NGD - Hotone Verbera - Let the good times roll…
- Thread starter KingsXJJ
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KingsXJJ
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Lots of digging in yet to do but I wanted to offer first impressions on sound. They are good. It’s clearly built well and the finish is excellent.
The presets run all over the place as the manual indicates. Some like the Space Hanger are pretty impressive even if I can’t think of a musical use yet. There’s loads of springs available for spring lovers. The Churches are pretty neat. I guess if nothing else the variety gives you an idea of just how almost limitless the capture of IR’s can be. Outside, inside, caves, buildings, rooms, hallways and the list just goes on.
What I am focusing on now is understanding how the added algo reverb adds and sits with the IR’s. AFAICT so far, it adds modulation if desired and others things like extra body long tails, shimmer, pitch shifting, echoes.
I guess the most interesting thing I’ve found so far was during my search for a killer plate preset. The presets were pretty full and more like a showcase than a use case for me. When I went to the first “blank” patch and I just added the Plate 140 IR with no algo XR reverb, I was immediately very surprised. It sounded just perfect. I tweaked the decay, attack, tone and mix just a bit and bam, I had a sound I had been looking for for a long time. Just great IMO.
I thought maybe I was just honey-mooning so I pulled out the Golden Reverberator (third pic above) to see how close I could get to what I was hearing on the Verbera. I used the 140 Plate algo in the middle toggle position and went to town. After getting it matched up on decay, tone, mix, etc. I got it kinda similar. Sorta like how a model is like an amp. But the Verbera was easily my preference hands down. It was just clearly better. And I’m not knocking the tones the Reverberator can get once you tune it. Once I had that patch set on the Verbera, I just played and played for quite a while.
Next, after getting more familiar with IR’s and the Hotone, I’m going to put it up against the Neunabor Illuminate. I think that will be interesting and fun.
The presets run all over the place as the manual indicates. Some like the Space Hanger are pretty impressive even if I can’t think of a musical use yet. There’s loads of springs available for spring lovers. The Churches are pretty neat. I guess if nothing else the variety gives you an idea of just how almost limitless the capture of IR’s can be. Outside, inside, caves, buildings, rooms, hallways and the list just goes on.
What I am focusing on now is understanding how the added algo reverb adds and sits with the IR’s. AFAICT so far, it adds modulation if desired and others things like extra body long tails, shimmer, pitch shifting, echoes.
I guess the most interesting thing I’ve found so far was during my search for a killer plate preset. The presets were pretty full and more like a showcase than a use case for me. When I went to the first “blank” patch and I just added the Plate 140 IR with no algo XR reverb, I was immediately very surprised. It sounded just perfect. I tweaked the decay, attack, tone and mix just a bit and bam, I had a sound I had been looking for for a long time. Just great IMO.
I thought maybe I was just honey-mooning so I pulled out the Golden Reverberator (third pic above) to see how close I could get to what I was hearing on the Verbera. I used the 140 Plate algo in the middle toggle position and went to town. After getting it matched up on decay, tone, mix, etc. I got it kinda similar. Sorta like how a model is like an amp. But the Verbera was easily my preference hands down. It was just clearly better. And I’m not knocking the tones the Reverberator can get once you tune it. Once I had that patch set on the Verbera, I just played and played for quite a while.
Next, after getting more familiar with IR’s and the Hotone, I’m going to put it up against the Neunabor Illuminate. I think that will be interesting and fun.
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KingsXJJ
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,727
$299 street unless you can find a deal.
KingsXJJ
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,727
One thing I wanted to report about the Verbera is how transparent and “pure” it sounds. The UAFX has ADT but there is omething special going on the Verbera. I notice it every time I use it. Beyond the reverbs there’s a clarity present that I have no explanation for.
Again, it’s noticeable every time. There’s less of a difference with the Illumine. It just acts like a super high end piece of gear. I really hope Hotone goes further with this “Neon Glow” product line. I’d love to see what they come up with on delays. For others, perhaps modulation or pitch?
Maybe even a small HQ Amp simulator or perhaps a “mastering” pedal with EQ, Comp, Noise reduction, etc. I have no idea what they have planned but these guys are on a roll IMO.
P.S. I’ll say it again, besides the convolution in the Hotone, the Illumine beats every other reverb pedal I’ve tried. Strymon, Source Audio, Lexicon in Polara, Boss, Caitlinbread, UAFX, NUX, Walrus, Fender, Keeley DT 30ms. It’s expensive but I don think there’s another algo unit that beats it. It’s professional level, studio grade as far as I’m concerned. I haven’t tried Eventide or Meris. #NEUNABOR ILLUMINE
Again, it’s noticeable every time. There’s less of a difference with the Illumine. It just acts like a super high end piece of gear. I really hope Hotone goes further with this “Neon Glow” product line. I’d love to see what they come up with on delays. For others, perhaps modulation or pitch?
Maybe even a small HQ Amp simulator or perhaps a “mastering” pedal with EQ, Comp, Noise reduction, etc. I have no idea what they have planned but these guys are on a roll IMO.
P.S. I’ll say it again, besides the convolution in the Hotone, the Illumine beats every other reverb pedal I’ve tried. Strymon, Source Audio, Lexicon in Polara, Boss, Caitlinbread, UAFX, NUX, Walrus, Fender, Keeley DT 30ms. It’s expensive but I don think there’s another algo unit that beats it. It’s professional level, studio grade as far as I’m concerned. I haven’t tried Eventide or Meris. #NEUNABOR ILLUMINE
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