Rabea's Reverb Shootout

monquixote · September 2023

Not sure if I'm a glutton for punishment as the last time I posted one of these it went massively South, but here goes (Keep if civil folks)

For Rabea's Overdrive shootout I commented that there wasn't a huge difference between any of the drives, or if they were expensive or relatively cheap.

For reverb it's a different story. The nicer quality reverbs on this list sound so much better to my ears and I really hear the "Zing" that he talks about on some of them. It's a source of annoyance to me that I might have to compromise my all Boss board with a Strymon reverb.

ryanverbena · September 2023

I thought there were a lot a great reverbs on there that could have got a bit more of a look in. Was clear that Bea had “that sound” in his head, which was the Strymon, albeit he used a Big Sky.

Great pedals nonetheless, lots of fantastic reverbs in the market. What a time to be alive

slacker · September 2023

I've got a red panda and a slo but I want a strymon now. Lovely.

roberty · September 2023

I'm using a shitty Belton brick DIY reverb at the moment. I think the less complex tails work better into a crunchy amp

RaymondLin · September 2023

I bought the BlueSky, but returned it because I thought...go big or go home and returned it and went for the BigSky in the end.

For something really simple, i found the Stargazer does the job well.

JEM · September 2023

monquixote said:

For reverb it's a different story. The nicer quality reverbs on this list sound so much better to my ears and I really hear the "Zing" that he talks about on some of them. It's a source of annoyance to me that I might have to compromise my all Boss board with a Strymon reverb.

I have an RV-5 and it definitely has a "zing" on the plate setting. I'd always thought that was what plate reverbs did though. The Hall an Room modes don't have it. Complaining that a plate reverb emulation doesn't sound natural seems a bit odd to me.

Rabea did seem to be getting a bit fed up with the naff football comparisons though, can't say I blame him.

monquixote · September 2023

JEM said:

monquixote said:

For reverb it's a different story. The nicer quality reverbs on this list sound so much better to my ears and I really hear the "Zing" that he talks about on some of them. It's a source of annoyance to me that I might have to compromise my all Boss board with a Strymon reverb.

I have an RV-5 and it definitely has a "zing" on the plate setting. I'd always thought that was what plate reverbs did though. The Hall an Room modes don't have it. Complaining that a plate reverb emulation doesn't sound natural seems a bit odd to me.

Rabea did seem to be getting a bit fed up with the naff football comparisons though, can't say I blame him.

Yeah if you watch the other ones in the series (Delay and Overdrive) it's mentioned that he's not going to do it again because it annoys Rabea.

monquixote · September 2023

I watched the Danish Pete shootouts and it's very interesting that they Rabea and Pete both pick the BD-2 and Blue Sky in blind shootouts despite being massively different players.

stickyfiddle · September 2023

I gotta admit I've never really got reverb pedals. I used to have an original EHX Holy Grail which I really only used for the Flerb setting as a feature effect on a specific song with a specific band.

I still love the idea of fancy reverbs that do clever things - I've had a Supernatural, Slo and Minim since but none has ever stuck with me.

Any suggestions from the group?

monquixote · September 2023

stickyfiddle said:

I gotta admit I've never really got reverb pedals. I used to have an original EHX Holy Grail which I really only used for the Flerb setting as a feature effect on a specific song with a specific band.

I still love the idea of fancy reverbs that do clever things - I've had a Supernatural, Slo and Minim since but none has ever stuck with me.

Any suggestions from the group?

I use them either as:

An always on to make everything a bit better - A small amount of plate.
A huge epic ambient noodling thing - Massive Hall
Stereotypical drippy surf guitar - Lots of Spring

It's a rare example of where I either want a really good one or nothing at all because bad reverbs sound horrible to me.
I've never found a digital spring that really impressed me, but Strymon are amazing for Plate and Hall reverbs.

I use them for recording and jamming, but never with a band other than a bit to stop in ears sounding horribly dry.

soma1975 · September 2023

monquixote said:

I watched the Danish Pete shootouts and it's very interesting that they Rabea and Pete both pick the BD-2 and Blue Sky in blind shootouts despite being massively different players.

They both have shares in Boss and Strymon

monquixote · September 2023

soma1975 said:

monquixote said:

I watched the Danish Pete shootouts and it's very interesting that they Rabea and Pete both pick the BD-2 and Blue Sky in blind shootouts despite being massively different players.

They both have shares in Boss and Strymon

Typically when anything like this gets mentioned people pop up and say "IT'S A FIX DON'T YOU KNOW THEY SELL PEDALS!!!!"
and that might be true, but they sell ALL of the pedals featured so it doesn't make a lot of sense for them to go to the bother of fixing it.

It's also interesting that UA stuff didn't do all that well when they work with Rabea a lot which is probably embarrassing for him.

Jonathangus · September 2023

monquixote said:

Not sure if I'm a glutton for punishment as the last time I posted one of these it went massively South, but here goes (Keep if civil folks)

For Rabea's Overdrive shootout I commented that there wasn't a huge difference between any of the drives, or if they were expensive or relatively cheap.

For reverb it's a different story. The nicer quality reverbs on this list sound so much better to my ears and I really hear the "Zing" that he talks about on some of them. It's a source of annoyance to me that I might have to compromise my all Boss board with a Strymon reverb.

Likewise, I've also got an all-Boss board (well, kinda), and I struggle a bit with my RV-6. It's fine when used as an effect, for mucking about with slower, Floyd-type stuff. But for most of what we play - poppy, punky stuff - I can't really find a setting I'm totally happy with. Really just after something so it's just not totally dry; so you don't really notice it, but you miss it if it's not there. Any suggestions on settings from tFB hive-mind? Or do I need something totally different?

Wazmeister · September 2023

I thought it was a good Andertons video...

I think you have to find which verbs 'suit' your ears and playing style; for me, I prefer plate and hall, and less so spring..

But, I do usually prefer pedal verbs over amp verbs.

And I agree with @monquixote regarding Strymon plate and halls - they excel.

I'd love to find a Midnight Strymon Big Sky, as I miss mine...

Other shout outs to the brilliant Neunaber Immerse II; it covers everything really well.

stickyfiddle · September 2023

I actually really enjoyed that overall. From what I heard I thought the Bluesky and Golden sounded best, with the Strymon probably edging it for me. Maybe I should try one

BintyTwanger77 · September 2023

I try to avoid watching any reverb shoot outs, as it may lead me down costly rabbit holes where I end up again overground in the cold light of day going back to the Big Sky for the Nth time, which is where I am now (midnight edition) and have been for a healthy, GAS-free amount of time.

If Meris release a mega-reverb in the same form factor as the LVX, I might be burrowing underground again, but I always come back to the Strymon because it does it all so well.

In terms of other reverbs, the GFI Skylar sounds absolutely beautiful if you’re looking for something simple and don’t need spring. The plate and spatium algorithms are stunning and up there with the best, IMO.

Supportact · September 2023

Jonathangus said:

monquixote said:

Not sure if I'm a glutton for punishment as the last time I posted one of these it went massively South, but here goes (Keep if civil folks)

For Rabea's Overdrive shootout I commented that there wasn't a huge difference between any of the drives, or if they were expensive or relatively cheap.

For reverb it's a different story. The nicer quality reverbs on this list sound so much better to my ears and I really hear the "Zing" that he talks about on some of them. It's a source of annoyance to me that I might have to compromise my all Boss board with a Strymon reverb.

Likewise, I've also got an all-Boss board (well, kinda), and I struggle a bit with my RV-6. It's fine when used as an effect, for mucking about with slower, Floyd-type stuff. But for most of what we play - poppy, punky stuff - I can't really find a setting I'm totally happy with. Really just after something so it's just not totally dry; so you don't really notice it, but you miss it if it's not there. Any suggestions on settings from tFB hive-mind? Or do I need something totally different?

My favourite for a subtle reverb is the EQD Dispatch Master. A little bit of that just adds a nice sparkle. And you have the option of using the delay as well, or turning it up for the spacious ambient thing which it is really meant for.

Also a favourite is the Catalinbread Talisman, if you just want Plate.

Neither as versatile as a Strymon etc, but do what they do very well.

Brio · September 2023

I'm a lover of the verbs in my GT1000 for day to day stuff. I do however have a Specular Tempus in the stereo loop for the special times.
My fave Rabea video lately has been his own one about dialling in drives and compression.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

I'm actually thinking of a reverb pedal to use with my small Marshall DSL combo. I mean, the Kemper effects are great and all that but I'm still keeping my tube amp so have thought about getting some more pedals. The usual suspects always crop up, Hall of Fame, Strymon, Boss RV6, Holy Grail etc.

Jonathangus · September 2023

Supportact said:

Jonathangus said:

Likewise, I've also got an all-Boss board (well, kinda), and I struggle a bit with my RV-6. It's fine when used as an effect, for mucking about with slower, Floyd-type stuff. But for most of what we play - poppy, punky stuff - I can't really find a setting I'm totally happy with. Really just after something so it's just not totally dry; so you don't really notice it, but you miss it if it's not there. Any suggestions on settings from tFB hive-mind? Or do I need something totally different?

My favourite for a subtle reverb is the EQD Dispatch Master. A little bit of that just adds a nice sparkle. And you have the option of using the delay as well, or turning it up for the spacious ambient thing which it is really meant for.

Also a favourite is the Catalinbread Talisman, if you just want Plate.

Neither as versatile as a Strymon etc, but do what they do very well.

£219 a pop.

Ouch.

Neilybob · September 2023

I know it's old but I still love this black brick of reverb wonders that is my Digitech Supernatural.

RaymondLin · September 2023

I don’t recall Dispatch Master being that much….it’s a while since I got mine, they come up used often for less than £150.

monquixote · September 2023

Neilybob said:

I know it's old but I still love this black brick of reverb wonders that is my Digitech Supernatural.

Other than one setting it's the same as the Hardwire Reverb and the Polara.

Supportact · September 2023

Jonathangus said:

Supportact said:

Jonathangus said:

Likewise, I've also got an all-Boss board (well, kinda), and I struggle a bit with my RV-6. It's fine when used as an effect, for mucking about with slower, Floyd-type stuff. But for most of what we play - poppy, punky stuff - I can't really find a setting I'm totally happy with. Really just after something so it's just not totally dry; so you don't really notice it, but you miss it if it's not there. Any suggestions on settings from tFB hive-mind? Or do I need something totally different?

My favourite for a subtle reverb is the EQD Dispatch Master. A little bit of that just adds a nice sparkle. And you have the option of using the delay as well, or turning it up for the spacious ambient thing which it is really meant for.

Also a favourite is the Catalinbread Talisman, if you just want Plate.

Neither as versatile as a Strymon etc, but do what they do very well.

£219 a pop.

Ouch.

I definitely didn't pay that much for mine, maybe they've gone up though.

RaymondLin · September 2023

Just found the order for mine from 2015 from Thomann's, it was 204 Euros. So that would have been like £180, so the rise isn't that drastic, it's 8 years ago.

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Rabea's Reverb Shootout

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