The Roland SRV-2000 Digital Reverb was developed during the early years of professional digital signal processing, offering a compact rackmount unit capable of producing a wide range of artificial reverberation effects. Designed for studio and live sound applications, the Roland SRV-2000 combined digital reverb algorithms with parametric equalisation, programmable memory and MIDI control. By integrating these features within a single processor, the Roland SRV-2000 allowed engineers and musicians to shape and store customised reverberation settings for use across different recording and performance environments.
At the core of the Roland SRV-2000 is a digital signal processing architecture that uses 16-bit linear analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue conversion together with 28-bit parallel internal arithmetic. This design provided a dynamic range of 90 dB with total harmonic distortion below 0.03 percent. The system allowed the Roland SRV-2000 to generate both conventional reverberation effects and specialised gated-style reverbs, expanding its usefulness across a range of production techniques that were emerging during the digital recording era.
The Roland SRV-2000 offers two primary operating modes. In Reverb Mode the processor functions as a traditional digital reverberation unit with three fundamental reverb types: Room, Hall and Plate. The Room program produces a sharp and expansive reverberation with a high density of reflections. Hall generates a deeper ambience with lower density, while Plate produces a bright metallic reverb that is particularly suitable for percussive sounds. Two variations of plate reverb are available, labelled Plate A and Plate B, with the B version producing a stronger effect.
In addition to standard reverberation, the Roland SRV-2000 also provides a Non-Linear Mode. This type of reverb is automatically cut off at a specified gate time, producing the distinctive gated ambience that became widely used in drum production during the 1980s. Traditionally this effect required a combination of reverb, compression and noise gating devices, but the Roland SRV-2000 integrated the process directly into its internal algorithms, simplifying setup and operation.
A key component of the Roland SRV-2000 signal processing chain is its built-in three-band digital parametric equaliser. This equaliser processes the signal before it enters the reverberation processor, allowing the tonal characteristics of the reverb to be shaped independently of the original sound. The equaliser section affects the reverberated signal only and does not alter the direct audio signal.
The Roland SRV-2000 also includes a programmable memory system capable of storing up to 32 user-defined reverb settings. All parameters associated with the reverb algorithms, non-linear processing and equaliser configuration can be stored and recalled. In addition to manual recall, the Roland SRV-2000 supports MIDI Program Change messages, allowing external MIDI devices to select stored reverb programs remotely.
Connectivity on the rear panel provides several practical control options for integration with external equipment. Dedicated jacks are included for effect on and off switching, preset up and down control, and an Infinite function that can generate extremely long reverb decay times. These connections allowed the Roland SRV-2000 to be integrated into both studio systems and live performance rigs where remote control of reverb functions was required.
Features
- 16-bit linear A/D/A conversion with 28-bit parallel internal processing
- Dynamic range of 90 dB with total harmonic distortion under 0.03 percent
- Standard reverb algorithms including Room, Hall and Plate
- Two plate reverb variations labelled Plate A and Plate B
- Non-linear reverb mode with gated decay for percussive sounds
- Built-in three-band digital parametric equaliser for shaping reverb tone
- Equaliser affects reverberated signal without altering the direct sound
- Memory system capable of storing 32 user-programmed reverb settings
- MIDI Program Change support for remote recall of stored programs
- Rear panel control jacks including Effect On/Off and Preset Up/Down
- Infinite reverb function for extremely long reverberation time
