Best Reverb Pedal for A4?

Hi Guys

using my A4 for standalone synth soundtracky type tracks. Interested in outboarding some reverb duties and wondering what is best option without getting into yet more screens and overkill … I find the reverb on the A4 very utilitarian…it isn’t a WOW type effect. Shimmer and the like get alot of love for this for example.

If you could please recommend a pedal specifically good for ambient 80s synthwave soundtrack approach that would be awesome , and I will check out some videos on them :slight_smile:

Something that could thicken up notes with a chorus type effect but in a reverb pedal would be a bonus :slight_smile:

Reckon there’s the more obvious solutions, but I’d propose considering a guitar fx unit, giving you a series of modulation effects (chorus/flanger/phaser/vibe etc.) before hitting the reverb.

E.g. Helix stomp…?

look into the strymon big sky or similar… or if a bit more unusual than hologram microcosm

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DBA Rooms

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Specular Tempus is always a steal. Or you can spend more and buy SA Ventris, Bigsky or Nightsky.

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I’d also reccommend this if you can still get one used, they’re unfortunately out of production. GFI Skylar has four of the algos though, also worth considering. Specular Tempus has lots of more “modern”, ambient type reverbs (like Shimmer or Infinite), but also classics like plate or spring. You might like the “Modulated” or “Tremolo” algos, that have nice modulations that you can control with 1-2 knobs. Benn Jordan has a nice long video on it. Empress Reverb is in that category as well, but a bit more expensive.

You could also look into VST plugins for different kinds of reverbs and see if they have a demo. Try them out on your music and see which ones you like, then you can check for pedals that have comparable sounds.

If you buy a multi algo reverb pedal like Specular Tempus, you can also see what you vibe with and maybe buy a pedal dedicated to that kind of reverb if you want to have more control/even better quality of that specific effect. For example, I’ve noticed that over time, I mostly use Plate on Specular Tempus and sold it to get a Golden Reverberator, which gives you an imo even better plate and other classic algos but more control.

The Golden could also be worth a look though, as it gets you all of the classic reverbs that were used in the 80s at a very high quality level. Also has some chorus/flanger modulation on some models. You won’t get more modern, Shimmer type effects from it though.

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Meris MercuryX is my new all-time favorite reverb. It’s not cheap, but it does 80s synthwave and more. I highly recommend it to everyone.

OTO Bam.

FEATURES

• 7 algorithms: Room, Hall, Plate, Ambient, Chorus, Non-Linear and Primitive
• Input gain up to +15 dB with analog clipping
• Pre Delay up to 500 ms (with the PRE DELAY pot) or 1500 ms (with the TAP switch)
• Continuous control of the reverb Size parameter for fine tuning
• Low-Cut Filter: 20 Hz, 80 Hz, 150 Hz, 250 Hz, 450 Hz
• Hi-Cut Filter: 1,8 kHz, 4,5 kHz, 7 kHz, 9 kHz, 15 kHz
Chorus parameter can add modulation to the reverberator signal
• Tap Tempo assignable to Pre Delay or Reverb Time
• Freeze switch
• 36 user presets
• MIDI input: BAM responds to CCs and Pgm Change
• 3 bypass modes: Relay, Spillover and Aux
• Nice and simple user interface via 16 white LEDs
• Rugged steel enclosure
• Neutrik® jack connectors
• Power supply included

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For the 80s vibe, get an 80s unit! I love my Boss RRV-10 for that, but I also have an Alesis Wedge which is excellent. I also have an Empress reverb for more modern things and it’s amazing, but doesn’t really nail the 80s thing very well. Midiverbs, quadraverbs, old Yamaha racks might work for you too.

Definitely the QuadraVerb - I have one alongside the A4 and it sounds incredible (and does chorus / delay / etc as well as reverbs).

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Ok for me this sounds like lexicon-style digital reverbs is what youre shooting for. I would look for pedas that recreate the lexicon sound.

Oto bam is amazing for this, with that sound being its main goal.

I just got a digitech rv-7 stereo reverb pedal. It was licensed with lexicon and it is definitely good for that sound. They go for $200 used.

Beyond that i havent tried any other iterations chasing the lexicon sound. The UAD lexicon 224 plugin is sooooo good! i do love that style reverb.

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My two best reverbs are:

Meris Mercury 7 - for when I have rather big sound coming in (like Modal 002, Prologue 16, MegaFM and - surprisingly - Prophet X), so it will not smear already busy spectrum.
OTO BAM - for when I have rather well behaving sources (like: A4, Digitone, Summit, Modal 008) to add some dirt.

It’s like spice, added to taste, therefore I understand that there is no one good answer, but I would definitely recommend looking into these two.

Cordially!

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bricasti m7

lol just kidding :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

OTO Bam, without a doubt

Bigsky is good too, albeit a bit limited but sounds fantastic

wouldn’t look past the H90 as well, esp wtih the bluetooth ipad app compatibility now

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