From Studio Polish to Alien Soundscapes
Born from a collaboration between 4ms and Valley Audio, the Mesa is a high-fidelity Eurorack reverb module that transplants the celebrated Dattoro plate reverb algorithm — the beating heart of Valley's celebrated Plateau VCV Rack module — into a fully realized hardware format. Running at 96kHz and fueled by 64-bit, double-precision processing, the Mesa delivers unrivaled sonic depth and unsurpassed clarity, placing it among the finest-sounding reverbs in its class. Far beyond a mere reverb processor, this module houses a quartet of modulation LFOs, a pre-delay buffer, twin filters, and an expansive reverb network, placing a sweeping range of creative ambient possibilities at your fingertips. Whether you’re chasing delicate string shimmer, pitched echoes, or swirling enveloping cacophony, the 4ms Mesa is as indispensable in the studio as it is in the hands of an adventurous sound designer pushing into unexplored auditory landscapes.
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Shape your sonic foundation
The Mesa provides you with ample options for shaping your signal path. For starters, it features stereo In and Out jacks, certifying enhanced depth, dimensionality, and ambient immersion. The Input Level knob ranges from negative infinity to +3dB, bolstered by a Clip indicator for straightforward gain staging. The Input Filter knob ranges from lowpass to flat to highpass, while the Diffuse Input button engages the input diffusion stage, which smears your signal before applying reverberation. Meanwhile, the Pre-Delay knob, which ranges from 0ms to 500ms, allows you to avoid washed-out sounds — even with extreme settings. Finally, the Dry/Wet knob, reinforced by another Clip indicator, allows you to control the mix of dry and processed signals.
From subtle slap to infinite freeze
The Dattoro plate reverb algorithm is positively revered here at Sweetwater; it’s an incredibly lush, smooth effect without the metallic ringing inherent in most plate patches. The 4ms Mesa delivers this prized sound, reinforced by a generous control set that puts an endless supply of stunning ambient textures at the ready. The Size knob, which ranges from a subtle slap to cavernous reverberation, adjusts the overall delay time and apparent magnitude of the effect. The Tuned Size button shortens the delay times and tunes the all-pass filters to an exponential response, enabling the reverb to be played with 1-volt-per-octave sources. The Diffusion knob controls how smeared the reverb is, ranging from audible delay-like echoes to indistinct reflections. The Decay knob sets the speed at which the reverb fades, while the Reverb Filter knob ranges from lowpass to flat to highpass. You also get a Freeze button, which can be set to either momentary or latching, that creates an infinite reverb. Finally, the Clear button purges the module’s buffer, halts all existing reverbs, and lets new echoes build up, ideal for crafting gated reverbs or simply canceling the chaos.
Endless modulation madness
Of course, the Mesa wouldn’t be a 4ms module without modulation capabilities, and, thanks to a quartet of modulation LFOs, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The Mod Depth knob determines how much modulation is applied to the left and right delay sections via the LFOs. The Mod Rate controls the speed of the modulation; each of the four LFOs’ speeds is offset from the others. Finally, the Mod Shape knob lets you mold the modulation LFOs from rising sawtooth to triangle to falling ramp, unleashing gentle chorusing, plucked string textures, pitched echoes, swirling chaos, and downright otherworldly sounds.
4ms Mesa Features:
- High-fidelity Eurorack reverb module based on the celebrated Dattoro plate reverb algorithm
- Designed in collaboration with Valley Audio
- Runs at 96kHz with 64-bit, double-precision processing
- Stereo In and Out jacks certify enhanced depth, dimensionality, and ambient immersion
- Input Level knob ranges from negative infinity to +3dB, bolstered by a Clip indicator
- Input Filter knob ranges from LPF to flat to HPF
- Diffuse Input button engages the input diffusion stage, which smears your signal before applying reverberation
- Pre-Delay knob, which ranges from 0ms to 500ms, allows you to avoid washed-out sounds
- Dry/Wet knob, reinforced by a Clip indicator, controls the mix of dry and processed signals
- Size knob, which ranges from a subtle slap to cavernous reverberation, adjusts the overall delay time and apparent magnitude
- Tuned Size button enables the reverb to be played with 1V/octave sources
- Diffusion knob controls how smeared the reverb is, ranging from audible delay-like echoes to indistinct reflections
- Decay knob sets the speed at which the reverb fades
- Reverb Filter knob ranges from LPF to flat to HPF
- Freeze button, which can be set to either momentary or latching, creates an infinite reverb
- Clear button purges the module’s buffer
- Mod Depth knob determines how much modulation is applied to the left and right delay sections via the 4 modulation LFOs
- Mod Rate controls the speed of the modulation; each of the four LFOs’ speeds is offset from the others
- Mod Shape knob molds the modulation LFOs from rising sawtooth to triangle to falling ramp
