Talk To Me About Quadraverb (Original/Plus)

[MrShake]

Went out on a limb and purchased a deceptively cheap Quadraverb online. Waited, it arrived, I picked it up, plugged it in, played it for a while, and noticed that it was having input, output, and bypassing issues.

But for that brief evening, it was glorious.

I've realized that I love sound. As much as melodies or chords or even guitar tones (which are different to me), I adore the texture and timbre of the SOUND of a lot of my favorite records. The ambience. The overall space the music exists in. And what I hadn't realized was how many of my favorite albums must absolutely have been smothered in Quadraverb. I love the space it creates, and it was like my brain IDing a fingerprint on some of the deeper settings.

So, with a forum search bringing up a Quadraverb-centric thread from 2008 (other than "______ Vs. Quadraverb" threads), I thought I'd drop a new one. I spent a while playing mostly with Chorus Strings 2, Taj Mahal, Chorus Reverb, Deep Space Eko, and a lot of the deeper ones, twiddling to crank up the decay times, etc.

The problem with mine was that i couldn't get it to nail the -6dB input light -- it would just automatically flicker from -12 to clipping on some settings. I tweaked the EQ and stuff to lower the levels, but it didn't do much. The "best" place I ended up setting the I/O was 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock (or more). And the output couldn't seem to get a signal to the MidiVerb II after it anywhere between "too weak to trigger the green signal light" and "overloading it into the red" on the MVII.

The main reason to send it back was that on some settings, inconsistently, the Bypass function would bypass the ENTIRE signal, not just the effect. And the amount of wet/dry in the patch settings didn't seem to affect it. My amp would just go silent til I re-engaged the Quadraverb.

Hopefully the replacement remedies these. If it turns out "that's just how Quadraverbs are", I'll deal with it. I have a backup power amp that can help seed a second rig around the Quadraverb and, I dunno, an FX500?.

So, how do you use it? I'm coming from somewhere between Nick McCabe and Warp Records. Big, textual washes. And I don't think I've ever played anything that so easily presets to things I'd like. A bunch of the other, weirder ones also felt like they'd be more useful than expected, here or there. Usually the presets like that aren't very useful for me, but I was coming up with parts everywhere I set the same thing.

Anyone offer any specific settings they liked? Tips and tricks for operation? Favorite celebrity mimic patches? Most of my internet research has found threads comparing them to other shoegaze reverb units, or invariably having people crap on them for not being Eventides or Lexicons or Fractals or something. But seriously, the moment I plugged it in, it was like "Oh yeah, this was the reverb I've been looking for all along" when it comes to reverb-as-effect or creating big ambiences.

For what it's worth, my rack setup is ADA MP-1 preamp -> SPX90 -> (Quadraverb) -> MidiVerb II -> ADA power amp. SPX90 to give the sound a flavor, Quadraverb to effect it out into billowing peals of sound, and MidiVerb to give it a space to live in. I wasn't using any effects loop either, and I checked my outputs and signal strength switches, etc. But I figure now there's a reason it was so cheap. The screen lit up, it played effect sounds, I guess I can forgive the store for not catching it, but whatever, on to the next one, once it arrives.

So, please, share all your Quadraverb knowledge, tips, tricks, settings, famous patches. Just for the original versions, not the GT or the Q2. I want to go into this with a full brain because the programming IS a bit more detailed than I'm used to.

Seriously, I was like a kid in a candy store watching my fingers making THOSE sounds.

[burpgun]

Man, I’d forgotten I had one of those guys. It was a pretty cool box with a lot of options. But I found it a bit hard to deal with in a guitar situation. I recall a lot of challenges getting consistent levels when switching patches. Then again it’s been a decade or more since I had it, so I wish I had more to add.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I have a Quadraverb GT buried away inside a rack case. I haven't used it since the early '00s, so I have no idea if it'll still work when I eventually fire it up. They probably have an internal battery which might need to be renewed.

When I first got it I had it wired into my hi-fi stereo amp and was reasonably happy with the results - having a guitar pre-amp and lush-sounding multi-FX I could play at living room level seemed great at the time.

I also used it for gigs/rehearsals between my guitar and whatever guitar amp I was using quite successfully, probably due to the amp acting as a kind of limiter. It was when using it into a desk, as part of a home studio set-up, that I began to notice the inherent level problems it had - like you say levels being all over the place from one patch to another. I think the pre-amp probably had a lot to do with that, having a master volume type configuration, with factory patches set at different levels. In fact, I think each patch might have a separate output level written into it. It's hard to remember as it's been a long time.

It was a good tool in its day, though the presets may not have aged well, being crafted more for the Hollywood hair metal set than ripped jeans indie kids, but the parameters are all there for you to menu-dive, tailor sounds to suit yourself, and save.

I don't know if the GT iteration is rarer, but it seems most Quadraverb chat is about the vanilla versions. It's worth tracking down a GT if the price is right, as the pre-amp (which I think is analogue) adds another level of sound-shaping and features an external FX loop, if I remember correctly.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

One thing I will add is I was really disappointed with the tremolo effect, which never seemed to remotely resemble a proper amp tremolo. Using a guitar pedal in the loop should easily cure that though.

Not sure how sensitive the FX loop is to input levels, but the master in was very prone to clipping. Lots of headroom needed!

One feature I really liked was being able to record MIDI changes, in particular the on/off and fast/slow Leslie settings, resulting in nice smooth ramping (I seem to remember there being an audible click if you did it in real time).

[burpgun]

Thinking about the Quadraverb reminds me of how it seemed like everyone in the 90s was fixing for these rack units to be the main source of guitar effects. My friends and I were into indie rock stuff, but we truly thought units like this would replace our pedals. Move forward in time and then we had the pedal renaissance. I guess rack units got their thunder taken by all the various floor units which basically put a pedal type interface on what the rack units were doing. I do recall not having much fun diving into menus to edit the Quadraverb patches. Move on to the Line 6 M13 and tweaking is as easy as messing with stomp boxes, and you have the same or more options for sound.

Maybe the cool move now is go vintage rack. I’ve always wondered about the Korg A3, which the Edge used to great impact all over Achtung Baby.

[shoule79]

I love my Quadraverb! I abuse Holmes Plate when recording, and Velocity Reverb is my go-to “Soft Focus” Sound, and I have an fx500. So many great factory patches on there, and I’ve made some good ones myself.

I run mine in the loop of my Mesa. The hiss when run in front of an amp kills it for me. You also have to remember that when you are running gear like that, it’s always in your chain and it becomes your sound.

The volume dips between patches and the fact that I’d need a real midi setup to really make it work have kept me using pedals, but it’s literally my favourite Reverb unit.

[MrShake]

All great info, thanks! Keep it coming, by all means!

Mine will likely be strictly for recording and home noodling, so the level adjustments are not really a big deal, as long as it's not always as severe as it seemed on the funky unit I first tried. But good to know that's something to be expected.

I've heard mixed things about the GT version, but honestly, I feel like a version with a preamp could be very useful, depending on how it fit my sound. I've used my FX500 kinda like that before in bypass, so that I could have a nice even level sending to an SPX90, which seems to have weak input levels. So, the all-in-one nature of the GT must certainly have it's advantages, especially since the reverbs are probably the same/similar, right?

Maybe the cool move now is go vintage rack. I’ve always wondered about the Korg A3, which the Edge used to great impact all over Achtung Baby.

You know, it's funny -- I've always been a pedal guy. Rack stuff always seemed anti-"the spirit of rock and roll" to my snotty behind. Even in my increasing age, there's something about interfacing with a pedal that seems more... "organic"? But even if I'd wanted -- setting up a rack rig was way beyond my dinky means, back in the day. Would I have loved it, yeah, but it was cost-prohibitive in the specific era I grew up in.

I only dipped into rack stuff when my wife got me that SPX90 last year for my birthday. I'd been planning on a Digiverb to take another stab at Reverse Reverb. Decided to stop sinking money into gear that "kinda gets the MBV sound", when i could just try the real thing. So I did. "Cool! It sounds just like it! Oooooh... wow! it can also do crazy lush reverbs, too! I've never had anything that deep in a pedal!". (Makes swooping feedback whale noises for a few months.) The Midiverb II and FX500 both gave me a "Wow, neat, I get to explore more of the same!" feeling.

The distinctive tone of the Quadraverb, however, made me instantly go, "HOLY S#!T! THAT'S IT, THAT SOUND I'VE ALWAYS LOVED!". I was actually EXCITED about it. Like, amped up at how much I liked the sounds I was making. The four days since I returned it have been driving me nuts. Waiting on the replacement. I want to slather whole electronic tracks I have in Holmes Plate and Velocity Reverb and Deep Space Eko and on and on. I LOVE the unique ambience of it, and only wish I'd discovered sooner that's what I was hearing. I would have bought one years ago.

Playing around in the rack arena the past year, however, has made me appreciate what the *chuckles* "high-end" gear (of its day) can offer. I realize it's outdated now, but I see why people were scrambling to get these sounds at what now seems like silly prices. Imagine being the first person on the block to be able to make THOSE sounds. And it imparts a certain quality when you bring stylistically "appropriate" music to these devices' table.

That said, I have a modest 6U rack... and good golly I would not want to have to lug something much bigger than that to every gig along with a cab, but I absolutely see the appeal. All-in-one, great sound, and reasonably versatile if you've done your MIDI prepwork in rehearsal. (And bought those sweet ADA split-stack cabs )

Any chance anyone can ID whether Seefeel were using particular presets for some of their deeper, splashy reverbs on Quique? Those and the Aphex Twin SAW hi-hats are practically my Platonic reverberant ideal when I'm in this kind of mood. They sound remarkably similar in places. And I'd bet money they're Quadraverb.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I want to slather whole electronic tracks I have in Holmes Plate and Velocity Reverb and Deep Space Eko and on and on. I LOVE the unique ambience of it, and only wish I'd discovered sooner that's what I was hearing. I would have bought one years ago.

Fair warning: you don't get those presets with the GT. That said, I think it's fairly likely you'll be able to find MIDI patches online if you dig around.

Ironically, it seems the GT is still a more expensive option - at least in the UK, where many of them come with a full Hank Marvin sound-set.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Just for the original versions, not the GT or the Q2.

Looks like I missed that bit.

[MrShake]

Just for the original versions, not the GT or the Q2.

Looks like I missed that bit.

It's cool homeslice, there's room for us all. For instance, I didn't know the patches varied from the OG to the GT. News to me. I thought it just added a preamp section, basically. See, I'm learning already!

And what the hell is the Hank Marvin rep associated with these? I mean, I like the Shadows, but I'm kind of stunned his connection with the Q-GT causes a price hike or notoriety for the gear. I don't know anybody chasing Dick Dale or Link Wray's late-90s rig, so seeing his name repeatedly pop up just seems odd to me. Was Marvin somehow blowing minds with his rack reverb in the late '90s?

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Just for the original versions, not the GT or the Q2.

Looks like I missed that bit.

It's cool homeslice, there's room for us all. For instance, I didn't know the patches varied from the OG to the GT. News to me. I thought it just added a preamp section, basically. See, I'm learning already!

And what the hell is the Hank Marvin rep associated with these? I mean, I like the Shadows, but I'm kind of stunned his connection with the Q-GT causes a price hike or notoriety for the gear. I don't know anybody chasing Dick Dale or Link Wray's late-90s rig, so seeing his name repeatedly pop up just seems odd to me. Was Marvin somehow blowing minds with his rack reverb in the late '90s?

It's obviously a major cultural difference, but there are an awful lot of Shadows tribute bands in the UK. Couple that with the 'grey pound' effect: I guess the advent of the digital rack era coincided with the early '60s generation reaching that age where the young ones (!) had fled the nest and the mortgage was paid off, so Mr. Grey could finally afford his dream red Strat + the other components of the Marvin sound....which at the time would have included the digital FX.

Side note: The Shadows run so deep in our psyche over here that when I first heard Neil Young had written a song called From Hank To Hendrix, my initial thought was "Neil Young's a Hank Marvin fan? Who knew!"

[UlricvonCatalyst]

P.S. A lot of the more expensive GTs on eBay UK have a chip installed with Hank Marvin's guitar tech's bespoke patches, which are supposedly copyright controlled.

I can just imagine all those old guys sending off their Quad GTs and a fat cheque to get the Marvin chip, and the guy opening them up, sticking a sticker on top of the CPU and loading the patches via a MIDI dump.

[MrShake]

That makes sense. I hadn't considered the timing of the early Boomers finally getting around to scooping up their dream rig. I also had no idea the patches HM used were customized. Makes more sense, I suppose.

And that image of the sticker replacement MIDI dump had me almost spit my coffee out. Mostly because I imagine that's exactly how it happened, lol.

[MrShake]

So, I got the replacement.

Irritatingly, it took a week from the order to make it out the door at the TX GC, and then another week to get here. If I'd known it was going to be just over 2 weeks, I'd have paid for expedited shipping.

But, anyway, this one definitely works better. It's an OG Quadraverb, not the plus, but I'll probably order a replacement chip on eBay or something in the not-too-distant future. The bypass button on this new unit doesn't completely mute me in every setting, and the clipping light is... much better, I guess? There are still patches where it goes straight into cliptown, but I'm pretty sure it's just the overall levels of the stack of effects (things like ChorusStrings 2). I figure if I go through and drop the EQ levels down and the effect output level, I should be good with those.

Honestly, though, I've programmed a few patches and I've been swimming around in those. One of them's a Plate reverb with chorus on the reverb. I think I got there by modifying, maybe, the "LG Vocalplate" patch? Anyway, it's not dead-on (I wasn't aiming for anything specific), but it's a lot closer to the Jeff Buckley "Hallelujah" sound than anything I've yet been able to tweak from the "Taj Mahal" setting (yet).

Config - 3BandEQ->Reverb

Plate 2
Input = Post-EQ
Predelay=50ms
Pre delay Mix = 99%pre
Decay = 75
Diffusion Amt = 1
Reverb Density = 8
Low Freq Decay = -60
High Frequency Decay = -20
Gate Off

Mix -
Direct Signal = +40
Master Effects Level = +60
Reverb Output Level = +31 (to give it a little volume boost)

EQ -
Low = 200 Hz
Mid = 2000 Hz
Mid EQ Bandwidth = 1.00 octaves

Reverb Chorus -
On
LFO = Triangle
LFO Speed = 20
LFO Depth = 50
High = 800Hz


And it's been very useful to feed with a ringing Dotted 1/8th delay and a little Rat dirt into the pseudo JC-120 solid state sound on my ADA preamp and a freshly-restrung '62 AVRI Jazzmaster.. Very Verve-ish, with an added JC solid-state clean-ness. And an excellent all-purpose "nice 'n' deep reverb with modulated tails" sound. It's so, so good to be able to move my fingers and have THOSE sounds come out. I'm serious, I'm a total Quadraverb convert. I like the old-school "lo-fi" digital reverb sound, and this is like a "hi-fi, gorgeous" version of that. I thought it would be too much for me, and honestly, I'll probably find a dozen or so sounds I like, tweak and store the patches, and make those my go-to, but I've been THINKING about playing it when I'm away from it this past week. And that's gotta be a good sign, right?

I can't wait to hook up some old synth and drum machine gear to this thing. Still searching for the Aphex / Autechre hi-hat verb sound all over "Amber" and "SAW85-92" and the FSOL records.