If you’re on a budget and you want something that works well on synths you’re better off hunting down old rack gear for cheap. Alesis units are usually a safe bet, especially the Quadraverb or the Midiverb 2.
What’s the difference between these two? They interest me…they sound very nice.
Quadraverb is highly configurable and can get pretty wild once you put it under MIDI control, whereas the Midiverb 2 is just a preset machine with very nice presets.
2 Likes
There’s a pattern here somewhere… Actually just got a QV+ and it’s awesome. Paid 50€ for it. Will probably add MV2 at some point.
1 Like
TC Electronics Nova Delay is a good stereo (input and output) delay pedal. Analog, clean, and tape settings via knob that morphs between the styles smoothly.
No MIDI but it has a BPM display. You can find them for around $100-$130
Definitely a cheap hidden gem.
4 Likes
I really enjoy this delay considering it’s literally dirt cheap. It’s like $25 on Amazon. I’ve paid more for sand. It lives between my distortion and spring reverb in my 303 chain.
1 Like
This is always the answer.
3 Likes
I remember you were thinking of selling that when I bought your Timefactor and at the time didn’t think I would need for another delay… of course, I saw some videos doing the stuff you mention above a few months after that and have mild regret for being so timid.
It’s remarkably hard to find delays that are cheap and lo-fi enough to pull that sound off - the Behringer DD-400 seems similar but pretty hard to find… I guess lots of people have them stuffed away in drawers thinking they’re not worth selling.
There’s also a whole bunch of options by manufacturers like Cuvave, Donner and such like but all the demos on youtube tend to be by guitar players who don’t tweak stuff while they’re playing which makes me hesitant to take a risk on them.
No direct experience here but they’ve got a new micro series with a row of 7 led’s down the side for the 7 modes each pedal offers. The A7 ambience and D7 delay both seem quite interesting and the algorithims on on them seem to be more inspired by the boutique market… I may indulge at some point.
2 Likes
I’ve tried a lot of pedals, serious source of GAS, the two that always stay on the table for doing things nothing else does are Eventide Space and Red Panda Particle 2.
1 Like
I once did all the graphic design (logos, menus, website etc.) for a local restaurant boat. The owner had been a musician in his youth and he offered to pay me in gear. I got a defective Oberheim Matrix 1000 which I ended up selling very cheap as I had no interest in getting it fixed and a pile of cheap old Lexicon and Alesis reverbs. There was a bunch of midiverbs and quadraverbs in the pile and I never understood why people like them. Sounded very cheap and basic to my ear. I offloaded the bunch to some dudes and continued my life. I was expecting to get better gear, I should’ve insisted on getting paid in cash.
Then a bandmate bought an Eventide H9 and I realized for the first time what I’d like from a reverb.
Well anyway, nowadays I’m the owner of Mercury 7 (now that’s a proper reverb) and a Source Audio Collider. Haven’t really missed those crappy quadraverbs etc. No offense. Everyone has their own taste I guess. I also have a Boss GT-Pro (150€ second hand) in my rack for all the classic Boss OD and distortion needs etc. The problem with those is that they’re very rarely stereo.
2 Likes
Yup, they sure do. Personally the eventides et all , yeah they sound massive and epic and all that, but Im always left saying, “yeah but if you take the reverb off, the source sound is nothing special”.
Horses for courses. Each to their own.
I like the Quadraverb sound.
4 Likes
Yeah. I think my struggle with the more recent trend in reverbs is how the reverb is becoming the centre of the sound, just a bit too much.
I like reverb, but I like it a little bit, on the side. Like HP sauce. And I like it crunchy and a bit “digital” sounding.
Aren’t we all so lucky to live in a world where, if you can think of a reverb you want, you can probably get it.
7 Likes
dude what the hell is this
I think these two statements sum things up nicely for me… except HP sauce… what kind of maniac is eating that stuff?
I get the appeal of the super-lush/super-high end but I worry that, for me at least, my enjoyment would be a placebo based on how much I spent rather than my ears being attuned to what is really good in that stuff. But honestly, I get more interest from exploring old digital textures way more… I think there is as much variety there as there is in analogue and I think it’s a shame that very few manufacturers really explore the nuance of vintage digital emulation in the way that they do for analogue… except Plogue.
1 Like
Brands to look at, but not necessarily cheap:
Chase Bliss, Old Blood Noise, Keeley, Fairfield, Red Panda, WMD, Industrialectric,
Another vote for Quadraverb.
Having owned and sold dozens of “odd“ “boutique” pedals from all of the above, I’d now only recommend my recently acquired Eventide H9. You could find a used cheap H9 Core, then try each algorithm for free, and decide what you like along the way.
My favorite fuzz pedal is also the cheapest (non-clone/knockoff edition) fuzz I can think of: the DOD Carcosa. I bought two, just in case I ever wanted to run in stereo or if one should fail (unlikely; DODs going back for decades are built like tanks, and the Carcosa is no exception). Versatile, from a light OD sound to a splattered, dying battery overloaded fuzz. Sounds great with most things, isn’t the best with super low-end stuff.
3 Likes
The DOD Grunge pedal was an absolute beast back in the day. Would love to have it again
5 Likes
Polara for sure!! Those tails 
Also MXR Carbon Copy Delay. Subtle but adds character
1 Like