Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube: The Garden Hose Delay is Now Native!
Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube: The Garden Hose Delay is Now Native! · Source: Universal Audio
It’s been a favorite amongst Apollo users for years, and now the Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube plugin is available for all DAW users.
The Cooper Time Cube is a rare electromechanical delay unit produced in very limited numbers by UREI back in 1971. Instead of traditional delay methods, the Time Cube uses a speaker to send a signal through a coiled polyethylene pipe that looks like a garden hose. After all that, the signal is then captured by a mic, which completes this rather strange circuit.
Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube
The original Time Cube had two separate delay lines, including a 16 ms delay time on Channel A and 14 ms on Channel B. However, when you used both channels in series, you got 30 ms, which falls in the magic Haas zone, making it ideal for doubling and stereo widening. Over the years, the Time Cube was used by artists like Queen, War, and Electric Light Orchestra.
Universal Audio’s authentic plugin recreation models the natural “phase-friendly” sound of the Time Cube, while offering a few enhancements for DAW-based workflows. The first advantage you get with the plugin is that you aren’t limited to only a few different delay time settings. Instead, you have up to 2.5 seconds to play with and BPM sync to match your song’s tempo.
What’s more, the Time Cube plugin gives you flexible controls for delay, decay, pan, and volume on each channel rather than a primitive dual-mono configuration. With its CPU-friendly operation, this allows you to use as many instances of the Time Cube plugin as you like to add character to vocals and different instruments in the mix.
In addition, the high-pass filter and bass and treble controls allow you to shape the wet signal to be more complementary. Overall, the Time Cube is a worthy alternative to the standard digital delay or tape echo plugin you most frequently reach for. Its natural sound is bound to offer something different, especially when working with recorded instruments. When working with a delay like this, try using a compressor after it and ducking the wet signal with the dry using the sidechain input, for an even more natural sound.
Pricing and Availability:
Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube is now available natively at an introductory price (-53%).
More about the Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube:
- Official Product Page
- Browse Universal Audio at Thomann*
- Read more about Universal Audio on Gearnews
*Note: This article contains affiliate links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: The price for you always remains the same! If you buy something through these links, we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
This might also interest you
