The 'Realistic' Stereo Reverb Unit

Michael Mellor

Fed up with using valuable voices for echo or want to add that 'live' quality to your Music 500/0 music and have very little cash to do anything about it?

That was the situation in which I found myself some time ago. But, after searching the market for a while, I found the 'Realistic' Stereo Reverb Unit from Tandy for £47.95p.

The unit uses the Bucket Brigade Device IC to produce the desired effects and I believe a similar unit was described in the Micro User Body Building Series some years ago.

The unit has two inputs:

1) A monaural microphone input (0.35mV 10 Kohms impedance)

The manual describes this as being suitable for a guitar or synthesiser. The ability to adjust this signal in relation to the 2nd input is by a rotating control on the face of the unit.

2) A stereo line input (150mV 50Kohms impedance)

This is the one I used for the output from the Music 500/0. It is at the rear of the unit and uses phono plugs.

There is also provision for a tape monitor input and an output to a tape recorder at the rear. The option to record with or without the processed signal is selected by a 'Reverb Record' switch also on the face of the unit. If the signal from the tape is required to be processed a Tape Monitor switch is operated. There are certain conditions where both switches are required.

The unit is then connected to the amplifier via the main output. Once fully connected you cannot hear the Music 500/0 signal unless the unit is switched on. At this point, with all equipment switched on and in a quiescent state, in comparison with the Music 500/0 set up alone, an increase in the 'noise' level can be detected. This could be annoying to the purist (CD owners particularly); however, when playing programs the noise is not detectable.

The unit's effects are controlled by two rotating knobs:

1) Delay - from 5 to 95 milliseconds (Echo time 2 seconds)

2) Depth - which alters the strength of the echoed signal in relation to the original

With these two controls the effects of doubling, flanging, echo and reverberation can be made. Like most things in life, the effects can be overdone and I find that low settings are the most useful in creating a 'live' quality.

The effects of course apply equally to all the parts in the music. Echoes on single instruments must be done via the Music 500/0.

It is claimed, in common with a lot of other audio equipment, that the operation of the Reverb Expander switch will create the illusion that sounds are coming from outside of the area covered by the loudspeakers, an illusion I find difficulty in detecting, although others can. The expansion of the sound, it is stated, increases with the increased application of the Depth control.

The manual is spartan in descriptive text, but in some ways this makes the instructions clearer. Several drawings to assist in use are included as is a full wiring diagram.

I believe that the music played via this unit is enhanced and the 'live quality' more than compensates for the noise problem.

Until I can afford an effects unit which offers a substantial increase in sound quality and variety of effect I will continue to use this unit.

Other specifications not mentioned above:

Size - 202 x 144 x 45 mm

Frequency Response – 20 Hz to 20 KHz (Depth control set at minimum)