A nostalgic reverb that plays well with everything!

Since we loved the Red Panda Raster V2 it was time to review another Red Panda pedal. This time, we’re looking at the 2nd version of the Context reverb. Context 2 is inspired by 1980s rack-mounted reverbs and as I was playing with it, I immediately thought that something was different about this pedal. There are lots of multi-algorithm reverb pedals out there and most of them also have the exact same algorithms but while the Context 2 has only a few unique algorithms, it stands out for its sound and modulation options.

It has 8 algorithms in total. From your standard Spring & Plate options all the way to Reverse & Grain reverbs, the Context has a very wide palette of sounds it can produce. The only thing that stays the same is that this pedal has its own sound that’s very apparent. And that’s a good thing.

We are so used to hearing the same DSP massive reverbs nowadays that a somehow different sound might seem odd at first and that’s what happened to me. When I first started playing with the Context 2 and a few instruments and testing out the algorithms, this pedal grew in me and I quickly realized its potential.

So let’s go through the different algorithms and controls and find out why the Context 2 is such a special reverb pedal.

Controls

The controls on the Context are the standard reverb controls you’d expect with a few extra neat features. Also, every knob has a secondary function you can access by holding the Shift button but overall it’s a fairly straightforward pedal to work with.

Blend/ Bal: Blend is your Mix - Dry/ Wet control and on its shift function it controls the balance between the reverb and the delay. Did I mention that it also has a delay onboard? Well, yes it does!

Pre/ Delay: On the reverb side it controls the pre-delay (0-150ms) and for the delay, it controls the delay time.

Decay/ Fdbk: This controls the reverb’s decay with can get quite long and lush depending on the mode you’re in. For the delay, it controls feedback.

Mod/ Rate: This is the Modulation amount and speed. A cool thing about the Context 2 is that every algorithm has a slightly different modulation type. The most notable is on the Rev mode where you can blend a forward reverb with the reversed one and on the Spring, where it adds a tremolo effect on the reverb tails. This is one of the best sounds on the pedal that definitely deserves your attention so don’t skip on the Spring algorithm thinking it’s just another spring reverb!

Hi/ Dynamics Recovery Time: This is a high-frequency response for EQ and on its shift function it works as a control for ducking or expanding the reverb. This is also a very handy feature that most reverbs lack.

Low/ Dynamics Threshold: Low-frequency response and dynamics threshold.

Infinite: By holding the left footswitch will freeze the reverb until you release it while you can still play on top of it taking advantage of the pedal’s reverb or even using another algorithm without affecting the frozen signal. A great option for live playing and you can customize its behaviour even more by using the Web Editor or MIDI.

Algorithms

Ok, now to the fun part! As I mentioned above, there are 8 distinct algorithms that all sound different from each other. While you’ll find some classic reverb types such as Room & Hall, there are also a few weird ones like Rev & Grain to cover a wide spectrum of sounds and applications.

Room: To my ears, the Room reverb is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Nowadays, we are used to massive, uncanny reverbs but a room reverb can always be useful when you want to replicate an actual recording. It’s the first time I’ve actively used a room algorithm, and only because it sounded like I was actually using a mic in a small room. It’s great for acoustic instruments and has a very nostalgic vibe to it that I love.

Hall: Another classic sound that emulates a concert hall. Probably the go-to algorithm for everyone.

Cathedral: The ambient guitarist’s algorithm that makes your sound feel like it’s played in a huge, high-ceiling space.

Gated: I’m really glad Red Panda decided to include the gated reverb. A reverb type, associated with the 80s drum sounds, that’s perfect for drums and especially snares!

Rev: This is a reverse reverb that sounds amazing! It generates washes of reversed sound creating some very lush and ethereal sounds. Made to be used with longer decay times to let it do its thing.

Plate: Plate reverbs are also quite famous and popular so as expected you’ll find one on the Context 2. Plate reverbs are usually very bright and metallic due to the actual metal sheets that people used to create this effect. Using the modulation on this one adds a stereo chorus that cab get quite detuned and sounds great for dreamy indie riffs!

Spring: I was never a big fan of Spring reverb but this one with the tremolo effect added with the modulation knob is awesome. Reverb & Tremolo is an amazing combo that not many people use so that’s the only way I used this algorithm. A very rhythmic and fun effect to experiment with!

Grain: Last but not least, my favorite algorithm on this pedal. The Grain algorithm is modeled after the granular reverb on the Ursa Major SST-282 Space Station which is an iconic effects unit from the late 70s. It uses multi-tap delays to create a granular effect and sounds very ambient and rich. By also adding modulation the sounds smear and almost sounds like a dark shimmer reverb.

Delay: As a bonus, the Context 2 also has a plain but handy delay with Time & Feedback controls that you can blend with its reverb using shift + the blend knob. It’s a 0-1200ms clean delay, so if you don’t happen to have a separate delay pedal, it’s a great option to have!

Overall Experience

Contect 2 is a very well-made, feature-packed reverb pedal with a character of its own. The intention of creating an 80s-inspired pedal is not just a promotional & branding statement cause in reality, it actually sounds different from most reverb pedals. Most algorithms sound very natural and resemble a physical recording of a reverb and it feels a bit hollow and reflective. So if you expect something like a Big Sky with pristine, flawless quality and huge otherwordly algorithms, this is not it.

It’s clear that Red Panda took a lot of time fine-tuning each algorithm, making sounds as a real reverb, and because we are so used to listening to digitally created and huge reverbs, it may make you feel weird about it at first. At least, that’s what happened to me. But spending some time with it is definitely rewarding and you can discover a lot of great sounds and settings.

And while there are already a lot of modes pre-set for you, there is a lot of room for tweaking to create a specific type of effect you’ll enjoy. And the many modes also give a ton of flexibility for different instruments or songs. From a tiny spring reverb to brighten up vocals to an extreme, long modulated granular reverb for ambient synth pads.

Conclusion

Red Panda is known for its weird experimental pedals like the Tensor & the Particle but the Context 2 is probably their most straightforward pedal. A multi-purpose reverb with a lot of functionalities and great-sounding algorithms that are more than enough to cover your reverb needs on a pedalboard. And having a certain tone and character is always a good thing. If let’s say compare this to a Hall of Fame 2 that also has a ton of modes, you’ll quickly see that they are two completely different pedals. While the HoF 2 is an amazing budget reverb, the Context 2 has its own sound and a lot of features to program it and make work exactly as you want to. The only thing I would probably do would be to swap the delay for an LFO, like in the Raster V2, to control modulation and the other controls. That would maybe overcomplicate the pedal but at the same time, you would be able to create extra weird effects with it. Maybe on the Context 3?

To conclude, the Context 2 is a great choice for everyone. It’s a Swiss-army type of reverb that sounds great and can be used both in the studio and live easily and reliably so I would definitely recommend checking it out and finding out if it’s for you!