Implemented REAL compatible spring reverb

carlguit

Member
After checking demos of the Anasounds reverb, I've been ''gasing'' about real springs. It seems to me that it'd be doable ( and probably not that expensive ), to build a real spring tank ( or few different sizes ) that would connect to the in/outs of the Axe. Basically Fractal would need a new block ( copy of the pedal circuit ) and the reverb tank.

Back in the days I had built a General Guitar Gadget unit just like that. Here's a link.

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/effects-projects/reverb/stage-center-reverb/
 
Or you could just get one of these...


FRU04.jpg
 
What do you feel is lacking in the Axe's spring reverb?
 
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I wouldn't say lacking. It's just as good as any other emulations of a spring but IMHO it's not as close to the real-life counterpart as other blocks are, amps for instance. A few months ago, I tried to replicate my friend's AC-30 and Deluxe reverb. I had the Axe, Eventide H9 and Strymon Big Sky and to be honest they all sounded good but theres something special with the real thing... A real spring is so unique and I would assume tricky to translate in the digital format. I always compare pedals with the Axe and I got rid of a LOT of them and still use a few of them. I honestly think the spring tank thing is totally doable, it would please a few ''purists'', add another Fractal product plus be the first modeller to go ''hybrid''. Nothing wrong with what we got now, just some things like tape delays, drums delays, real springs have their quirks and isn't your typical type of electronic parts to mimic.

As of reference, here's what I had in mind... ( Not the bulky Fender unit ) Obviously the pedal would be a ''block'' and we'd just buy the tank(s)
 

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Yes. I'll probably end up just buying the pedal and 1 or 2 tanks. I was just hoping to have the ''pedal '' part integrated in the Axe FX so we'd only need the ''tank'' part. We could do presets just like a regular block but with a little bit of external help. And the tank would fit perfectly at the back of the rack. I'm surely not the only one who'd love to just hook up a spring tank?!?
I could picture Fractal selling reverb tanks for 1xx$ each... Plus it might get some attention from the real-amp crowd. Just the mojo factor and hype around that could be a solid marketing thing.

Anyways... it's thrown in the air. I got realistic expectations with what i'd like to have in the Axe. I think at that point, with where the Axe is at now, requests are becoming specific or personnel ( for lack of a better term ). I mean it's impossible to have everything in one box and I'm more than cool to have a few pedals with me to complement the Axe.
 
I get your wish, but I don't share it. For my purposes, the only thing lacking in the Axe-Fx's spring reverb emulation is the crash of noise you get when you smack the top of the amp with your hand, and that's not really a benefit. ;) To be honest, the only time I've ever used an amp's spring reverb is when there was no other reverb available.

There's a special challenge with your wish: it takes special circuitry to drive a spring reverb and to recover the signal from it. You're not likely to get good results by just placing a spring tank into any device's effects loop.
 
There's a special challenge with your wish: it takes special circuitry to drive a spring reverb and to recover the signal from it. You're not likely to get good results by just placing a spring tank into any device's effects loop.
Of course mate. I don't expect to just plug a tank and make it work. We'd need a dedicated block that you set to let's say : Out3 - Spring In - Spring out - In3. If you have a look at the schematic I posted earlier it's really not too complicated.
 
The Axe is made to simulate things. I can’t see this happening. The spring reverb models are great already.
 
Of course mate. I don't expect to just plug a tank and make it work. We'd need a dedicated block that you set to let's say : Out3 - Spring In - Spring out - In3. If you have a look at the schematic I posted earlier it's really not too complicated.
It’s not just adding a block. It takes more poop to drive a reverb tank than what a line-level output can deliver. You’d need to add flesh-and-blood active electronics — additional powered hardware — to make it work. That’s what the stompbox part of the schematic is for. You’d still need that. Once you have that, you can do the rest with blocks that already exist in the Axe-Fx.

And that’s why I can’t personally get behind the idea. There are already companies that make the stompbox part, and I’ve never heard of an Axe owner who used one instead of the Axe’s built-in Reverb. I’d rather watch Fractal devote their resources to the core digital products we love than to a product with such a limited potential user base.
 
Not my intention to argue but isn't it an amp effects loop, or the point between the preamp and power amp, where the reverbs usually is, Line Level? Maybe there's a part I don't get. After all the AxeFX loops do send signal. It's all a bit over my head electronically. If you could enlighten me...

I understand this is a digital platform and as stated above I don't really have any expectations. I understand why @ Chris you wouldn't see it happening. That's a long shot for sure...

I’d rather watch Fractal devote their resources to the core digital products we love than to a product with such a limited potential user base.

I love the platform too... As for the limited user potential, I'd probably label it differently. Some rock players wouldn't even dare to try the spring reverb algorhythm, but for a rootsy type of player, that's where the bread and butter is.
 
Not my intention to argue...
Nor mine. We're just two free people tossing ideas back and forth.


...but isn't it an amp effects loop, or the point between the preamp and power amp, where the reverbs usually is, Line Level? Maybe there's a part I don't get. After all the AxeFX loops do send signal. It's all a bit over my head electronically. If you could enlighten me...
You're right: that's where the reverb tank sits, but if you look at an amp schematic, you'll see there is additional circuitry surrounding the tank that wouldn't be there if it were just an effects loop. If you look at any spring reverb unit that's intended to be plugged into an amp's effects loop, you'll see that the reverb unit contains the tank plus extra circuitry to drive the tank and to recover signal from it.

A spring reverb tank is a mechanical device, similar to a loudspeaker, so it needs to be driven hard, like a loudspeaker is driven. It needs a signal that's closer to speaker-level than to line-level. And you can't simulate a signal that's stronger than the capabilities of the line-level outputs that are there.
 
Alright! That's what I was missing. Well it was worth a try. Thx for taking the time to share the right info mate! Much appreciated!
 
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There are already a lot of real spring reverb, self container pedal style units on the market. surfy Bear makes a popular one/lot, Carl Martin, Danelectro makes a real cheap one etc. they plug right in and are affordable. It’s a very niche market though, and I just can’t see it making much sense for FAS to design something that would be so specialized and that so few people would have a desire for, in light of the market already having these products for that small market and none of them being huge sellers as is.

It’s an interesting idea but highly specialized, and as technology moves forward, we keep getting better modeling, to where an emulation can sound as good, and more flexible, it makes less and less sense.

It would be like building a tube preamp module to run with the Axe, kind of defeats the whole point as the unit is supposed to sound just like tubes already
 
.......I miss my first amp, a 1970 sears silvertone head with a spring that would explode if you breathed heavy on it.
 
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There could be some parameters to assign a controller pedal to - just like the Danelectro Spring King.

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The Dano has a real spring in it though, the “pad” doesn’t do anything different than kicking it anywhere else.

Kind of a fun pedal for sub $100, sounds uniquely lofi
 
The spring reverb has been rewritten a few times over the years.

It would help OP, if you could try and quantify what is lacking in your view, you may get lucky and get an improved model.
 
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