo master fader, select the EC-300 plug-in. Note
the EC-300 plug-ins will operate on master or regular audio tracks in mono or
stereo versions.
• If the insert selection does not show the EC-300 plug-In, verify that the EC-300
plug-in has been installed correctly.
• For more information on starting your DAW host and working with plug-ins,
see the Reference Guide provided by your preferred DAW.

Page EC2
 McDSP EC-300

EC-300 Echo Collection Overview

The EC-300 Echo Collection is arguably one of the most flexible delay and chorus
effect plug-ins ever created.
Each delay type - Magnetic, Digital, and Analog - can be configured to model
the tones of classic tape-based echoes and bucket brigade delays. Additional
(and original) McDSP designs are also included. Standard delay features include
wow, flutter, and other modulation, plus in-loop (or post-loop) filtering and EQ,
ducking and compression, and saturation.
The Digital delay type has additional shaping features not found in the Magnetic
or Analog types. These features include more EQ and filtering options, plus
Synthetic Impulse Models (SIMs) from the McDSP classic plug-in FutzBox. SIMs of
walkie-talkies, megaphones, ear buds, even fax machines, are included. SIMs can
be placed in-loop or post-loop.
Delay times can be synced to a specific BPM value, session tempo, or a tapped
tempo. A groove control allows the delay repeats to be slightly ahead or behind
the tempo.
All delay types - Magnetic, Digital, and Analog - can operate from single or dual
delay time controls, and in ‘ping-pong’ mode.

mcdsp.com Page EC3

Magnetic Delay

Filter and EQ
Dual Delay Adjust (In-Loop) Delay Dynamics

Delay Modifiers
Delay and Stereo Delay Levels
Width and Tone

Delay Toolbar

Page EC4
 McDSP EC-300

Controls - Magnetic Delay

Dual Delay Adjust Controls

Spread - phase adjustment between left and right delay outputs to
create stereo movement and width
Balance – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay 2 levels
FB Bal – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay 2 feedback
FB Mix – level adjustment for allowing Delay 1 output to be fed into
Delay 2 feedback (and vise versa). Use this control to easily create
interesting rhythmic repeat patterns.

Delay Modifier Controls

Saturation - amount of distortion caused by overloading the delay
input
Wow – low frequency delay modulation, influenced by magnetic tape
material
Flutter – high frequency delay modulation, influenced by magnetic
tape material

mcdsp.com Page EC5

 Filter and EQ Controls (In-Loop)
HPF Freq - high pass filter frequency
Mid Freq – middle EQ frequency
Mid Gain – middle EQ gain
Mid Q – middle EQ Q (bandwidth)
LPF Freq – low pass filter frequency

Delay and Stereo Width Controls

Feedback - amount of delay output fed back into the delay input
Mix – level adjustment between delay input (dry, un-delayed signal)
and delay output
Width – controls the stereo panning of the Delay 1 and Delay 2
outputs. 0% is mono, 100% is stereo and values above 100% create a
pseudo-stereo effect.
Offset – millisecond time offset between delay 1 and delay 2 causing
stereo field adjustment
Delay 1/2 – delay time for delay 1/2
NOTE/TIME – operate the delay based on note values from the
selected tempo (source can be session, BPM value, or tapped)
Note the scrollable numeric display for Delay 1 and Delay 2 can be
viewed in milliseconds, or as a note value.

Page EC6
 McDSP EC-300

Delay Dynamics Controls

Duck/Comp - select between ducking the delay output (reducing
delay output when input signal exceeds selected threshold) and
compressing delay output (reducing delay output when delay
output exceeds selected threshold)
Threshold – level at which ducking or compression is engaged
Amount – decrease/increase ducking or compression effect
Release – rate at which ducking or compression effect recovers (no
longer effects delay output)

Delay Levels and Tone Controls

Input - delay input level
Output – delay output level
Highpass – frequency control for high pass filter at delay output
Lowpass – frequency control for low pass filter at delay output

mcdsp.com Page EC7

 Delay Toolbar Controls
Delay Type - selection of delay algorithm and user interface -
Magnetic, Digital, and Analog
Delay Character – selection of algorithm adjustments for specific
delay types
Tempo Control– settings for tempo delay time sync source - can be
host session, typed BPM value, or tapped on the UI button labeled
‘TAP’
Groove – adjust the timing of the delay sync to be slightly ahead or
behind the time sync source
Delay Mode – delay output operation - single (one delay), dual (two
separate delays), or ping-pong (delay 1 output fed into delay 2 input)

Page EC8
 McDSP EC-300

Digital Delay

Dual Delay
Adjust
EQ and SIM
Dynamics

Delay Modifiers
Delay and Stereo
Width Delay Levels
and Tone

mcdsp.com Page EC9

Controls - Digital Delay

Dual Delay Adjust Controls

Balance – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay
2 levels
FB Bal – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay 2
feedback
FB Mix – level adjustment for allowing Delay 1 output
to be fed into Delay 2 feedback (and vise versa). Use
this control to easily create interesting rhythmic repeat
patterns.

Delay Modifier Controls

Bit Depth – set the digital resolution of the digital delay
signal path
Saturation – amount of distortion in the delay signal
path
Modulation Rate – frequency of the low frequency
oscillator (LFO) used to modulate the delay length of
Delay 1 and Delay 2
Modulation Depth – amount of delay length
modulation
Modulation Type – low frequency oscillator (LFO)
waveform shape (Sine, Triangle, Random)
Modulation Spread – phase offset between
modulation of Delay 1 and Delay 2

Page EC10
 McDSP EC-300

EQ and SIM Controls

Lo Freq - low band EQ frequency
Lo Gain – low band EQ boost / cut
Lo Q – low band Q (bandwidth)
Mid Freq - middle band EQ frequency
Mid Gain – middle band EQ boost / cut
Mid Q – middle band Q (bandwidth)
Hi Freq - high band EQ frequency
Hi Gain – high band EQ boost / cut
Hi Q – high band Q (bandwidth)
EQ Mode – select filter / EQ types for the Lo, Mid, and Hi EQ bands.
Options include Lo/Hi Shelf, Lo/Hi Reso, Tuned Filter, and Parametric.
EQ Position – places EQ inside the delay feedback loop (In-Loop) or
after the delay feedback loop (Post-Loop)
SIM Enable – turn the SIM effect on or off
SIM Position – places SIM inside the delay feedback loop (In-Loop) or
after the delay feedback loop (Post-Loop)
SIM Character – selects from the large library of SIMs (Synthetic
Impulse Model)
SIM Feedback Reduction – adjust potential feedback issues with
some SIMs when SIM is placed In-Loop

mcdsp.com Page EC11

 Delay and Stereo Width Controls
Feedback - amount of delay output fed back into the delay input
Mix – level adjustment between delay input (dry, un-delayed signal)
and delay output
Width – controls the stereo panning of the Delay 1 and Delay 2
outputs. 0% is mono, 100% is stereo and values above 100% create a
pseudo-stereo effect.
Offset – millisecond time offset between delay 1 and delay 2 causing
stereo field adjustment
Delay 1/2 – delay time for delay 1/2
NOTE/TIME – operate the delay based on note values from the
selected tempo (source can be session, BPM value, or tapped)
Note the scrollable numeric display for Delay 1 and Delay 2 can be
viewed in milliseconds, or as a note value.

Page EC12
 McDSP EC-300

Delay Dynamics Controls

Duck/Comp - select between ducking the delay
output (reducing delay output when input signal
exceeds selected threshold) and compressing delay
output (reducing delay output when delay output
exceeds selected threshold)
Threshold – level at which ducking or compression is
engaged
Amount – decrease/increase ducking or compression
effect
Release – rate at which ducking or compression effect
recovers (no longer effects delay output)

Delay Levels and Tone Controls

Input - delay input level
Output – delay output level
Highpass – frequency control for high pass filter at
delay output
Lowpass – frequency control for low pass filter at
delay output

mcdsp.com Page EC13

Analog Delay

Delay
Dual Delay Adjust
Modifiers

Stereo Width Dynamics

Delay Levels Delay

and Tone

Page EC14
 McDSP EC-300

Controls - Analog Delay

Delay Modifier Controls

Modulation Rate – frequency of the low frequency
oscillator (LFO) used to modulate the delay length of
Delay 1 and Delay 2
Modulation Depth – amount of delay length
modulation
Modulation Type – low frequency oscillator (LFO)
waveform shape (Sine, Triangle, Random)
Modulation Spread – phase offset between modulation
of Delay 1 and Delay 2

Delay Levels and Tone Controls

Input - delay input level
Output – delay output level
Lo Tone – amount of boost or cut of low frequencies at
delay output
Hi Tone – amount of boost or cut of high frequencies at
delay output

mcdsp.com Page EC15

 Dual Delay Adjust Controls
Balance – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay 2 levels
FB Bal – level adjustment between Delay 1 and Delay 2 feedback
FB Mix – level adjustment for allowing Delay 1 output to be fed into
Delay 2 feedback (and vise versa). Use this control to easily create
interesting rhythmic repeat patterns.

Stereo Width Controls

Width – controls the stereo panning of the Delay 1 and Delay 2 outputs.
0% is mono, 100% is stereo and values above 100% create a pseudo-
stereo effect.
Offset– millisecond time offset between delay 1 and delay 2 causing
stereo field adjustment

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 McDSP EC-300

Delay Controls
Feedback - amount of delay output fed back into the delay input
Mix – level adjustment between delay input (dry, un-delayed signal)
and delay output
Delay 1/2 – delay time for delay 1/2
NOTE/TIME – operate the delay based on note values from the
selected tempo (source can be session, BPM value, or tapped)
Note the scrollable numeric display for Delay 1 and Delay 2 can be
viewed in milliseconds, or as a note value.

Delay Dynamics Controls

Duck/Comp - select between ducking the delay output (reducing
delay output when input signal exceeds selected threshold) and
compressing delay output (reducing delay output when delay
output exceeds selected threshold)
Threshold – level at which ducking or compression is engaged
Amount – decrease/increase ducking or compression effect
Release – rate at which ducking or compression effect recovers (no
longer effects delay output)

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Displays

Meters
The EC-300 has an output meter located on
the right hand side of each of the delay type
interfaces. There is also a Panning meter
showing the balance of left and right signals as the audio is processed by the
delay effect.
The EC-300 output meter can also be toggled to operate as a gain reduction (GR)
meter by simply clicking the VU meter graphic. The meter can be returned to
output metering operation by clicking the VU meter again.

Open and Closing the Delay Top Lid

Each EC-300 Delay Type has additional controls that can be shown or hidden
by pressing the ‘Open’ and ‘Close’ text in the upper right hand corner of the
user interface. The additional controls will have an effect on the delay sound
regardless of whether the delay top is is opened or closed.

Magnetic Delay - Open Lid Magnetic Delay - Closed Lid

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 McDSP EC-300

Digital Delay - Open Lid Digital Delay - Closed Lid

Analog Delay - Open Lid Analog Delay - Closed Lid

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General Information
To adjust any of the EC-300 controls the user can:
• Hold the <Command> key while dragging the slider for fine control, or
• Click on the Delay Time or Tempo text displays to highlight and edit the
numeric value to get precise control (if a value outside the valid range is
input, the control will default to the nearest allowed value when enter is hit)
and hit <Enter>, or
• Use the <Option> key to bring all the controls to their default values, or
• Use hardware controller surfaces supported by your DAW host such as the
Mackie HUI and Digidesign’s ICON™, ProControl™ and Control 24.

Automation
All EC-300 controls are completely automatable, excluding the “Delay Type”
parameter. See your DAW User Manual for automating plug-ins section.

Presets: Using the Presets and Making Your Own

The EC-300 preset library demonstrates the wide range of applications the
EC-300 can be used. No preset will suit every application, and they have been
provided as a guide for the user, and will hopefully inspire new ideas and ways
to use this sophisticated plug-in.
Refer to your DAW User Manual for accessing and saving plug-in presets.

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 McDSP EC-300

Using the EC-300

The EC-300 Echo Collection offers a great deal of processing power and
flexibility. The following sections cover basic operations of the algorithms,
provide a more in depth description of some of the features of the EC-300, and
outline some applications of the EC-300 plug-in.

Basics
The delay effect has been around audio production for a long long time. Hence
the many methods used to create the delay effect. But at the core of this audio
algorithm, the functional blocks are the same.
The input signal is fed into a delay line, and the delay line output is mixed with
the input signal so the total output is a combination of the un-delay (dry) and
delayed (wet) signals. The result is a ‘doubling’ effect causing the listener to
perceive two (or more) sources (or players, singers). The shorter the delay time,
the closer the sources appear to be. The longer the delay time, the farther apart
the delay sources appear to be.
The delay line can be further modified to ‘change length’ over time. Such
modulation can come from physically moving the position of the delay playback
‘head’ relative to the moving tape, or from a low frequency oscillator (LFO). Like
many pro audio effects (EQ, compression, reverb), the delay effect has many
variations. These are captured in the EC-300 Echo Collection plug-in.

Echo, Echo, Echo

Perhaps the most straight forward use of a delay effect is to create the sound
of echos, like when one shouts across a canyon or in a tunnel. The source (you)
is heard immediately, while the reflected sound from the canyon or tunnel wall
is heard some time later. There are also sound reflections from surfaces closer
by. The EC-300 can mimic a variety of these effects using the two delay lines
(Delay 1 and Delay 2). The echoes from each delay can even be routed to each
other using the Feedback Mix (in Dual Mode only) to create more complex delay
effects.

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Flanging and Chorusing Effects
Using very short delay times (around 20 milliseconds or less) and a modulation
source such as a low frequency oscillator (LFO), a collection of effects can be
created. They are most commonly known as flanging and chorusing.
Flanging is the combination of a roughly equal mix of the original and delayed
signals, with the delay being very short (less than 5 msec) and modulated by
an LFO with a sine or triangle shaped waveform. Flanging can cause the audio
track to sound like its going through a long tube, or becoming ‘metallic’, and
has a very distinct ‘swirl’ caused by the LFO. Extreme flanging effects can be
created using high feedback amounts.
Chorusing is very similar to flanging, except the delay times are longer (5 to 25
msec), the modulation is often more subtle, and feedback is not generally used.
Instead of a repeating ‘swirl’ effect like flanger, the chorus effect causes the
listener to perceive more than one source, but each source is indistinguishable
from the other, as if a large group of sources were present - like a choir !! Hence
the name ‘chorus’ effect.

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 McDSP EC-300

A Closer Look at the EC-300 Plug-in

Feedback Mix and Balance

When creating echo effects, the amount each delay on the EC-300 is fed
back into the other can add some complex variation for believable ambient
effects. Modulation effects like flanging also benefit from a modest amount of
Feedback Mix.
The effect of increasing Feedback Mix can be tailored to emphasize Delay 1 or
Delay 2 using the Feedback Balance control. Sometimes it is desirable to have
one delay be the primary or dominant sound, while the other delay is moved to
the background to more subtly augment the desired effect.

Stereo Width and Spread

The Width, Offset and Spread controls each setup the stereo field of the EC-300
in different ways. The Width controls the stereo panning of Delay 1 and Delay
2 with a single knob. 0% pans Delay 1 and 2 in the center, 100% pans Delay
1 hard left and Delay 2 hard right, and values above 100% provide ‘pseudo-
stereo’ effects.
The Offset control adds a short millisecond delay to the right output channel
only, which provides a convenient way to create a stereo image from an input
source that contains no stereo information. This is most useful when utilizing
the Single Delay Mode; the Offset control should usually be turned to 0ms
when using the Dual or Ping-Pong Delay Modes.
The Spread control uses phase information from the modulation sources to
create movement and depth in the stereo field. Note that the Wow/Flutter, or
Mod Depth controls must be greater than 0% for this control to have audible
effects. Set the Width control to 100% and the Offset control to 0ms to
maximize the swirling effects of the Spread control.

Modulation Sources
The EC-300 modulation sources are different in the Magnetic and Analog/
Digital algorithms. Both are useful and unique, and are just a part of the
flexibility offered in the EC-300 plug-in.
The Magnetic delay uses Wow and Flutter controls to mimic the types of delay
time modifying associated with physically altering the tape medium as it plays
back the delayed signal.

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The Analog and Digital delay algorithms use a low frequency oscillator (LFO) to
generate sine, triangle, and random modulation signals. There are Rate and
Depth controls to adjust the speed and amount of modulation. The random
modulation type is particularly useful in creating lush chorus effects.
Delay modulation, when used sparingly, can also enhance echo effects to make
them seem more realistic.

Saturation
McDSP coined the concept of Analog Saturation Modeling way back in 1998 in
our FilterBank and CompressorBank plug-ins, and further perfected them in the
TEC Award nominated FutzBox plug-in. The EC-300 leverages this knowledge
to create saturation and distortion effects within the delay loop. Many delay
effects, by their analog nature, would overload when the input signal has
too high, or the amount of signal buildup in the feedback loop exceeded the
dynamic range of the electronics inside the delay.

SIMs
The Digital delay model takes saturation effects a few steps further by offering
Bit Depth adjustment to control the actual fidelity of the delay itself, and a fairly
extensive list of simulated impulse models (SIMs) from the TEC Award nominated
FutzBox plug-in. Maybe routing your delay feedback through a fax machine
does not sound like a good idea. But the complex processing of the SIM really
enhances the range of flange, chorus, and echo effects achievable in the EC-300,
unlike any other delay available.

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 McDSP EC-300

EC-300 Applications

The EC-300 plug-in offers a wide variety of effects. Below are just some of the
ways the EC-300 can enhance any production.

Vocals
Singers can always benefit from a chorus to back them up. Using the EC-300 to
give a ‘doubling’ effect is a great idea, in our completely biased opinion.
Set up the EC-300 with a short delay time - maybe 15 to 25 msec. Try the
Magnetic or Analog Delay type if you want some ‘classic character’ in the echo
effect. Set up the Mix control at about 50% to start (equal balance between
original and delayed signals) and then audition varying Mix control amounts
- you may find less of the delayed signal is better, if only to not distract the
listener from the primary source. Often music production is rather precise - folks
want to hear that vocal exactly at the right time !! In that case be sure the delay
effect is not causing the edited track to seemingly appear out of the pocket of
the beat.
The EC-300 is equipped with two delays (Delay 1 and Delay 2), and more
significant ‘doubling’ can be achieved when both are used at different delay
settings (ex: Delay 1 at 15 msec, and Delay 2 at 25 msec - a delay time that is not
a multiple of the delay time in Delay 1).

Lucky Man
Synth great Keith Emerson was a darn good player, and he was also great at
leveraging technology to get amazing sounds. Enter the Echo effect.
A single delay behind a synth solo does it wonders. Instead of some anemic
direct synth sound, you get the idea your rocking out at some stadium
somewhere instead. The EC-300’s two delay lines can be setup for two distinct
echos, and the Feedback Mix and Balance controls further blend the echoes
together for some serious ambient effects.
Just add the recording of a cheering crowd as you solo around and you’re all set.

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Create Some Space
Modern audio production generally has plenty of reverb effects. And why
not?!? Signal processing technology has come a long way, and many complex
algorithms for simulating large (and not so large) acoustic spaces are available.
But the delay effect can often be used just as, well, effectively. A delay is really
the building block for more complex reverb algorithms. But using just one or
two delays can give the same ambience of a reverb, and won’t clutter the mix as
much. The EC-300’s two delay lines are well suited for this task, and when used
together can be very, well, effective.

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 McDSP EC-300

EC-300 Plug-in Reference Guide

EC-300 Specifications
Parameter Range Function

Delay Levels and Tone

OUTPUT -24 to +24 dB Gain applied at the output of the delay path

INPUT -24 to +24 dB Gain applied at the input of the delay path

MIX 0 to 100% Balance of delayed (wet) and original (dry) signals

LO-TONE Varied per Delay Type Amount of low frequency adjustment at delay output

HI-TONE Varied per Delay Type Amount of high frequency adjustment at delay output

Delay Toolbar

DELAY TYPE Magnetic, Digital, Selects the type of delay algorithm. Each delay type setting
Analog reconfigures the user interface, delay algorithm, EQ, gain
staging, saturation, and a wide variety of other parameters.

MAGNETIC Various Selects the behavior of the Magnetic Delay Type

CHARACTER

DIGITAL Various Selects the behavior of the Digital Delay Type

CHARACTER

ANALOG Various Selects the behavior of the Analog Delay Type

CHARACTER

TEMPO SYNC Host, BPM When ‘Host’ is selected, the Tempo BPM control is synced
to the BPM of the host DAW. When ‘BPM’ is selected, the
value entered into the Tempo BPM numerical display is
used.

TEMPO BPM 50.0 to 240.0 BPM Sets the BPM value used to calculate the current delay
interval based on Delay 1/2 Note control values. The BPM
value is only used when either of the Delay 1/2 Note Enable
controls are set to ‘On’ (Note portion of button is pushed
inwards). Then the Tempo Sync control is set to ‘Host’, the
Tempo BPM value becomes locked and is not editable.

TEMPO TAP Tap, Tap, Tap, … Sets the plug-ins own Tempo BPM value when tapped at
least 2 times in a row

GROOVE -100% to 100% When Delay 1 or 2 are using Note values (instead of Time
values), the Groove slider scales the delay time forward
or backward towards the next higher note value. For
example, with Delay 1 set to 1/8th note, a Groove of 100%
would increase the delay time to 1/4th note. Similarly a
Groove of -100% would decrease the delay time to 1/6th
note.

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 Parameter Range Function

DELAY MODE Single, Dual, Ping- Selects the configuration of the two parallel delay
Pong processing paths (Delay 1 and Delay 2)

Delay and Stereo Width Controls

DELAY 1/2 TIME 1 msec to 5000 msec Sets delay length - amount of time it takes for a signal to
for Magnetic and pass from the delay input to the delay output
Digital, 20 msec to
1000 msec for Analog

DELAY 1/2 NOTE 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, Sets Delay interval using note divisions, in conjunction with
1/32, 1/64 the current BPM value of the tempo control. Only active
when the Delay 1/2 Note Enable controls are set to ‘On’.

DELAY 1/2 NOTE/ Off, On When ‘On’, the Note control sets the current delay interval.
TIME ENABLE When ‘Off’, the Time control sets the current delay interval

WIDTH 0 to 150% Controls the stereo panning of Delay 1 /2 outputs. Note

this control has no effect for Mono instances. For Stereo
instances, 0 % pans Delay 1 hard left and Delay 2 hard
right. Values above 100% provide ‘pseudo-stereo’ effects.

OFFSET 0.0 to 30.0 msec Adds a delay to the right output channel only. This control
is most useful in Single Mode. With the Width control set
above 0 %, turning up the Offset control will provide a
stere image for the Single delay signal.

FEEDBACK 0 to 150% Sets the amount of feedback repeats for Delay 1 /2.

BALANCE -100 to 100% When in Dual Mode only, adjusts the relative volume
between Delay 1 /2. Control values approaching 100%
emphasizes Delay 2 by turning down the level of Delay 1.
Values approaching -100% emphasize Delay 1 by turning
down the level of Delay 2.

FEEDBACK -100 to 100% When in Dual Mode only, adjusts the relative feedback
BALANCE amount between Delay 1 and 2, similar to how the Balance
control operates.

FEEDBACK MIX 0 to 100% When in Dual Mode only, adjusts how much of Delay 1
output is feed into the feedback of Delay 2 and vice-versa.

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 McDSP EC-300

Parameter Range Function

Delay Modifiers

SATURATION 1 to 100% Amount of saturation occurring in feedback loop of delay.

BIT DEPTH Off, 23 to 2 bits Selects number of bits used to represent the delay signal.
Fewer bits results in fidelity loss, noise, and signal aliasing.

MOD RATE 0.01 to 25.0 Hz Low frequency oscillator (LFO) frequency (rate) that
modulates Delay 1 and Delay 2.

MOD DEPTH 0 to 100% Amount of LFO modulation

MOD TYPE Sine, Triangle, LFO waveform selection

Random

WOW 0 to 200% Amount of tape modulation known as the ‘wow’ effect

achieved with magnetic tape

FLUTTER 0 to 200% Amount of tape modulation known as the ‘flutter’ effect

achieved with magnetic tape

SPREAD 0 to 180 degrees Amount of stereo movement (spread) based on currently

selected modulation options. Note that Wow/Flutter or
Mod Depth must be greater than 0% for this control to
have audible effects.

EQ and Filtering

LO FREQ 20 to 2000 Hz Frequency of low EQ band

LO GAIN -24 to +6 dB Amount of cut or boost in low EQ band

LO Q 0.1 to 10.0 Bandwidth (Q) adjustment for low EQ band

MID FREQ 60 to 6000 Hz Frequency of middle EQ band

MID GAIN -24 to +6 dB Amount of cut or boost in middle EQ band

MID Q 0.1 to 10.0 Bandwidth (Q) adjustment for middle EQ band

HI FREQ 500 to 20000 Hz Frequency of high EQ band

HI GAIN -24 to +6 dB Amount of cut or boost in high EQ band

HI Q 0.1 to 10.0 Bandwidth (Q) adjustment for high EQ band

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DSP Delay
McDSP DSP AAX plug-ins have an internal delay of 16 samples. This is the minimum
amount of sample delay McDSP plug-ins can operate at while maintaining the current
level of DSP usage.

DSP Usage

Pro Tools™ HDX hardware

The AAX DSP version of the EC-300 DSP usage is shown in the table below for
operation at the 48 kHz sample rate. DSP usage approximately doubles for 88.2
kHz and 96 kHz sample rates. This information can also be viewed in the Pro
Tools System Usage window.

Maximum Instantiation Counts at 48kHz

Configuration #Instances per DSP # Total Instances per HDX card

EC-300 EQ mono 2 36

EC-300 EQ stereo 2 36

All McDSP AAX DSP plug-ins can share the same DSP with other McDSP, Avid,
and third party plug-ins.

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 www.mcdsp.com

Copyright 2019 by McDowell Signal Processing,LLC.

All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
McDSP is a trademark of McDowell Signal Processing,LLC.