The NR-1 Nova Reverb is a reverb effects pedal for guitar from TC Electronic, part of the maker's Nova series of pedals. It covers a wide range of reverb types, from plates and rooms to springs and halls, and adds a DynaMix feature that ducks the reverb while you play. Premier Guitar reviewed it at an MSRP of $345.1
The controls
The pedal's front panel covers the basics of shaping a reverb, plus a few controls less common on stompboxes:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Wet/dry knob, for exact specifications on how much effect you want coming through the mix3 |
| Decay | Determines how fast the reverb effect dies out after it leaves the pedal/amp3 |
| Color | Adjusts the tone of your reverb sound, from dark and murky to bright and shining3 |
| Pre-Delay | Controls how much faster your dry signal arrives before the effect does3 |
| Dynamix | Lets you dial in how much the reverb is affected by your playing dynamics, or how hard/soft you hit the strings3 |
Two footswitches let you select from Manual and Preset mode, for quick, pre-selected adjustments on the fly.3
Reverb types and DynaMix
The mode selection runs through four families of reverb, each with several variants3:
- Plate: Tin, Silver, Gold3
- Room: Small, Medium, Large, Tiled3
- Spring: Plain, Classic, Vintage3
- Hall: Small Medium, Church, Classic, Concert3
A Special Effects button lets you choose from Stompbox, Ambient and Modulated reverb sounds.3
The DynaMix feature is the pedal's distinguishing trick. Premier Guitar describes it as a dynamic ducking effect that turns down the reverb while you're playing and turns it back up again when you're not playing. According to the same review, this prevents the sound from getting muddy, especially when using large hall reverb types, but still gives a huge live venue effect while notes decay.1
"The NR-1 Nova Reverb actually delivers on that promise and the DynaMix alone is worth the price of admission."
Stereo use and how it sits in TC Electronic's range
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the pedal sounds great in mono and at its fullest when bouncing between two amps, so players running a stereo rig get the most from it.1 On modes, the same reviewer noted the "Classic" setting suited their playing but liked having many options even if they would probably use them rarely.1
Within TC Electronic's reverb lineup, the NR-1 sits alongside pedals like the Hall of Fame 2, the T2 Reverb and the Skysurfer. The Nova series placement marks it as part of an earlier generation of the maker's pedals, with the DynaMix ducking as its signature feature.3
Videos
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ReviewTube99
Questions
What does DynaMix do on the TC Electronic NR-1 Nova Reverb?
DynaMix is a dynamic ducking effect that turns down the reverb while you're playing and turns it back up again when you're not. Premier Guitar's reviewer found this prevents the sound from getting muddy, especially with large hall reverb types, while still giving a huge live venue effect as notes decay. The Dynamix knob lets you dial in how much the reverb responds to your playing dynamics, and the same reviewer said the DynaMix alone is worth the price of admission.
Does the NR-1 Nova Reverb work in stereo?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the pedal sounds great in mono and at its fullest when bouncing between two amps, so it rewards a stereo setup. The pedal is a reverb effects pedal built for guitar, and its mix and decay controls shape the effect either way.
Does the NR-1 Nova Reverb have presets?
It does. Two footswitches let you select between Manual and Preset mode, and Preset mode is for quick, pre-selected adjustments on the fly. That means you can store a sound and call it up mid-song instead of bending down to turn knobs.
What reverb types does the NR-1 Nova Reverb offer?
The pedal covers four families of reverb: Plate (Tin, Silver, Gold), Room (Small, Medium, Large, Tiled), Spring (Plain, Classic, Vintage) and Hall (Small Medium, Church, Classic, Concert). A Special Effects button adds Stompbox, Ambient and Modulated reverb sounds on top of those.
Which series is the NR-1 Nova Reverb part of?
The NR-1 Nova Reverb belongs to the Nova series of pedals from TC Electronics, as Pedal of the Day's review notes. TC Electronic has also built a large reverb lineup beyond the Nova series, including the Hall of Fame family and the T2.
Sources (3)
- Review: TC Electronic Nova Reverb, Premier Guitar, 2008-02-29
- TC Electronic Nova Reverb, Pedal of the Day, 2016-02-01
- TC Electronic NR-1 Nova Reverb, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2016-02-09
