The Afterneath V3 Retrospective Pedal is a limited-edition version of EarthQuaker Devices' best-selling reverb, the pedal the maker calls its "otherworldly reverberation machine"1. Rather than modeling a room or a hall, the Afterneath builds its digital reverb from many short delays, which is what gives it a character unlike conventional reverb pedals2. The Retrospective edition puts the V3 circuit in a special brushed metal finish, released alongside a matching Afterneath Eurorack module3.
The V3 generation is the most capable Afterneath yet. It keeps everything earlier versions had and adds an expression or control-voltage input, a nine-mode Drag system, and trails switching4.
A digital reverb with nine modes
The heart of the Afterneath is Drag, the control that stretches and smears the reverb's short delays. On the V3, Drag is governed by a new Mode control, a small centrally located knob offering nine modes, with the original Afterneath sound at the far left position1. Premier Guitar's reviewer described the mode knob, new to V3, as offering "unquantized, quantized, slew, octave, and major, minor, and pentatonic scale modes"6.
The nine modes split into two families. Guitar.com's review explains that three of the nine offer a continuous note sweep, while the other six break the sweep into discrete notes at various intervals5. The quantized pitch options are the practical draw: major, minor, and pentatonic scale settings pitch-shift the reverb tails so they stay in key as you turn Drag7.
The other headline control is Reflect, which Delicious Audio describes in plain terms1:
"Reflect controls reverb regeneration, or how many copies of copies will propagate. When turned up it can self-modulate and probably take the pedal into boomy echo-storm territory"1
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drag | Stretches the short delays that form the reverb; behavior set by the Mode knob2 |
| Mode | New mini knob on V3; nine modes including the original sound at the far left1 |
| Reflect | Sets reverb regeneration, how many copies of copies propagate; high settings self-modulate1 |
Expression and CV control
The expression input is one of the three features V3 adds, letting you sweep Drag with an expression pedal or a control-voltage (CV) source in real time4. The Mode control works in tandem with Drag and the expression/CV input: the nine modes govern how Drag functions when controlled externally4. Gearnews highlights this as a way to manipulate the reverb further with your foot while playing7.
GuitarPlayer's review summed up the appeal as "versatile modes with expression and CV control," and found the pedal's range of expression makes it versatile for alt-rock, alt-country and surf guitar styles, as well as ambient music4.
What changed between V2 and V3
Everything on a standard Afterneath was already there before V3. GuitarPlayer's reviewer notes that all the core features were standard on previous versions, including the Afterneath V2, and that V3 adds three things: the expression/CV input, the Mode control, and Tails/No Tails operation4.
The V2 generation, released in 2016, had brought its own upgrades across EarthQuaker's pedal line: a soft-touch relay silent switching system, more robust enclosures, and top-mounted input and output jacks89.
One change to watch for if you are moving from an older pedal: the Reflect and Drag controls have been swapped on the V3 compared with the previous incarnation, so the two knobs sit in each other's places10.
Coming from a V2 or original Afterneath? The Reflect and Drag knobs are in swapped positions on the V3, and the Mode knob and expression input are new. Everything else you know from the older pedal is still there410.
The limited-edition Retrospective finish
The Retrospective edition is a custom special edition of the V3, announced in March 2022 alongside a matching Afterneath Eurorack module3. Where the standard Afterneath V3 ships in a pale green finish, the Retrospective edition is a limited-edition brushed metal version11, with a stellar black print on a raw silver enclosure3.
The standard V3 circuit is unchanged inside: this is a finish edition, not a different pedal. At launch the Afterneath V3 was selling for £199 at UK and European dealers3.
Where it is made and who it is for
The Afterneath V3 is a digital reverb pedal made in the USA by EarthQuaker Devices5. For players comparing it against the maker's other reverbs, the Afterneath sits in a range that also includes the Levitation, the Transmisser, the Astral Destiny, the Ledges and the Towers Stereo Reverberant Filter, each with its own take on ambience.
Delicious Audio places the Afterneath among its picks for ambient and shoegaze reverb pedals, noting that V3's Mode control is what opens up the expression pedal and CV connectivity2.
Videos
Premier Guitar
The Pedal Zone
The Pedal Zone
Questions
What changed between the Afterneath V2 and V3?
V3 keeps everything the earlier versions had and adds three things: an expression or CV input for sweeping Drag with your foot, a Mode control that sets how Drag behaves, and a Tails/No Tails switch. The Mode knob itself is new to V3, and the Reflect and Drag controls swapped positions compared with the previous version.
Are the Reflect and Drag knobs in the same place on V3?
No. On the V3 the Reflect and Drag controls have been swapped compared with the previous version of the pedal, so players moving from an older Afterneath will find the two knobs in each other's places.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Afterneath V3?
Yes. The V3 has an expression input that lets you sweep Drag with an expression pedal or a control-voltage (CV) source in real time. The Mode control sets the mode for the connected expression pedal or CV source, and the nine modes govern how Drag responds to it.
Does the Afterneath V3 have trails?
Yes. The V3 offers trails/no trails switching, so you can choose whether the reverb tail continues to ring out after you bypass the pedal or cuts off immediately.
Is the Afterneath V3 analog or digital?
It is digital. The Afterneath creates its digital reverb from many short delays, which is what gives the pedal its unusual, otherworldly reverberation character rather than a conventional room or hall simulation.
Where is the Afterneath V3 made?
The Afterneath V3 is made in the USA by EarthQuaker Devices, the Akron, Ohio-based effects maker. The Retrospective edition is a limited-edition run in a brushed metal finish.
Sources (11)
- Earthquaker Devices Afterneath V3, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-28
- The Best Ambient-Shoegaze Reverb Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-15
- EarthQuaker Devices release limited edition versions of the Afterneath Otherworldly Reverberator, Guitar.com, 2022-03-16
- EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Review, GuitarPlayer.com, 2020-05-19
- Review: EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3, Guitar.com, 2020-05-18
- EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Review, Premier Guitar, 2020-09-16
- The 7 Best Ambient Reverb Pedals for any Budget: From Subtle Space to Full Void, www.gearnews.com, 2026-06-22
- Earthquaker Devices upgrade four effects to V2, gearnews.com, 2016-11-01
- EarthQuaker Devices upgrades 4 guitar effects pedals to V2 specs, MusicRadar, 2016-11-01
- The new Afterneath V3 from Earthquaker Devices features 9 new Modes, gearnews.com, 2020-01-20
- EarthQuaker Devices celebrates the success of its Afterneath V3 reverb with special-edition pedal and feature-length documentary, Guitar World, 2022-03-16
