Alesis Quadraverb

Extremely easy to figure out...2-3 hours and your good to go!
Manual not needed.

The sound quality on these is ideal for vocals, especially live. It really cuts through any mix. The Reverbs are nice and the Delays..laysss...laysss .are KILLER. Unlike the newer ALESIS Quadraverb 2, which chokes your sound when adding additional effects to delay, it has softare clipping glitches and has an overall painful learning curve, routing effects is like complete circus, although it is a bit less noisy it runs super hot (touch the Q2 faceplate and you can almost cook eggs on it). On the more current Midiverb 4, it is a colder and more barren sounding unit(although not noisy)with minimal flexibilty and cannot do 4 effects at once. Boring. Overall, the original Quadraveb sounds more organic, can do 4 effects without sounding choked and really cuts through great, despite the bit of noise that otherwise gets buried under the music, so it can be dealt with!
ALESIS needs to step their game up on their processors and follow their original mantra of how to build things like they did in the late 80s.
If it was a little more silent, a little lighter in weight and had a smaller power supply, it would be a 10! 1989 processors were all like this.
Stick to the older Alesis gear and your good as gold for the dough!

Gig with it constantly. Use it for vocals. A TANK!
I would consider having a second one as an Emergency back up. But mine is amazing for a 1989 product!

Unknown/Never needed them.

Rock/Metal vocals works great.

If it was a little more silent, a little lighter in weight and had a smaller power supply, it would be a 10! 1989 processors were all like this.

I ?ve bought my Quadraverb plus in dec. 1994 in Kiel(Germany) because a guitarplayer (friend) talked about this unit.
I ?m a state certified engineer and so I think it?s easier for me to program a unit like this.

I liked this one from the first moment I get it. Connect some wires and then you can feel the great sound .
If you find a sound you like you store it easily on the last banks and then its easily to edit the effects with bottoms called like the effectsmodules are used and pressure controlled keys for up and down for better adjustment...

The manual is ok, very good are the signal-effect-way diagrammes if you are good in reading and understanding some like this...
I ever have my handbook in force to the QVplus...
So I can take a look every time I?m in need for some info...

The soundquality is some speciale...
The true signal bypass is very important for me...

I ?m using Marshall JCM 800 splitchannel heads( 2x 2205,1x 2210 )
a 1971 built Marshall 1959 MK II head and following cabinets:

1 JCM 800 lead 1960 A
1 JCM 800 lead 1960 B
1 Limited Edition 1995 "red hot limited" lead 1960 B

I play a 1986 build Gibson Explorer in white (now it?s some like cream) with black hardware and Kahler trem.-bar.
A 1990 build Gibson Explorer with stainless pickboard in cherry trans. Body made of one piece mahagony.

So you see I like tubesound and so the true bypassfunktion of the QVplus is needed.

I?m one of those people who make the most effects with the fingers and trem.bar, but I like the great sounds for clean guitars (pitch detune,delay,reverb etc.)
And for leadguitar there are good effects,too - so you can play songs like respect the wind by Eddie Van Halen... it?s great :)
Nothing else matters by Metallica - no problem...
And with the 11 band graphic eq is something like pantera or testament also no problem.

The unit has no distortion or compressor but I don?t need some ?cause distortion is made by the marshalls and I?m using a Boss SD1 overdrive for leadsound(if needed).

With the Boss FC 50 or Roland GFC 50 MIDI-footpedal its perfect for stage use or home (also recoprding).
I think if you are using a Beringer BFC 1010 MIDI-footcontroller with two expression,volumen pedals, there are many more functions like pitchbend,volumen... in realtime control

I still depend on it!
And I don?t need a backup.
I think I could make a good show cause the effects should only increase my guitarplay - if they are not working...ok
...I?m a musican and I can improvize :)

There wars a problem with the display of the QVplus...
In 1998 the display died.The display-ROM had lost the half ASCII-codes... so it was impossible to read any...
Fact is that was my mistake- LCD-display don?t like temperatures over 70?celsius... my homestack was standing beside the big livingroomwindow.
Southside! In direct sunlight the temperature of the display increases fast to over 100?celsius !!! 70?celsius is also the maximum storrage temperature - so the display would die - if the QV is on or off!
SO - DO NOT EXPOSE TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT !!!
I had never contacted the company,I had heared that they never had responsed a call(letter/email)... :(

But I?m a profi for electronics and microcontroller...
I bought a new display in blue/white negative optic.
The display-connector isn?t a standard and the pin-chematics,too.
So, I ?ve worked some hours to get the right chematic with my Osciloscope.A litle contrast-adjustment-circuit and a resistor for the LED was needed...

Private I?m playing everything shadows...stones..metallica..testament..paganinni..joe satriani..to mozart and beethoven.
In a band hardrock and speedmetal(old school)
At the age of 4 stared playing guitar - stoped with 8 years.
As I was becomming 20 I started again but harder as anytime before...
Now I would like to say that I?m playing for 14 Years (I?m 34).
I love the multiple soundcharacters and the true bypass.
I like the MIDI-function and the signal-way-diagramms of the handbook.
They are very usefull.
I miss 1 or 2 slave-outputs for channelswitching of the Marshallamps.
I started 2 days ago a microcontroller project to build a MIDI-switchbox with 2 6,3mm outputs fully programmable to every MIDI-channel and MIDI-number(0-127)...
I think it?s so usefull that I have bought 4 days ago a 2 QVplus at ebay with defected display...(very low costs) and I can repair...
It?s better than many new effectprocessors and I like every thing of my equipment and still like it... my father still using his old equipment,too.

IF YOU CAN GET A ALESIS QUADRAVERB plus DON?T WAIT AND TAKE IT TO YOUR SOUL ! :)

It is easy to use if you follow the instructions in the manual, and really take the time needed to program this unit correctly. I don't have a technically-challenged learning capacity, so for me, this unit is damned easy to use for getting great patches that are perfect for use with my guitar rig.

This is the best sounding delay and chorus that I've encountered in a rack unit. I've tried Lexicon stuff and TC Electronic stuff, and the Quadraverb is just plain better. Maybe an Eventide would be as good, but I can't afford that super high-end expensive stuff.

I also use boss pedal effects, but I actually prefer the sounds in the Quadraverb. Mine does not have the sampling feature, or the preamp feature...I couldn't care less because I love this thing just the way it is.

I have owned this American-made unit for 15 years. I bought it brand new at Guitar Center in Hollywood in 1990. I really baby my equipment, so for me, this unit works and has worked perfect since I've owned it.

I have never talked to Alesis once in my life...so I haven't a clue.

This is the best digital delay I have ever used...I wish that Alesis would start manufacturing their products in the U.S. again, and reissue this unit for everyone to use and appreciate. I am really glad I have this American version, and I will always use it and keep it forever.

Its now nearly six years since my last input on this subject....the thing finally died....started reading greek and outputting digital noise on the left out only? Haven't had the time or cash to get it fixed yet but I will say this...it will get repaired because I miss this unit...I have several Lexicon reverbs now and a bunch of other ones as well but I like my old vocal patches and I am always trying to reproduce them on several other machines.

it is what it is...its awesome for a headphone mix....

down!!

not yet

this machine needs to get fixed and back in the mix somehow....anyone wanna buy a zoom or other reverb that i have in my rack? (lexicon not included)

well.. like a roland unit.. you have to run for a master in sience to get rid with it..
it's not very guitarist-friendly, because you only have a small display and many submenues..

ok, we do HD-RECORDING with our PC Pentium IV + terratec 88. If you cant get a good sound, by placing only microphones in front of your amp, go into your favourite FX unit, and then EQ that bitch and at the end of the signalchain put in the alesis, and use it's speakersimulation/ampsim. and you get what you want. this thing rescued me a lot of times with bands, who did have poor quality amps, FX, guitars..

ITS JUST GREAT FOR RECORDING.

I like the reverb, and the chorus/delayfunction.

Never used it live.. so i dont know in livesituations..

For recording its perfect...

i hate these unchangeable signalchains, like the older FX units have and the Quadraverb has also. you can choose of 5 diffrent signalchains *reverb, 3 band EQ.. or chorus, phaser, 5 Band.. bla*
this is disappointing..

if you are interested in home or semi-prof. recording, and need an ampsim this is the best you can get for "NO"-money..

so come and get it!!!

As others have said, it is a bit complex and it would be nice to have knobs instead of buttons, but you have to balance that with the functionality and flexibility is awesome! The buttons are touch sensitive, so that helps as well. Once you've gotten over the learning curve of the menus, it's a breeze to modify the patches.

I have used this unit for guitar for the last 10 years or so. I typically run this through the stereo effects loop of my Ampeg 140C, with other foot pedals on the floor between my guitars, a 1972 Les Paul Custom and a strat copy, and the input jack of the Ampeg.

The QV can be somewhat noisy, but with some settings tweaking is acceptable. The sound that comes out and the way it softens and adds to the guitar sound is fantastic. I have been complemented numerous times on the sound, including several people who thought I was running through a tube amp. This unit is somehow so much more musical than other similar units, and the flexibility of the effects routing makes it more so. Experimenting with the settings opens up a wide array of potential sounds.

I have never had a problem with the unit from dingy, hot warehouse practices, to playing gigs, to leaving it in a box for a couple years (while I was trying out another guitar-oriented unit...that didn't sound nearly as good) and cranking it again. I have tried to take good care of it though.

I vaguely remember having to deal with Alesis on getting an upgrade chip to the QV+ for a second QV that I owned. No problems there. It was sent in a couple weeks for about $50.

I typically play alternative, usually ambient rock and have been playing for about 15 years or so. This would be a fantastic addition to your sound and a pleasure to hear and work with. I would never part with mine...Highly recommended!

First things first - it's not easy to use. Indeed, my Quadraverb had been presumed to be "broken" by the previous user, because they couldn't get it to work. By the time I got my hands on it, they'd gone over to PC based effects (Logic etc), so I got it for free. Having never seen the manual, I can't really comment on that either.

However, if you know a bit about audio tech in general you should at least be able to get this machine up and running on presets - it took me a few hours to get to know it, and start playing around.

Audio quality is pretty good, although I only really use it's sample function (more on that later) and reverb for theatre work.
I've never had noise issues, and the presets seem OK - but I only really use the plates.
Although some people think the SampleQV patch is a joke, I've found it pretty useful - sure, you only get 2 seconds of sample time, but it's been a great tool to use in the theatre - looping phrases, etc. I'm guessing if you're using it for music it's pretty useless though.

Either way, it's as good, if not better, than most of the units on the market at the same price as this one used.

It's been in a school theatre and music department for ten years - with teenagers banging the hell out of it in their bands, and generally abusining all of our equipment in general.
And it still works.

I'd certainly rely on it to tour (and have done so).

I've never dealt with Alesis, because I've never had any problems, although the previous did upgrade the OS to a Quadraverb Plus (the upgrade is still available on the net somewhere).

It's as good , if not better, than the units available new for the same price...that said, I'd probably replace it with something else if it was stolen - although I'd certainly consider Alesis.

i do voice over work. As a VOP. I can tell you. the Original Alesis QuadraVerb is a studio Standard. Yes there are many others around under differant names. But, there is something about the sound that is a clasic. i't's like compairing a Newman with a GrooveTube studio microphone. need i say more? Never had a single problem with it. other then going a bit tweek crazy with makeing that just right sound to give my voice that edge! :) i spent $500.00 bucks for it back in the 80's at a music store in San Fransisco. It's never failed me. as a matter of fact? It's holding up better then i am! I don't think i could ever bring myself to parting with this old friend. It truly is like a pair of cumfy slippers on my feet.

Like most rack units with a lot of patches the adjusting of the patches is slow and cumbersome. I love knobs to twist so much better. Why can't they just put knobs on this things?

I really liked the sound of this unit compared to the Midiverb 2 which was dark compared to the Quadraverb.

The eq could have been better but still improved my vocals during recording on my home studio.

I used mine only for home recording projects on a 8 track Tascam 688 home recording studio.

I think it sounded better when used between the Tascam and the 2 track recorder during mix downs then when I had it in the effects loop of the Tascam. Having everything going through it to get to the 2 track recorder gave my originals a better blended sound. It made everything [instrument, vocals, effects like reverb] sound more like a live performance in one room than a series of mixes manipulated into sounding like a one take performance.

During vocal recordings I would run the vocals right thru it [as opposed to running it thru the effects loop of the Tascam}. I used the 15 band eq patch to make the vocals sound furthur away from the mike.

This unit would have been a lot cooler if the 15 band eq could have been used with the all the other effects instead of with only the reverb.

One day it died completely. It doesn't work at all now. i could get it fixed but i'm sure buying a new rackmount would be a more practical use of my money. Maybe a dedicated stereo eq and a lexicon for reverb, phase, delay and all that. Maybe expensive multieffects are not the way to go considering if one goes they all go.

Like an company I'm sure they are a ripoff when it comes to support. We live in a disposable world. Why bother fix last years technology? Unless of course it's an old guitar or tube amp.

I play grunge and metal. I've been playing for well over 20 years. I own a Yamaha SPX90, Alesis Midiverb2, Rocktron 300A Compressor and a Alesis HR-16 drum machine.
Well, it broke and I'm not fixing it. I don't need a ton of patches that are midi controlable. I would rather have numerous rack effects with easy and fast knobs [not slow and difficult buttons] to quickly adjust my sound with.
I suppose I got my moneys worth with 500 hours of use on it before it died. 50 cents an hour. cool .....rock on!

The Quadraverb is very easy to handle.I bought mine second hand.
I don't have a manual but as I mentioned before it is easy to handle.

My setup is: Fender Strat HM USA with EMG pickups.I run this trough a
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre Amp, Mesa Boogie 50/50 stereo Power Amp, a Rocktron Prorax CE1(compressor) and Prorax EXH(hush),The Quadraverb and Roland FC50 Midi footswitch.The Quadraverb is a bit noisy but with the EXH you can handle that.Yes I can get the sound that I want.
But I like Steve lukather,Scott Henderson,Larry Carlton,Arnold van Dongen, Leendert Haaksma and Lee Ritenour.The Effects are good.