The Classic Audio Effects Amethyst Reverb Mini is a compact reverb pedal, the smaller sibling to the full-sized Amethyst model, which features a built-in expression roller. It is hand made in South Carolina. Pedal of the Day's 2016 review described it as offering "a wide array of features, tones and options in a friendly-sized pedal, a welcome sight for players with large pedalboards overall"1.
The controls
The Mini keeps its faceplate simple: four knobs for the reverb itself, plus a Preset knob and a Save button for storing settings1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Room | Adjusts the simulated room size, and how long it takes for reverberation to naturally occur |
| Feedback | Feeds the reverb back into itself for a wide range of sounds, including self-oscillation when really cranked up |
| Tone | Affects how dark or bright the reverb effect is |
| Reverb | Controls the wetness of the signal |
| Preset + Save | Turn the Preset knob to A, set up your favorite settings, then hit the Save button to store the current settings to the selected preset1 |
The Feedback knob is the one to watch for experimental sounds: because it feeds the reverb back into itself, cranking it high pushes the pedal into self-oscillation1.
Presets and the expression jack
The feature Pedal of the Day singled out as the coolest is the two-preset system, which lets you store and recall two different reverb settings and blend between them1. Saving is straightforward: set the Preset knob to A, dial in your sound, and press Save1.
There is also a small on/off button to control whether the Expression Input Jack is activated or not, so the jack does not have to be live all the time1. When it is on, a toggle switch selects what the connected pedal controls:
- The Feedback
- The Reverb
- A smooth blend of the two presets, on the fly
Pedal of the Day called it "a nice, accessible expression jack," easily hooked up to a favorite expression pedal1. If you want that kind of control built in rather than on an external pedal, the full-sized Amethyst features a built-in expression roller1.
How it compares
Within the Classic Audio Effects range, the Mini trades the full-sized Amethyst's built-in expression roller for a smaller footprint, while keeping the two-preset engine and adding an expression jack of its own1. The maker's Yukon Reverb Roller and Aloft Shimmer Reverb sit alongside it in the catalog, and it belongs to the broader family of reverb pedals.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
How many presets does the Amethyst Reverb Mini have?
It has two presets, with the ability to blend them together. You turn the Preset knob to A, set up your favorite settings, and hit the Save button to store the current settings to the selected preset. The expression jack can also be set to smoothly blend the two presets together on the fly.
Can the Amethyst Reverb Mini self-oscillate?
Yes. The Feedback knob feeds the reverb back into itself for a wide range of sounds, and Pedal of the Day notes it produces self-oscillation when really cranked up.
Does the Amethyst Reverb Mini work with an expression pedal?
Yes. It has an accessible expression jack for hooking up an expression pedal to control either the Feedback, the Reverb, or to smoothly blend the two presets together on the fly. A toggle switch selects which of these the pedal controls, and a small on/off button activates or deactivates the expression input.
What does the Amethyst Mini's Room knob do?
Room adjusts the simulated room size, and how long it takes for reverberation to naturally occur. In practice it sets how big the space sounds and how quickly the reflections build behind your dry signal.
Where is the Amethyst Reverb Mini made?
The Amethyst Reverb Mini is hand made in South Carolina.
Sources (1)
- Classic Audio Effects Amethyst Reverb Mini, Pedal of the Day, 2016-04-18
