The Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 Dual Stereo Reverb is a stereo digital reverb pedal from Electro-Harmonix. Its defining feature is that it runs two simultaneous, independent, stereo reverb engines, each offering 12 algorithms, and the two reverbs can be run in series or in parallel12. Electro-Harmonix describes it as "the Oceans 11's big brother with even more reverbs and functionality"1, and Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio noted that it takes the Ocean 11 one step further by adding an extra reverb engine, hence the name2.
Alongside the dual engines, the pedal carries 24 presets and what the press called advanced I/O: stereo inputs and outputs, or a mono send/return loop for adding other effects externally, with pre- or post-reverb placement options23. Premier Guitar's review described it as a pair of "dual independent digital-reverb engines"4.
Modes and presets
Each reverb engine offers 12 algorithms, and most reverb types contain multiple modes that you step through with the MODE button: as Electro-Harmonix puts it, "Pressing the MODE button cycles through these available modes"12. The reverb types Delicious Audio documented in detail include:
| Reverb type | Modes | What each mode does |
|---|---|---|
| ROOM | Two | Algorithms modeled after a lively room and a spacious performance hall2 |
| SPRING | Two | A vintage 1962 Fender 6G15 tube reverb emulation, and the spring algorithm from the EHX Holy Grail2 |
| PLATE | Two | Two emulations of the smooth metal plate reverb used in high-end recording studios of the 1960s and '70s2 |
| ECHO | Three | A digital delay with various echo rhythms feeding into a plate reverb2 |
| REVERSE | Two | A reverse reverb effect, plus true reversed echoes2 |
| RESONANT | Two | Reverb excited by tunable resonators, and configurable self-oscillating filters on the reverb tail2 |
The preset system is tied directly to the footswitches. As Premier Guitar's review explained, "The Oceans 12 allows two presets per reverb voice, which are assigned individually to the reverb A and reverb B switches," for 24 presets in total4. In practice that means each engine has its own pair of saved settings you can recall from the board without bending down.
The controls
The front panel keeps things compact by giving the four main white knobs double functions, covering eight parameters25. Guitar World's review listed the full control set as "Reverb Type selector, 2x parameter knobs, Fx Level/Inf Level, Predelay/Send Level, Time/Lo Fi, Tone/Tide"5.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Reverb Type selector | Chooses the active reverb algorithm5 |
| MODE button | Cycles through the available modes of the selected reverb type1 |
| TONE knob | Controls the tone or EQ of the reverb signal in all reverb types; clockwise is brighter, counter-clockwise darker1 |
| Tide Control | A new control for stereo image alteration1 |
| Lo-fi Control | Degrades the reverb signal for a lo-fi character1 |
| Predelay / Send Level | Sets pre-delay time, or the send level when using the loop5 |
| Time / Lo Fi | Sets reverb time, or the lo-fi amount5 |
| Fx Level / Inf Level | Sets the reverb mix, or the infinite reverb level5 |
The Predelay/Send Level knob is the one that connects to the pedal's loop feature: the Oceans 12 can handle stereo in/out or a mono send/return for adding other effects externally, with pre- or post-reverb placement, as guitar.com's Terence Stanley reported at launch3. That lets you, for example, place a modulation or delay pedal inside the reverb's path rather than in front of it.
How it differs from the Ocean 11
The Oceans 11 runs one reverb at a time; the Oceans 12 adds a second engine so two reverbs can sound together, in mono, dual-mono, parallel, or series, as gearnews.com's launch coverage noted61. Delicious Audio's multi-reverb buying guide made the same point: "The two reverbs (each featuring 12 algorithms) can be run in series or parallel"7. The preset count and the send/return loop round out the differences, giving the Oceans 12 more of a workstation character than its single-engine sibling.
Price and reviewers
A guitar.com review listed the Oceans 12 Dual Stereo Reverb at £2298.
"The Oceans 12 allows two presets per reverb voice, which are assigned individually to the reverb A and reverb B switches"
Videos
Premier Guitar
EHX
Guitar Bonedo
Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 stereo?
Yes. The Oceans 12 is a stereo digital reverb pedal with two simultaneous, independent, stereo reverb engines. It can also run in mono or dual-mono, and its stereo inputs and outputs double as a mono send/return loop for adding other effects before or after the reverb.
How many presets does the Oceans 12 have?
The Oceans 12 holds 24 presets in total: two presets per reverb voice, assigned individually to the reverb A and reverb B footswitches. That gives you quick recall of two saved settings for each of the two engines.
Does the Oceans 12 come with a power supply?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix includes its standard EHX 9.6DC200mA power adapter in the box, a 9.6V DC supply rated at 200mA. You do not need to buy a power supply separately to run the pedal.
What is the difference between the Oceans 12 and the Ocean 11?
The Oceans 12 is the Oceans 11's big brother, taking the same concept one step further by adding a second reverb engine. That means two reverbs can run at once, in series or parallel, with 24 presets and a send/return loop, where the Ocean 11 runs a single reverb at a time.
Does the Oceans 12 have a spring reverb?
Yes. The SPRING reverb type offers two modes: an emulation of the vintage 1962 Fender 6G15 tube reverb unit, and the spring algorithm taken from the Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail pedal.
Can the Oceans 12 run two reverbs at once?
Yes. Its two reverb engines, each with 12 algorithms, can run simultaneously and independently, in mono, dual-mono, parallel, or series. You can, for example, stack a spring into a shimmer, or blend two reverbs side by side.
Sources (8)
- Oceans 12, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 Dual Stereo Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-20
- Waves collide in Electro-Harmonix’s Oceans 12 dual stereo reverb pedal, guitar.com, 2020-02-27
- Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 Review, Premier Guitar, 2020-10-15
- Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 review, Guitar World, 2021-06-14
- Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12: new demo video goes online, gearnews.com, 2020-02-28
- 2024 UPDATE: Best Multi Reverb Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2024-10-25
- Fender Dual Marine Layer Reverb review: proof that there’s more to Fender reverb than surf, guitar.com, 2021-12-08
