The Universal Audio Del-Verb, sold in full as the Del-Verb Ambience Companion, is a digital pedal that puts delay and reverb in one unit, drawing on the delay algorithms of the Starlight and the reverbs of the Golden123. It carries a UK price of £3251, and connects over USB-C for firmware updates and Bluetooth for app control1.
The concept is a "greatest hits" pedal. Rather than new algorithms, the Del-Verb takes three delay algorithms from the Starlight Echo Station and three reverbs from the Golden Reverberator and puts them in a single unit3. MusicRadar described it as "the streamlined highlights of UA's previous Golden Reverberator and Starlight Echo Station pedals in a one-unit solution"2. All of the algorithms are borrowed from Universal Audio's library of pro audio plugins4.
A delay and reverb in one pedal
The Del-Verb runs two effect engines at once: Universal Audio says its engine runs separate stereo instances of each reverb and delay5. The delay side is first in the chain, with modes for Analog, Tape and Digital; the reverb side offers Spring, Plate and Hall4. Each effect has its own bypass footswitch, so you can leave the reverb running while tapping the delay out, or use the second switch for tap tempo14.
The delay models are an Echoplex tape echo, an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, and Universal Audio's own Precision delay with modulation1. The reverbs are a '60s tube amp spring, a studio plate, and a vintage digital hall5.
Guitar.com's Richard Purvis described the character of each reverb model:
"the spring sound is amp-like, the plate is pure and the hall, especially in stereo, is huge and ever so slightly wobbly"1
Richard Purvis, Guitar.com1
The controls
The control panel is six knobs and two three-way toggles. Five of the six knobs control the delay: time, feedback, mix, color and modulation1. MusicRadar lists the full set as Reverb level, Delay time, Feedback, Mix, Color and Modulation, with three-way delay and reverb type selector mini toggle switches, and Delay and Reverb (or Tap) bypass footswitches3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay time | Sets the delay time |
| Feedback | Sets the number of repeats |
| Mix | Sets the delay wet level |
| Color | Sets the character: record level for the EP-III, input gain from the DMM, tone for the Precision6 |
| Modulation | A separate knob for delay modulation4 |
| Reverb level | Sets the reverb wet level |
| Delay toggle | Selects Analog, Tape or Digital delay4 |
| Reverb toggle | Selects Spring, Plate or Hall4 |
Guitar.com noted the simplicity: "no presets, no secondary knob functions, just delay on one side and reverb on the other"1. A later buying guide from Delicious Audio, written after a firmware update, describes 4 of the 6 knobs as having a double function through the three-way toggle switch, with knobs affecting algorithm-specific settings7.
Power and connections
The Del-Verb has no battery option. It runs on a 9V center-negative supply only, with a minimum draw of 400mA, and the power supply is not included3. A 400mA draw is beyond what most small daisy-chain outputs deliver, so an isolated power supply with a high-current output is the practical choice.
Connections are two 1/4" unbalanced TS inputs and two outputs, with input 2 and output 2 used for stereo, and the pedal runs in stereo or dual mono5. A USB-C port handles firmware updates, and Bluetooth pairs with a phone for app control1. Firmware can be updated out of the box, and owners report doing exactly that before use8.
The UAFX Control app
The free UAFX Control app allows tweaking settings and managing presets4. Connectivity has improved over the pedal's life: with firmware 2.0, Universal Audio added Bluetooth improvements and a new hardwired USB-to-mobile connection option3. The pedal also supports MIDI over USB through the updated app5.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's Rob Laing was emphatic in his verdict:
"For the range and standard of delay and reverb sounds the Del-Verb is the best delay / reverb combination pedal we've played to date"3
In comparisons with other Universal Audio pedals, reviewers found the Del-Verb "doesn't have the same level of control (or preamp mode)" as the Orion9, so players who want deeper control over their delay and reverb sounds may find the Orion's feature set broader.
The Del-Verb's appeal for many players comes from its lineage: it distils the delay algorithms of the Starlight and the reverbs of the Golden into one unit1, two pedals whose algorithms reviewers had already praised, making the Del-Verb a way to get both effect families in a single box.
Delicious Audio's ambient and shoegaze reverb roundup calls it "a dual delay + reverb with separate footswitches and three modes for each effect"4, and its delay-plus-reverb combo guide notes the shared-knob design and plugin-derived algorithms7.
One comparison point within the UAFX range: MusicRadar's review of the Orion Tape Echo notes the Del-Verb "doesn't have the same level of control (or preamp mode)" as that later compact pedal9. The Orion brings the Starlight's EP-III algorithm to a smaller, cheaper format, so players who only need tape echo have a narrower alternative.
On Universal Audio's own product page, the pedal is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars based on 10 reviews, with 90 percent of owners saying they would recommend it5.
Videos
Sweetwater
Universal Audio
The Studio Rats
Questions
Does the Universal Audio Del-Verb run on a battery?
No. It runs on a 9V center-negative power supply only, with a minimum draw of 400mA, and the power supply is not included. That current draw also rules out most small daisy chains, so plan on an isolated supply or a high-current output.
Does the Del-Verb have presets?
Not on the pedal itself. Guitar.com's review notes there are no presets and no secondary knob functions, just delay on one side and reverb on the other. Presets can be managed through the UAFX Control app, which pairs over Bluetooth or a hardwired USB connection.
Which delay types are in the Del-Verb?
Three delay models: an Echoplex tape echo, an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man analog delay, and Universal Audio's own Precision delay with modulation. A three-way toggle selects between them, and the delay side has knobs for time, feedback, mix, color and modulation.
What reverb types does the Del-Verb have?
Three reverbs: a '60s tube amp spring, a studio plate, and a vintage digital hall. A three-way toggle switch selects the reverb type, and a level knob sets the reverb wet level.
Can the Del-Verb be used in stereo?
Yes. It has two 1/4-inch unbalanced TS inputs and two outputs, with input 2 and output 2 used for stereo connections, and it runs in stereo or dual mono. Reviewers found the hall reverb especially effective in stereo.
What does the UAFX Control app do for the Del-Verb?
The free app lets you tweak settings and manage presets, connecting over Bluetooth or a hardwired USB-to-mobile cable. The USB-C port also handles firmware updates, and the pedal supports MIDI over USB through the updated app.
Sources (9)
- Universal Audio Del-Verb review: an appetising ambient buffet, Guitar.com, 2023-04-21
- The must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2023, MusicRadar, 2023-05-04
- Universal Audio UAFX Del-Verb Ambience Companion delay and reverb pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-05-07
- The Best Ambient-Shoegaze Reverb Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-15
- Del-Verb Ambience Companion Pedal, Universal Audio (www.uaudio.com)
- NAMM 2023: Universal Audio reveals 3 new UAFX pedals: meet the Del-Verb Ambience Companion, Galaxy '74 Tape Echo and Reverb and Max Preamp & Dual Compressor, MusicRadar, 2023-04-11
- Best Delay + Reverb Pedal Combos In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-07
- Del-Verb Ambience Companion Reviews, Universal Audio
- Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo Delay pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-10-28
