verb algorithm is that it
sounds big and clear from
clean tones to filthy. This
is more from the Robin
Guthrie School of ambient
treatment than say, Neil
Young. I am happy to
report that the “mother
algorithm,” on which all the
Atmospheric treatments are
based around, sounds more
ethereal and expansive than
any verb pedal in recent
memory, while always
leaving the analog dry signal
magically defined. I listened
in awe as every tiny micro
touch of string-speak and
picking nuance bloomed
out into little fluffy clouds
of dissipating beauty. With
a medium decay and a
squeaky clean tone; I was
compelled to play Joey
Santiago’s super suave intro
riff to The Pixies classic
“Ana.” Pure ‘90s daydream
bliss gushed out of the
speakers.
Tapping both footswitches,
I engaged the green LED
tier of Atmospheres. This
is where the Intensity knob
became useful. Starting in
the Modulated setting, I
set the Blend and Decay
fairly high, left the subtle
high frequency Dampening
at noon and dialed in a
bit of modulation with the
Intensity knob. If one is
after a Kevin Sheilds-style
intergalactic teakettle rush
of ambient movement, this
is it right here. Lilting folds
of melancholic modulation
twisted even the simplest
of riffs into a Martian
sunset of sound. Though
this is my favorite extra
atmosphere, the Shimmer
and Echo proved very useful
indeed. The former is the
best shimmer this side of
Eventide (nothing is worse
that a badly designed
shimmer) and the latter is
like a diffused repeater that
remains rhythmic without
ever obscuring the groove.
The Tremble verb is my
second favorite atmosphere
and holding down the
Select switch ramps up
the intensity to maximum
gradually—this trick works
great for hands-free
dynamics with the Voices
and Infinity settings as well.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Specular Reverb 2 has
a vastness and clarity that
belies its small footprint.
This is due in no small part
to a design philosophy that
builds upon psychoacoustic
principles rather than
physical space replication.
Strapping on headphones
and running in stereo will
blow minds. Analog dry
signal, pre-set storage and
pure, singular Specular
sound make this a Top Tone
Award candidate if I have
ever heard one. Shoegazers
and ambient Avant-gardists
can stop the search here.
This is a small key to a big
world.
CONCERNS
Reading the manual is
mandatory with this piece,
but operation soon becomes
second nature.
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