RECORDING May 2023 - 63

REVIEW
Strymon
Cloudburst
A gateway to deep atmospheric texture
REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.
W
e have looked at Strymon reverb pedals for years in
our pages, starting with the BigSky in May 2015.
In July 2016, it was the reverb found in the Flint.
Our July 2019 Volante review highlighted that pedals spring
reverb offering, and in December 2020, we aurally gazed
into the NightSky followed by the BigSky Plugin in January
2023. With even more reverb offerings in the company
catalog, Strymon knows a thing or two about reverb design!
We again turn our attention " skyward " this month with the
new Strymon Cloudburst.
Ambient Reverb Pedal
While the BigSky and BlueSky are " does all " multi-algorithm pedals,
and Strymon bills the NightSky as an experimental reverb, the Cloudburst
comes with the subtitle of " ambient reverb. " Before we dig into that
designation, a few other attributes make this pedal stand out in the
Strymon universe.
Housed in an anodized aluminum chassis at 4.6 " deep x 2.7 " wide
x 2.5 " tall, the Cloudburst is now the most compact effects pedal in the
lineup. It is also the company's first single stomp switch offering. Finally,
it is the most affordable Strymon pedal to date.
Ins, Outs and USB-C
The backside features three TRS jacks for In, Out and EXP/MIDI control.
A rear toggle switch selects the I/O choice with mono (1
/4
/4
stereo with a 1
with a 1
/4
" TS) options,
" TRS Y-cable or mono in to stereo out. MIDI is handled
" TRS breakout cable or via a USB-C. USB-C is for only MIDI
control and firmware updates. There is currently no online editor or patch
librarian for Cloudburst, but I am told that one (Nixie 2.0) is in the works.
Power is handled by an external 9V DC adaptor (not included).
Internally, the pedal features a discreet JFET input stage and a choice
of True or Buffered bypass. Like all Strymon offerings since 2021, its DSP
is powered by an ARM chip.
Delicious, Deceptive Simplicity
Functionally, the Cloudburst is what you see is what you get with no
deep-level hidden parameters. There are, however, functional hold/
press startup options for bypass, spillover, freeze, infinite mode, expression
pedal and dry/wet settings.
Along with the momentary stomp switch and LED indicator are five knobs
plus a 3-position toggle switch. These deceptively simple controls hide gently
complex macros that perform multiple parameter tweaks when turned.
60 RECORDING May 2023
The Controls
* Decay: offers ultra-short ambiance up to 50+ seconds
of decay time, which also proportionately alters
the size of the space.
* Pre-Delay: the amount of time before the reverb
kicks in. At longer settings, it can produce a single-slap/delay-style
effect.
* Tone: dampens the high-end signature of the reverb
from sparkly bright down to thick and murky.
* Mix: the wet/dry blend of the reverb-a 50/50
blend is at 3 o'clock rather than noon, and 5
o'clock is fully effected.
* Mod: affects the modulation of the reverb tail-an
essential part of classic 80s/90s algorithmic reverbs.
Settings up to 12 o'clock affect the depth,
while settings above that alter the speed.
* Ensemble: the " secret sauce " of the Cloudburst,
this 3-setting switch adds harmonic content based
on the source and performance. In addition to off,
there are settings marked mp for mezzo piano or
medium soft, and forte meaning strong or loud.
The Verb
The Cloudburst is based on a single reverb algorithm
that can approximate rooms, halls, plates and
such by changing the combined size and length. The
sound has an overall metallic, almost plate-like tonality
that can be " EQ'd " with the Tone-damping control.
With just Pre-Delay, Decay and Tone, you can add thin,
glass-like trails or thick, imposing, smooth washes.
Modulated
Modulation brings the above reverbs to life, evoking
the sound and character of great rack-mounted reverbs
past. This is one of many " turn it until it sounds right
RECORDING May 2023

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