Furman RV-1 Reverb

It's very easy to get a good sound out of this one, no manual needed here... You just need to try out the controls and set them to your taste.

Since the moment i bought my Diezel VH4 about 2 years ago i have been looking for a good spring-reverb to compliment this great amp. I really don't like digital reverbs for guitar, just not the same thing... I first bought a Vestafire RV-1 which is also is great, but a little too hifi sounding for what i was looking for in a spring-reverb. (it doesn't even say SPLOINGBOING when i punch it?!?) Then i bought a 70's silverface Fender tube-reverb, which sounded awesome in front of a clean sounding amp, but sucked in my effects loop and with dirty sounds. I use the Furman in the paralell fx loop, so i don't suffer from extra noise. The limiter is FANTASTIC. That is what makes it soooo usable for distorted sounds, you don't even notice if it's on when you are playing intensive riffs or leads that need to cut through, but when you play long notes, the reverb just trails in very subtile. I have heard better reverbs, but this unit is just perfect for the style of music i play. (i play pop/rock to metal)

Well i bought it second-hand, must be at least 20 years and sounds like it's brand new?!?

i have no idea...

I would like to try a Peavey Valverb to compare, they were first on my list, but i have been looking for one for years, and i doubt if they were ever made for the european market (230v) As for now, i'm perfectly happy with the Furman, to me it sounds a thousand time's better as an $$$$ digital Lexicon,i just don't like that processed digital sound. I would definatly buy another one if it were stolen/lost.

very simple to use - limit threshold light is handy for input levels - no manual but I figured out the eq is pre send to the spring. 2 knobs for direct and reverb levels is brilliant.

Smoothy and springy! I use it mostly on an aux send from my mix with a G&L ASAT and an old tube amp {surfy} and for getting the digital sound out of my Reaktor soft synths especially with the organ sounds I can get that Hammond L-100 vibe. I thought it was a bit jarring and noisy on drums but I guess it depends on what you are after. I have used it on some light percussion with good effect - and I've whacked it a few times too! It is what a spring reverb should be.

I think it will last - I will mostly keep mine in the studio. If I find another one I would buy it just to have 2 of these around.

I don't know. Send The Dead an email and you could probably find this guy.

I bought this out of the blue at a yard sale - the lady had no idea what it was. I thought I would clean it up and sell it but that was 1 year ago and this is firmly entrenched in my studio now. I do my own pop/ambient electronic music and dvd authoring and I have used this reverb on many projects. It compliments my digital outboard reverbs and software stuff very well. I'll get that guy who modded his to tweak my second unit!

Very easy to use, just dial the knobs you'll hear what's happening! I have no manual but I don't need one: it's that simple.

I use an Ibanez JPM Guitar which is modified a little bit by adding a Diamrzio Tonezone, my preamp is a Rocktron Pyranha and for end amplification I use a Marshall 9200. I put the Furman at send and return of the Pyranha and it sounds excellent.

It looks sollid to me. I opened the cover and there where no marks of repairment, in fact it looks brand new. I'm pretty confident this thing's going to last.

Just got it. But I guess there's no guerentee on this one no more.

I play progressive rock/metal and this thing just sound natural to me and you can add little bit of extra flavor by dialing the knobs. It's a very good thing for metal or rock especially if you like a full/natural sound.
If it where stolen i'd buy a new one definetely.
I've been playing for more than 12 years now. I've used some digital effects like the the microverb. But this digital stuff doesn't sound natural and it has a lowsy dynamic range which causes clipping when you play real loud as I do. I hate that! But you can kick Furman's as and it keeps smiling. I'll keep this one for sure!

Not to hard to dial in a good sound. Pretty straightforward.

Greek bouzouki into the RV-1 into a Mesa Boogie 50+ Caliber combo, and in a different setup, the RV-1 into a Mesa Boogie Studio preamp into a BBE 462 then into the PA. Typically, the reverbs in Boogies really suck (don't get me wrong, I'm an all Boogie guy). So...I have always added my own reverb. The only reason I give it a 9 is because I'm comparing it to my Tube Works RT-921 12-spring reverb (which is absolutely incredible).

Seems very rugged, no problems.

Not applicable since I haven't had any problems.

Great reverb unit in a compact rackmount package. It is surprisingly lush-sounding for a cheap priced unit. The only thing I wish it had were tubes, it would probably fatten the sound up a bit.

this unit was very easy 2 work with just a few knobs on it nice n easy ...

i tried the unit on my efx loop on my fender amp . a g/krugger backline 100 efx loop ..inline 4 vocals and inline 4 guitar .. also through the aux send and return s on my mackie 24 x 8 and had very good sounds (but a little noisy) * for just about everything can dial in the right amount of reverb ..i have not tried it on drums yet .. * i read a review hear where a reader said the s/n ratio is 62 db and he replaced parts on it and now it pumps 92 db i was very impressed with this and would like 2 know how this is done ,and where 2 get the parts for this ,,or where i can get this done and what some thing like this would cost ?? u can e -mail me at boberoc@juno.com

it seam s like a solid unit i've had no problems with it ...
yes i would use it through a loop on my guitar rigg .. and yes when i record if iam looking 4 a older sound lo /mid fi
this is by far a high end unit but still cool .. i wish i could get rid of some of the noise maybe its my unit ???? ( can anyone answer that one 4 me ?????)

i own other furman products (headphone amp , power cond, rv -1 and never had any problems with them ....

i play anything metal, jazz ,blues ,classical and i record all kinds of music also . using alesis xt-20 adat , pansonic mda-1, mackie 24x8x2 tascam cdrw 5000 , i use lexicon reverbs,tc elec reverb s ,alesis reverbs and the rv-1 has a spot in my rack if fact if i could find out how to up the s/n ratio i would by more up to 18 more 4 the stuido for the price i paid $108 and knowing there s a way to improve this unit fairly easy, its worth it. 2 me anyway any info on upgrading the unit please e mail me at boberoc@juno.com

This is a spring reverb with limiter. Very, very easy to use.
Input level, sweepable mid eq, high eq, direct level, reverb level. Basic.
You can use it just as a mono limiter (a little reverb bleeds through,) or 100% wet juicy reverb in an effects loop. The eq only affects the reverb. Use of the eq to either enhance or take out unwanted frequencies is a real bonus, or can be fun for swishy modulations.

Connected through my Mackie Auxs, I use it mainly for drums (the limiter is nice here,) and also for synths, horns, and with other effects - I don't record many guitars or vocals. There are times that call for digi reverbs, but the RV1 is my verb of choice for a lush vintage sound, be it bright or warm.
There is some hum from mine (hence the 8,) but it's not loud enough to really bug me, especially if I crank the Reverb level and cut my Aux return level.

Yessum. You can kick this thing all you want. I'm not kidding: I whack it all the time! It makes an incredible sound when you do. I don't consider this abuse. This thing is solid. I don't gig with rackmount gear, but I would take it along if I had a roadie.

N?A

Overall, a quality lo-fi sound. Excellent for dub, although I use it for all kinds of music (electronic, funk, jazz, rock) and love it.
It's a must have for me, but best if used sparingly.

Trivial. Pure analog circuitry from the mid-80's.
Bought used.

The adjustable drive lets you dial in a Fenderish sound if you like
that sort of thing. Midrange equalization is parametric so you can
set both center frequency and level. Separate direct and reverb
knobs allow a completely wet signal that swells after the initial
pick transient. Lovely sound.

At about 12 years age, it was an audibly noisy effect, something like
65 dB S/N referenced to 1 volt output. Conditionally tolerable.

I beefed up the power supply section, recapped all the signal electrolytics, installed audio-grade opamps and it turned
in a stellar 92 dB S/N, up around 18 bit range had it been
a digital effect. It sounded excellent, too.

The fact that only swapping in modern parts made such a
large improvement tells me that the RV-1 was a very solid
design but it was originally built for a middling price point.

Well built, very reliable.

Getting the RV-1 schematic was very easy, just a phone call away.

Simply: I like it. It is the best spring reverb I've ever owned,
whether rackmount or installed in an amp.

I have been searching high and low for this Rackmount Reverb, and finally found one (thank God)! Anyway, The RV-1 is a single spaced rackmount Spring Reverb that is as easy a pie to get a good sound out of. It has six knobs on the front (talk about dialing in your own reverb tone! Knobs: 1. Input level- Controls how much signal you want from your guitar to go into it, I deck it to ten! 2,3,4. EQ knobs for flat or saturated reverb tones, I like about half way on each of these settings. 5. Output level-Controls how much signal you want to leave the unit, 3/4 will do the trick, anything more will cause hum. 6. Reverb level-Controls what else, how much reverb you desire for your tone. I have mine set to 4, this gives a fender twin reverb sound, any more and it is like a large hall to football stadium sound+. I'll tell you one thing, this unit will make even a cheesy amp sound decent! Spring reverb rules, digital reverb just doesn't sound natural to me.

Digitech Valve FX Tube Preamp into a Ibanez UE-400 Multi-Effects Rack and then through the Furman RV-1 with headphones for recording. The only problem I encounter that sucks is, the reverb on the furman doesn't like certain digital patches on my Valve FX, maybe due to the noisegate, but through my Analog UE-400, it sounds Killer! The guy I bought it off of, took it out of storage to send it to me after five years, and he said "I forgot how good this thing sounded!" God's truth. If there is a better sounding reverb out there, I would love to try it.

From Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead to people I have known, I have never heard of one going down at any time, I mean Hell, Furman makes all the Power Conditioners for most big name people, it has to be good.

You will never need them, like the Maytag repair man!

Rock and Roll (Zappa, Van Halen, Originals, anything that is cool). I have been playing for 13 years and always loved th RV-1 for an all around good reverb, and for the money, you can't beat it. Yes, if it were stolen I would buy another unit. It adds a warm, smooth reverb to your existing sound and the reverb level will expand as big as you want it to. There is an RV-2 stereo reverb which I would like someone to write about on this page, and A RV-3 Digital reverb which I am also curious about, someone write in about these.