Anytime I bought a piece of gear for tonal flexibility in the past, I ended up using only the sounds I like the most anyway. So now, I prefer quality over flexibility. Having a pedal that does one sound really really good inspires me more than having thousands of options I don't need. Somehow this even makes me value the pedal more, because it's that "one secret weapon for that particular sound". The carbon copy is a good example. It's a simple analog delay and there's nothing really fancy about it. But I love that modulated analog delay to pieces.
Flexibility = all the infinitely variable adjustable 10:13 tone tweaks for the tone freak and his irate neighbor. Along with everyone else who are finicky players. To each his own I found my tone. What works for you?
Thanks for the review! I like that you used several different guitars. I also appreciate your honesty in describing the product. Can't believe the limited or lack of presets. The sound though, is incredible.
Really great info and very helpful video. Your playing and those tone samples sound beautiful! This a good reference for comparing and setting up sounds with any reverb pedal. Thanks!
One of the best vids I've seen on this, thank you!! 9:48 you hit the nail on the head. I'm searching for a new verb pedal right now. The Collider just doesn't do it for me, but I also love big ambient washy stuff playing at home. I think I'm going to go with 2 verb pedals. The Golden for my meat and potatoes reverbs and the new Cloudburst for my ambient oohs and ahhs at home.
I was impressed with your review. I dig your playing & by that it’s no surprise, you chose tone over some flexibility with this pedal, you are spot on. You can’t have it all, I always chose tone first, even if nobody else notices.
Excellent demo and I love you sensible points about tone quality. Your playing is absolutely superb and you clearly value your gear allowing the voice of the instrument to shine. The audience may not hear or appreciate the last 10% of tone, but when you are inspired as a player, they benefit from your musicality and interpretation through your music. Color me a new subscriber to your channel sir!
Couldn't agree more,Kris.For me it has always been quality tone and the pure simplicity of all taste in anything artistic, including music, so I guess many don't realise that having that "great" gear is never about status symbols and expensive vintage paraphernalia. It's, as you said in the video, for the individual artists satisfaction, because we all know that good sound rewards you with inspiration and the security that comes from knowing that whatever note you play, it will sound awesome. I was often ridiculed for taking two hundred watt Marshalls in stereo into two 2/12's with analogue stereo echo, when the gig was for a singles old time dine and dance. But thru the night I could enjoy what was otherwise a boring gig, by playing softly with beaucoup headroom and a warm stereo field to enjoy many pop or jazz solo romps that would not be welcome in a more formal " music industry targeted" rock situation. With a cool sound(to your own ear) you can as you point out be inspired to do something original and beautiful being happy in yourself.I call it enlightened self interest.
I love every single thought in your comment. I used to play 4 hours long cover shows every weekend twice for over 12 years. I would’ve hated it if I wasn’t taking sweet gear to these gigs. Not to impress anyone. Just to have a good time and enjoy my playing and tone every single night. 👍
Really nice playing and an interesting video! And your impressions seem to reflect mine as I found myself considering getiing one to function solely as my outboard equipment for the mixing consoles I am working on and which frequently do not feature studio quality reverbs (and there are some in this category). All the best!
I'm consistently amazed at the spectacular sounding verbs this pedal produces, it's quality construction, compact size and simple usable features. I don't need anything more than exquisite tone. The buck stops here.
Thank you for this great demo. I’ve been looking for a new reverb as I’m not sold in the HOF I have at present. It’s for blues, so spring and plate are top of the list. Like you I’m finding less is more. The only reason I’ve not sold my Timeline delay is the cost of doing so. But it drives me nuts, I just don’t use it’s features. This reverb has just shot to the top of my wish list. 👍
I’m considering buying a reverb pedal so I need to do my research. Your video has raised some excellent points and questions to consider. Thanks for some great guidance.
Hi I just purchased the Golden, its seriously good if your after pure studio class verb then this is it. I tied about 8-9 different verbs over the last month & the golden has elevated my entire tone its simply unbelievable how good it is . If you cannot try before you by don't worry it the best. The ambient spring is something else in fact I could not find a bad sound out of it its just breath taking, hope this helps.
Lovely video with great playing. The reverb sounds are wonderful. I think your views are spot on. I own a universal audio starlight delay and many of the points you make also apply to the starlight (which I can thoroughly recommend). Tonal quality is far more important to me than loads of options.
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate that. Yeah the Starlight is as crazy as this one. We have one in the Thomann studio and I can’t stop playing it. Haha
Totally agree. I have the Starlight and, while not the most versatile delay, it just sounds SO GOOD. I’m addicted to the growl (purr?) of the preamp knob. Like the old Echoplex preamp. It’s become a part of my sound.
I played it, i bought it. The Effekt sounds amazing and the tone are so realistic compare to my guitar. I played on the same Setup Fender Deluxe Reverb amp and a Gibson LP and the Big Sky, Blue Sky and Fender Reflecting Pool Delay Reverb. The other one sounds like a tin. So much volume. But the price is really high. but for me it is that pedal without Hype. I going to my music store. ask the employee: "can you show me reverb pedals" and i am in love. Greets from Germany. Very good Videos.
Tone is king. I have it and its definitely the best sounding reverb pedal out there. Its all about the sound. I don't' think most people realize how much work and expertise UA puts into their modeling. It's in a class above anyone else in the game by a long margin and as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Just listen to the spring which is one of the hardest things to model. They nailed it
Good review and demo. I have a messa cali tweed & disappointed in the reverb. This is a much better tone and I like the control as well as the simplicity. Thanks
I would rather have 2 awesome sounding reverbs than 100 good ones….The plate settings and the Lexicon Reverbs are totally worth it to me……this is the biggest,fattest,most detailed reverb I have ever owned…..and I have owned the Big Sky’s,Eventide’s,etc……Love it..
It doesn't necessarily need more tonal features, but it would be nice if the sound options in pedals like the UAFX and Keeley pedals were MIDI switchable. It has great sounds, but they are hard to reach in live situations.
This is the only pedal that nails spring reverb. A tiny number of other pedals -- the older TC Electronic Nova Reverb, the Catlinbread Topanga, and the Source Audio True Spring -- were very close, but this one instantly made them obsolete.
100% in the 'tone over features' camp. I know that once I find a good sound in a pedal, that's pretty much where it will stay. Sometimes that's not necessarily a good thing. I have a Walrus Slö and Old Blood Noise Mimic and imo it's impossible to get a bad sound out of them, but I leave them on the same settings because I know those sounds will always inspire me. There may be a day when they don't, and only then would I mess with them again. However, I'm not a professional musician by any means and I can see why something like a Big Sky would work, if you need several distinct sounds from one type of pedal. Sure, it's big and complicated to set up (I think) but it's more compact than having 5-10 different reverb pedals, all with different settings. Even then, I would prefer to have dedicated pedals because they're all so pretty... I could probably have a board with nothing but reverbs for different textures. Slö and Mimic already present, can't wait to add a Dark Star to my board. Very tasteful playing as always, Kris!
It's universal audio of course it's going to be killer quality. It's great to have approx 6 control that your really going to use a lot that's straight forward laid out instead of a million that won't get used and lead to confusion especially live or is a fast studio session environment.
I had a reverb with 1 million functions but trade it for this one. Like you said, i never used those possibilities. But I needed the timeline delay because, I need more options and banks etc.
I’m not a fan of the Flint‘s reverb tones either. The tremolo sounds great but the verbs don’t sound or feel real. The Golden is very different. Best plate and spring reverb emulation I’ve ever heard. And it’s not just the tone, these actually feel authentic. Clear recommendation.
I had the Source Audio Collider, and just found it had too many moving parts, a lot of stuff I never used and most importantly, I just found it unsatisfying that half the time I was playing, the knobs didn't indicate what sounds the pedal was creating. When you're at rehearsal and the wet effects are a bit off and you've got 20 seconds to adjust while the rest of the band is ready to start the song over again while making various noises, simplicity and transparency is key. The Golden's got top notch sound quality and easy-to-use interface for those who mainly use the tried and true classic types of verb.
When you reharsal , reverb is not an option. You don't record guitars with reverb that you cannot adjust later, it is a postproduction business. Furthermore, even if you did, you want to fix the reverb you have been using, and the Golden has no presets nor any indication of values in use. It is the worst possible companion live and reharsing. It is good only at home or while playing with friends. I have returned mine. Get an Eventide H9 if you want something professional.
Even it's a one year old video... I think you made the right statement. I need a real good spring reverb for surf sound and that's it. And no, i don't want to move around my Spring Reverb Tanks to every rehearsal or gig. I'm chasing pedals for years for this. I don't need bells and whistles and a pedal wich doesn't need a 2 weeks course to dial in a usable sound. I tried pedals like the Source Audio True Spring, yes it does the job, but too many functions on too less knobs. After 2 weeks i forgot how to press some buttons simultaneously to go to a different settings level. I think it's worth to sell some "half useful" pedals and get the one wich does one job 👍 right.
The Fender Spring Reverb tank (original, from the 60’s) is not quite as good as the reverb in a Fender amp (also original, from the 60’s). The tank is before the preamp, not after as God intended.
Thank you I liked this very much thanks for your work on this. I am thinking of getting this pedal or the Strymon Flint. I think I prefer the Golden because it sounds great. I am looking for great tone and want something simple. Some of the other super reverbs do have a lot of features but it is as you said will I ever use those features, and for me that is no. I have a Big Sky and while it sounds good getting the sound I want out of it is way too cumbersome looking through menus and all that just frustrates me to no end. Just give me great sound that is easy is what I am looking for.
I’m pretty sure you’ll love the Golden, you seem to approach reverbs the same way as I do. Best possible tone, least amount of menus and hidden knob features. 😅👍
That 335 of yours IS Golden ! What a tone… I particularly liked the Room setting: some depth, but not too much: very realistic. The large hall is nice too :) The tone is great, but what else can you expect from UA…? Cheers Kris
Thanks a lot Rene, it’s an ES-330L though, so it’s full hollow. And you’re right, it’s a magical thing, it’s growing on me more and more every day. Haha!
The work and research put into this pedal is as legendary as universal audio’s legacy and heritage. It’s the “Quality over Quantity” Equation... So you decide !!!
I feel like I'm more willing to compromise slightly with delays: I bought the Empress Echosystem for its variety (still sounds better than a Timeline, in my opinion), but I'm much less willing with reverbs. The Echosystem is a great pairing with the Golden
Same combo. Any favorite settings between the two you care to share? Debating whether or not I’ll keep the Golden though as I’m not sure it really gets too ambient.
Haha, yeah same here. This video is not at all new and I still use the Golden all the time. It's incredible, I actually prefer it to real spring reverbs which is not something I thought I'll ever say.
@@KrisBarocsi Mine came in today. Tried it with a strat on a fender 68 deluxe reverb for a few min. Totally agree! This is better than the actual spring reverb.. I'm a big fain of plate reverb, and I'm really digging it. adds so much depth but doesn't sound processed/digital at all.
Hey Chris, thank you so much for all your great videos. That really helped me a lot fining the right gear for me. I would love to see a comparison between a Fender Superreverb and a couple of reverb pedals. Any ideas witch pedal comes closest to the reverb of a Super Reverb spring reverb? All the best, Tim
Hey Tim, thanks so much! If you want that verb sound, check out Surfy Industries or this pedal (the Golden). These are very different (Surfy stuff analog, the Golden is digital) but these come closest to that Fender spring reverb.
Mesmerizing... I just sold of my quite extensive uad2 system because of the incompatibility with (and their lackluster attitude towards) AMD systems... missed the little labs voice of god so i bought the original hardware module. Definitly missing the lexicon reverb too and i think i just might have to buy this pedal to get THAT sound back haha.
Just curious as what issues you were encountering with UA on AMD? Been running my 8xp, quad and a satellite on an 5950x system for more than six months with no real issues. (AMD not getting intel to cough up proper Thunderbolt implementation and UA’s overall poor support for Windows (eg Luna) users are different issues….)
Man, this tele with the amp you're using sounds just perfect, really.. perfect.. for me it's the absolute ideal of a tele tone, makes me really wanna buy a tele😐🔥
So this just happened: I had the Golden in my shopping cart on the Thomann website. Then I thought to myself "Wait a minute, you're about to spend 400€ on a reverb pedal, listen to some youtube videos first". So I ended up here - again - reading my own comment from 5 months ago, agreeing with myself. Meanwhile however, I got a NDSP Quad Cortex and I was hoping that it's enough for me. But somehow, all the reverbs in there don't really make me wet - if you know what I mean (lol that one takes a minute to settle). So yes, I'm doing it :) My fav reverb is plate. What I heard in your video Kris convinced me. So, there goes 400€ poof :D Update: Oh and just to clarify how much you convinced me: When you made that comparison between the Ibanez AZ and a Custom Shop Strat was the moment I stopped the video and pressed "purchase". I was like "yep, I'm that custom shop guy"
Dude, that's so cool! 🙌 Thanks for the trust, your comment really made me smile! Yeah, the Golden is one of those items, where after you bought it you don't ever think of the money you've spent, but only on the sick tones you get with it. It really is a ridiculously good sounding reverb pedal. Worth every penny. Cheers!
Well, I have custom amp underway for me. It has one channel, no master volume, no FX loop, not even tone stack. That much about my features vs sound preferences. So far about this UA reverb unit, most of the demos were meh, not interesring. Then came TPS video, that shows, this unit can easily go toe to toe with big names here. And somewhat, someway, you made it sound FANTASTIC. And you are not reverb guy? Holy moly :-OOO
Ahh man, thanks so much 🙌 I used to play heavy stuff for most of my guitar playing years and reverb was the last thing we would’ve used. Haha! But hey, I guess I’m growing up now. 🤣 It took me a while to appreciate reverbs and develop a playing style that fits to it. I like your amp choice a lot. What is it? Any brand, or a private amp maker?
@@KrisBarocsi the brand is called Valwatt, but it is one man operation (dudes name is Valkovic, therefor Valwatt). I know himvfor more then 20 years and he lives next door. After couple of beers and long discussion, we agreed that basic topology will be based on Marshall 1930 Popular and then voiced to match my needs. (check Johan Segeborn videos, if interested).
Hey Chris, I admire your tone and your feedback is always super valuable. Do you think the Del-Verb pedal from UA, has the same quality reverb compared to the Golden?
Hey, thanks so much! Yeah the reverb tone is the same on the Del-Verb. The only difference is, that you don’t have as many tweaking options. But the quality of the effect is exactly the same as here. Cheers!
That was the problem in the past in order to get the highest quality effect it was always in a complicated pedal. I'm a 70s blues based rock player and I only have a couple of settings I use so quality is my main concern thanks
What pedal did you end up with? I also play 70's blues-based rock and want to get a new reverb pedal but I also like to dip my toe into ambient sounds every so often.
Hey, I have never tried the CXM unfortunately so I can't say anything about that. Sorry. What I can tell is that the Golden sounds much better than most actual spring reverbs in amps. And that is a big thing. :)
*peeks at engine* Yeah so whatcha running in them pickups in the hollowbody? Also that tele spanks that reverb into totally awesome tonesville. Think I liked the Mako R1 best over the Golden... but the UA Starlight...oh man. The R1 has all the options and that's what I need for inspiration but the UA does have the sound though. Prolly going R1 and Starlight for my reverb and echo board choices. Going to do what everybody does... Sell gear to buy gear. Lol.
Beautiful sounding reverbs. In the real world of a cover band guitarist it’d be important to have presets though. You don’t have time to manipulate knobs and switches trying to remember how to set it. And it’d be a shame to just use some general reverb setting for every song. That’s what makes programmable quality rack effects so great. A variety of selectable presets on tap. My .02
Hey Charles, both are very good but also very different. The R1 is all about the huge, ambient reverb and it’s least strong mode is the spring. The Golden is way more traditional and realistic (insanely nice spring, plate and hall verbs) but doesn’t give you the exciting ambient modes of the R1. It really depends on what kind of reverb you want to have.
Hey, it’s stereo if you plug in both output jacks. If you just use it with one amp (which is what most people do) it switches itself automatically to mono. It still sounds superb of course. 👍
They really don’t compare at all. Haha. The flint has a fantastic sounding and juicy tremolo side, which this doesn’t have. And if we’re only talking about the reverb tones of both. Well... the Golden is on a different level. Seriously, this thing has by far the most realistic spring and plate reverb tone I’ve ever heard.
@@KrisBarocsi ok, i just thought because the flint also has 3 types of reverb: 60s - spring tank; 70s - plate reverb; and 80s - i think its a hall reverb.
The Flint has the tremolo advantage. So it’s a better all in one box for verb and trem lovers. That being said, I’m not a huge fan of the Flint‘s reverb tones. They sound nice, but I’m not too impressed by them (the Big Sky is a different story). The Golden has the best spring, plate and hall emulation I’ve ever experienced. It literally sounds like the original analog reverb units. So it depends on what’s your expectation: if you only want verb, Golden. If you want tremolo too, Flint. 👍
For the sake of simplicity I put my stereo pedals right after the OX's stereo output, then to the DAW. This way I can stick to using one amp and still have a killer stereo sound on the fly if I want to. Cheers!
What guitar is that at 8:07? And is it stock? Wow. Great video. Killer tone and playing. Lastly, super great sounding verb. I have a neunaber immerse that sounds great but I’m one of those QUALITY OR TONE OVER FEATURES guys, for sure. That last 10% is so important. Simple but elegant is where I feel comfortable.
Dude, the D1 sounds every bit as good as this pedal. I’m a massive UA fanboy myself. I own a Twin Quad, and X6 (with many of their overpriced plugins) as well as an OX. With that being said, I also own the reverberator and the D1 and I truly prefer the D1. You can make all the excuses in the world for it’s insulting lack of presets and no midi, but at $400, it’s not with it. Also,’if you’re wondering why I own it and say it’s not worth the $400, it’s because I work at a music store and I get it for much cheaper… I wouldn’t spend $400 on it. Also, please don’t take this as a negative comment or insult… I’m just truly starting how I feel about UA’s pedals. Your video was still great and you showcased all the positives about the pedal which are how amazing it sounds.
MUCH prefer simplicity, even without the very best tone. I hate presets and midi and knobs that don't reflect actual settings. This pedal seems pretty ideal, aside from the $$$.
I have one coming in the mail today. I’ve got a bigsky that is ok but I hate the interface. I also have a Bricasti M7 in the rack that I need to sell to someone that needs it. Hoping this unit gets me close to the Bricasti for guitar (we will see).
How is the Golden working out for you? I have a PCM 81 I use mostly for reverbs in an old school rack system (with a switcher and line mixer). I’m looking to make my rig smaller and simpler. I only need 1 great reverb sound (I leave the 81 on 100% of the time…it’s not even in the switcher. ) I’m curious to how the Golden takes line levels. Unfortunately, they don’t put an LED meter on pedals. That’s a big negative. Iike to see if I’m overloading an effect, not just listen for it. The only other downside for me is no kill dry. I’m guessing if you turn the mix knob Al, the way to 100% wet, there is no dry signal passing through. It can cause phase problems with a dry signal. What are your thoughts on your Golden? Did you sell your M7?
Ah ... so according to your comparison with guitars - this thing does need a rust remove, repaint and some repairs .... and its way overpriced (;-) Hm ... maybe you should just get a Bricasti instead of a beaten up Fender WhateverCaster ... same price range ... Anyway ... nice demo! Thanks a lot.
It has 9 different reverbs built in and you can download an extra one for free when you register the pedal. (That’s the chamber / plate setting I played in the video). I can imagine more reverbs coming up in the future. 🤷♂️
Just listened to the new blue sky v2! but prefer the sound of this pedal :) just sounds warmer/deep!!! I hate the videos that are obsessed with SHIMMER!!!!!! oh... the only effect in the eyes of those Hillsong junkies :)
So do I… most of the time when I’m on the go. But when I plug my guitar in a real amp at home, with a transparent OD pedal… nothing really comes close. Even at bedroom level !
I prefer the simpler tonal quality of the Golden over the more flexible pedals such as the Eventide Space. I had an Eventide Space and sold it. I found that the Space had very good ambient reverbs but most are not useable in an actual song with vocals and other instruments. The Golden is a much better fit for me, as I like to play actual songs, not mood music. The Golden’s reverbs are amazing.
Anytime I bought a piece of gear for tonal flexibility in the past, I ended up using only the sounds I like the most anyway. So now, I prefer quality over flexibility. Having a pedal that does one sound really really good inspires me more than having thousands of options I don't need. Somehow this even makes me value the pedal more, because it's that "one secret weapon for that particular sound". The carbon copy is a good example. It's a simple analog delay and there's nothing really fancy about it. But I love that modulated analog delay to pieces.
I couldn’t possibly agree more. Cheers buddy!
Totally right. I bought an Immerse pedal. It's cool but I use 1, maybe 2 settings.
Flexibility = all the infinitely variable adjustable 10:13 tone tweaks for the tone freak and his irate neighbor. Along with everyone else who are finicky players.
To each his own I found my tone. What works for you?
Thanks for the review! I like that you used several different guitars. I also appreciate your honesty in describing the product. Can't believe the limited or lack of presets. The sound though, is incredible.
Really great info and very helpful video. Your playing and those tone samples sound beautiful! This a good reference for comparing and setting up sounds with any reverb pedal. Thanks!
One of the best vids I've seen on this, thank you!! 9:48 you hit the nail on the head. I'm searching for a new verb pedal right now. The Collider just doesn't do it for me, but I also love big ambient washy stuff playing at home. I think I'm going to go with 2 verb pedals. The Golden for my meat and potatoes reverbs and the new Cloudburst for my ambient oohs and ahhs at home.
What a great sound, Kris! Not only the pedal, but you... awesome playing!!
Thanks so much man 🙌🙌
I was impressed with your review. I dig your playing & by that it’s no surprise, you chose tone over some flexibility with this pedal, you are spot on. You can’t have it all, I always chose tone first, even if nobody else notices.
Thanks man! Yes, because YOU will notice it and play better if you love your tone. 🙌
Excellent demo and I love you sensible points about tone quality. Your playing is absolutely superb and you clearly value your gear allowing the voice of the instrument to shine. The audience may not hear or appreciate the last 10% of tone, but when you are inspired as a player, they benefit from your musicality and interpretation through your music. Color me a new subscriber to your channel sir!
Couldn't agree more,Kris.For me it has always been quality tone and the pure simplicity of all taste in anything artistic, including music, so I guess many don't realise that having that "great" gear is never about status symbols and expensive vintage paraphernalia. It's, as you said in the video, for the individual artists satisfaction, because we all know that good sound rewards you with inspiration and the security that comes from knowing that whatever note you play, it will sound awesome. I was often ridiculed for taking two hundred watt Marshalls in stereo into two 2/12's with analogue stereo echo, when the gig was for a singles old time dine and dance. But thru the night I could enjoy what was otherwise a boring gig, by playing softly with beaucoup headroom and a warm stereo field to enjoy many pop or jazz solo romps that would not be welcome in a more formal " music industry targeted" rock situation. With a cool sound(to your own ear) you can as you point out be inspired to do something original and beautiful being happy in yourself.I call it enlightened self interest.
I love every single thought in your comment. I used to play 4 hours long cover shows every weekend twice for over 12 years. I would’ve hated it if I wasn’t taking sweet gear to these gigs. Not to impress anyone. Just to have a good time and enjoy my playing and tone every single night. 👍
Really nice playing and an interesting video! And your impressions seem to reflect mine as I found myself considering getiing one to function solely as my outboard equipment for the mixing consoles I am working on and which frequently do not feature studio quality reverbs (and there are some in this category). All the best!
I'm consistently amazed at the spectacular sounding verbs this pedal produces, it's quality construction, compact size and simple usable features. I don't need anything more than exquisite tone. The buck stops here.
Can I add it before my Trio+?
Thank you for this great demo. I’ve been looking for a new reverb as I’m not sold in the HOF I have at present. It’s for blues, so spring and plate are top of the list. Like you I’m finding less is more. The only reason I’ve not sold my Timeline delay is the cost of doing so. But it drives me nuts, I just don’t use it’s features. This reverb has just shot to the top of my wish list. 👍
I’m considering buying a reverb pedal so I need to do my research. Your video has raised some excellent points and questions to consider.
Thanks for some great guidance.
Hi I just purchased the Golden, its seriously good if your after pure studio class verb then this is it. I tied about 8-9 different verbs over the last month & the golden has elevated my entire tone its simply unbelievable how good it is . If you cannot try before you by don't worry it the best. The ambient spring is something else in fact I could not find a bad sound out of it its just breath taking, hope this helps.
Lovely video with great playing. The reverb sounds are wonderful. I think your views are spot on. I own a universal audio starlight delay and many of the points you make also apply to the starlight (which I can thoroughly recommend). Tonal quality is far more important to me than loads of options.
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate that. Yeah the Starlight is as crazy as this one. We have one in the Thomann studio and I can’t stop playing it. Haha
Totally agree. I have the Starlight and, while not the most versatile delay, it just sounds SO GOOD. I’m addicted to the growl (purr?) of the preamp knob. Like the old Echoplex preamp. It’s become a part of my sound.
I played it, i bought it. The Effekt sounds amazing and the tone are so realistic compare to my guitar. I played on the same Setup Fender Deluxe Reverb amp and a Gibson LP and the Big Sky, Blue Sky and Fender Reflecting Pool Delay Reverb. The other one sounds like a tin. So much volume. But the price is really high. but for me it is that pedal without Hype. I going to my music store. ask the employee: "can you show me reverb pedals" and i am in love. Greets from Germany. Very good Videos.
Tone is king. I have it and its definitely the best sounding reverb pedal out there. Its all about the sound. I don't' think most people realize how much work and expertise UA puts into their modeling. It's in a class above anyone else in the game by a long margin and as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Just listen to the spring which is one of the hardest things to model. They nailed it
I absolutely agree, the spring reverb is incredible. It sounds even better than some actual spring reverbs in some amps. 😅
Good review and demo. I have a messa cali tweed & disappointed in the reverb. This is a much better tone and I like the control as well as the simplicity. Thanks
YES!! Gear = Inspiration.
Awesome video, my friend. Huge tones!! 🤘🏻
Thanks a lot André! 🙌 It’s just so cool to see how certain gear makes us write music differently, right? It’s fascinating.
Great review very informative,excellent guitar playing
Thanks a lot Perry!
An incredible Tried and True Demo !!! Thank You I am rushing out now to get one.
Thanks! You will love it, I’m sure. 👍
@@KrisBarocsi l am sure I will no doubt ❤️ Thank You
Tons of options are ideal for messing around at home, or in the recording studio. Ease of use is for live performance.
I would rather have 2 awesome sounding reverbs than 100 good ones….The plate settings and the Lexicon Reverbs are totally worth it to me……this is the biggest,fattest,most detailed reverb I have ever owned…..and I have owned the Big Sky’s,Eventide’s,etc……Love it..
Love your playing as much as the Golden. Both are superb.
That’s super kind of you! Thank you!
Great sounding reverb. Just got one for me, but damn... nice playing Man! Got me more focused on your playing than the reverb itself haha
It doesn't necessarily need more tonal features, but it would be nice if the sound options in pedals like the UAFX and Keeley pedals were MIDI switchable. It has great sounds, but they are hard to reach in live situations.
That tune you were playing around the 4:00 minute mark was absolutely amazing!
Ben, you’re awesome. Thank you!
This is the only pedal that nails spring reverb. A tiny number of other pedals -- the older TC Electronic Nova Reverb, the Catlinbread Topanga, and the Source Audio True Spring -- were very close, but this one instantly made them obsolete.
Lovely video with great playing 💯🙌🏽
Ahh thanks a lot! 🙏
@@KrisBarocsi You're always welcome 🥰
100% in the 'tone over features' camp. I know that once I find a good sound in a pedal, that's pretty much where it will stay. Sometimes that's not necessarily a good thing. I have a Walrus Slö and Old Blood Noise Mimic and imo it's impossible to get a bad sound out of them, but I leave them on the same settings because I know those sounds will always inspire me. There may be a day when they don't, and only then would I mess with them again.
However, I'm not a professional musician by any means and I can see why something like a Big Sky would work, if you need several distinct sounds from one type of pedal. Sure, it's big and complicated to set up (I think) but it's more compact than having 5-10 different reverb pedals, all with different settings. Even then, I would prefer to have dedicated pedals because they're all so pretty... I could probably have a board with nothing but reverbs for different textures. Slö and Mimic already present, can't wait to add a Dark Star to my board.
Very tasteful playing as always, Kris!
I think your base level tone really helps too, it's amazing, balanced yet fat, saggy but forward, clear but smooth controlled treble.
Thanks a lot BC!! 🙌
Hey Kris, was this in front of the amp or in the loop? Most amps I use don’t have a loop so I need something that sounds good up front
It's universal audio of course it's going to be killer quality. It's great to have approx 6 control that your really going to use a lot that's straight forward laid out instead of a million that won't get used and lead to confusion especially live or is a fast studio session environment.
Great review. I believe reverb is the most important effect. Yes, I'm super picky, so I think this is the one.
I had a reverb with 1 million functions but trade it for this one. Like you said, i never used those possibilities. But I needed the timeline delay because, I need more options and banks etc.
Refreshingly candid!
Thank you Anthony! 🙌
Buying mine, it is what I was looking for, I do not really need tons of modulation options I just want a really good reverb
I didn’t like my Flint coz it sounded digital fake. Do you think i would like this one?
I’m not a fan of the Flint‘s reverb tones either. The tremolo sounds great but the verbs don’t sound or feel real. The Golden is very different. Best plate and spring reverb emulation I’ve ever heard. And it’s not just the tone, these actually feel authentic. Clear recommendation.
I had the Source Audio Collider, and just found it had too many moving parts, a lot of stuff I never used and most importantly, I just found it unsatisfying that half the time I was playing, the knobs didn't indicate what sounds the pedal was creating. When you're at rehearsal and the wet effects are a bit off and you've got 20 seconds to adjust while the rest of the band is ready to start the song over again while making various noises, simplicity and transparency is key. The Golden's got top notch sound quality and easy-to-use interface for those who mainly use the tried and true classic types of verb.
When you reharsal , reverb is not an option. You don't record guitars with reverb that you cannot adjust later, it is a postproduction business. Furthermore, even if you did, you want to fix the reverb you have been using, and the Golden has no presets nor any indication of values in use. It is the worst possible companion live and reharsing. It is good only at home or while playing with friends. I have returned mine. Get an Eventide H9 if you want something professional.
Excellent review. I think I'll get one just because of this video.
Even it's a one year old video...
I think you made the right statement.
I need a real good spring reverb for surf sound and that's it. And no, i don't want to move around my Spring Reverb Tanks to every rehearsal or gig.
I'm chasing pedals for years for this. I don't need bells and whistles and a pedal wich doesn't need a 2 weeks course to dial in a usable sound. I tried pedals like the Source Audio True Spring, yes it does the job, but too many functions on too less knobs. After 2 weeks i forgot how to press some buttons simultaneously to go to a different settings level. I think it's worth to sell some "half useful" pedals and get the one wich does one job 👍 right.
The Fender Spring Reverb tank (original, from the 60’s) is not quite as good as the reverb in a Fender amp (also original, from the 60’s).
The tank is before the preamp, not after as God intended.
Thank you I liked this very much thanks for your work on this. I am thinking of getting this pedal or the Strymon Flint. I think I prefer the Golden because it sounds great. I am looking for great tone and want something simple. Some of the other super reverbs do have a lot of features but it is as you said will I ever use those features, and for me that is no. I have a Big Sky and while it sounds good getting the sound I want out of it is way too cumbersome looking through menus and all that just frustrates me to no end. Just give me great sound that is easy is what I am looking for.
I’m pretty sure you’ll love the Golden, you seem to approach reverbs the same way as I do. Best possible tone, least amount of menus and hidden knob features. 😅👍
The Golden just has this amazingly organic sound to it especially in Stereo.
Tone First! Always! After that flexibility is nice but if it's not intuitive, I'll stick to 2-3 presets either way.
That 335 of yours IS Golden ! What a tone… I particularly liked the Room setting: some depth, but not too much: very realistic. The large hall is nice too :) The tone is great, but what else can you expect from UA…? Cheers Kris
Thanks a lot Rene, it’s an ES-330L though, so it’s full hollow. And you’re right, it’s a magical thing, it’s growing on me more and more every day. Haha!
The work and research put into this pedal is as legendary as universal audio’s legacy and heritage. It’s the “Quality over Quantity” Equation... So you decide !!!
I bought it because i preferred the sound of the springreverb of my 200€ Tube Combo over the Spring Reverb Sound of my Big Sky
Your tone is wonderful!
Thanks so much!
I feel like I'm more willing to compromise slightly with delays: I bought the Empress Echosystem for its variety (still sounds better than a Timeline, in my opinion), but I'm much less willing with reverbs. The Echosystem is a great pairing with the Golden
Same combo. Any favorite settings between the two you care to share? Debating whether or not I’ll keep the Golden though as I’m not sure it really gets too ambient.
@@r3goode45832 any tape sound with the spring sounds like the gold at the end of the rainbow
Great job and closed uncertain mind on which I wanted. And it’s this one.
Haha, yeah same here. This video is not at all new and I still use the Golden all the time. It's incredible, I actually prefer it to real spring reverbs which is not something I thought I'll ever say.
@@KrisBarocsi Mine came in today. Tried it with a strat on a fender 68 deluxe reverb for a few min. Totally agree! This is better than the actual spring reverb.. I'm a big fain of plate reverb, and I'm really digging it. adds so much depth but doesn't sound processed/digital at all.
Hey Chris, thank you so much for all your great videos. That really helped me a lot fining the right gear for me. I would love to see a comparison between a Fender Superreverb and a couple of reverb pedals. Any ideas witch pedal comes closest to the reverb of a Super Reverb spring reverb? All the best, Tim
Hey Tim, thanks so much! If you want that verb sound, check out Surfy Industries or this pedal (the Golden). These are very different (Surfy stuff analog, the Golden is digital) but these come closest to that Fender spring reverb.
Mesmerizing... I just sold of my quite extensive uad2 system because of the incompatibility with (and their lackluster attitude towards) AMD systems... missed the little labs voice of god so i bought the original hardware module. Definitly missing the lexicon reverb too and i think i just might have to buy this pedal to get THAT sound back haha.
Just curious as what issues you were encountering with UA on AMD? Been running my 8xp, quad and a satellite on an 5950x system for more than six months with no real issues.
(AMD not getting intel to cough up proper Thunderbolt implementation and UA’s overall poor support for Windows (eg Luna) users are different issues….)
Man, this tele with the amp you're using sounds just perfect, really.. perfect.. for me it's the absolute ideal of a tele tone, makes me really wanna buy a tele😐🔥
Ahh man, that’s so good to hear. 🙌 My tele and Revv says hi! Haha
Yep: aTele, a semi, an SG and a Strat make one’s life better indeed 😉
Which Revv is that?
Tone is first... I only need a couple good sounds - Spring and Hall (or Plate). How does this sound compare to the Collider (and True Spring)?
For me the best reverb I've owned and I have owned a lot of them
So this just happened: I had the Golden in my shopping cart on the Thomann website. Then I thought to myself "Wait a minute, you're about to spend 400€ on a reverb pedal, listen to some youtube videos first". So I ended up here - again - reading my own comment from 5 months ago, agreeing with myself. Meanwhile however, I got a NDSP Quad Cortex and I was hoping that it's enough for me. But somehow, all the reverbs in there don't really make me wet - if you know what I mean (lol that one takes a minute to settle). So yes, I'm doing it :) My fav reverb is plate. What I heard in your video Kris convinced me. So, there goes 400€ poof :D Update: Oh and just to clarify how much you convinced me: When you made that comparison between the Ibanez AZ and a Custom Shop Strat was the moment I stopped the video and pressed "purchase". I was like "yep, I'm that custom shop guy"
Dude, that's so cool! 🙌 Thanks for the trust, your comment really made me smile!
Yeah, the Golden is one of those items, where after you bought it you don't ever think of the money you've spent, but only on the sick tones you get with it. It really is a ridiculously good sounding reverb pedal. Worth every penny. Cheers!
Well, I have custom amp underway for me. It has one channel, no master volume, no FX loop, not even tone stack. That much about my features vs sound preferences.
So far about this UA reverb unit, most of the demos were meh, not interesring. Then came TPS video, that shows, this unit can easily go toe to toe with big names here.
And somewhat, someway, you made it sound FANTASTIC. And you are not reverb guy? Holy moly :-OOO
Ahh man, thanks so much 🙌 I used to play heavy stuff for most of my guitar playing years and reverb was the last thing we would’ve used. Haha! But hey, I guess I’m growing up now. 🤣 It took me a while to appreciate reverbs and develop a playing style that fits to it.
I like your amp choice a lot. What is it? Any brand, or a private amp maker?
@@KrisBarocsi the brand is called Valwatt, but it is one man operation (dudes name is Valkovic, therefor Valwatt). I know himvfor more then 20 years and he lives next door. After couple of beers and long discussion, we agreed that basic topology will be based on Marshall 1930 Popular and then voiced to match my needs. (check Johan Segeborn videos, if interested).
@@stanislavmigra sounds awesome! Good for you buddy! 🙌
Hey Chris, I admire your tone and your feedback is always super valuable. Do you think the Del-Verb pedal from UA, has the same quality reverb compared to the Golden?
Hey, thanks so much! Yeah the reverb tone is the same on the Del-Verb. The only difference is, that you don’t have as many tweaking options. But the quality of the effect is exactly the same as here. Cheers!
Trying to decide between this and a IMMERSE REVERBERATOR mk 2
Reverb pedals always sound good on a guitar outside a mix. This is nice though.
More Rock’n’roll than ambient so that’s got to be a good thing.
That was the problem in the past in order to get the highest quality effect it was always in a complicated pedal. I'm a 70s blues based rock player and I only have a couple of settings I use so quality is my main concern thanks
What pedal did you end up with? I also play 70's blues-based rock and want to get a new reverb pedal but I also like to dip my toe into ambient sounds every so often.
Since I'm covering so much different Musicstyles I'll go with versatility.
Sounds great! Which model Revv is that?
Thanks Scott! It’s the Dynamis 7/40 in ivory. You’ll find a link in the description box. 👍
For a little bit more the NightSky is a no brainer
8:33 what guitar is that
Have you compared the golden vs cxm? Just on sound quality what do you think?
Hey, I have never tried the CXM unfortunately so I can't say anything about that. Sorry. What I can tell is that the Golden sounds much better than most actual spring reverbs in amps. And that is a big thing. :)
*peeks at engine*
Yeah so whatcha running in them pickups in the hollowbody? Also that tele spanks that reverb into totally awesome tonesville.
Think I liked the Mako R1 best over the Golden... but the UA Starlight...oh man. The R1 has all the options and that's what I need for inspiration but the UA does have the sound though.
Prolly going R1 and Starlight for my reverb and echo board choices.
Going to do what everybody does...
Sell gear to buy gear. Lol.
Beautiful sounding reverbs. In the real world of a cover band guitarist it’d be important to have presets though. You don’t have time to manipulate knobs and switches trying to remember how to set it. And it’d be a shame to just use some general reverb setting for every song. That’s what makes programmable quality rack effects so great. A variety of selectable presets on tap. My .02
I absolutely love how UAD approach to built pedals, simple and sounds are glorious.
Great demo Kris! How does this compare to the Walrus Mako R1?? They to decide between the two. 🤷🏽♂️
Hey Charles, both are very good but also very different. The R1 is all about the huge, ambient reverb and it’s least strong mode is the spring. The Golden is way more traditional and realistic (insanely nice spring, plate and hall verbs) but doesn’t give you the exciting ambient modes of the R1. It really depends on what kind of reverb you want to have.
@@KrisBarocsi Thank you Kris!!
Is this a stereo reverb, it sounds it from this video? How does that work (or not work) if I'm just sending it to a single amp which I'm micing up?
Hey, it’s stereo if you plug in both output jacks. If you just use it with one amp (which is what most people do) it switches itself automatically to mono. It still sounds superb of course. 👍
@@KrisBarocsi thanks! Might have to go and try it out to see how it sounds out of one amp since all the reviews are in stereo
nice video man, but i would be interested in how the strymon flint compares to the ua golden reverberator!
They really don’t compare at all. Haha. The flint has a fantastic sounding and juicy tremolo side, which this doesn’t have. And if we’re only talking about the reverb tones of both. Well... the Golden is on a different level. Seriously, this thing has by far the most realistic spring and plate reverb tone I’ve ever heard.
@@KrisBarocsi ok, i just thought because the flint also has 3 types of reverb: 60s - spring tank; 70s - plate reverb; and 80s - i think its a hall reverb.
great samples of a delicious pedal. Simple , high quality is better than a myriad of useless options.
Limitations are often a gift. Pedal looks very appealing. Wonder how it would do on Vocals, and on the Mixbus.
Perfectly well. The same way as all the UA plugins, this is pretty much an outboard studio gear.
What do you think if I put it compare to strymon flint?
The Flint has the tremolo advantage. So it’s a better all in one box for verb and trem lovers. That being said, I’m not a huge fan of the Flint‘s reverb tones. They sound nice, but I’m not too impressed by them (the Big Sky is a different story). The Golden has the best spring, plate and hall emulation I’ve ever experienced. It literally sounds like the original analog reverb units. So it depends on what’s your expectation: if you only want verb, Golden. If you want tremolo too, Flint. 👍
Hi could you explain a little how you wired up the golden, was it out from the DAW after the Ox
For the sake of simplicity I put my stereo pedals right after the OX's stereo output, then to the DAW. This way I can stick to using one amp and still have a killer stereo sound on the fly if I want to. Cheers!
@@KrisBarocsi oh so literally out of OXs line out? Then from the AU FX out to line into audio interface ? Thanks !
@@stratocumulusnimbostratus328 Exactly. That’s one of the cool things you can use the OX for. Save yourself a second amp but still go stereo. 💪
@@KrisBarocsi amazing thank you - subscribed
What guitar is that at 8:07? And is it stock? Wow. Great video. Killer tone and playing. Lastly, super great sounding verb. I have a neunaber immerse that sounds great but I’m one of those QUALITY OR TONE OVER FEATURES guys, for sure. That last 10% is so important. Simple but elegant is where I feel comfortable.
Thanks so much! It’s a PJD St John LTD and it’s completely stock. You’ll find a link under the video in the descrip box. Cheers!
@@KrisBarocsi Great! Thank you.
Total quality and simplicity.
100%
It's my only always-on pedal. Literally always. 😅
Dude, the D1 sounds every bit as good as this pedal. I’m a massive UA fanboy myself. I own a Twin Quad, and X6 (with many of their overpriced plugins) as well as an OX. With that being said, I also own the reverberator and the D1 and I truly prefer the D1. You can make all the excuses in the world for it’s insulting lack of presets and no midi, but at $400, it’s not with it. Also,’if you’re wondering why I own it and say it’s not worth the $400, it’s because I work at a music store and I get it for much cheaper… I wouldn’t spend $400 on it. Also, please don’t take this as a negative comment or insult… I’m just truly starting how I feel about UA’s pedals. Your video was still great and you showcased all the positives about the pedal which are how amazing it sounds.
its true becase "pariah gaming" said so.
What is this D1 you’re referring to?
It's always about tone!
MUCH prefer simplicity, even without the very best tone. I hate presets and midi and knobs that don't reflect actual settings. This pedal seems pretty ideal, aside from the $$$.
Well. You missed the best algorithm on the pedal. Hall c. Also the added 224 plate which is a huge ambient plate reverb.
Number 1 what I need is a good sound. All other features go after that.
I have one coming in the mail today. I’ve got a bigsky that is ok but I hate the interface. I also have a Bricasti M7 in the rack that I need to sell to someone that needs it. Hoping this unit gets me close to the Bricasti for guitar (we will see).
The interface is awesome here and the sound is insane. If you can live without the many presets of the Bigsky you’ll love this.
How is the Golden working out for you? I have a PCM 81 I use mostly for reverbs in an old school rack system (with a switcher and line mixer). I’m looking to make my rig smaller and simpler. I only need 1 great reverb sound (I leave the 81 on 100% of the time…it’s not even in the switcher. )
I’m curious to how the Golden takes line levels. Unfortunately, they don’t put an LED meter on pedals. That’s a big negative. Iike to see if I’m overloading an effect, not just listen for it.
The only other downside for me is no kill dry. I’m guessing if you turn the mix knob Al, the way to 100% wet, there is no dry signal passing through. It can cause phase problems with a dry signal.
What are your thoughts on your Golden? Did you sell your M7?
Who cares about midi if the Reverb is crap. This pedal sounds superb
I'm so torn between this, the ventris and the Mako r1. ugh, decisions...
Many compliments, great tones. Could you tell us something about the configuration you’re actually using in this video on Ox? Thanks 🌈🤟
Thank you! I’ll talk about the OX + Golden setup in my next Comment Time video. 👍 cheers!
Ah ... so according to your comparison with guitars - this thing does need a rust remove, repaint and some repairs .... and its way overpriced (;-)
Hm ... maybe you should just get a Bricasti instead of a beaten up Fender WhateverCaster ... same price range ...
Anyway ... nice demo! Thanks a lot.
More options than I require. Seems cool though. Maybe I'll break away from my FRV-1 someday.
I would rather use a few top-shelf sounding reverbs than many lesser reverbs.
Perfect fit for me :)
Can we take a moment to appreciate Kris's playing in this video?
🫡
I wanna know if they had any new sound to buy for golden reverberator tho
It has 9 different reverbs built in and you can download an extra one for free when you register the pedal. (That’s the chamber / plate setting I played in the video). I can imagine more reverbs coming up in the future. 🤷♂️
Help me out guys, this or strymon reverb?
Low-key wish I got this instead of the Strymon Flint lol
Well the Flint has an awesome tremolo side 😉
No cap this was a great review. Thanks.
5-Stars! ★★★★★
Wow, Thanks! Ab 3:43 !!!!
Just listened to the new blue sky v2! but prefer the sound of this pedal :) just sounds warmer/deep!!! I hate the videos that are obsessed with SHIMMER!!!!!! oh... the only effect in the eyes of those Hillsong junkies :)
... one year later ... it's still true. Weird how that happens?
My live playing days are long passed so I just use plug ins and effects from my DAW.
So do I… most of the time when I’m on the go. But when I plug my guitar in a real amp at home, with a transparent OD pedal… nothing really comes close. Even at bedroom level !
I prefer the simpler tonal quality of the Golden over the more flexible pedals such as the Eventide Space. I had an Eventide Space and sold it. I found that the Space had very good ambient reverbs but most are not useable in an actual song with vocals and other instruments. The Golden is a much better fit for me, as I like to play actual songs, not mood music. The Golden’s reverbs are amazing.
"actual songs" not mood music 🤣😂
Strymon Blue Sky