Several of these effects - tremolo, modulated, and dynamic - have three different sets of parameters that can be selected with the mode switch. The mode switch also selects tap tempo divisions for the echo setting and engages either interval or mix edit parameters for the Poly setting. Other controls include an FX level, time (decay), and tone knobs, with the latter two also providing a second set of parameters that are accessible by holding down the mode button for about one second. Finally, there's also a step-sequencer in the NightSky, presumably to add experimental options akin to those in the Hologram Infinite Jets and Microcosm. It's not clear that it's a USP in the context of the NightSky, which is more of a studio reverb workstation than an esoteric weirdo box. The lower left rotary switch knob on the Oceans 11’s front panel gives the strongest indication of the complexity lurking within this diminutive device. Here, users will find 11 different settings that consist of hall, spring, plate, reverse, echo, tremolo, modulated, dynamic, auto-infinite, shimmer, and polyphonic effects. CONTROLS Decay, tone, mix. Tone control doubles as reverb style selector cycling through plate, spring, epic, mod, room and pad modes

This is because reverb is a time-based effect, so putting it in front of other effects can make your whole signal sound like it’s really far away. This might be a cool effect you could use for a certain style of music and some guitarists like to put reverbs ahead of their fuzz or distortion pedals to create unique, droning guitar tones. What is the difference between digital and analog reverb pedals? The expression pedal input is really handy for adding swells or controlling the amount of ‘verb on the fly, and the whole thing is in a standard Boss casing that’s rugged and reliable. The spring mode is a little splashy we’ll admit, but considering how good the rest of the reverbs are, it’s a small price to pay. First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best reverb pedals on the market right now.

About MXR Reverb & Delay Pedals

Unless you’ve been marooned on a island, entirely apart from guitar-nerd media, you may have noticed that we are mired in a reverb arms race. Around the globe, pedal weirdoes are tweaking algorithms and stuffing knob upon knob of fine-tuning power to create the most distantly spacy, authentically springy, and perfectly plate-y reverbs.

The Boss RV-6 is a massive improvement over its predecessor, offering all-new algorithms and a totally updated DSP. We’ve had one of these on our ‘board for years now, and considering the number of reverb types you get for the money, it’s without a doubt one of the best reverb pedals out there. No one wants a pedal that takes ages to set up. Simplicity is key especially with things like reverb, that is why the MXR just has three simple controls. Mix which sets the dry/wet mix of the effect, Tone sets the feel of the effect rolling in more high end, the Decay control sets how long you want the reverb to last. Nice and simple to set up and get any tone you want. Here's what MXR say about the M300 Reverb Pedal One of Strymon’s “large-format” pedals, the BigSky provides 12 different reverb effects that encompass standard reverbs and special effects like swell, bloom, cloud, chorale, shimmer, magneto, nonlinear, and reflections. Seven control knobs on the front panel allow users to instantly adjust parameters like decay, pre-delay, mix, tone, parameter 1, parameter 2, and modulation, while new settings can be saved in any of 300 preset memory locations.Here atMusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides. The Light Pedal is GCA’s attempt at redefining what a reverb pedal can be. Combining a real spring tank with an innovative infrared optical sensor system, the Light Pedal can be used to create brand-new sounds we guarantee you’ve never heard before. The knobs are a familiar and conventional set: decay, tone, and mix—essentially the same controls you see on a vintage Fender Reverb. The key to the wider universe within the MXR Reverb is the tone knob, which doubles as a push-button voice selector. Pushing the button illuminates one of the three LEDs in ether green or red. The color—and LED that is illuminated—indicates which of the six voices you’ve selected. One note of warning: You’ll have to use a light touch when making tone adjustments. The push switch is sensitive and it’s very easy to accidentally switch voices. There are three main modes. Sparse is a tap-delay-based reverb, Dense is more of a plate-style reverb, and Diffuse, as the name implies, is more of an ambient reverb. The tap delay mode can put you in the ballpark of more standard delays as well, further adding to the versatility of the NightSky.

In addition to its normal parameters, the MXR Carbon Copy has a small control for modulation which adds more color to the delay trail, bringing the sound even closer to the warble of a vintage tape machine. Under the hood, two trimpots allow adjustment over the width and rate of the modulation effect. For new Carbon Copy users, it's best to adjust these up a bit when first using the modulation as the factory presets can be too subtle. Don't Delay! Reverb is one of the more expensive effects out there. That’s because they are created through the use of algorithms and powerful computer chips. Carrying out the myriad amount of calculations required to accurately simulate your guitar tone occupying a space, in real-time with no latency requires tremendous processing power and that’s before you start adding in modulation and octave effects to the tails. There are some reverb pedal bargains out there, but for this type of pedal, you really do get what you pay for. Shimmer is an ethereal, octave-up reverb effect with a long, sustaining tail that produces a synth-like texture, and the polyphonic reverb applies two programmable pitch shifts to the reverb tail to also generate complex, synth-like sounds.Read more about how we test products and services and how we make our recommendations. Related buyer's guides The harder, more right-angled reverberations of the room reverb are less immediately satisfying, but provide a great blank slate for percussive delays and tremolos. Without other effects, short decay and mix settings in room mode tend to evoke the less-than-charming space of an empty apartment. More extreme settings, however, create very big spaces, with a minimum of additional color, for other effects to work within. We always like to say there are no hard and fast rules on where you should place your pedals, but if you’re new to reverb, we’d start by placing it at the end of your chain. Reverb creates a sense of space in your sound, so if you place it before certain effects it can end up sounding mushy and distant rather than tight and focused. Of course, this may be the effect you’re going for but for the majority of styles, reverb works better at the end of the signal chain. Enjoyment of the pad reverb depends on how you relate to the phenomenon called shimmer or octave reverb. But the cool thing about the MXR’s version is that high or low octaves can be used in equal measure or dialed to one EQ extreme or the other, enabling you to sculpt a very focused but expansive sound. I liked the effect in dark low-mix settings. But if you dig the ethereal, floating, angels-on-high sonic sensations of high-octave reverb, the MXR delivers the goods in plentitude.