Alesis Midiverbs: how do they rate?

[Jack Russell]

Well, I've been mixing for years with a Midiverb II and Midiverb III. They've been good, but lately I'm wondering if they are really so hot.

What is a good upgrade from the Midiverb III?

Seems like they are semi-pro gear and not the cat's pajamas. Am I right?

[Poll to follow...]

 

[Fishmed]

I have never used the II or III, but I have used the Midiverb 4 and I would rate it a little above average. I like them better than Behringer (not saying much), Digitech, ART, etc. I would say they are about on par with the Lexicon's low end gear.

I have never been one to get into the parameters to tweek things, so I may not be the best person to give the BEST comparisons.

 

[mixsit]

Interesting question -I havent tried my MidiVerb II (or old Qudraverbs) in years and now, useing plugs, PCM80/90's, the ears change and improve..
But getting to the point where the Quadraverbs' were sounding flat out deficient is what lead me to the PCM's even then.
But there were a few cool patches in the II IIRC. '05' a nice bright med room?

 

[Freudian Slip]

I have an older midi verb. It has the red numeric desplay only. The verbs and delays are ok sounding, but the lack of any adjustablity on the presets makes it about useless. looks like the newer versions have adjustability.


F.S.

 

[Beck]

The early Alesis stuff, starting with the MidiVerb II was great. I love these things. I still have my original MidiVerb II I bought in the late 80's. I had the even older MidiVerb and MidiFex, but got rid of them some time ago.

The Midiverb II was supposed to be uncomplicated as far as parameters by design. That was the beauty of it... 99 presets to choose from and you can focus on more important things than endless tweaking.

But back then there wasn't much around that was affordable either. I also had the original Yamaha SPX-90 (endless tweaking ), which I bought new a couple years before the MidiVerb II.

I used to have the MidiVerb III as well and thought the reverbs were a bit better than the original Quadraverb.

The MidiVerb II and III still have a place, but of course there are so many more choices. IMO they still run circles around many of the Asian outsourced budget units, including the Lexicon MPX100/110.

It depends how you are using these devices of course. They are best used with the effect sends on a mixer and their strength is the reverbs. The ping-pong delays and thickening programs are useful, but I generally prefer analog delays and chorusing.

I can’t whole-heartedly recommend any newer budget stuff, except the MidiVerb 4, which has been around a while.

The Lexicon LXP-1 and ReFlex are good choices for vintage boxes, and would be an upgrade.

I have three Alesis products among my effects collection right now... Midiverb II, Quadraverb 2 and Midiverb 4, and they are all keepers for various reasons. The Leslie simulator on the Midiverb 4 is a killer… really well done.

P.S. I regret selling my MidiVerb III.

 

[dkelley]

for a little more money I'd rather buy a new behringer rev2496 v-verb. it's like $250 and is a much better higher performing unit than anything mentioned here.

for cheap, a lexicon lxp-1 (looks like an alesis microverb but shares nothing in common internally...) is a great little pro sounding reverb unit, used for like $75 if you can find one at the right price.

for bigger bucks, a kurzweil rumour is great, but honestly the berry v-verb sounds very similar and offers similar features. highest quality (in other words, most pro studio friendly) rack gear that behringer makes, and I own and use one so I'm not jerking you around. I also own and use a rumour and an lxp-1 and a quadraverb and a yamaha, all for different purposes, but the berry is my goto for vocal reverb (actually for two of them as it's a dual processor), tied with the kurzweil, and the yammy and lexicon go for instruments. quadraverb goes for wierd fx (I love it on detuning things, like an eventide harmonizer) and also does a great ballad vocal verb if you're into sizzly highs.

cheers
Don

 

[Bugsi]

You can have my Midiverb II when you pry it from my cold, dead, hands! That thing has been my secret weapon since the late 1980's, and I'll NEVER get rid of it! For a little more bang for your buck, pick up an Alesis Wedge. Its effects are much more tweakable, but you can't beat the simplicity of the Midiverb II -punch in the effect you want, dial in as much or as little of it as you want. It stays permanently hooked to my patch bay, patched to the effects loops of my mixers.

 

[soundchaser59]

Put it this way.... as much as I now hate Alesis, the Midiverb II I had was the hardest thing to decide to sell.

But now that I've heard what else is available, I dont miss it at all...

 

[Raxy]

Does the old microverb count? I still have one and still like it because it still works. I can't say that about much other stuff that seemed to know right when the warranty was up because that's when it died.

 

[mixsit]

Does the old microverb count? I still have one and still like it because it still works. I can't say that about much other stuff that seemed to know right when the warranty was up because that's when it died.

Those were cool back when. I liked that little finned' case.

 

[XLR]

Old thread, but it got bumped anyway by somebody voting in the poll, so...

+1 for the Microverb. Very nice if you EQ it.

 

[TheRockDoc]

I have a MidiVerb4- I think the previous poster was correct about low end Lexicon.

 

[Bubba po]

I love my Midiverb II, but only for the reverbs. 06, 16, 17, 23 and 27 are just great sounding reverbs, period.

 

[soundchaser59]

Whatever you do, don't buy a used one. Alesis does not even do out-of-warranty repairs on their stuff, they refer you to an auth'd center, and then you will have better luck finding a hamburger on the moon than finding parts for old Alesis stuff.