Shift-Line Everest

The Shift-Line Everest is a reverb and delay pedal from Russian manufacturer Shift-Line, and its defining idea is that the two effects run in parallel rather than in series. Delay and reverb can be used separately or together, and because each has its own volume control, the pedal gives nine sound options: reverb, delay, or reverb plus delay in each of its three modes¹.

The pedal's current draw may reach 70mA, and it uses an all-analog dry path, which means the dry signal is unaffected by the digital circuitry¹. It has buffered bypass with optional tails¹.

Reverb and delay in parallel

Most reverb/delay pedals chain the two effects, so the delay repeats feed into the reverb. The Everest runs them side by side, so each effect gets the full input signal and its own level in the mix. Delicious Audio, covering the pedal in 2019, described it as "delay and reverb running in parallel, with three modes providing access to an immense sonic palette"¹.

The three modes each color both effects:

Because the reverb and delay each have a volume control, either effect can be dialed out completely. The REVERB knob controls the reverb's volume; turn it fully counterclockwise to disengage the reverb¹. The result is nine combinations from one pedal, from reverb alone to full parallel wash.

Controls

The Everest keeps its control set compact. The REGEN knob simultaneously controls delay feedback and reverb decay, so one knob sets how long the whole ambient tail sustains³. The MODE switch selects one of the six reverb/delay algorithms on the later Everest M, and on the original Everest it moves between the three modes³.

Power

The Everest runs on a battery, but not for long. Battery life is unlikely to exceed 1 or 2 hours, so for regular use a matching power supply is strongly recommended¹. The pedal's current draw may reach 70mA¹.

The Everest can run on a battery, but Shift-Line says battery life is unlikely to exceed 1 or 2 hours, so for regular use the maker strongly recommends a matching PSU¹.

Versions: Everest M, Everest II and the Black Edition

The Everest line evolved through several revisions, all now discontinued.

Shift-Line released the Everest II on 8 September 2023 as a stereo evolution of the mono Everest M⁷. Like the original, the II keeps an all-analog dry path, so the dry signal is unaffected¹⁵, and the MODE switch now selects a bank and patch rather than a single mode⁵.

The Everest II's BEAT switch sets the tap division: UP is 3/4 (dotted eighth note), CENTER is 1/1 (quarter note), DOWN is 2/3 (quarter note triplet)⁵. Its BYPASS footswitch is multi-function: press once for on/off, press and hold for Hold Mode, press twice to recall the Favorite preset, and hold it while moving the MODE or BEAT switches to select the bank or the bypass mode⁵. Delicious Audio described Hold Mode as "infinite sustain with a gradual shift into self-oscillation"⁷.

The Everest II keeps the original's reverb control approach: the REVERB knob controls the reverb's volume, and turning it fully counterclockwise disengages the reverb¹.

Bypass and the dry signal on the Everest II

The Everest II uses active bypass rather than the original's buffered bypass. Shift-Line says that because of the active bypass there is no audible clicking, and three global bypass modes are selectable by holding the BYPASS footswitch while pressing the BEAT switch⁶. An LED above the footswitch shows the mode: Red for No Tails, Blue for Tails, White for Kill Dry with Tails⁵.

Kill Dry with Tails removes the dry signal completely from the output, which Shift-Line recommends for wet-dry-wet processing or external wet/dry mixing setups⁵. The II's maximum delay time is 1 second, or 2 seconds in ping-pong mode in a mono setup⁵, up from the original's 0.85 seconds¹. One quirk worth knowing: the first 5% of the TIME knob's range has no effect on delay time, which allows delay filtering without repeats⁵.

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