Top-10 Reverb Pedals for Synthesizers in 2023!
Needs more reverb…
Reverb is probably the most used effect of all time. Everything sounds better with reverb and we end up having every single element of a song drowned in reverb. Synthesizers have always been craving for reverb to take their raw and sometimes harsh sound and tame it to become beautiful, lush, and pleasing to the ears. In the past few years, the market has been flooded with pedals, hardware effects units, and plugins so it’s way more accessible but also confusing to choose the best device for your needs and preferences. That’s why we decided to list out our favorite pedals to make your life easier and possibly help you make the right decision!
So here are our picks for the best reverb pedals you can get for your synthesizers. We decided not to include pedals like the Microcosm or MOOD MkII that have a reverb because they are doing so much more than just a reverb!
JHS 3 Series Hall Reverb Pedal
We’re starting off with the cheapest option if you’re on a tight budget. JHS is famously known for its amazing guitar pedals and the 3 Series are their inexpensive line of very simple 3-knob pedals that do a very specific thing. There are 3 reverb pedals in the 3 series but, in our opinion, the Hall reverb is the best all-around choice for a synthesizer. A simple & beautiful-sounding Hall Reverb algorithm that will make your synth lines sound prettier just for 99$.
Walrus Audio Slötvå
Slötvå is a reverb pedal that’s very ambient and dark. It has 3 algorithms, Dark which adds a sub-octave, Rise which produces volume swells, and Dream which has a looping function and a vibrato. To add to that, there are 3 modulation shapes that can be applied to all algorithms and add pitch modulation. It’s also a budget-friendly pedal that sounds very lush & full of texture and its long decaying reverb will be the perfect company for your synth pads! You can get Slötvå for 229$!
PS: The exact same day we were writing this post, Walrus Audio announced the release of the brand-new (and stereo) Slöer! But since it deserves a dedicated review, we decided to wait to get it on our hands and review it! So stay tuned for that!
Strymon Cloudburst
Cloudburst has Ambient on its name so you can expect, it’s made for huge ambient textured reverbs. Cloudburst (what a cool name by the way) has an Ensemble engine that uses your harmonic content to create pads and soundscapes. For a Strymon, Cloudburst is quite budget-friendly coming at 279$ which is not cheap for a pedal, but it’s a Strymon one. This one has such a vast decay that can take a single note and make it big and dreamy so it’s a very good choice for synth players who also love massive reverbs.
Red Panda Context 2
We’ve done a full review of this pedal and it definitely deserves a place on this list. Context 2 is a multi-algorithm reverb with some great modes for synths. Hall, Rev, Spring with modulation, and Grain are my favorite modes for synthesizers because they have long decays and very interesting modulation. This pedal has a very special sound & character to it so it will give your synths an extra dimension that is not your typical reverb sound. It’s a robust, multi-purpose pedal that you can get for 329$.
Universal Audio Golden Reverberator
Universal Audio's new pedals have made quite a big impression for their sound & quality. Golden has three algorithms built-in, Spring, Plate, and Hall but you can also load additional ones by UAD giving it so much potential and value. It is a great-sounding stereo reverb with lots of hands-on controls and you can also further configure your sound by using the UAFX Control Software. It’s priced at 399$ which is a lot for a pedal but if you like its sound and its expandability it might be a very solid choice.
Death by Audio Rooms
This is one of my favorites and I’m so sad I don’t have it in my studio. Rooms by Death By Audio is a stereo multi-algorithm digital reverb that comes in a chunky metal enclosure and the thing that makes it so special is that it doesn't just have your typical reverb algorithms. It also has an Alt mode that you set the Frequency, Time, and Depth using the small knobs and you can have two reverb sounds in one algorithm so you can switch between them using the Alt footswitch or an expression pedal. Its algorithms are Room which is the most standard mode, Digit which is a filter matrix reverb, Peak - a bandpass filter with an ambient reverb, Gate - a gated reverb that can also be frozen, Wave - a vibrato reverb, and Gong which is an algorithm that adds bit-crushing and ring modulation. It’s pretty clear that Death by Audio didn’t want to just create a multi-algorithm reverb pedal but an experimental and full-of-character device and I think they nailed it with Rooms. It costs 395$ which may seem like a lot but it’s such a special reverb pedal that I think it’s worth the investment.
OTO Machines BAM
BAM is not exactly a pedal but more of a stereo studio effects unit since it doesn’t have a footswitch but we decided to include it. It is inspired by vintage reverb units and embraces their limitations and characteristics by focusing on sound and paying extreme attention to detail. It has 7 different reverb algorithms that all have a very rich and complex sound. BAM offers you all the tools to carefully craft your ideal reverb sound but at the same time has a very straightforward interface and it’s very intuitive and easy to use. It’s not your average reverb pedal since it costs 629$ which is a lot of money but rather a professional studio reverb unit for all your reverb purposes. So if you are at a place where you want to step up your game and have professional tools, BAM is a great option for that!
Vongon Ultrasheer
Vongon pedals are, in my opinion, the absolute best-looking pedals out there. The walnut chassis that surrounds the pedal gives it such a vintage and premium feel but it’s not just looks. Ultrasheer is a Vibrato & Reverb pedal that is inspired by the reverb units of the late 70s. The combination of vibrato and reverb is a great pairing that gives you a very lofi and nostalgic sound. The reverb sounds beautiful and smooth and when you add the modulation the pedal shines and gives you a very warm and interesting sound. Everything is laid out on its front panel, so you don’t have to remember any button or knob configurations and it’s a joy to play with. Ultrasheer costs 449$.
Meris Mercury 7
Meris came out with a blast a few years ago, releasing some of the most exciting pedals on the market. Its reverb pedal, the Mercury 7 is a fantastic stereo reverb pedal with just two modes - Ultraplate & Cathedra that both sound amazing. With 6 knobs and its alternative controls holding Alt Mercury 7 is a very deep and fully-customizable reverb pedal. Probably the most ambient pedal on this list, it can deliver long ethereal reverb sounds where you can add a shimmer and other musical intervals to make it sound even richer. If you’re going for the legendary Vangelis Blade Runner synth sound, Mercury 7 is the pedal to reach for. Plus, it costs just 299$ which honestly feels like a steal for the amount of reverb you’re getting.
Strymon BigSky & NightSky
It probably feels unoriginal & commonplace but yes, the Strymon BigSky is still the king of reverb pedals. With an honorable mention to its darker brother, the NightSky. The BigSky is, by now, a classic pedal that still feels relevant and finds its way into music studios even if the market has flooded with alternatives. It has a ton of reverb algorithms that all sound beautiful and detailed. It is simply a pedal you can’t go wrong with. All the algorithms have their purpose and the sounds getting out of it are unmatched. The NightSky, on the other hand, could be considered a stripped-down, more focused version of the BigSky but it’s a bit more than that. It has 3 different textures as they’re labeled that affect the core sound of the reverb, a shimmer, and it gives you hands-on control to modulate and create a lot of movement in your reverb sound. It’s darker, more ambient-sounding, and a great companion for synths. Both pedals are awesome for synth sounds with BigSky being a lot more versatile and NightSky more focused and detailed so the choice is up to you. BigSky comes at 479$ while NightSky at 429$.
Conclusion
Reverb is your synth’s best friend. And that’s why so many synthesizers come with a reverb effect built-in. It expands and softens the raw sound of a synth and gives you space and texture. I use reverb almost on every patch I make, from just a tiny bit to large, long-decaying trails to wash out a synth sound. And since 99% of the reverbs (there are still a few analog spring reverbs pedals) are digital and based on DSP you could probably get away by just using a plugin, preferably the Valhalla Vintage Verb which is the number one reverb plugin in the world. But a hardware device like a pedal gives you a hands-on experience and most of the time a unique character that most plugins lack. So, as I always suggest, having hardware effects will always be better and you’ll have a much more personal experience and connection as you make music.
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