The Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay is a compact pedal, released in 1994, that puts both reverb and delay in a single Boss enclosure. It offers straight delay with up to two seconds of time, plus modes that combine delay with the pedal's four reverb types1. Boss's own history of its delay pedals, written by Jim Bybee, lists it among the company's delay line, and notes it "also cost less and could run on a 9-volt battery"1.
The RV-3 is no longer in production. Delicious Audio's Christopher Scapelliti lists it among "now-discontinued pedals" in a 2024 buying guide6.
What it does
The RV-3 covers two jobs at once. Pedal of the Day's 2014 review by Mike B. breaks the pedal's modes down like this5:
| Modes | What they offer |
|---|---|
| 3 Delay modes | Times up to 2,000ms |
| 4 Reverb modes | Simultaneous delay from 32 to 1,000ms, using Room, Hall and Plate reverb types |
The two-second maximum was a step forward for its time. MusicRadar's FX Files history of the Boss DD-3 notes that "The RV-3 reverb and PS-3 pitch shifter delay had delay times of up to two seconds that far outstripped the 800ms" of earlier Boss digital delays7. The PS-3 Pitch Shifter / Delay shared that spec, while the Boss DD-3 Digital Delay was the pedal the comparison was drawn against.
RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the RV-3's circuit type as analog3, though the pedal is named and sold as a Digital Reverb/Delay3.
Power
The RV-3 runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 70mA, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia3. Pedal of the Day lists the options as a dry battery (9V type) or an AC adaptor5, and Boss's own history confirms it could run on a 9-volt battery1.
Versions and the JHS Dual Mode Mod
Pedal of the Day has reviewed the RV-3 twice: once in its original form in 2014, and again in 2017 in a version modified with the JHS Pedals Dual Mode Mod25. Of the modified pedal, the site wrote:
"We're always fans of modding and making great pedals exquisite, which is exactly what has happened to the RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay2."
Pedal of the Day, 3 May 20172
Who has used it
Premier Guitar's rig rundown with Incubus, by Chris Kies with Mike Einziger and Ben Kenney, notes that Einziger considers the Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay "his most important pedal8."
Where it sits in Boss's delay line
The RV-3 belongs to Boss's long line of delay pedals, from the DM-2 analog delay through later digital designs like the DD-7 and DD-5001. Its combination of reverb and delay in one box is what sets it apart from the straight delays in that line.
Videos
Gear Confessions
Reverb
Paul Graham (Guitar)
Questions
Can the Boss RV-3 run on a 9V battery?
Yes. Pedal of the Day lists the power supply as DC 9V, with a dry battery (9V type) or an AC adaptor, and Boss's own history of its delay pedals notes that the RV-3 could run on a 9-volt battery. RockBoard's PedalPedia specifies 9V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 70mA.
What power supply does the Boss RV-3 use?
The RV-3 runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 70mA, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia. Pedal of the Day lists a dry battery (9V type) or an AC adaptor as the power options, so it can run either on battery or from a mains adaptor.
How long is the maximum delay time on the RV-3?
Two seconds. Boss's history of its delay pedals describes straight delay with up to two seconds, and Pedal of the Day details three Delay modes offering times up to 2,000ms. MusicRadar notes that this two-second maximum far outstripped the 800ms of earlier Boss digital delays.
How many reverb types does the Boss RV-3 have?
Four. Pedal of the Day describes four Reverb modes with simultaneous delay, ranging from 32 to 1,000ms, using Room, Hall and Plate reverb types, alongside three straight Delay modes.
Is the Boss RV-3 a reverb or a delay pedal?
Both. It is a Digital Reverb/Delay pedal: it offers three straight delay modes with times up to 2,000ms, plus four reverb modes that combine reverb with simultaneous delay from 32 to 1,000ms, using Room, Hall and Plate reverb types.
Sources (8)
- Echoes in Time: The History of BOSS Delay Pedals, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2024-01-10
- Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay (JHS Dual Mode Mod), Pedal of the Day, 2017-05-03
- RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay by BOSS, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay (JHS Dual Mode Mod), Pedal of the Day, 2017-04-26
- Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb / Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2014-04-01
- The Best Glitch, Stutter And Granular Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-05-27
- The FX files: Boss DD-3, MusicRadar, 2019-02-12
- Rig Rundown - Incubus' Mike Einzinger and Ben Kenney - Premier Guitar, Premier Guitar, 2012-09-12
