Many manufacturers claim “studio quality” reverb, but not all nail it. Walrus Audio’s R1 High Fidelity Reverb is the latest to tempt discriminating players with high-tech features and promises of classic sounds.

Controls and connections on the R1 are plentiful, including MIDI in/through jacks, 9-volt power jack (no battery), dual footswitches with multi-color LEDs, and controls for Decay, Swell, Mix, Program, and Tweak and Tune (both with a three-way toggle).

The R1 is a knob-tweaker’s dream. A load of parameters like Pre-Delay, modulation Rate/Depth, High/Lo reflection tone, stereo width, and footswitch bypass modes are presented logically for navigation. The reverbs are laid out in six program banks – Spring, Hall, Plate, BFR (Big F***king Reverb), Rfrct, and Air – the last three being exclusives to the R1.

Each program is true to its name/type, with added texture and personality. In addition to the six reverbs, the R1’s other unique features include a Swell control for a smooth and slow volume effect, along with a Sustain/Latch footswitch to hold reflections so you can play over the top of them.

With complex reverb reflections, a crisp, clear high-fidelity signal path, and nearly silent operation, the R1 offers tons of tweakability and personality-rich reverb presets. It can put your tone in the right ambient space, and fuel your creativity.

This article originally appeared in VG’s June 2021 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.