Subdecay Super Spring Theory

The Subdecay Super Spring Theory is a reverb pedal that emulates a tube driven spring tank, made by Subdecay, the Oregon effects builder. Instead of putting a physical spring tank in the box, Subdecay analyzed the design, sound and physics of real spring tanks to capture the nuances of tube driven spring reverb¹. Alongside the spring sound it carries a second mode, Room, whose decay knob ranges from a broom closet to a cavern with reverb trails over three minutes long².

The pedal is discontinued: Subdecay's product page lists it under the discontinued category². It succeeded the earlier Subdecay Spring Theory, which is also no longer in production³.

An analog spring reverb with a Room mode

The Super Spring Theory is a hybrid design. Its clean signal path is all analog, and JFET amplifiers carry out the send and recovery of the reverb signal, which RockBoard's PedalPedia says gives "even more tube like dynamics"¹. The reverb itself is digital: Premier Guitar's reviewer Brook Hoover found that "at the heart of the Super Spring Theory is a Spin Semiconductor FV-1 programmable DSP chip"⁴. RockBoard's PedalPedia listing classifies the circuit type as analog¹, which reflects the analog dry path rather than the reverb engine.

The spring mode is the pedal's core. Subdecay describes the original Spring Theory as sounding and feeling "like a real tube driven black face reverb" that "reacts dynamically to the attack of every note" as the springs chirp and resonate³. The Room mode is the second setting: the decay knob alters the perceived dimensions from a small space to a huge tiled one, with trails that can run past three minutes².

In Premier Guitar's spring reverb pedal roundup, the reviewer's verdict on the Super Spring Theory was⁴:

The controls

The Super Spring Theory keeps the spring/room switch and reverb knob from the original Spring Theory⁴ and adds more shaping on top. The controls and what they do:

The decay knob is where the pedal goes beyond a real spring tank. As RockBoard's PedalPedia puts it, unlike a real spring tank, the decay knob lets you "dampen the springs for shorter reverb or bend the laws of physics resulting in long psychedelic resonating trails"¹.

The original Spring Theory was simpler: a two-knob stomp with a spring/room mode toggle, where the depth knob controlled reverb length and the reverb knob set effect volume⁴³.

From the Spring Theory to the Super Spring Theory

Subdecay set out in 2011 "to create the most realistic spring reverb simulation ever," and the Spring Theory was born². The Super Spring Theory is a variant of that pedal, carrying the spring reverb concept forward².

The Super Spring Theory followed as a variant of the Spring Theory². At its heart is a Spin Semiconductor FV-1 programmable DSP chip⁴, while JFET amplifiers carry out the send and recovery of the reverb signal².

There was also a limited edition: the Super Spring Theory Burlwood, a burlwood-finished version with the same spring and room reverb inside. Subdecay states that "literally only 3 Burlwood finished Spring Theories exist," and no more will be made⁵.

Subdecay has posted demo videos of the pedal over the years, including one of Brandon playing the Super Spring Theory set to spring reverb mode⁶. Dennis Kayzer has also used it in a review video, putting it toward less traditional verb sounds².

Power and bypass

The Super Spring Theory runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws 100mA¹. The original Spring Theory took a regulated 9VDC to 18VDC adapter with a negative center 2.1mm barrel plug, with no battery option³.

Where the original Spring Theory used 3PDT switches for true bypass³, the Super Spring Theory offers a trails option when bypassed, letting the reverb tail ring out after you switch it off².

Videos

Click to load

Click to load

Click to load

Questions