Conference napalm::commusic_v1

280.0. "Effects (FX): Roland SRV2000 Digital Reverb Review" by ERLANG::FEHSKENS () Tue Mar 25 1986 11:34

General Description

The SRV-2000 is a MIDI-compatible digital reverb.  It incorporates a 
variety of reverb types (e.g., plate, room, hall, gated) and extensive
control over the parameters that characterize each type, as well as 
having some interesting "performance" options.  It is useful out of the
box, and the MIDI compatibility is just icing on the cake given its
purely reverb capabilities.

The SRV-2000 is representative of the new generation of digital 
reverbs that are implemented mostly in software.  These machines
digitize the incoming signal, process the sampled data stream 
numerically in real time, and convert the resultant data stream
back to the analog domain.  The SRV-2000's analog to digital to analog
conversions use 16 bit linear convertors;  internally the arithmetic
is done with 28 bits of precision.  The manual gives no clue as to how 
the additional 12 bits are used.

Organization

The SRV-2000 accepts a single unbalanced input.  You can set it for unity
gain (ignoring for the moment its input and output level controls) 
relative to -20 dbm or +4 dbm levels via a switch on the back panel. It
generates a stereo reverb output; the outputs are truly independent,
not just phase inverses of one another.  You can control the output
mix (dry vs. reverb) via a small pot on the back.  I set mine to "reverb
only" mix (no dry signal in the output) and do the mixing via the effect
return on my board.  The outputs are not mixed if you don't use both
of them, so if you use only one of the stereo outputs you are cheating
yourself out of some ambience or density.  Unfortunately, very few 
boards have stereo effects returns, so taking full advantage of the
SRV-2000 requires you to give up a line input or two.  I wish they had
used a switching jack for the second output that mixed the two reverb
sgnals to a mono output when the second output wasn't used.

The SRV-2000 has two banks of 32 program memories.  One bank is used
for "reverb" programs, the other for "nonlinear" programs.  The
documentation doesn't tell you that these two banks are really distinct;
it strongly implies that they are the same.  However, the same slot 
number will remember one set of parameters in "reverb" mode and a
different, completely independent set in "nonlinear" mode.  (The 
SRV-2000's documentation overlooks several features like this.)

The SRV-2000 is stylishly packaged in a black single height rack unit.
The box is very deep (14 1/4"), though, so if you rack mount it it had
better be a deep rack.  The SRV-2000 consumes only 37 watts, and though
it runs hot, no special cooling or mounting considerations are called 
for. 

The front panel controls are, from left to right:

      * a big "BYPASS" switch that disables the reverb signal.  This
	switch is quiet - no pops, although the manual warns you about
	it making noise if you bypass the SRV-2000 while it's processing
	a signal.  The preferred way to mute this reverb in action is to
	use the EFFECT ON/OFF jack and a footswitch (see below).  There's
	an LED indicator to tell you the SRV-2000 is bypassed.

      * a six segment color (green, yellow, red) LED bar graph level
	indicator, covering -20 db to +6db.  You're supposed to adjust 
	levels to keep this guy reading about 0 db.  If you can't, check
	the UNIGAIN switch on the back (see below).

      * a rotary (pot) input attenuator, calibrated (nonlinearly) from
	-22 db to +6 db.

      * an array of 6 small (typewriter key cap sized) buttons that 
	select various control functions.  These are arranged as 2 rows
	of 3.  These are labeled (left to right, top to bottom) COPY,
	WRITE, MIDI, REVERB/NONLINEAR, EQUALIZER and ROOM SIMULATE.
	These switches provide minimal tactile feedback, but they seem 
	to work ok.

      * a flat rocker switch that selects (up/down) the memory number.
	This switch (as do the next five) has a "fast advance" mode used
	by pushing down the side for the direction you want to go in
	(top is up, bottom is down) and then holding down the other end
	at the same time.  These switches have minuscule throw distances,
	and sometimes you'll find yourself going up when you meant to go
	down, and vice versa.  This switch is labeled 1 MEMORY NO.

      * 6 LED numeric displays.  These displays are bright but small 
	and set back far enough from the front panel that you can't
	get further off axis than about 30 degrees before they are masked
	by the front panel bezel.  The displays depict different parameters
	depending on the current mode or selected option.  When the
	display is irrelevant to a particular mode/option it is blanked.
	The roles of each window are enumerated beneath them, with a row
	of 4 LEDs on the left that tell you which mode/option you're
	using.  The LEDs blink or light up in combination to tell you
	nonobvious things (it wouldn't be a Roland without some bizarre
	aspect to its user interface).  The window labels are as follows:

	 mode	    1	       2	  3	      4	         5	  6

	reverb	memory no  pre delay   rev time    hf damp    rev sel   output
	nonlnr  memory no  pre delay   rev time   gate time             output
	  eq    memory no  filter sel      Q	  frequency  boost/cut
	 midi	memory no  program no   channel      omni

      * 5 more rocker switches, labeled for their reverb mode functions
	(corresponding to the top row of labels under the display windows).
	In other modes/options you have to match them to their windows
	by number, which is not as easy as you'd think, especially in
	the dark.  Thus, these switches are labeled, from left to right,
	2 PRE DELAY, 3 REV TIME, 4 HF DAMP, 5 REV SEL, and 6 OUTPUT.

      * a big power switch.  The SRV-2000 mutes its output for 2 seconds
	while it powers up.  Hence no turn-on transient (and no	turn off
	transient either, for that matter).  Power on is obvious because
	of all the lights/displays on the front panel.

The back panel is almost equally complex.  From left to right we have:

      * the power cord.

      * MIDI THRU and IN connectors.

      * 5 (yes FIVE) remote/pedal switch inputs, labeled:

	- INFINITE (if in reverb mode, sets the reverb time to "infinite",
	  i.e., no decay of the reverberant field)

	- EFFECT ON/OFF 1 (in conjunction with INFINITE, allows you to
	  add to the nondecaying reverberant field; in INFINITE mode,
	  the SRV-2000 stops listening to the input, unless you use this
	  option; by itself, turns reverb off by letting it decay
	  "naturally")

	- EFFECT ON/OFF 2 (mutes reverb output immediately)

	- PRESET UP and PRESET DOWN (step through the reverb memory slots in
	  the indicated direction).

      * the BALANCE pot, with extremes DIRECT and REVERB.  It has a 
	detent at the 9 o'clock position for a nominal mix.

      * a pair of OUTPUT jacks (1/4" phone) labeled "B" and "A (MONO)".
	Despite the label on the A jack, there's no indication in the
	documentation (or the block diagram screened onto the case's top
	surface) that the A and B outputs are summed when the B jack 
	is not used.

      * the UNIGAIN slide switch, selecting between +4 dbm and -20 dbm
	operating levels.

      * the INPUT jack (1/4" phone).

As you may have guessed from this enumeration, there's a lot of function
packed into this box.  Let's get to it!

Programmable Parameters	

The most interesting specs are for the reverb parameters.

	mode:	reverb or nonlinear.  Recall that these modes select
		different memory banks.  The reverb mode is what you'd
		expect.  In nonlinear mode, you can get gated reverb 
		effects and even reverse reverb!  More about this later.

	predelay: the time (in msec) until the reverberation starts.
		Anything prior to this time is an "early reflection".
		The predelay time can be set in 1 msec increments from
		0 to 160 msec.

	reverb time: the time for the reverberant field to decay by 60 
		db.  Can be set (subject to qualification) in .1 sec
		steps from .1 sec to 9.9 sec, and then in 1 sec 
		increments from 10 sec to 99 sec.  (yes, ninety-nine
		seconds).  This parameter interacts with the reverb 
		selection parameter, in that the reverb selection 
		defines a floor and ceiling for the reverb time.  If you
		change the reverb selection and the reverb time falls
		outside of the the new selection's range, it will
		automatically floor or ceiling the reverb time to fit.
		The documentation includes a table of these floor and 
		ceiling values.

	HF damp: the reverb time at 8 KHz, expressed as a fraction of
		the reverb time parameter.  Values may range from 0.05
		to 1.00, in .01 increments.  This is distinct from high
		frequency EQ, and allows you to simulate the increased
		absorption of higher frequencies typical of many
		reverberant spaces due to surface coverings.  As the
		absorptions occur on every reflection, the high 
		frequencies decay faster than the lows.

	reverb selection: one of 15 "algorithms" characterizing the
		reverberant field.  There are two PLATE algorithms (called
		P-A and P-B), five HALL algorithms (called H37, H32, H26,
		H22 and H15), and eight ROOM algorithms (called R37, R32,
		R26, R22, R15, R7.0, R1.0, and R0.3).  The numbers in
		the HALL and ROOM algorithms correspond to the cube root
		of the simulated space's volume, in meters.  I.e., if
		the space were cubic, it would be the length of one 
		edge in meters.  Thus the R0.3 algorithm corresponds to
		a "room" about 1 foot on a side, and the R/H37 algorithms
		are gymnasium-like (120 foot cubes).

		Roland characterizes these three classes of algorithms
		thus:

			PLATE - "bright and metallic reverb which is 
			ideal for percussive sound"

			ROOM - "a sharp, expansive and rich reverberation
			with high reverb density" and

			HALL - "a deeper reverberation with low reverb
			density".

		I don't know if these algorithms actually simulate a 
		cube-shaped space or the more brick-like shape typical
		of real enclosed spaces.  I would guess that such spaces
		would have a broader range of echo delay times
		contributing to the reverberation, and that this would
		affect the "color" or "density" of the reverberation.
 
		Changing the reverb selection mutes the SRV-2000 for 2 
		seconds.  If you select a new memory slot that uses
		a different reverb selection, you will invoke the mute 
		as well.  This may happen when you select slots via MIDI!
		Beware!

		There is no notion of reverb selection in NONLINEAR mode
		(i.e., it's as if NONLINEAR were a reverb selection
		itself), and in NONLINEAR mode the reverb selection
		display is blanked.

	output level: the reverb output level.  The documentation claims
		this controls the direct/reverb mix, but it doesn't say how,
		or how it interacts with the mix control on the back.
		I usually set it to its highest value, (99) and control 
		levels at the board.  This parameter can take values from
		0 to 99 in increments of 1.

	filter parameters:  the SRV-2000 has an onboard three band 
		quasi-parametric equalizer.  EQ is applied to the input
		prior to reverb processing.  The low frequency band is
		a shelving type (lowpass/lowcut) filter, and the mid
		and high frequency bands are peaking type filters with
		variable Q.  The available filter parameters are:

		low frequency - 0.04 to 1.00 KHz (i.e., 40 Hz to 1 KHz)
		in 30 steps with bigger increments at the high end, thus:
		.04, .05, .06, .07, .08, .09, .10, .11, .12, .13, .14, .15,
		.16, .17, .19, .21, .23, .26, .29, .32, .35, .39, .43, .48,
		.53, .59, .66, .73, .81, .90 and 1.00.

		low boost/cut - from -24 db to +12 db in 1 db increments.

		mid frequency - 0.25 to 9.99 KHz. (i.e., 250 Hz to 10 KHz)
		in 128 steps, distributed throughout the frequency domain,
		as for the low filter, with increasing step sizes at 
		the high end of the range.  There are too many values 
		to enumerate them.

		mid Q - from 0.2 to 9.0 in 0.1 increments.  The
		documentation includes graphs showing the effect of this
		parameter on filter slopes.

		mid boost/cut - from -24 db to +12 db in 1 db increments.

		high frequency - 0.80 KHz to 9.99 KHz (i.e., 800 Hz to
		10 KHz) in 88 steps scattered throughout the frequency
		domain.

		high Q - from 0.2 to 9.0 in 0.1 increments, with graphs
		showing the effect on filter slopes.

		high boost/cut - from -24 db to +12 db in 1 db increments.

	MIDI parameters:  the SRV-2000 can bind any of its 32 memory slots
		to any MIDI program change number.  The MIDI parameters
		are global, in that they are not specific to a memory.
		The available MIDI parameters are:

		MIDI program change number to SRV-2000 memory slot mapping;
		this is a table of 128 bindings.  When editing this table
		(more on this later), the MIDI program change number 
		is the "master" rather than the SRV-2000 memory slot 
		number, which is the case at all other times.  All 128
		program change numbers (0 - 127) are available.

		MIDI receive channel - 1 to 16.

		OMNI - ON/OFF.  Explicit control of OMNI mode.

	"Further Level" parameters - AVAILABLE ONLY IN REVERB MODE.
		"Further Level" is what Roland calls the parameters for
		early reflections and reverb density.  They are only
		accessible via a wart on the user interface, and though 
		they use the same displays and rocker switches as the
		other parameters, nothing is labeled except the actual
		values in the display (thank heaven for small favors).
		These parameters (displayed in windows 2 - 6 and controlled
		by rockers 2 -6 respectively) are:

		reverb density - controls the density of reflections
		contributing to to the reverberant field.  9 values
		(RD1 - RD9) available.

		Early Reflection (ER) attack gain - controls the initial
		level of early reflections (during the "predelay" period).
		9 values (A1 - A9) available.

		ER attack time - controls how fast the early 
		reflections build up from their initial value (set by
		ER attack gain) to their peak level (controlled by
		ER level). 9 values (AT1 - AT9) available.

		ER density - controls the density of early reflections.
		9 values (ED1 - ED9) available.

		ER level - controls the maximum level of early reflections.
		Can take values from 0 to 99 in increments of 1.

	Nonlinear parameters - AVAILABLE ONLY IN NONLINEAR MODE.

		Predelay - as for reverb mode, but range limited to 120
		msec.

		Reverb time - same role as in reverb mode, but can be
		set NEGATIVE to have reverb that builds up rather than
		decays.  Values can be from -0.9 sec to 9.9 sec in 0.1
		sec increments, and from 10 to 99 seconds in 1 sec
		increments.  When set negative, the reverb decay 
		envelope is time reversed.  The timing relationships
		are difficult to describe without a picture, so I'll 
		leave it at this - you can get some weird sounding 
		effects in this mode.

		Gate time - the time after which the reverberant field
		will be truncated.  Can be set from 10 msec to 450 msec
		in 1 msec increments.  This time is in addition to the
		predelay time.

Lots of control and flexibility, huh?  Unfortunately, the SRV-2000 
represents a lot of state and there's no way to save it.  There's no
MIDI out so you can dump its state via system exclusive, and there's
no cartridge or tape interface.  You can set SRV-2000 parameters using
system exclusive over the MIDI IN, but that means you need a computer
with the appropriate software, and just now, that's a roll your own
proposition.  But you still can't dump the SRV-2000's state to the
computer, you'd have to initialize your dump image manually and do all
your editing on the computer rather than in the SRV-2000.  I think this
is a major oversight on Roland's part.  At least they provide complete
documentation of the system exclusive messages.

And the SRV-2000 does at least remember its state across power up/down,
but that means another one of those buried-inside batteries that will
die after a nominal five years and then the SRV-2000 will forget 
everything you've taught it.  After you get the battery replaced you 
can reload it from your computer, or by hand from your written out state
dumps.  You did write everything down someplace, didn't you?  The SRV-2000
contains so much state that I respectfully decline trying to figure 
out exactly how many numbers you have to write down.  I "ball park" it
at over a thousand if you've taken full advantage of the thing.  I guess
nobody expects any of us to own one of these things for more than five 
years, but I'll bet there's other ways to blow its memory than having 
your battery go flat.

You can reinitialize slots 1 - 16 to their factory supplied presets by
powering up while holding down the WRITE and REVERB/NONLINEAR buttons
(obvious, huh?).  The display says "LOAD PRESET" and you're back to
"out of the box".  The factory presets are called:

	1) Vocal I		 9) Clear Plate
	2) Vocal II		10) Tunnel
	3) Large Hall		11) Concrete Pipe
	4) Medium Hall		12) Large Chapel
	5) Small Hall		13) Basin
	6) Large Room		14) Outdoor Theater
	7) Medium Room		15) Non Linear
	8) Small Room		16) Non Linear Inverse

These are reasonably descriptive names.  Out of the box, slots 17 - 32
simply repeat this sequence.  Power up reinitialization does not affect
slots 17 - 32, so put your own programs there first.

Operations

The SRV-2000 is mostly easy to use.  But, as you may have figured out from 
some grumbling in the above, all is not heavenly in the user interface
department.

For people who just want to use it rather than try to understand it, or
who play with it and get it hopelessly screwed up, Roland has provided a
ROOM SIMULATE button.  This takes the current program and forces all the
parameters to reasonable values determined by the reverb selection.  
They don't document these values, but I stepped through all the parameters
after hitting room simulate and wrote them down.  You can do the same!
It was a useful way to learn how to operate the instrument.

Room simulate is an all or nothing thing; once you've done it, you can't
undo it the obvious way (hit the button again to turn it off; i.e., 
return to the values you had before you hit ROOM SIMULATE).  The button
has a small reddish LED on it that toggles on and off with successive
button pushes.  Selecting another memory slot will turn off the light
and turn off ROOM SIMULATE, but now you've got a different program.

Like most programmable contraptions, the SRV-2000 has a workspace, and 
selecting a memory slot loads the workspace.  You edit (and hear) the
workspace.  Room simulate simultaneously edits ALL the parameters in the
workspace.  You get back where you started from by recalling the memory
slot you applied room simulate to.  The manual is a little confusing 
on this point.

The fact that the workspace contains different parameters from those you
started with is indicated by a dot in the memory slot number window.
ROOM SIMULATE turns on the dot; turning the ROOM SIMULATE light off by 
pressing ROOM SIMULATE again doesn't turn off the dot.  Selecting a new
memory slot will turn off the dot.

Editing is mostly straightforward.  You select the memory slot you 
want to edit by using the up/down 1 MEMORY NO rocker.  Memory slots wrap
around - 32 is followed by 1.  The REVERB/NONLINEAR button toggles
between reverb and nonlinear mode, and the EQUALIZER and MIDI buttons
toggle between access to the EQ and MIDI parameters respectively and
the current reverb/nonlinear parameters, except that you can't go from
MIDI to EQ directly (if you try, nothing happens).  In EQ and MIDI modes,
the respective LEDs flash.  When editing the EQ parameters, the FILTER SEL
rocker (again, only the display is labeled "FILTER SEL"; the rocker is
labeled "2 PREDELAY") steps through the filters, LOW <-> MID <-> HI <->
LOW etc.. 

You change the visible parameter values by using the up/down rocker
corresponding to the parameter's display window.  If the SRV-2000 is
processing a signal as you edit a parameter value, the sound may be 
chopped up or even muted.

To store an edited program, you hold down the WRITE button and then hit
either side of the MEMORY NO rocker.  The display flashes brightly, 
and the dot in the MEMORY NO window goes out.  You can only write into the
same slot you edited from.  If you want to edit a program and put it someplace
else, you hit COPY, then select the destination (using the up/down feature
of the MEMORY NO rocker), then do a WRITE as above.  If you change your
mind, hit COPY again (before you hit WRITE/MEMORY NO) and it forgets you
said COPY.  It doesn't forget the edits you made (i.e., the dot stays on).

Getting at the "Further Level" parameters is a bit trickier.  Out of the
box, you can't get there.  You have to power up the SRV-2000 while 
holding down the WRITE and EQUALIZER buttons.  The SRV-2000 will spell
out "FT LEVEL" in the displays, then come up in whatever mode it was
left in (it even remembers the currently selected memory slot and any
in progress edits across power up/down!).  The manual strongly implies
you have to play this power up/down game any time you want to switch
between access to further level and the other parameters.  Not so, thank
heaven, you only have to do this once when you unpack the thing.  Then
leave it that way forever.  Henceforth the SRV-2000 will display "SRV2000"
and then "FT LEVEL" in the display during power up.

Having done this you get to the further level parameters by holding down
WRITE and hitting EQUALIZER (real obvious, huh?).  You get out of further
level by hitting any of the REVERB/NONLINEAR, EQUALIZER or MIDI buttons,
which get you where you'd expect.  You can tell you're in further level
from the values in the displays, and the fact that the EQ and MIDI mode
indicators alternately flash (if you can remember that that's what 
this means!).

When editing, all the parameters except the MIDI parameters "follow" the
MEMORY NO selected.  In MIDI mode, the program change number is master.
(You don't have to WRITE the MIDI parameters - they take effect as soon 
as they're changed.)  Only in MIDI and COPY modes does changing the
MEMORY NO not reload the workspace.  Out of the box, the SRV-2000 assigns
slot 1 to program change number (PCN) 0, slot 2 to PCN 1, etc., repeating the
cycle every 32 PCNs.  You can assign any slot number to any PCN.

The real time performance features are kind of neat.  The INFINITE 
switch input blocks the input to the reverb processor and holds the 
level of the reverberant field constant.  By itself (i.e., no direct
signal present), this sound is only crudely described as "pale" or
"washed out" or "ethereal" or "gossamer", depending on your 
predispositions.  (I expect to hear this effect show up in some top 40
hit sometime soon.)  During all this the display says "INFNT".  When
you release the switch/pedal, the reverb decays at its natural rate.
You can reopen the input the reverb processor while in INFINITE mode
by closing the EFFECT ON/OFF 1 switch input.  This allows you to add
new sounds to the non-decaying reverberant field.

You can also use EFFECT ON/OFF 1 to mute the reverb.  When not in 
INFINITE mode, this switch will block input to the reverb processor
but allow the field to decay naturally.  If you want to mute the reverb
*now*, you use the EFFECT ON/OFF 2 switch input.

OK, that's all the documented features.  In addition, you can turn the
SRV-2000 into a simpleminded 450 msec digital delay by powering it up
while holding down the REVERB/NONLINEAR, WRITE and ROOM SIMULATE buttons
all at the same time.  (The way to remember this is that the three 
buttons form an isosceles triangle.)  The SRV-2000 will tell you "DELAY"
in its displays, and come up indicating NONLINEAR mode.  The displays
and rockers now operate as follows:

	2 - PRE DELAY - delay regeneration or feedback as a percentage.
		Values may be in the range 0 to 120 in increments of 1.
		Values less than 100 result in decaying echoes.  Values
		greater than 100 result in a positive feedback loop,
		and echoes of increasing volume, but this is not a useful
		feature, as the noise builds up fast and unless you bypass
		the thing you'll fry your amps and monitors.  BE CAREFUL. 

	3 - REVERB TIME - no effect that I could discern, but the 
		display is not blanked and values from -.9 to 10 in 
		increments of 0.1, and from 11 to 99 in steps of 1,
		can be set. 

	4 - HF DAMP - the delay time, settable in 1 msec increments from
		10 to 450 msec.  In the range of 10 msec to about 30 
		msec (with lots of feedback), the flanging effect is tuned
		roughly to a chromatic scale.  Unfortunately you can't 
		fine tune it to take advantage of this; some of the 
		"notes" are almost a 1/4 tone off.

	5 - REVERB SELECT - blanked

	6 - OUTPUT - as before.

There is no modulation.  EQ and MIDI work as before.  You can store up to
32 delay programs, but you will trash any nonlinear reverb programs that
were stored in the same memory slot number.

Writing in delay mode stores the program's mode as nonlinear, so if you
use the SRV-2000 as a reverb, the reverb programs in the slots you 
stored delay programs into will have be to manually switched to reverb mode.
Unlike normal operation, when functioning as a delay the SRV-2000 does
not update the workspace until you change one of the displayed 
parameters.  Changing the memory slot or changing the reverb/
nonlinear mode will make the SRV-2000 appear to revert to a reverb, 
but it doesn't; go back to nonlinear mode and the delay parameters 
reappear.  If you want it to function as a reverb you have to power
it down and then power it back up normally.

My guess is this "feature" was put into the machine for diagnostic and/or
servicing reasons, as it's of limited use as a practical digital delay.

Performance

OK, Ok, ok, enough features.  How does it sound?

Pretty good.  Listening closely through headphones to percussive sounds,
you can hear some of that "grainy" quality that digital effects have.
Apart from that, the reverb sound is excellent.  The dry signal path is 
essentially a straight wire;  the reverb path has less stellar specs:
30 Hz to 10 KHz +1 db, -2.5 db.  80 db S/N ratio.  The latter may be
a problem if you're heavy handed with the EQ - you can add 12 db of hum
if you set the low EQ around 60 or 120 Hz, decreasing the effective S/N
to about 68 db, which means audible noise.  Similarly you can add hiss with
too much positive high EQ.  Several of the manufacturer's presets have 
distinctive noise characteristics.  I went bonkers trying to track down
the noise in my system (sources and board, I never suspected the SRV-2000)
until I realized it seemed to be associated with particular reverb 
programs.  Sure enough it was.  I'm NOT saying the SRV-2000 is noisy,
only that its EQ (like any EQ) can "enhance" noise in its inputs unless
you're careful.

Overall, a very impressive device.  The reverb is so natural you don't
notice it until you turn it off.  There's enormous flexibility to tune
your reverb effects to exactly your needs.  The muting when you change
algorithms is a drag; it means no fast synth program changes with 
corresponding tuned reverb programs, at least not without a temporary
loss of ambience.

It's probably overkill for a lot of applications, but in a low end
studio it's a powerful tool.  $1595 list.

    Boy, writing a comprehensive review of a complex piece of gear is
    a lot of work.  I used to think that'd be an almost ideal job -
    trying out new gear and writing about it.  Arghhhhhhh...

    Anybody else out there got some nifty stuff they'd like to tell
    us about?  (please, not in this note - let's try to limit this to
    questions/discussions about the srv-2000).
    
    len.
    

    Len,
    
         I almost want to buy one for no other reason than to "reward"
    you for the incredible effort! Helluva job. Thanks!  :^)
    
    Edd                                                  

    A minor, but important, correction - the SRV-2000 lists for $1495,
    not $1595.   Sorry...
    
    len.
    

    Thank you very much for the review.  I learned more about the SRV-2000
    from it than I did from several readings of the manual.  Since you are
    obviously so good at these kinds of reviews, would you consider doing
    another?  What would it take to tempt you?  Loan of the equipment?
        John Sauter 
        

    What'd you have in mind?  I'd sure like to play with an Oberheim
    anything sometime.  Note that a good review takes living with a
    piece of equipment for a week at least so you can try all sorts
    of things and figure out all the stuff the manufacturer's not telling
    you about.
    
    Most (but not all) of the information in the SRV-2000 review came
    out of the user manual, some came from my friendly neighborhood
    dealer, some came from the Roland rep, and some came from experiment.
    The opinions are, of course, all mine.  I get particularly annoyed
    by arbitrary design of the user interface, which seems to be endemic
    these days, and stupid oversights that make the designers look like
    they've never had to use their own equipment in practical situations.
    Sound familiar? - I have developed an increased appreciation of how
    *our* (i.e. Digital's) customers must perceive us.
    
    I've got a DDR-30 "in the pipe", so you can expect a review of that
    in a month or so.  Other things that I have ready access to and
    would consider reviewing are the MSQ-100 and MSQ-700 sequencers
    (both a little dated by now, and about to be superceded by the MC-500),
    the TR-707 and TR-727 drum machines, the Chroma Polaris, the 360
    Systems MIDIBass, JLCooper's MSB-1 MIDI switchbox.  The Super Jupiter's
    tempting, but I think I know better than to attempt a comprehensive
    review of something that hairy.  I assume everybody's heard enough
    about the CZ-101, and things like the Tascam 38 or the 216 board
    are straightforward enough that I can't tell you much more than
    you could learn by looking at one in a store.
    
    My goal in a review is to give the reader enough information to
    make an intelligent purchase decision.  I feel I've been lucky so
    far in buying some complex pieces of equipment and not being burned
    or unpleasantly surprised.  I have a good enough relationship with
    my dealer (I suppose that means "I spend enough money and refer
    enough other customers") for them to loan me user manuals before
    I commit to buying - this helps enormously, but as we all know,
    user manuals leave a great deal to be desired.  I try to address
    this problem in my reviews.
    
    I'm not sure I want this to become a regular thing...
    I only have so much time.  Writing the SRV-2000 review took
    a lot more time than I expected.

    len.
    

    Oh, I forgot - THANK YOU, readers, for the kind words.  It's
    appreciated.
    
    len.
    

    Sounds like you've got enough to keep you busy for a year!
        John Sauter

    The DDR-30's the only thing I'm planning to review.  The others
    will only be on request or coercion.  Stay tuned....
    
    len.
    

    re: 1568. 16
    
    > Not to get down a Rathole here {1568.16} but are SRV-2000's still
    > sold or even made.?
    There may never have been a better time to pick one up.
    
    Places are dumping them for as little as $350 (maybe less).  I don't
    know if they are actually still being made.  I think not.  I haven't
    seen it in the various Roland catalogs for awhile.
    
    May sound like a lot for a device that does just reverb, but you got
    understand that this is a high-end product.  I think they originally
    sold for well over $1500 originally.
    
    And while it's old, there still little that compares with it in
    terms of sound quality.  Ron Ross demo'd his for me about a year
    ago and I ordered it the next day.
    
    If I had to describe it's effect on me and why I think it sounded
    better, I would probably say that it sounded like a "room" rather
    than like a "reverb effect".
    
    And unlike every other Roland manual I have read (RD-300, MT-32),
    the manual for the SRV is "ok".
    
    	db

    Boy, I can just barely keep up.
    
    Copied from 1572, but not deleted 'cuz it's now writelocked.
    
    
                 <<< NOVA::$111$DUA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]COMMUSIC.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -<   **  Computer Music  **   >-
================================================================================
Note 1572.3             Please use 280 for SRV-2000 stuff                 3 of 3
DRUMS::FEHSKENS                                      31 lines  27-JUL-1988 11:13
                                 -< See Below >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Copied from 1568, then deleted.
    
    len.
    
    
                 <<< NOVA::$111$DUA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]COMMUSIC.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -<   **  Computer Music  **   >-
================================================================================
Note 1568.18               Alesis microverb problems?!                  18 of 18
DRUMS::FEHSKENS                                      18 lines  27-JUL-1988 11:09
                          -< Don't Think So.  Cheap. >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    They seem to be available if you look in the right places.  I know
    some reverb hog who's got three of 'em, but he refuses to part with
    even one of them.
    
    They've gotten pretty cheap.  $300 to $500 on the used market.
    Only thing to worry about is they're getting old enough that it
    may be time to start worrying about those lithium batteries that
    allow them to remember their programs.  When the battery goes, so
    do the programs.  You can reload via SysEx (after Roland has replaced
    the battery for you), but you have to have something to reload.
    And you can't trick the SRV into dumping (it has no MIDI OUT, and
    the THRU is really a THRU, it's connected directly to the MIDI IN).
    And there's no SRV-2000 "voicing software".  Sounds like a rock
    and a hard place to me.  I have all my SRV-2000 programs written
    down.  On paper.
    
    len.
    

In case anybody wants one of these legendary beasts, I noticed an SRV2000
in the rack at Acton Music after the Actongig Friday.  Jack there said it 
would be very possible to deal on it but alas, my VISAs are empty of available
green-stuff as is the budget.

Chad

    Hmmm - what I could do with 4 of these beasts....
    
    len (sole proprietor of Len's Roland Reverb, Drum Machine and Sequencer
      Museum).
    

    I think I saw a srv2000 on late night with david lettermen in the
    audio booth last night.
    Tom

    Has Roland come out with a successor to this reverb unit?  I wonder why
    they stopped making some of their best units?
    
    Mike

    The SRV2000 has been "reissued" with some number like SRV2000A....this
    was due to demands from customers.  No idea on price for this.
    
    						Brian

    What about the CE300 or RCE10?