Effects Timeline

Our Vintage Digital and Analogue Effects timeline now includes Audio Recorders and Classic Music Tracks to help place these effects and devices within the history of recorded music. Any errors, please notify us using our contact form.

1991
Released in 1991

RSP Technologies Saturator

The RSP Technologies Saturator is a dual channel, two rack space unit finished in anodised blue.
1991
Released in 1991

TUBE-TECH CL 1B Opto Compressor

The Tube-Tech CL 1B is an all-tube optical mono compressor. It delivers a very musical and smooth compression, preserving the clarity of the source even at extreme settings, and this is where CL 1B really stands out compared to other compressors.
1991
Released in 1991

TUBE-TECH PE 1C Program Equaliser

The TUBE-TECH PE 1C is a passive, all-tube EQ, based on the legendary PULTEC EQP 1A design and featuring a passive EQ section and a high-quality op amp.
1991
Released in 1991

Roland RSP-550 Stereo Signal Processor

After failing to make an impact with the Roland R-880, Roland went back to what they do best, affordable multi effects processors and the Roland RSP-550 was born. The Roland RSP-550 was a departure from the norm for Roland, gone was the SRV nomenclature, but only for a short while when they returned with the SRV-330.
1991
Released in 1991

Lexicon LXP-15 Multi-Effects Processor

The Lexicon LXP-15 offers a rich and distinctive palette of special effects, including 128 preset effects programs to get you started. Each program has up to five display pages of variable parameters that you can adjust for subtle or dramatic changes in the program’s sound, and you can store as many as 128 customised programs in user memory.
1991
Released in 1991

Korg A1 Performance Signal Processor

Korg had made a number of effects units by the time the Korg A1 was released, and for this unit they went all out to match the competition. The Korg A1 was designed to surpass the usual limitations of digital multi-effect processors.
1991
Released in 1991

Orban 290RX Adaptive Enhancement Processor

By the 1990s Orban was owned by AKG Acoustics, and during this time they released a number of interesting products, such as the Orban 290RX. The Orban 290RX Adaptive Enhancement Processor was an interesting product that was on one hand a sound restoration device, and on the other a noise reduction system.
1991
Released in 1991

Zoom 9030 Advanced Instrument Effects Processor

The Zoom 9030 is a versatile multi-effect device with 47 built-in effects, intuitive controls, analogue distortion, real-time modulation, and support for external effect devices, offering dynamic sound processing for a wide range of applications.
1991
Released in 1991

Alesis Quadraverb GT Guitar Effects Processor

The Alesis QuadraVerb GT is a stereo effects unit that is ideal for guitar. It combines analogue and digital electronics to provide the best of both worlds.
1991
Released in 1991

Akai DD-1000 Magneto Optical Disk Recorder

The Akai DD-1000 Magneto Optical Audio Recorder is a significant development in audio technology, known for its innovative digital recording and editing capabilities. Combining advanced technology with professional functionality, it has established itself as a key piece of studio equipment history.
1991
Released in 1991

Hit

The Sugarcubes

Before embarking on a successful solo career, Icelandic singer Bjork was the lead singer and keyboard player for The Sugarcubes. Although the band didn’t reach the same level of success as Bjork did in her solo career, they did manage to make their mark with their hit song Hit and their album Stick Around For Joy which […]

Engineered by: Ed Thacker
Mixed by: Paul Fox, Ed Thacker, The Sugarcubes
1992
Released in 1992

Even Flow

Pearl Jam

Even Flow, the second single from Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten, remains one of the band’s most iconic and beloved songs. Released in 1992, the song’s driving guitar riff, propulsive rhythm section, and emotionally charged lyrics helped to establish Pearl Jam as one of the most important and influential rock bands of the 1990s. The […]

Engineered by: Dave Hillis
Mixed by: Tim Palmer
1992
Released in 1992

RSP Technologies Intelliverb

RSP Technologies are better known as Rocktron, but for a short time they produced the RSP Technologies brand, aimed more at studios. The RSP Technologies Intelliverb was something of a sleeper, but from all reports it is a very good reverb, and their current prices would support that.
1992
Released in 1992

Summit Audio DCL-200 Dual Compressor Limiter

A mainstay of both the live sound and studio environments, the Summit Audio DCL-200 has helped shape the sound of countless concerts and albums for decades, as well as holding down the fort in many of the best dance clubs around the world.
1992
Released in 1992

Ensoniq ASR-10R Advanced Sampling Recorder

The Ensoniq ASR-10R Advanced Sampling Recorder is a groundbreaking digital sampling rack unit that sets a new standard in workstation integration. With its revolutionary 24-bit dynamic effects processing and the ability to monitor, sample, and resample through onboard effects, the ASR-10R transforms sampling into an expressive and musical experience.
1992
Released in 1992

Alesis ADAT 8 Track Digital Recorder

The Alesis ADAT recorder when it arrived in 1992, literally changed the world overnight for studios and home musicians alike, by bringing digital recording to an affordable level for small studios and musicians.
1992
Released in 1992

Studer D780 DAT Recorder

In the dynamic world of broadcasting, professionals demand excellence in their studio equipment. The Studer D780 R-DAT recorder rises to meet these exacting standards, ushering in a new era of efficiency and precision.
1992
Released in 1992

dbx 1046 Quad Compressor Limiter

The dbx 1046 provides 4 channels of smooth classic dbx OverEasy® or Hard Knee compression that are perfectly suited for use on individual tracks of your multitrack recorder.
1992
Released in 1992

Eventide H3500 DFX Sampling Ultra Harmonizer®

The Eventide H3500 is capable of creating affects you have never heard before (1992) and is fully MIDI controllable with click less, real-time MIDI control. The Eventide H3500 incorporates all the effects of the Eventide H3000-SE, plus the Mod Factory dynamic presets, and the Eventide HS322/395 Sampler card.
1992
Released in 1992

Sony DPS-M7 Sonic Modulator

After a digital reverb and a digital delay, the next logical choice for Sony was a modulation processor, and that is exactly what they delivered with the Sony DPS-M7. With the new Sony DPS-M7, Sony continued to improve the sonic characteristics of the internals, with the DPS-M7 showing even better noise floor performance than even the DPS-D7 that preceded it.
1992
Released in 1992

Sony DPS-F7 Dynamic Filter Plus

After the digital reverb, digital delay and then a modulation processor, what could Sony release next? A dynamic filter, which lacked the appeal of the first three effects in the DPS line up. The Sony DPS-F7 is suited to keyboard players more so than studios, as it generates rather interesting effects for keyboards including vocoder and synthesiser. Having said that, creative engineers could find great use for this effect in their racks.
1992
Released in 1992

Ensoniq DP/4 Parallel Effects Processor

Ensoniq were a keyboard manufacturer back in the 1980s, but their legacy seems destined to be their first multi-effect processor, the Ensoniq DP/4. Using their experience from keyboards and samplers, Ensoniq developed their first effects processor in 1992 towards the end of their keyboard era, and to this day, the Ensoniq DP/4 is still sought being after.
1992
Released in 1992

Studer D827 MCH 24/48 Track DASH Tape Recorder

The Studer D827 MCH is a high-end digital multitrack recorder built on Studer’s renowned tape deck technology. It features a modular design, allowing in-field upgrades from 24 to 48 tracks. Standard features include a TC/RT chase synchroniser, MADI and AES/EBU interfaces, and extensive remote-control options. Advanced A/D and D/A converters ensure superior sound quality, with optional noise shaping DSP technology preserving 18-bit performance on 16-bit DASH media.
1992
Released in 1992

Drawmer 1960 Mic Pre/Compressor

The Drawmer 1960 is a two-channel unit with each channel comprised of a completely natural sounding "soft knee" vacuum tube compressor and an extremely low noise microphone pre-amplifier with switchable 48-volt phantom power. Upon its release in 1993, it was THE mic pre to have!
1992
Released in 1992

Summit Audio TLA-100A Tube Leveling Amplifier

The world-renowned Summit Audio TLA-100A tube leveling amplifier has been regarded as a staple by studio and live engineers around the world for more than a quarter of a century.
1992
Released in 1992

Otari DTR-90 Digital Tape Recorder

Otari didn't just re-package an existing consumer recorder when it came time to build the Otari DTR-90 professional DAT machine. Instead, they applied the same formula as they have to all our professional audio products: They asked audio professionals what features they wanted. The result is a truly professional R-DAT that is destined to become the standard of the industry.
1993
Released in 1993

Linger

The Cranberries

Linger is one of the most iconic songs by the Irish band The Cranberries, released in 1993 as the second single from their debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?. The song became a breakthrough hit for the band, helping establish their international success. It’s notable for its delicate combination of […]

Engineered by: Stephen Street, Aiden McGovern
1993
Released in 1993

Roland SRV-330 Dimensional Space Reverb

Taking what they had learned with the R-880, Roland developed a new SRV reverb, the Roland SRV-330 and it is one of Roland's finest digital reverbs. The Roland SRV-330 is a fantastic reverb that offers a broad range of reverbs, from real space emulations to retro gear emulations, and they all sound fantastic with smooth tails and low noise.
1993
Released in 1993

Akai DR4d Hard Disk Recorder

With the Akai DR4d Version 4, Akai has taken affordable digital recording to the next level. Building on the power and flexibility of the original DR4, the DR4d Version 4 further expands your creative horizons with our new VirtualTracks and Stereo Ping Pong capabilities.
1993
Released in 1993

Langevin Dual Mono Mic Preamp

The Langevin Dual Mono Mic Preamp is our refined version of the historic Langevin AM-4 console channel.
1993
Released in 1993

Universal Audio LA-2A Leveling Amplifier

The Universal Audio LA-2A Leveling Amplifier is true to the original design, Universal Audio's famed tube-amplified T4 electro-optical compressor.
1993
Released in 1993

Roland SDE-330 Dimensional Space Delay

The Roland SDE-330 digital delay was released at the same time as the SRV-330 and offers just as spectacular performance as it's sibling. Roland had by now made a number of digital delays, and the SDE-330 showed they had nailed the concept.
1993
Released in 1993

Zoom 9050 Advanced Instrument Effects Processor

The Zoom 9050 is a rackmount multi-effects processor from the early 1990s, offering 55 high-quality effects with up to eight usable at once. It features a hybrid analogue/digital distortion circuit, Zoom Noise Reduction (ZNR), built-in tuner, MIDI support, and intuitive real-time control. Designed for both live and studio use, it remains a respected unit for its flexibility and sound quality.
1993
Released in 1993

Tascam DA-88 Modular Digital Multitrack Recorder

The year of 1993 saw the arrival of the first challenger to the groundbreaking Alesis ADAT, and what a challenger it was too, with smaller tape size, and importantly better sound quality! It went on to become the biggest selling product in Tascam's history, selling more than 60,000 units!
1993
Released in 1993

Yamaha SPX990 Multi-Effect Processor

The Yamaha SPX990, regardless of the name came after the Yamaha SPX1000 and continued the Yamaha tradition of providing superb quality. The Yamaha SPX990 effect systems offers 80 preset effect programs including accurate simultaneous natural reverberation and early reflections.