Pioneer SR-101

70s valve (tube) spring spring reverb - this is the earlier valve version of the more well-known Pioneer SR-202W. It has two spring tanks (so genuine stereo) and a fantastic dark sound, full of character. Add in the tube warmth and you have a classy piece of kit.

See our full current stock of studio signal processors here - if you have any questions about which reverb is best for you then please get in touch as we have many years experience with these machines.

Serviced and tested, checked for safety and fitted with a three core earthed mains cable. This has a great sound - and looks amazing in the studio with the paper roll lit up behind the cylindrical lens to show the amount of reverb added.

Some crackle may happen when adjusting the pots if it's not been in regular use, but it's currently fine. Note that the spring tanks are suspended on small springs inside the unit - we will pack it with foam for shipping but these may need reattaching on arrival.

Condition of the unit is good overall but the top is marked with oxidation - see the photos for more information.

For sales in UK/EU the price will include VAT. VAT-free sales are possible to businesses and individuals in the EU (outside the UK) with a valid VAT Number - please get in touch if you wish to buy this way.

Vintage Pioneer spring reverbs were perhaps most famously used by Tom Elmhirst for Adele, Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson (although we know they or similar models feature in many producers' set ups).

Tom Elmhirst interviewed about mixing Rolling In The Deep by Adele (Sound On Sound, Sept 2011):

"...the Pioneer on 55‑56 is an old ‘70s‑’80s spring reverb that was made for the domestic market."

And on mixing Mark Ronson's Record Collection album (Electronic Musician Sept 2010).

“I used a lot of external reverbs: a Fairchild 670, old spring reverbs, and a couple 1970s Pioneer Reverberation Amplifier Model SR-202s. They’re old home hi-fi units; they’re not normal! I am not a fan of digital reverb, so I have a few springs I really like... Spring reverb was a big part of the Winehouse record, and it’s in Mark’s sound as well. I use two or three different springs on a track and even on the vocal. I have an Orban 111B Spring Reverb, which is quite bright. The Pioneers are quite dull and long springs. So I combine the two."

This unit has a darker sound that can work wonders in a mix. If you use the left input and right output, you can get a wet-only signal for use as a mix send effect.

Spring reverbs are a great 'secret weapon' to have in the studio arsenal - not just for the 'boingy' effect as used by dub and reggae pioneers such as Lee 'Scratch' Perry, but also for adding that unmistakable classic shimmery vibe to electric guitars. It's a sound that lends itself well to modern production: the perfect treatment for overly-sterile digital delays and reverbs and it can be heard all over today's music. Whether it's cutting-edge dubstep from Rusko, or a top pop mix engineer like Tom Elmhirst (who used vintage spring reverb all over the last Adele album), the sound of springs is everywhere right now.

Try using a little tape delay before sending to a spring reverb, or use a digital/plug-in reverb and send the wet output from that to the spring to add character.