Alesis MicroVerb 4

The Alessis Microverb 4 is a digital reverb unit in the form of a rackable piece of outboard gear. It will take up two rack spaces and I believe it has both 1/4 inch and XLR connections, but I'm not 100% sure - I use this in a studio where the Microverb was pre-mounted.


UTILIZATION

The configuration of the Alessis Microverb 4 is the units worst quality, as it is pretty hard to follow. Like most early digital units, the menus are somewhat hard to follow. There are a lot of sections on this unit that I have never used because I'm not sure how they work. This being said, I usually use this to get a basic reverb sound. It is easy to get your typical reverb sounds, but it can be somewhat hard to follow the deeper you go. I don't have a manual for this, but it would definitely be helpful when learning this machine.


SOUND QUALITY

The reverb effects from the Alessis Microverb 4 digital reverb are good and usable, but I wouldn't call the effects great. I have used this unit on everything from lead vocals and back up vocals to guitar and have found it useful in a few different applications. While the reverb is useful and sound pretty good, it isn't the best outboard reverb I have used by any stretch and actually prefer a few different reverb plug-ins over this unit as well.


OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Alessis Microverb 4 digital reverb for about four or five years and while it has served me well and has been useful, I don't use it all that much for a simple reason. While the sound quality of this unit is pretty good, unless an outboard reverb is top notch, I find myself using plug-ins more and more as I have found some reverb plug-ins sound better than digital reverbs like this one and are much easier to use. I suspect that sub par effect outboard gear like this will die out as plug-ins sound better and better.

Obviously this is primarily a reverb rack unit, you do get some other effects to color things up. There is Delay, chorus, pitch mod, flange, leslie simulation (ok, nothing really nails the real sound except the real thing) and some special effects and harmonizer type effects. This is a digital effect, but clean and warm none the less. You cannot edit it through a computer, but it does have midi in/out. Besides the midi, you get Stereo 1/4" in and Stereo out. You can run mono also, but I recommend stereo, you get more out of the effects that way. You also get a 1/4" stereo footswitch input, which is Very! awesome. It gives you a couple of options. You can use it as a bypass switch (on/off effect), a control switch when you use the leslie simulation (speed up or slow down) and you can use it as a tap tempo by tapping it, or by holding it down and playing something, of which the unit figures the tempo out accordingly. VERY COOL! Yes, it is a rack mounted unit.

UTILIZATION

This is a pretty simple unit to use. Most basic reverb units are. You get 100 presets and 100 user banks to save into. They give you a sheet with a total breakdown of the effects and that is very helpful, don't lose that unless you have great memory. Its nice to have nearby when using this unit live. It has two knobs on the left side that are for quick editing. They correspond to the each effect preset and have different applications for each. The manual is easy to read and has answered all of my questions so far. Again, the preset list is key.

SOUND QUALITY

You can find this unit for under $160 and for that price, this reverb is great! Some of the extra effects (pitch mod, harmonizers) I don't really see using that much, but they are fun sometimes and I like having them there...they might grow on me. I use this mainly in recording and I use if for everything that needs a little reverb, especially vocals. But it works great for drums, guitar, keys, you name it. They have a lot of presets already edited to work with certain instruments (pretty convenient). If I had to pick, it sounds the best on the vocals, but sometimes I use it on the whole master mix and get some pretty cool post production effects. I really don't dislike this thing on anything I have used so far. Its a reverb and it sounds good, so you really can't go wrong.

OVERALL OPINION

I have only had this for 2 months, but I use it all the time. The best thing about this unit is how affordable it is. You really get a lot of bang for your bank. I also have to mention again the foot pedal options, I love it. So far, I can't say anything bad about it. I have used some really nice plug ins in a pro studio and some of those sounded better than this unit, but most were more expensive and overall, they didn't beat the microverb down, they were just better. I also had a yamaha REV-100 which I didn't really care for. All the plate reverbs reminded me of the song "I just died in your arms tonight," which I didn't like. In fairness, it was pretty hot stuff back in the mid 90's, but I never really liked that era for pop music.
Overall opinion on value.... SWEET DEAL
I would definitely buy this unit again!!

Good CHARACTERISTICS issue we are dealing with a rack simple but the minimum required to plug in good condition: Input / Output Stereo, MIDI and footswitch. No ACCS to the fuse or level inpdence adjustable ... but for the price you can not have it all.

2 paramtres adjustable, a mix effect and a level of input / output for faade with a small notch to locate the patch and 2-band charts to see if heels.

UTILIZATION

The use is a MODEL of simplicity there is a bank facility with a lot of references INTERESTED patch from which one can easily find a good setup. The possibility of shipping are also against quite simple. It can affect two factors each time but not always the ones you want: o)

He has difinitif the default of one of his great qualities: simplicity.

SOUND QUALITY

The noise level is low trs regardless of the chosen effect. The dynamics are good and above all it shows a certain neutrality is that it does not signal dnature departure.

I Usage requirements for voice recording to a table but also occasionally in effects loop on a Marshall head for cumulative effect with pedals for about the results trsrussi .

Dj I used with my Cyber ​​Twin, but also with less rsultat INTERESTED. This amp is a marvel of ct it is true ... It is therefore impractical to have a good effects loop for many Exploitatie the thing.

The rverbs are really good but can not reproduce chos bands, the time limit trs and chorus are flexible enough to even spend prcis the drive.

OVERALL OPINION

The ratio quality price is really INTERESTED seen the quality sound and ease of handling. I do so much more is because in the meantime I have invested in other stuff but it's a companion terrain on which to rely.

Especially for vocals and other instruments also so versatile trs, even when there is no place in the home studio on scne is clear.

MicroVerb 4, Alesis is a multi effects processor stro. This is the part that m'intresse reverb and I have never explored srieusement other effects.
On paper, its CHARACTERISTICS els are as follows: BP 20Hz - 20kHz
Numrique Converter AD / DA 16 bit Funds (18-bit interpolated), 46,875 Hz Sampling of frquence
90 dB dynamic. These are impressive for the era CHARACTERISTICS but compltement Exceeds today.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use: there is a knob that allows rapidly accder one of 200 programs.
It is a pure "plug and play", a 5 year old child can use it ...
Nanmoins wheel as too sensitive, it does not always positioned on a platform prcis frankly. Let's say if I choose the program 101, it is sometimes-and-alatoireement change and become 100 or 102, due to bad contact of the wheel.
So I would have given 10/10 for ease of use but 0 / 10 for the reliability of pots ... has an average of 5 / 10.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality is MUCH THE FIRST illusion because the effects in themselves, even though somewhat mtalliques are correct, but I trsdu t: n the unit ' is not silent, there is a constant background noise that I never attnuer Russi, except by reducing the percentage effect. But if we reduce the effect, what is it?

OVERALL OPINION

Unfortunately potentiomtres mix between the direct and effect, input and output were quickly uss and now they spit.
Between the jack are also fragile and do not ensure good contact. The left channel is sometimes silent because the jack moves inside. In short, it's a device that ages badly use.
Add this background noise and the excessive sensitivity of the wheel, it is not a reliable for professional use in the studio. It's a shame because the effect is beautiful, but impossible to use for recording because of background noise. It will probably rev well and live with a type of loud music that crushes the background noise. But to use classical music which contains many "silences", the sound really rsiduel dsordre.
I used it for a year, but I abandoned it in both incapacit to derive its clean enough for broadcast quality.