Up to $1000 Reverb Rack Mount

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up-fiddler

up-fiddler

Taming the World--for now
OK - So my old Vestax verb unit just died. I have had it since 1989 and put LOTs of miles on it but now it is crapping out bigtime. What I want is advice from users of rack mount verb units that I can get for under $1000. Tell me how easy it is to use and, more importantly how it sounds on the aux effects bus. Thanks in advance, Dave. aka up-fiddler
 
EBAY - find an old PCM80 or PCM90 for well under 1000. Or, Pick the newer PCM81 and PCM91 for around a 1000.... I swear by Lexicon, best reverb I've ever used. I have a PCM80 it cost me 1200 Canadian (40% Exchange Rate :)) on EBAY about 3 years ago...they've dropped since then..
 
ido1957 said:
EBAY - find an old PCM80 or PCM90 for well under 1000. Or, Pick the newer PCM81 and PCM91 for around a 1000.... I swear by Lexicon, best reverb I've ever used. I have a PCM80 it cost me 1200 Canadian (40% Exchange Rate :)) on EBAY about 3 years ago...they've dropped since then..
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+1, I agree 100%,

I have seen the PCM81 and PCM91 for $1000 or less. I have a PCM81 and I would love to get a second one or a PCM91. (Actually I want both :D)
 
I agree also, BUT...

Even the Lexicon MX series are VERY nice reverb units PLUS. They are considered multi fx, which may not be what you are looking for. I have an MX 200 and an LXP 15 II (maybe a bit over the top) and they are both great units in my rig.
 
Lots of personal taste preference in selecting reverbs. You might also consider the Kurzweil Rumour. Primarily a verb box, although it does have other effects. Essentially the 2 channel version of the KSP-8 without all the other effects that are grouped in the companion 2 channel Mangler.

Not as "lush" as Lexicon, but again, that is personal taste. I have both a Lexi and the Kurzweil and there is plenty of use for both.

Finally, if you want true spring reverb, there is the Demeter RV1 Real Reverb which is based on two accutronics spring tanks with three springs each. I don't have one of these yet, but it is on the list.
 
Thanks much

I am headed to the dreaded ebay waters for a swim.:( Is there anyone else who wants to chime in? Dave - aka up-fiddler
 
I'm in the same boat. I've been looking for a good hardware reverb for under $1000. Watching ebay and gearslutz classifieds. Used lexicons are one great option, as has already been noted. I decided to go with a Kurzweil Rumour. It should be here in a couple of days. Can't wait to try it out. I know some day, I'm going to get a Lexicon (really wanted the PCM96), but a bit too pricey at the moment (we are in a recession). From what I can gather, the Kurzweil is a great bang for the buck in terms of reverb. I'll try to make it back for a review after I've had a chance to use it for awhile. By then you'll probably already have decided what to get.:D
 
roland 330 is great for authentic (good enough for classical music). sony made some great units that are used in that price range.

I just picked up an ibanez sdr-1000 for $120 LoL, it's made by sony, early true stereo digital reverb.... absolutely amazing piece. incredible verb, I can't believe the low prices of these things. getting so close to being in the league of pcm series, and to me better than the lexicon lower range stuff unless you are specifically looking for the lexicon random tails (gives that shimmery thing that only lexis give).

so you don't need to go nearly that expensive, but the other recommendations are great above too. just saying how well you can do for much less, I'm going to be trying the ibanex/sony box in a commercial track next week on lead vocals (just to see if it sits as well as it seems to in my initial personal track tests).
 
but yea, those pcm recommendations are 100% on the nose by the way if you want the greatest of the most common standards in the industry. along with a few sony and roland units that's about it off the top of my head for high end units.
 
I should clarify my last post... there are several other amazing high end units but I'm not getting into that territory here.

for cheap and still great sounding - rumor, used behringer rev2496 (discontinued, great, cheap), but the pcm ones will generally sound better than either the rumor or the berry unit. nicer tails, smoother overall.

I bought a lexicon alex for $40 without psu. it's amazing. running it off my alesis drum machine's psu (same thing, 1 amp 9vac, although the alesis psu does put out quite a bit more than 9vac for what it's worth...).

you CAN do great verbs for almost nothing. the alex on some settings (gold plate in particular) is incredible, sounds pretty damn similar to an older lexi pcm I use sometimes. I mean... VERY similar...

sometimes shopping around and getting lucky and being willing to experiment can give great results - I've been lucky that way recently.

rev5 and rev7 yamahas are nice as someone mentioned, although not in pcm territory to my ears, but very nice all the same. one of those has the removal remote control front - very cool, but also very frustrating if it's wearing out. I've only removed the front off one of those at a studio and the owner freaked out.. turns out it's fine when on the unit but removed something goes wrong, dying connection somewhere, and voila some buttons don't work. put it back on, fiddle with it for half an hour, fine again. I got my scolding... now I know. funny thing about those units though. apparently I'm not the first to experience that issue with that model, although I'm sure there are units that work perfectly too.

any of these units will be great I think for what you're looking for. all sound slightly different though.

Cheers,
Don
 
Is it really worth the extra cash on a PCM, etc? 1000 USD used seems a lot of money, especially when you consider that a lot of music these days doesn't really have that much 'verb in it. And there are a lot of options to be had in the 300/400 USD bracket...

Not being a troll, just wondering if spending that kind of money on a reverb these days is truly justified.
 
yairisan said:
Is it really worth the extra cash on a PCM, etc? 1000 USD used seems a lot of money, especially when you consider that a lot of music these days doesn't really have that much 'verb in it. And there are a lot of options to be had in the 300/400 USD bracket...

Not being a troll, just wondering if spending that kind of money on a reverb these days is truly justified.
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Good Qestion. If you have the BETTER reverb units and use them right, you are able to put reverb on things and not have them become the focal point of the mix. They will have better transparency; which to me, is a very good thing. If it is a bad reverb or a reverb used poorly, it will sound artificial and stick out like a sore thumb.
 
For now....

....I ended up with a Lexi MPX500. It is serviceable and will buy me some time until I can try other units and make a new purchase. The price was right ($130) and it will get me through the next couple of projects with no down time. Thanks to all for their input. Dave aka up-fiddler
 
up-fiddler said:
....I ended up with a Lexi MPX500. It is serviceable and will buy me some time until I can try other units and make a new purchase. The price was right ($130) and it will get me through the next couple of projects with no down time. Thanks to all for their input. Dave aka up-fiddler
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Nice score. I used to have one of those and it sounded great for what it was. Can't beat that price either.
 
nice.

as a matter of course, one doesn't need a pcm to add subtle almost invisible verb to lots of tracks and make it improve the mix as described above.

lots of very good older lower end units can do that well, but it takes much more work.

not default settings on cheaper units generally sound like magic, you need to work with them to get there more.

it can be done though.

enjoy that unit - I almost got one myself (mpx500) but missed the boat. very very nice from what I've heard recently.
 
dkelley said:
nice.

as a matter of course, one doesn't need a pcm to add subtle almost invisible verb to lots of tracks and make it improve the mix as described above.

lots of very good older lower end units can do that well, but it takes much more work.

not default settings on cheaper units generally sound like magic, you need to work with them to get there more.

it can be done though.
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Great post...totally agree. It takes a more work, and you can't push the low-end units hard, but it can definitely be done.

Frank
 
dkelley said:
I just picked up an ibanez sdr-1000 for $120 LoL, it's made by sony, early true stereo digital reverb.... absolutely amazing piece. incredible verb, I can't believe the low prices of these things. getting so close to being in the league of pcm series, and to me better than the lexicon lower range stuff unless you are specifically looking for the lexicon random tails (gives that shimmery thing that only lexis give).
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These things were like $1500 or so back in the day when they were introcduced, around 1987 I believe. I can't believe what an under the radar unit these are, we have three of them. One of them is the SDR1000+ which has a few more algorthyms. For what they go for today, you can't go wrong. The Sony R-7 is another decent cheap verb, though more expensive and harder to find than the Ibanez. The R-7 is one my favorites.
 
cool. yea I'm loving mine more and more every day. that plus an old lexi alex I picked up for $40 (needed a psu, using the one from my alesis drum machine ;-), both of those units have raised the standard of reverbs in my home studio incredibly. I've always managed to make units work though. I borrow a nice higher end yamaha unit often, but honestly now I don't think I'll need to any longer. I had a behringer v-verb for a long time, great great unit, don't have it now but it was good definitely. however not AS good as either of these two uber cheap units.

and that's the surprise to me. I love the ibanez.

now SHHHH... don't be spreading the word k guys? keep the prices low on these units!

Don
 
dkelley said:
now SHHHH... don't be spreading the word k guys? keep the prices low on these units!

Don
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I had an SDR 100 years ago, and really did not know what I had (still looking for my sound then). Thanks Don for convincing me to try it again. I was able to pick one up off Ebay and just got it today. I fired it up and my tastes have surely matured. I am digging it!

The Ensoniq DP Pro is another great <$1000 effects unit.
 
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