Reverb Pedal - Strymon's vs TC Hall of Fame 2

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Anxiety Serum

Anxiety Serum

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I've been waiting on a HoF2 to come back in stock, but have read people love the Strymon pedals. The Big Sky is like $300 more and the Blue Sky is $150 than the HoF.

How easy are the Strymon's to operate? I like simple pedals and don't want to tweak all day. I have a Walrus Slo, but I don't particularly find it intuitive or great sounding. It does unique lush stuff ok but no simple room/plate/hall functions.

Is either Strymon worth the extra coin or just wait/buy used HoF?
 
I would say it all depends on what style you play. If it involves actually hearing the reverb as a main part of you tone, go for the Strymon or you'll always wonder if the reverb could be 1% better. I on the other hand, I love the TC. It has tone print which means I get hundreds of other guitarist favorite reverb tones and the presets are just fine for what I need.
I am so old I have memories the amps that have 1 setting and a knob to turn it up or down so anything else seems like a big deal.
 
You could consider the Source Audio stuff. I use the Collider as my primary reverb and delay and it does so much, but my needs are fairly basic. Their dedicated reverb does so much more, and a bit cheaper than Strymon. There are no menus or anything to the Source Audio pedals, but you can plug into a computer editor or use an app, but I've never had to do that. I like simple shit, knobs that do what they say without having to read manuals, and the Collider has served that purpose for me.
 
Spaceboy said:
I like simple shit, knobs that do what they say without having to read manuals, and the Collider has served that purpose for me.
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That was my problem with the Walrus.

The X knob (can never remember what it does for each channel). One switch does 2 things (left and right label) and you need to hold down a different button while moving the switch to toggle the left side labeling.

That's why I was looking at the HoF. The TC Flashback delay is simple as hell.

I'll have to check out the Source Audio Stuff.
 
I use the Blue Sky now and had a HoF a few years ago. They are both easy to use, just adjust the knobs and go. I set it and forget it, always on. Honestly I don’t know that there would be a huge difference depending on what you want to do. I’m mainly play heavy and the Reverb is at the end of the chain and I use it to add just a touch for a little space and depth. Can’t even really notice it until I turn it off and then it’s noticeably missing.

The Big Sky on the other hand has more types of Reverb and more tweaking options, it’s programmable. You can control via MIDI. If you’re looking for simple, it’s not the way to go imho. It is more complicated. But would be the way to go if Reverb is a big part of your sound and you want to setup a bunch of flavors and quickly switch to them via MIDI or something like that.
 
stratjacket said:
I use the Blue Sky now and had a HoF a few years ago. They are both easy to use, just adjust the knobs and go. I set it and forget it, always on. Honestly I don’t know that there would be a huge difference depending on what you want to do. I’m mainly play heavy and the Reverb is at the end of the chain and I use it to add just a touch for a little space and depth. Can’t even really notice it until I turn it off and then it’s noticeably missing.

The Big Sky on the other hand has more types of Reverb and more tweaking options, it’s programmable. You can control via MIDI. If you’re looking for simple, it’s not the way to go imho. It is more complicated. But would be the way to go if Reverb is a big part of your sound and you want to setup a bunch of flavors and quickly switch to them via MIDI or something like that.
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Thanks.

80-90% of what I do is what you described...a little space and depth at the end (not noticalbe until not there). My Walrus Slow is not good for that in my opinion. Maybe 10-20% of the time I'd want to do some more lush reverb stuff (Explosion's in the Sky type stuff, ect.).

I do like the bankable options (set and forget a couple of tones), but its not a big priority for me to have it programable.

I don't mind paying up for the Blue Sky if the sound is that much better and remains simple. Some Strymon fanboys make its sound like its night and day above other reverbs.

What made you switch to the Blue Sky?
 
having switchable presets is exactly why I went with source audio over stymon for my personal needs
 
Anxiety Serum said:
Thanks.

80-90% of what I do is what you described...a little space and depth at the end (not noticalbe until not there). My Walrus Slow is not good for that in my opinion. Maybe 10-20% of the time I'd want to do some more lush reverb stuff (Explosion's in the Sky type stuff, ect.).

I do like the bankable options (set and forget a couple of tones), but its not a big priority for me to have it programable.

I don't mind paying up for the Blue Sky if the sound is that much better and remains simple. Some Strymon fanboys make its sound like its night and day above other reverbs.

What made you switch to the Blue Sky?
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I was getting Reverb from an Eventide H9 and I wanted to use other things in the H9, so in order free that up I needed another dedicated Reverb. I researched a lot and went with the Blue Sky. I also have the Strymon DIG and Ola for delay and chorus, so in the end I figured what the hell make it a trio of Strymons. It sounds good and it’s simple. No complaints to speak of really.
 
Grabbed a HoF 2 mint/used for $120 on reverb. Should have next week.

I'll miss not having the saved presets, but for $120, not sure I can go wrong.
 
Just a few minutes of play and the HoF 2 sounds great. Lots of options and much simpler than my Walrus Slo. I just set everything at noon and toggled through all the great choices. Again for $120, a great pedal, can't go wrong. Maybe the Strymons and others sound better. But I think this will work for me. Thanks all.
 
stratjacket said:
I was getting Reverb from an Eventide H9 and I wanted to use other things in the H9, so in order free that up I needed another dedicated Reverb. I researched a lot and went with the Blue Sky. I also have the Strymon DIG and Ola for delay and chorus, so in the end I figured what the hell make it a trio of Strymons. It sounds good and it’s simple. No complaints to speak of really.
Click to expand...

I love the spring verb on the volante, so I ended up getting all my time based fx in one unit.
 
Anxiety Serum said:
I've been waiting on a HoF2 to come back in stock, but have read people love the Strymon pedals. The Big Sky is like $300 more and the Blue Sky is $150 than the HoF.

How easy are the Strymon's to operate? I like simple pedals and don't want to tweak all day. I have a Walrus Slo, but I don't particularly find it intuitive or great sounding. It does unique lush stuff ok but no simple room/plate/hall functions.

Is either Strymon worth the extra coin or just wait/buy used HoF?
Click to expand...
Get a used Digitech Polara reverb pedal instead. You can thank me later.
 
If you like the Lexicon Hall then a Digitech iStomp loaded with the Lexicon Hall reverb is a pretty sweet deal. The iStomps are pretty cheap these days. Just need an old (non-lightning) iPhone or iPad to load the effect.
 
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