The T-Rex Room-Mate is a tube-powered reverb pedal from T-Rex of Denmark, first released around 20 years before 20261. It combines digital reverb algorithms with an analog tube stage: a built-in 300 volt supply powers a T-Rex tube that, as Analog Man put it, adds "voluminous earthy warmth" to the effect2. T-Rex itself calls it a marriage of "cutting-edge digital technology and superior analogue craftsmanship"3.
The pedal offers four reverb modes, Room, Hall, LFO and Spring, and a decay knob that adjusts the length of the reverb trail in all four of them4. It runs on 12V DC, outputs in stereo, and uses true bypass switching42.
Four reverb modes, one decay knob
The Room-Mate's four algorithms cover the main reverb types a player reaches for. Room and Hall give you spaces from small to large, LFO adds a modulated character, and Spring emulates the spring reverb of a vintage amp. The decay knob is the key control: T-Rex added it so you can adjust the length of the reverb trail in all four modes4.
Spring mode is where the decay knob does the most interesting work. With the decay set low, the Room-Mate emulates a short-spring reverb; turn the decay up and you get a longer spring sound, like switching from a compact amp's spring pan to a full-size one4.
The controls
The control set is straightforward, the same layout T-Rex used on the Room-Mate Junior3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| On/off | Footswitch for the effect |
| Level | Sets the reverb output level |
| Mode | Selects Room, Hall, LFO or Spring |
| Mix | Blends dry and wet signal |
| Decay | Sets the length of the reverb trail, in all four modes4 |
| High cut | Rolls off treble in the reverb |
| Input gain | Sets the level feeding the tube stage |
MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen, reviewing the Junior that shares this layout, found that "Mix, decay and level knobs zero in on your desired reverb sound"5.
Power and connections
The Room-Mate needs 12V DC, the voltage the T-Rex FuelTank supply provides, and draws 330 mA at 12V DC4. That is a substantial draw for a compact pedal, well beyond what a typical 9V, 100 mA daisy chain output delivers, so the Room-Mate wants its own supply.
The Room-Mate runs on 12V DC at 330 mA4, not the 9V standard most pedals use. A standard 9V pedal supply will not power it correctly.
Connections are one input jack and two output jacks, right and left, for stereo operation4. The input impedance is higher than 1M Ohm at 1 kHz, which preserves the high end of the guitar signal, and the output impedance is lower than 1K Ohm at 1 kHz4.
From the original Room-Mate to the D'Luxe revival
The Room-Mate line has three generations. The original tube-driven unit came out around 20 years before 2026 and was a success for T-Rex, which the maker describes as "a huge success"14. Analog Man listed it in a lilac enclosure, with true bypass switching, at $369 in 20152; MusicRadar gave the original's UK price as £3405.
In 2012, T-Rex introduced the Room-Mate Junior, a smaller unit that took what T-Rex called the best elements of its big brother, running on 9V DC at 85 mA, with a 9V battery option36. Like the original, it carried a decay knob to adjust the length of the reverb trail in all four modes4.
The original then went out of production for a while1. T-Rex later announced the RoomMate D'Luxe, a revival of the RoomMate with a blue enclosure, changed from white, and a tube-driven design built around a full-size JJ ECC83S preamp valve1. Guitar.com's reviewer Richard Purvis described the revival:
"There's also a warm glow from the JJ ECC83S valve"1
The D'Luxe keeps the tube-driven design with a full-size JJ ECC83S preamp valve, expands the modes from four to eight, covering Room, Hall, Plate and Shimmer, moves to a blue enclosure from the original white, and draws 600 mA at 12V DC with the supply included71. It is strictly manual, with no presets1. Guitar Pedal X described it at announcement as "A handy classic Tube Reverberator - with Spring, Plate, Hall and Shimmer Modes"8.
What reviewers said
Published reviews of the line have been positive. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen, on the Junior, cited its "Four classy reverb sounds. Good spring emulation sounds." as reasons to buy5. Delicious Audio's Gus Green, reviewing the Junior, praised its Spring, Room and Hall modes6.
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Questions
What modes does the T-Rex Room-Mate have?
The Room-Mate offers four reverb algorithms: Room, Hall, LFO and Spring. In Spring mode, a low decay setting emulates a short-spring reverb, and turning the decay up gives a longer spring sound. The later RoomMate D'Luxe expanded this to eight modes, adding plate and shimmer options.
Does the T-Rex Room-Mate use a real tube?
Yes. The Room-Mate is a tube-powered reverb, with a built-in 300 volt supply feeding a T-Rex tube that, as Analog Man described it, adds voluminous earthy warmth to the effect. The revived RoomMate D'Luxe uses a full-size JJ ECC83S preamp valve in its tube-driven design.
Is the T-Rex Room-Mate true bypass?
Yes, the original Room-Mate uses true bypass switching, as listed by Analog Man when the pedal was in stock at $369 in 2015. When the pedal is off, the guitar signal passes through without the reverb circuit coloring the tone.
What power supply does the Room-Mate need?
The Room-Mate runs on 12V DC, the voltage supplied by the T-Rex FuelTank, and draws 330 mA. That current draw is well above what a standard 9V pedal supply delivers, so it needs its own 12V supply rather than a typical daisy chain.
Does the Room-Mate have stereo outputs?
Yes. The Room-Mate has one input jack and two output jacks, right and left, for stereo operation. Its input impedance is higher than 1M Ohm at 1 kHz and its output impedance is lower than 1K Ohm at 1 kHz.
Is the T-Rex Room-Mate still made?
The original Room-Mate went out of production for a while, but T-Rex revived the design as the RoomMate D'Luxe, announced at NAMM in January 2026 and reviewed by Guitar.com in September 2026. The D'Luxe is the third generation of the RoomMate line.
Sources (8)
- T-Rex RoomMate D’Luxe review, Guitar.com, 2026-09-25
- T-Rex Guitar Effects pedals, Analog Man (analogman.com), 2015
- → T-REX EFFECTS ← Pedals for guitar and bass players!, T-Rex Effects
- → T-REX EFFECTS ← Pedals for guitar and bass players!, T-Rex Effects
- T-Rex Room-Mate Junior reverb review, MusicRadar, 2012-11-12
- Pedal Review: T-Rex Roommate Junior, Delicious Audio, 2012-10-10
- → T-REX EFFECTS ← Pedals for guitar and bass players!, T-Rex Effects
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-01-28
