Mooer Audio R7 X2 Reverb: What is it?
The R7 X2 Reverb is an omnibus edition of two of Mooer Audio’s most-popular reverb pedals of recent years, the R7 Reverb and A7 Ambience, housing all 14 algorithms from its mini-pedal kin in one regular-sized enclosure.
There’s a sense that we know what’s coming – high-quality sounds, for one. But Mooer presents these slightly differently, making the most of the larger housing. There is a second footswitch for a performance-friendly infinite/hold feature, with extra high and lo-cut controls to EQ your ambience.
The build seems a little more robust, too, with the micro-pedal’s dials upgraded to knurled metal, though the X2 retains a similar setup, with seven LEDs arranged down the side of the pedal.
These LEDs will glow yellow when the reverb algorithms of the R7 are active, or purple when its the A7’s turn to bat. Each of these can be assigned to a preset, and cycling through algorithms or presets is a simple case of holding both footswitches down together then tapping the footswitch to browse.
Many or most of the R7 Reverb’s algorithms will be familiar to you. They comprise Room, Hall, Church, Cave, Plate, Spring and Studio. Meanwhile, the A7 is a little more out there, with Mod, Reverse, Wrap, Shake, Crush, Shimmer and Dream on the menu.
The R7 X2 can be run in mono or full stereo, and besides the two EQ knobs, there are controls for Mix to set the rate of wet and dry signal in your sound, Decay to set the length of the reverb, Pre-Delay for pre-delay, though in the spring reverb algorithm this controls the length of the spring, and finally, a save button for storing your presets.
Pressing down on Save lets you cycle through presets manually. You have to go through them one by one but with only 14 to get through that’s no great inconvenience.
Mooer Audio R7 X2 Reverb: Performance and verdict
With 14 core sounds on offer, the R7 X2 gives you plenty of options, and a considerable amount of sounds to familiarise yourself with. Helpfully, Mooer has annotated each of the algorithm’s names besides the corresponding LED. You won’t be able to see this when standing but it does help.
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There are some very nice-sounding reverbs here, covering just about all the options you could wish for including modulated, pitch-shifted and dynamic types plus a practical combined reverb and delay. Reverb with tremolo is another great addition.
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The reverb sounds are simply fantastic and cover all the bases you could wish for. It would be nice to have knob rather than TonePrint Editor control over the additional patch parameters like modulation or pitch shift, but that’s a minor complaint.
The sounds themselves are immaculate, typically limpid and largely artefact free. If you don’t need the digital delay, then the R7 X2’s bigger reverbs help position the unit as a cheaper and more compact alternative to the Ocean Machine – especially if you have got delay covered elsewhere on your pedalboard.
Classic reverb is well serviced here. Even the spring reverb algorithm does a good job of digitally replicating the metallic splash of a hardware unit. And when you bring modulations into play, dialling up the decay, it’s not long before you shape the electric guitar tone into something a little more soft-focus and lush.
Ambient dreamscapers will not be disappointed, and turning the Mix dial past three o’clock will send your guitar into a pleasing wash on some of those A7 algorithms.
The infinite function is perhaps less suited to performance – or at least to lead guitar – than we might have expected but is nonetheless an interesting nuclear button for total reverb immersion.
Sometimes that is just what you need. Of course, not always, but that’s why you’ve got the Studio reverb on hand for some high-quality pristine space, or Room and Hall, offering a little three-dimensional space that’s vanilla for some but essential for others. The R7 X2 has something for everyone.
MusicRadar verdict: Competitively priced, stacked with 14 high-quality sounds with storable presets from a compact form, the R7 X2 is a serious stereo reverb pedal that covers all bases from everyday ambience to super-dreamy soundscaping.
Mooer Audio R7 X2 Reverb: The web says
“The pedal does a good job with all the usual reverb hallmarks, packing lush modulated and roomy hall settings, while there’s a reasonably splashy spring with adjustable length via the pre-delay control. The glitched-out uni-vibes of Shake and slow-flanged Dream make the pedal a boon for ambient players, too, and every setting can go fully wet.”
Total Guitar
Mooer Audio R7 X2 Reverb: Hands-on demos
Mooer Audio
Mike Hermans
Antoine Michaud
Brett Kingman
Mooer Audio R7 X2 Reverb: Specifications
- TYPE: Reverb pedal
- CONTROLS: High-cut, low-cut, mix, decay, pre-delay, save button, infinite footswitch, bypass footswitch
- SOCKETS: 2x input, 2x output, power
- BYPASS: DSP bypass with switchable trails
- POWER: 9V power supply (300mA, supplied)
- CONTACT: Mooer Audio
