The Vahlbruch Pipeline v2 is a spring reverb pedal that reproduces the spring reverb sound of vintage tube amplifiers, handmade in Germany by Vahlbruch FX1. Its defining design choice is a hybrid circuit: the dry guitar signal runs through a fully analog path and is never digitized, while the spring reverb itself is simulated digitally and added to the analog signal2. Vahlbruch describes the result as a warm, deep and lush sounding reverb pedal with intuitive handling and a superior signal-to-noise ratio1.
A spring reverb with an analog dry path
The Pipeline v2 is a reverb unit in pedal format that delivers the sound of reverb spirals, the springs inside tube amplifier reverb tanks, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia's own description2. RockBoard's PedalPedia says this makes it sound classically analog and warm, with what it calls outstanding noise behavior2.
The circuit works differently from a fully digital reverb pedal. The direct dry guitar signal is processed fully analog with no digitization, and the reverb spiral simulation is realized digitally and then added to the analog signal2. Delicious Audio, reviewing the pedal, framed this as a circuit that "combines the particular advantages of analog and digital signal processing"4.
"Your direct dry guitar signal is processed fully analog, no digitization!"
This hybrid approach is not unique to Vahlbruch. The Fuzzlord Doom Dweller V2 also keeps an analog dry path with a digital reverb section, and Delicious Audio noted of that pedal that "the analog dry path stays clean. Always."5 The same principle applies here: what you hear as your core guitar tone never passes through a converter.
Because the guitar signal is not digitized, RockBoard's PedalPedia states the pedal adds no latency and no frequency interference to the dry signal2. For players who keep a reverb always on, that is the practical appeal of the design: the pedal behaves like a piece of analog pass-through gear for the dry tone, with the reverb layered on top.
Delicious Audio added the Pipeline v2 to its list of the Best Spring Reverb Pedals in December 20204.
Controls and use
The pedal is built for simple operation. The Reverb knob adjusts the reverb intensity, and Vahlbruch suggests a good starting point at the 2 o'clock position1. The v2 also adds a Decay control, which shapes the length of the reverb tail3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Reverb | Sets the reverb intensity; Vahlbruch suggests starting around 2 o'clock1 |
| Decay | Shapes the reverb tail; new in the v23 |
Power and connections
The Pipeline v2 runs on an external regulated 9V DC power supply with center negative polarity, drawing 90mA21. The supply is not included with the pedal1.
The pedal requires an external regulated 9V power supply, which is not included, and there is no battery option. Its polarity is positive at the ring and negative at the tip, the standard center-negative arrangement, so check any third-party supply matches before use.1
Input impedance is 1.0M Ohms and output impedance is 100 Ohms, figures that suit it to first-in-chain or later positions on a pedalboard without loading the guitar pickups1. The enclosure measures 112mm x 70mm x 48mm and weighs 300g1.
History and versions: the MagTraB footswitch and Decay control
MagTraB, short for Magnetic Transducer Button, is Vahlbruch's proprietary switching system. Inside the button a magnet is integrated, and its position is measured by a sensor on the circuit board with no mechanical contact. A micro-controller reads that sensor and sends the information to a gold-plated relay, which does the actual audio signal switching4. Because nothing mechanical wears as the switch is used, Delicious Audio reported that MagTraB delivers an almost infinite number of switching cycles, "many, many millions"4.
"Inside the button a magnet is integrated which position is measured by a sensor on the circuit board."
The same footswitch appears across the Vahlbruch range, including the Octavia v2 fuzz, where Delicious Audio described it as completely quiet and extremely sturdy, able to power up in either "on" or bypass mode6. For a player, the practical differences from a standard mechanical footswitch are silence when switching and long-term reliability, since the relay rather than a physical contact carries the audio.
Videos
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TL Toneworks
Questions
Is the Vahlbruch Pipeline v2 analog or digital?
It is a hybrid. The dry guitar signal passes through a fully analog path and is never digitized, while the spring reverb itself is generated digitally and added to the analog signal. Vahlbruch says this combines the advantages of analog and digital signal processing in one circuit.
Does the Pipeline v2 add latency to the guitar signal?
No. Because the direct dry guitar signal is processed fully analog and is not digitized, Vahlbruch states the pedal introduces no latency and no frequency interference. Only the reverb simulation is digital, and it is added on top of the analog dry signal.
Where is the Vahlbruch Pipeline v2 made?
It is handmade in Germany by Vahlbruch FX, a small maker whose pedals, including the Octavia v2 fuzz and the SpaceTime Tap v2 delay, all share the same German handmade build and the MagTraB magnetic footswitch design.
What changed from the original Pipeline to the v2?
The v2, announced in November 2020, is an updated version of the original Pipeline spring reverb. It adds a new Decay control for shaping the reverb tail and the MagTraB magnetic footswitch, which uses a relay instead of a mechanical switch to do the audio switching.
Sources (6)
- Vahlbruch Pipeline Reverb pedal, MagTraB switching, made in Germany, Vahlbruch FX, 2022
- Pipeline v2 by Vahlbruch FX, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
- Vahlbruch FX Unveils the Pipeline V2, Premier Guitar, 2020-11-12
- Vahlbruch Pipeline V2 Spring Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2020-12-14
- Fuzzlord Doom Dweller V2 Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2026-02-19
- Updated Pedal: Vahlbruch Octavia V2 Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2023-03-09
