The Neunaber Immerse is a compact reverb pedal that puts eight stereo reverb algorithms in one box: "Eight studio reverbs. One pedal." as the maker's page puts it1. It grew out of Neunaber's Wet Reverb, the pedal that made the company's name, and it broadens that single signature sound into a full palette: plate, hall, spring, shimmer, echo, detune and, on the Mk II, a sustain effect. The original Immerse Reverberator arrived in 2016; the redesigned Immerse Mk II followed in October 2018 and is the version sold today, built by Quilter Labs1.
What it does: eight stereo reverbs in one pedal
The Immerse is a studio-style reverb in a small pedal format. Guitar World's reviewer described it as delivering "true pro-quality reverb effects in an affordable pedal format"7. The center knob selects the reverb effect, and the other knobs adapt their function to whichever mode is chosen5. It runs true stereo through separate pairs of input and output jacks, and using both outputs creates a stereo signal from a mono input6.
The original 2016 Immerse Reverberator carried eight modes: Wet, Hall, Plate, Spring, Shimmer A, Shimmer B, +Echo and +Detune6. Premier Guitar's reviewer described the concept as Neunaber having "not only improved on the secret sauce that made the Wet reverb sound so good, but added seven new reverb flavors"8.
The reverb modes
The Mk II's eight modes, per the maker's manual5:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| W3T | Version 3 of the Wet algorithm, Neunaber's flagship reverb; smoother decay and more three-dimensional, with pre-delay up to an additional 200 ms5 |
| Plate | Emulates a plate reverb with transducers on a large suspended metal plate; known for a clear, diffuse sound, with pre-delay up to 200 ms4 |
| Hall | Simulates the sound of a well-designed concert hall; the Mod control sets modulation depth49 |
| Spring | Mechanical spring reverb with metal springs and the distinctive "twerp"; the Mod control sets modulation speed for a vibrato-spring sound49 |
| Sustain | New on the Mk II; built on W3T and configurable as a sustain effect or virtually infinite reverb. The hold phase recycles what you play in an infinite loop, then decays during release5 |
| Echo | Combines the W3T reverb with stereo echo; Time sets echo time from 50 to 700 ms, Depth sets reverb decay and echo repeats, Blend sets the reverb-to-echo mix54 |
| Detune | Transposes pitch slightly downward for a slightly "detuned" reverb with a thick, chorus-like effect; Blend sets the detune-to-reverb mix4 |
| Shimmer | Octave-shifted reverb that rises into an ethereal, cathedral-like texture1 |
The original's +Echo mode combined the Wet reverb with delays between 50 ms and 720 ms in length8, and its +Detune mode worked similarly with a detuned layer.
The controls and the Kill Dry switch
The Mk II has four knobs plus the center selector9:
- Mix: the blend of dry signal to effect, from 100% dry to 100% effect5
- Depth: reverb decay time; in Echo mode it also controls the number of repeats4
- Time/Tone: the effect sound, except in Sustain, where it sets hold time, and Echo, where it sets delay time4
- Pre-Dly/Mod/Blend: in W3T and Plate it sets pre-delay, in Hall and Sustain it sets modulation depth, in Spring it sets modulation rate4
Two mini switches sit at the top of the pedal near the power jack, front-facing for quick access: Kill Dry and Trails7. Kill Dry removes the dry signal, leaving only the wet effect signal, even when the pedal is bypassed; the manual says to enable it for parallel effect loops and disable it for serial loops5. Trails lets the reverb ring out when you switch to bypass instead of cutting it off abruptly4. Guitar World's reviewer found the switches "conveniently located on the top, front-facing panel where guitarists can access them quickly"7.
A notable Mk II change: every mode can now go 100% wet via the Mix knob, where the original could not10.
Power and connections
The Mk II runs on a standard 9 to 12 V DC center-negative pedal power adapter with a 5.5 mm OD x 2.1 mm ID barrel, capable of supplying 80 mA or more. There is no battery, and the adapter is not included5. The original Immerse drew 70 mA minimum on the same 9 to 12 V center-negative supply62.
Inputs 1 and 2 accept 1/4-inch connectors for an instrument, an amp's effect loop send or other pedals; the manual advises against feeding Inputs 1 and 2 two different signals, such as two different instruments4. The output is buffered and suited to long cable runs4. On the original, Input 1 was mono only and Input 2 accepted a stereo TRS input only; Output 1 was summed mono and Output 2 supplied a stereo TRS output only6.
The Immerse has no presets, no expression control and no tap tempo. Premier Guitar's review lists "No presets or expression control"8, and the original's launch coverage confirmed it does not work with Neunaber's ExP Controller811. Echo repeats are dialed in by ear with the Time knob8. Players who need presets, MIDI and expression moved to Neunaber's later Illumine pedal.
From the Wet Reverb to the Mk II
Neunaber, based in Orange, California, built its reputation on the Wet Reverb6. The original Immerse Reverberator previewed at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show and went on sale in mid-February 2016 at a retail price of $2252.
On October 5, 2018, Neunaber Audio announced the Immerse Mk II, "completely redesigned from the ground up" following the original's success3. MusicRadar described it as adding "a host of additional features to the original"10, and Guitar.com called its eight stereo reverb presets "The MKII's crowning glory"12. The Mk II sells for $249 direct from Neunaber3.
The 10-year anniversary limited edition
In July 2019, Neunaber marked ten years in the pedal business with a limited-edition 10-Year Immerse Mk II. It carries the Wet Reverb's blue ripple design, a retro Wet Reverb font, a 10-year mark and a hand-numbered serial number9. Otherwise it is the regular pedal: the same eight reverb types, controls for Mix, Depth, Time/Tone and Pre-Delay/Mod, and a $249 RRP. It was built to order in small batches, available from August 31 until supply ran out, with 2 to 4 weeks shipment expected9.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's review of the original summed up its strengths as "All the reverb tones you likely would ever need. Wonderfully useful echo controls."8. Delicious Audio's Brandon Stoner wrote:
"For the player looking for a reverb that can do what you'd expect and more, this pedal is worth a solid look."
Guitar World's Mk II review praised the true stereo operation and the convenient switch placement7. MusicRadar noted the Mk II "earned it a spot on our list of the best reverb pedals available today"14. Gearnews was more measured on the anniversary edition: still "a great reverb pedal" apart from the marketing hype, but the writer was not convinced by the new graphic and doubted the limited edition would make anyone rush out to buy one9.
Videos
Pete Thorn
Pete Thorn
Neunaber Audio
Questions
What is the difference between the Immerse and the Immerse Mk II?
The Mk II, released October 5, 2018, completely redesigns the circuitry and upgrades the algorithms of the original 2016 Immerse. It replaces the Wet algorithm with W3T (Wet version 3), adds a new Sustain effect, and lets the Mix knob go to 100% wet in every mode. The original's eight modes were Wet, Hall, Plate, Spring, Shimmer A, Shimmer B, +Echo and +Detune.
Is the Neunaber Immerse stereo?
Yes. The Immerse has separate pairs of 1/4-inch input and output jacks and provides true stereo operation in addition to mono. Using both outputs creates a stereo signal from a mono input. Output 2 supplies a stereo TRS output only, and Output 1 is summed mono.
Does the Neunaber Immerse have tap tempo?
No. Premier Guitar's review notes there is no tap tempo function, so on the echo-based modes you dial in the tempo of the repeats by ear with the Time knob, which sets echo time from 50 to 700 ms.
Does the Immerse have presets or an expression input?
No. Premier Guitar's review lists no presets or expression control, and the original's launch coverage confirmed it does not work with Neunaber's ExP Controller or have expression inputs. Players who need presets and MIDI moved to Neunaber's later Illumine pedal.
Sources (14)
- Immerse Reverberator Mk II, Quilter Labs (neunaber.net)
- NAMM 2016: Neunaber Introduces Immerse Reverberator Pedal, Guitar World, 2016-01-18
- Neunaber Launches Immerse Mk II Reverberator Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2018-10-05
- Immerse Mk II User Guide (Deutsche), Neunaber Technology LLC, 2018
- Immerse Reverberator MkII User Guide, Quilter Labs, 2018
- Immerse User Guide (Original), Quilter Labs / Neunaber Technology LLC, 2016
- Review: Neunaber Immerse Reverberator MKII, Guitar World, 2019-02-14
- Neunaber Audio Effects Immerse Reverberator Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-09-12
- Neunaber 10-year anniversary limited-edition Immerse Mk II reverb pedal, gearnews.com, 2019-07-01
- Neunaber crams eight “magical stereo reverbs” into Immerse Reverberator Mk II, MusicRadar, 2018-10-08
- NAMM 2016: Neunaber's Immerse pedal promises 'stellar' stereo reverbs, MusicRadar, 2016-01-20
- Neunaber Audio announces the Immerse Reverberator MKII, Guitar.com, 2018-10-09
- Neunaber IMMERSE Reverberator, Delicious Audio, 2016-01-29
- Neunaber celebrates its 10-year anniversary with limited-edition Immerse Mk II reverb pedal, MusicRadar, 2019-07-01
