What’s The Best Strymon Reverb Pedal?

Whenever Strymon releases something new, everyone at Andertons instantly stops whatever they’re doing and immediately starts patching cables and flicking through manuals to find out how best to incorporate it into their rig.

The Big Sky MX was no exception – but with so many Strymon reverb pedals to choose from, it got us thinking: how do they compare? And more importantly, which ones are best for your pedalboard? In this blog, we explore those questions and beyond – read on to find out more.

History of Strymon Reverbs

Nowadays it’s hard to imagine pedalboards without Strymon. They’ve become a household name among guitarists. Many consider them the gold standard, particularly in the world of DSP effects. They weren’t the first to embrace DSP in guitar pedals, but they certainly helped bring the technology to the forefront of guitar FX design.

In 2010 the world of Reverb was shaken up with the introduction of the BlueSky Reverberator. It utilised SHARC DSP to create the most powerful and luscious reverb effects ever heard from a pedal. It was an instant hit and quickly elevated Strymon Pedals to leaders in the digital effect world. In 2012 Strymon introduced the Flint, a 2-in-1 reverb and tremolo pedal which brought more vintage and organic Fender amp-style flavours.

A year later in 2013, in keeping with the release of the Timeline and Mobius, the Big Sky was introduced as Strymon’s flagship reverb. It quickly became the brand’s best-selling reverb. In 2021 all the rules were thrown in the air with the release of the Strymon NightSky Time-Warped Reverberator Pedal. This was followed in 2023 with the Cloudburst Ambient Reverb. Both are excellent choices for experimental guitarists and musicians.

2024 saw the release of Strymon’s’ most advanced reverb to date: the Big Sky MX. With the addition of impulse response (convolution) reverbs and the ability for to run dual reverbs (series, parallel or split), the MX set yet another new standard in digital reverb guitar pedals!

What’s the difference between Strymon reverb pedals?

Ever wondered how each Strymon reverb stacks up against the next? Here’s a breakdown of the unique features, specs, and connectivity of each one:

Strymon Big Sky MX

Best for: guitarists who want a zero-compromise reverb workhorse for recording, touring, and soundscape exploration.

Described by Strymon as the one reverb to rule them all, the Big Sky MX is truly the sum of Strymon’s 14-plus years of making and designing reverb effects. The new standard of what a reverb pedal can be. Taking the general concept of the Big Sky, the MX builds upon the original features while also pushing the pedal to places that were unimaginable in 2013 when the Big Sky was originally released.

Under the hood, the MX utilises a Tri-Core 800 MHz ARM processor to be able to achieve the most advanced reverbs in Strymon’s arsenal. For the first time ever on a Strymon pedal you can use 2 reverbs at once and you can set them to be in Series or Parallel and even Split. Additionally, the Big Sky MX is the first reverb from Strymon to offer Impulse Response reverbs, these can also be updated and uploaded using Strymon’s free Nixie 2 app.

The MX also comes with 7 new algorithms including the Cloud Ensemble Engine and Chamber as well as significant enhancements and updates to the classics found on the original Big Sky pedal. With an updated OLED screen and improved In and Out options the Strymon Big Sky MX is the perfect choice if reverb is your number one! As mentioned previously about a number of Strymon’s reverb pedals, words do not do this unit justice. Just check out our in-depth video on YouTube for more information and sound examples…

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Strymon Big Sky

Best for: guitarists who want a tried-and-tested reverb pedal that ticks pretty much all the boxes, from worship rigs to post-rock ambience.

Released in 2013, the Big Sky completes Strymon’s golden trifecta of DSP pedal powerhouses in addition to the Timeline Delay and the Mobius Modulation. It was marketed as Strymon’s flagship reverb and has become one of the most commonly used reverbs among guitarists to date. Without a doubt, it is the reverb pedal which all others are compared to.

Almost the first question asked whenever a new reverb is brought to market is how it compares in terms of features, sound quality and price to the Big Sky. With 12 different reverb algorithms, an LED screen, a plethora of editing options, MIDI in and out and 300 available patches this is the ultimate reverb people for those who take reverb seriously.

The fact that this is still regarded as one of the best available reverb pedals, even after 10-plus years, says it all. No matter what style you play, I guarantee that if you love reverb, you will love the Big Sky. It would be impossible to run through every sound that can be found on the Big Sky so I would strongly recommend checking out our friend, Rabea Massaad’s YouTube tutorial on the Big Sky for a more in-depth look at what this pedal can do!

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Strymon NightSky

Best for: experimental guitarists, synthesists, and producers who want to dive deep with their reverb, from stepped sequences to glitchy sound design.

Possibly Strymon’s most ambitious reverb pedal to date, I often see the Nightsky described as a ‘Reverb Workstation’ which I think is a good choice of title. This genuinely is the ultimate reverb pedal for those who want to sit down with their guitar and this pedal for an hour and create the most unique, otherworldly ambient soundscapes ever heard.

With its built-in Resonant Filter, 8 Step Sequence, Glimmer and Shimmer and Variable Waveshape Modulation (to name just a handful of controls and features) you would easily forgiven for mistaking this pedal for some sort of modular Synthesiser. Words cannot do this pedal justice so like the Big Sky, if this pedal peaks your interest, then I would definitely suggest checking out Rabea Massaad’s breakdown on his YouTube channel.

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Strymon Blue Sky v2

Best for: guitarists wanting a quick route to a range of Strymon’s signature lush ‘verbs without taking up much space on their pedalboard.

First introduced in 2010 and updated in 2022 with the v2, the Strymon Blue Sky is the perfect option for those simply after a professional grade reverb pedal that’s pedalboard-friendly and easy to use, no fancy screens or anything over complicated, just a classic looking pedal with a selection of the most popular reverbs with the options to add some interesting flavours with the modulation switch and shimmer knob. It features all the premium features that you’ll find on the larger units such as 24-bit 96kHz audio (more commonly known as High-Res Audio) and Analog dry-through.

It also features a ‘Favourite’ switch which is simply a single preset recall button. This is particularly useful as it gives you the option to perhaps have the pedal set to your ‘always on’ style reverb and then with a click of a switch have a more ambient or pronounced reverb without ever needing to get on the floor and start adjusting any knobs.

Strymon Flint Reverb and Tremolo v2

Best for: players who prefer warm, ‘physical’ amp-style reverb and tones inspired by classic rigs.

Released in 2012 and again updated in 2022 the Flint takes inspiration from the much-loved and highly sought-after amp and studio tones of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Without any fancy tricks or large ambient voicings, this is the perfect choice for those seeking more organic, natural, or raw guitar tones.

On the reverb side of things, it comes with 3 options: A 60s Spring Reverb based on the classic spring reverb units found in amps from the period, specifically those with a 2-spring long tank such as the one found in the Fender Twin Reverb. Next up is the 70s Plate Reverb which is based on the plate reverbs which was commonly found in all major Recording Studios at the time.

Finally, the 80s Hall Rack Reverb recreates the classic sound of the vintage Lexicon and Eventide rack reverb units which you can hear on just about every major recording of the 80s. In addition, on the other side, you get 3 options of Tremolo which can independently be turned on and off via the footswitch.

Strymon Cloudburst

Best for: guitarists who need a single-stomp shortcut to the most blissful, otherworldly ambience that almost never ends.

Much like the NightSky, the Strymon Cloudburst is not a standard or ‘traditional’ reverb pedal. Yes, the Cloudburst does allow you to dial in some more standard sounding reverbs, all be it, more akin to a natural space (room/hall-ish) reverb but like the NightSky, the Cloudburst’s main feature is the ability to take you to some ethereal unearthly sound space however in a more user-friendly and perhaps more guitar-player configured design. Described by Strymon as an Ensemble Engine this is certainly a powerful tool for songwriting, textures, pads, and mood-building especially with its ability to recall up to 300 presets via MIDI.

With its 3-mode toggle switch it is easy to get started on making your own Ambient reverb effects. With Ensemble off you in essence get what many people would consider a normal reverb effect. Although not officially described as a room or hall reverb, to my ears it’s somewhere between those categories, in essence, putting your guitar in a space which naturally reverberates. Using the Mix, Decay and Pre-Delay knobs it’s easy to find a sound you like.

Set them subtly for an ‘all the time’ reverb or push them for a big ambient wash. With the toggle in the middle, you’re in MP (mezzo piano) mode. In this mode, subtle artefacts are added to the reverberated signal to help create pad-like ethereal tones to the mix. In F (forte) mode, the artefacts are pushed even further to create almost string-type synthesizer sounds. When released the Cloudburst was an instant hit with Lee and Pete…. Check it out here:

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Conclusion

To be honest, it is one of those situations where everyone truly is the winner, I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with a Strymon reverb pedal. It really is just a case of deciding which pedal is best suited for you and your rig.

We hope you’ve found this blog useful. For more info on Strymon pedals click here, or explore our full range of reverb pedals. While you’re here, head over to our YouTube channel for hours of useful video reviews and demos, and of course the blog for more advice and tone tips!