Digital Reverb

Digital reverb, also known as artificial reverb, is a type of audio effect used in recording studios to simulate the sound of a natural acoustic environment. The first digital reverb units were developed in the late 1970s, with early examples including the EMT 250 and the Lexicon 224. These early digital reverbs used a combination of digital signal processing and analogue-to-digital converters to create a convincing simulation of different acoustic spaces. Digital reverb quickly became popular in the recording industry, as it provided a more flexible and cost-effective solution than traditional mechanical reverbs or echo chambers. Digital reverb units could simulate a wide range of acoustic spaces, from small rooms to large halls, and could be easily adjusted and automated to create dynamic and complex reverb effects. Over time, digital reverb technology continued to evolve, with improvements in processing power, algorithms, and user interfaces. Today, digital reverb is an essential tool in the recording industry, and a wide range of software and hardware reverbs are available to suit different recording needs and budgets. Despite the advances in digital technology, however, many recording engineers still value the unique character and sound of traditional mechanical reverb units, and these continue to be used in certain recording environments.

Released in 1989

Lexicon M300 Digital Effects System

The Lexicon M300 not only contains the finest sounds, as you’ve come to expect from Lexicon, it incorporates new functions that satisfy the needs of today’s audio production. For both analogue and digital use the Lexicon 300 takes full advantage of recent advances in converter technology and combines them with flexible digital interfacing.
Released in 1989

Roland R-880 Digital Reverb

In 1989 Roland decided it was time to take on the big names in studio reverbs, and they released their best reverb to date, the Roland R-880. As good as the Roland R-880 was, and is, it failed to take any market share away from the big names like Lexicon, but it did find a home in some studios and those people love the Roland R-880.
Released in 1989

Dynacord DRP 20 Digital Reverb Processor

The Dynacord DRP 20 Digital Reverb Processor is without a doubt the most popular digital reverb in the Dynacord range from the 80s period. We have very little information on the Dynacord DRP 20 other than the information below which was translated from a German document. If you have anything in English on this processor, please let us know.
Released in 1990

Dynacord DRP-15 Reverb Processor

The Dynacord DRP-15 provides numerous varying effects in 100 pre-set programs and 126 freely programmable memory locations. A maximum of six effects can be used in the multi-effects structures at one time.
Released in 1990

Alesis Midiverb III Digital Effects Processor

The Alesis Midiverb III is a high quality multi-effects unit which features up to 4 simultaneous effects at a full 15KHz bandwidth and with 16 bit resolution. Since all features of Alesis Midiverb III are accessible from the front panel, the operator can set up a wide range of complex effects without a complex user interface.
Released in 1991

Sony DPS-R7 Reverberator

The Sony DPS-R7 was the first in a new digital effects line up from Sony, its success spawned a number of other effects using the same architecture as the DPS-R7. The Sony DPS-R7 is an excellent digital reverb that still stands up today, with its full bandwidth and excellent reverb algorithms, it is hampered only by its truly awful interface if you wish to program it.
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.
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.
Released in 1994

Yamaha REV100 Digital Reverberator

The Yamaha REV100 was one of Yamaha’s most affordable digital reverbs and it offers reasonable quality for the money too. Reverb is the essential effect for musical instruments, recording, and sound reinforcement. Delay and modulation run a close second and third. The Yamaha REV100 offered all this and is most suitable for live rigs.
Released in 1995

dbx Model 290 Digital Reverb

In the year of 1995, after years in the analogue world, dbx decided to jump into the world of digital effects, kicking it off with the dbx Model 290 Digital Reverb, a single rack size digital reverb designed to be easy to use.
Released in 1995

Lexicon PCM 80 Digital Effects Processor

The Lexicon PCM 80 brings you exciting new effects with extensive processing and control capabilities, and uncompromising sonic clarity. The Lexicon PCM 80 contains a built-in library of 200 preset programs that provide a comprehensive array of effects ranging from beautiful and lush to completely wild.
Released in 1995

Yamaha ProR3 Digital Reverberator

The Yamaha ProR3 marks a new era in Yamaha’s reverberation technology. Third-generation Yamaha digital signal processors (DSP) with 32 bit digital signal processing and high-performance 20 bit linear A/D and D/A converters provide unprecedented density and resolution, with breathtaking dynamics.