The Cusack Resound is a reverb pedal made by Cusack Music, first shown at Summer NAMM in July 2018123. Its programs go beyond standard reverb: a Modulated program runs reverb and chorus together, the Glisten program adds an octave and a 5th to simulate a 12-string effect, and the Hall/Freeze program allows a very long tail, up to freeze4. The Resound V2 is a re-design of the first edition Resound, with updated programs, dedicated Left and Right outputs, and a dedicated expression pedal input15.
What the Resound does
The Resound is a stereo-capable reverb pedal with eight reverb programs, eight user-programmable presets, and an "Extend" switch that maxes out the decay for ambient sounds12. Where Cusack Music's earlier Reverb pedal was a no-frills stompbox aimed at beginners, Guitar.com described the Resound as "the reverb pedal for the serious player"3. Premier Guitar's reviewer found it to be "a digital reverb unit with exceptionally strong fundamental tones," and listed its pros as "Lush sounds. Flexible functionality. Small footprint. Fair price."7
The pedal has three main modes: Bypass, Live, and Preset, and it ships set to Preset mode4. A Cascade toggle determines whether notes played after Extend is engaged add to the extended notes or pass through unaffected43.
The reverb programs
The Program knob switches between the eight reverb programs, with names printed on the front of the pedal1. Each program contains three parameter controls, Par. 1, Par. 2, and Decay, alongside the universal Mix control, which runs from fully dry to fully wet4. The programs, from the manual:
| Program | What it does | Par. 1 | Par. 2 | Par. 3 / Hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room | Closet-sized rooms to larger rooms; pre-delay effective for slap back | Pre-Delay | Decay | Tone / Long |
| Plate | Brighter texture plate reverb sounds | Pre-Delay | Decay | Tone / Long Decay |
| Modulated | Lush chorus/reverb, with the reverb running in parallel instead of series | Depth | Reverb level | Speed / Max reverb level and decay |
| Glisten | Adds an octave and a 5th to simulate a 12-string effect; tremolo rate 0 to 10 Hz, depth not adjustable | Blend | Decay | Tremolo Rate / Near Infinite Decay |
| Hall/Freeze | Very long tail up to freeze, and custom blends in between | Blend | Decay | Tone / Freeze |
| Spring | Tone control left for "blackface" style reverb, right for earlier spring tank sound | |||
| Shimmurmur | Independent control of upper and lower voicings for a shimmer that can be ominous or choir-like |
On the Resound V2, the fifth program was changed to a "SWELL" with Sensitivity and Recovery Time parameters56. Cusack says the V2 programs have been tweaked and fine tuned, giving each more complex characteristics for a smoother, lusher tone9.
The controls and footswitches
The knobs are Level, Decay, Mix, Program, and two program-specific Parameter controls. Level boosts or cuts the overall output, with noon at unity gain and a range of plus or minus 6 dB from unity148.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Overall output volume, plus or minus 6 dB from unity; noon is unity gain14 |
| Mix | Universal dry/wet mix, from fully dry to fully wet4 |
| Program | Switches between the eight reverb programs1 |
| Parameter 2 | Varies by program1 |
| Cascade toggle | Left is off, right is on: sets whether new notes add to extended notes4 |
The original pedal has three footswitches, L, M, and R, with the two bypass switches flanking the Extend switch. Guitar.com noted they let you switch between both presets in the same bank without losing reverb trails3.
- L / Bypass: Engages or disengages the pedal in live mode, or the left preset in preset mode1
- M (Extend): Extends the decay pot to fully open, with the effect dependent on the program; press once to turn on (the large LED blinks fast), once more to turn off14
- R / Bypass: Engages or disengages the pedal in live mode, or the right preset in preset mode1
In the manual's scheme, L and M cycle banks, L or R select the preset, M engages Extend, L and R together enter Save Mode, and holding M and R for about 2 seconds toggles between Live and Preset mode4. On the V2, the right footswitch is labeled BYPASS: tap it to engage or disengage the effect, and in Preset mode (the startup mode) it engages the right preset6.
Presets, banks and Extend
There are eight presets in four banks, indicated by the big LED: Red, Green, Blue, and Violet on the original, with a Left and Right preset in each bank4. The V2 manual describes the same arrangement, with each bank storing a preset for the left and right footswitches6. The Extend switch is the pedal's ambient trick: it maxes out the decay, which varies by program, and Delicious Audio described it as a way "to help create complex ambient landscapes"18. With the Cascade toggle on, you can add new notes to the extended reverb while Extend is engaged3.
Stereo out or expression: the internal jumper
On the original Resound, the right output jack does double duty. Cusack's page puts it plainly814:
"It can be used as a stereo output, or an expression pedal input. The functionality is controlled by internal jumpers184."
That means you choose one or the other: stereo out, or an expression pedal (which requires a TRS cable, and each program can have its own expression function assigned)4. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that an expression pedal can be assigned to any one of the Resound's parameters7. The Resound V2 removes the compromise with dedicated Left and Right outputs plus a dedicated expression pedal input5. On the V2, use the L output for mono and both R and L outputs for stereo6. Configuring an expression pedal on the V2 is done by holding all three footswitches for half a second, setting the heel-down and toe-down positions on the desired knob, then tapping any footswitch to exit6.
History: from the Sweet Verb to the Resound V2
The Resound V2 is a re-design of the first edition Resound5. Its programs have been tweaked and fine tuned, giving each program more complex characteristics for a smoother, lusher tone, and the 5th program has been changed to a "SWELL"9. The V2 adds a dedicated Left and Right output3. Its Program 2, PLATE, delivers rich textured plate reverb sounds, from dark to bright95. The original Resound carried a $279 street price7.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Mike Hermans
Do Noise
Questions
Is the Cusack Resound analog or digital?
It is digital. The Resound is a digital reverb pedal built around the Spin Semiconductor FV-1 microprocessor, the same chip used in many popular DSP reverb and delay pedals. Cusack Music wrote the reverb programs for the chip themselves.
What chip is the Cusack Resound based on?
The Spin Semiconductor FV-1 microprocessor. Premier Guitar's reviewer called it a favorite among pedal builders, and Cusack used their own DSP programming to create the Resound's eight reverb programs on it.
Is the original Cusack Resound discontinued?
Yes. Cusack Music lists the original Resound as discontinued, and it has been replaced by the Resound V2, which keeps the same core functionality but adds dedicated Left and Right outputs, a dedicated expression input, and updated programs.
Can I use stereo and an expression pedal at the same time on the Resound?
Not on the original Resound. Its right output jack is configurable between stereo output and expression pedal input via internal jumpers, so you get one or the other. The Resound V2 solves this with dedicated Left and Right outputs plus a dedicated expression pedal input.
Where is the Cusack Resound made?
In the USA. The Resound V2 manual states it is manufactured in Holland, Michigan, USA, and the original launch noted it is made in the USA and carries a lifetime warranty.
Sources (9)
- Resound Reverb Pedal with Presets and Extend, Cusack Music
- Cusack Music Unveils the Resound Reverb, Premier Guitar, 2018-07-26
- Cusack Music unveils digital reverb pedal, Guitar.com, 2018-07-27
- Microsoft Word, Cusack Music, 2022
- Resound V2 Reverb Pedal with Presets, Cusack Music
- Resound v2 draft.ai, Cusack Music, 2023
- Cusack Resound Review, Premier Guitar, 2018-11-06
- Updated Pedal: Cusack Resound V2 Stereo Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2023-05-16
- Resound V2 Reverb, B-Stock Discount, Cusack Music
