Alesis Quadraverb

It was pretty easy to use. The manual is not easy to understand, but with a little work, you can figure out how to adjust the parameters of each patch fairly easily. The basic patches are very useable. I only needed to adjust the BPM of some of the delay presets, and the depth of some of the chorus/flanger effects. Other than those minimal things, it was a great sounding unit.

I use this unit in the effects loop of my 5150 head. I use it for light effects during solos and whatnot. I think it sounds great. The effects are very strong, and the sound is quality. I'm not sure what the bit depth is, but for live use, it sounds great... very crisp delays, and saturating chorus/flange/reverbs. Many of the presets have some "white noise" or "hissing" sounds (kind of like using an old cassette tape), but when you are using it live, it really doesn't matter. I've never used it in the studio, but I would imagine the noise I described might be a problem in a studio environment. It also has some very interesting stereo delay patches that I've never heard in any other unit. They are quite unique and cool to use in one or two songs.

I bought my unit in 1999. The sticker on the unit says "Inspected, October 1989". I've never had a problem with it. I've carried it to tons of gigs in a rack, and the guy I bought it from also used it for gigs pretty regularly. All the inputs, midi and other jacks work fine. Can you imagine that a 20 year old piece of electronic gear has never had a problem? It hasn't. Works great.

Never used it.

For a relatively cheap price, this unit offers great sounds, and solid reliability. I play hard rock, jazz, and country, and this unit is a great all-around effects unit. I use it ONLY in my effects loop, though. I've tried it plugging my guitar directly into the unit, and then to my amp, and it didn't sound good at all. If I lost it though, I probably wouldn't buy another one. I'm glad I bought it, but I probably wouldn't spend $100 on a 20 year old unit again. I might invest in a newer multi effects unit. But I'm glad I have it, and I would never sell it.

This unit just rocks for the money.It beats out the gt which a big disappointment,everything just sounds better.Editing patches can be a nightmare make sure youre direct level is up otherwise if you by pass it your amp mutes.

The sound is there.peiod. I love the choruses and delays and rebverbs are pretty cool.My amp is a 1976 fender super reverb w/a jcm 800 lead channel wired into it.I use JJ tesla's tube strictly.

built solidly 20yrs old not a scratch and made in USA.

never needed them.

Whate i hate the most about most modern processors is you have to use em as a preamp.this one lets you use your sounds and just enhance it.I would buy another in a sec if it got stolen or stopped working.

Sound is very good. crisp clear and its 20yrs old!Patch editing is a bit tricky considering it was one of the orginals.manual well that something else to discussed.

My setup starts as follows...a 1976 fender super reverb with a jcm800 moded in the 2 channell.All tubes are JJtesla's,speakers are original.I ve got several guitars but i got mostly duncan pickups.Chrous is rich and thick delay are killer and besides you can use your amps sound not like some of the modern processors.

Hell 20 yrs old and it still rocks.

nevere needed it.

Its one of the best bang for a buck around.Dont get the gt version you'll be sorry if you did.Unless its an upgrade in software or capability dont change it!!!!!Oh it made in USA!!

The menu structure is pretty solid, and does not take long to catch. Understanding the effects combos for maximum processor use helps. Editing patches is pretty easy once you're into the unit for a few minutes. Editing the effects real-time modulations is simply further down the same menus - the real-time mods make this unit unique.

The unit was the state of the art for it's time (maximum bang for buck). The delays, chorus, and reverbs are very adequate (especially when used alone or sparingly). Some multi-patches are bit grainy; it's better for live work that studio by today's standards; but live is where it shines (read further).

Solid as a rock. Years of live use and abuse. Some times the program sticks and will not change via MIDI when the power on site is really squirrelly (happened twice in ten years; just needed a re-boot).

Alesis was great on support during the design and rollout of the unit - I've had several pieces of their gear, all very stable.

This unit is the ultimate Swiss knife for live effects use - even as I write this (2008). The unit can be controlled via MIDI, and every effect patch can have (8) things modulated at the same time while you play - anything you can think of you can change in real time! We run the unit using a midi footboard with a continuous foot pedal and we can get some serious change during the tune (more echo, longer delay, bigger chorus, louder, more EQ bleed-in, etc). Most new units have (maybe) 2 controllers and a limited menu of things to control.

I cannot really provide an accurate rating for this processor because I have almost no knowledge of operating effects systems. Even for me though, the presets provide a lot of entertainment and are very easy to mess around with, even if you're not sure what you're doing.

It sounds just great once you find the sound you want. I bought this going after the Jeff Buckley Grace album sound. I play an American Fender Telecaster into a Super Reverb amp with no other effetcs. I still haven't perfected it yet, but I am getting close to that Hallelujah tone. The reverb is something to behold; I even let it subsitute for the awesome reverb out of my Fender amp. It sounds excellent even when you really saturate the tone and it sounds like the guitar is on the other side of the grand canyon. The chorus is also above average. There are some great presets using chorus and delay too that I never thought I'd care for but not love. I especially like the delay on this unit.

The one defect? I can't get rid of that constant hiss in the background. My unit I purchased used, 20 years old. Perhaps a newer one is less noisy.

Made in 1989 and works flawlessly. This unit is an absolute work horse -- it shows no sign of slowing down.

I've never had to call Alesis.

If this thing finally bit the dust, I would start selling organs to get a new one, or perhaps keep my kidneys and hit up ebay instead. I spent 120 bucks on this just to see if I liked it, and it has become a major part of my sound that I'll never park with.

If you like a clean tone, this unit can add sperkle and depth to your sound that are amazing. Anyone looking to emulate the Buckley chime MUST buy this. The reverb and chorus were integral to his sound. I'll never turn on my amp again without this thing on. I went straight into my amp the other day just to hear the difference and the amp sounded so sterile and dead now without it.

A great, legendary processor. I only wish I knew more about its operation.

If you've ever used any programmable rack unit before, then you'll probably be able to get really good sounds out of this. If this is your introduction to the world of programming patches and editing via sub menus, you're gonna be along for the ride. The manual is imho vague, and very techhead in nature. But, since i have owned units like this before, I was able get around fairly easily.

I use the quadraverb directly into a m-audio fasttrack usb into my pc.

A must for any recording is good cables, this unit almost whines if you feed bad cables to it. Some of the program patches are by nature noisy.

But if you tweak it, yeah.. it's gonna get the sound you want. I mainly bought this unit for band practice to use for guitar or vox.
And yes, it's true, this machine will give you that sought after Jeff Buckley churchlike shimmer that everyone talks about and then some. IE: bands like lush, radiohead, the sundays, ride, etc...etc...

So far so good. I mean I bought it used yesterday and it works great.
Not bad for a unit that according to the startup display was produced in "1998". The unit is a bit banged up but all the functions work perfectly and there are no problems with the circuitry at all. IE: no weird pings, or scratchy patches that randomly go insane on you.

I think the above should give you an idea of dependability.

Alesis website says "product is discontinued". Oh well, no service for it anymore but geez it was only $66 bucks. You know how easily anyone can spend $60 in a week or a few days and have nothing to show as a result of it.

I do wish it had an effects volume pedal so you could control the overall reverb/delay volume in realtime like a volume pedal does.

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)