"Mr. Ocean, what do you think you would do, if released?" – 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001)
The briny deep, the hallowed depths – the ocean. However you slice it, it's a big, blue wonderworld. It's because of the ocean that people write poetry, paint pictures, design effect pedals... and it's for the ocean that we can be thankful for an effect like our point of conversation today, the Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss. Let's dive in.
This is the Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Advanced Reverb Laboratory.
Seaweed's Always Greener
Introducing the Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Reverb
Where to begin? Where do you begin with a name like Electro-Harmonix? We could go on to hit all the bases EHX has covered over the course of their long, long tenure as one of the world's premier pedal companies. We could go on to discuss the drives, the modulations, the fuzzes*, but let's home in on what we've got on the slab today: the reverbs – reverbs like the Oceans series. Over a good handful of years, EHX's Oceans series of reverb effect pedals have done so much for delivering leagues of reverb effects in compact forms. Whether you're dealing with their Oceans 11 or Oceans 12 reverb pedals, you have a rich palette of reverberated tones to create with, but landing here now with the Oceans Abyss, you can already see that we're not in Kansas anymore.
Oh man, the fuzzes...
The Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Advanced Reverb Laboratory is just that, but what does that all mean? Can we call this pedal advanced? Of course. Can we call it a laboratory? Certainly. Can we call it an abyss? I'm sure we could. Petition your local literature major and you're sure to get hit with at least a couple similes and analogies to justify this pedal's large, imposing, epic title.
In any case, the Oceans Abyss very much steps up to the plate to deliver on both its lineage of Oceans reverb effects and its current iteration. At the jump, the Oceans Abyss definitely shows for its larger-than-life naming scheme with its larger-than-life casing and design. Three footswitches, an extensive stereo setup, and two concurrent reverb engines all add up to an effect experience that you can only really dive into from the deep end. Let's get into it.
Turning the Tide
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Reverb Controls and Design
Let's back things up for a second. What is the Oceans Abyss, exactly? Building upon the existing Oceans reverb effects, the Oceans Abyss is the next logical step in the series' evolution as expansive, multi-mode reverb pedals. Our previous Oceans effects, each fitted with a library of digital reverbs, did a lot for bringing high-quality digital effects to, specifically, pedalboards. These compact units moved relative mountains for expressive reverb effects in small packages. While today's Oceans Abyss doesn't focus in on being as compact as its predecessors, it more than makes up for it in its digital effect power.
This all begins with its core design ethos being based around two independent digital reverb effect engines. Arranged in a front-facing, tangible configuration, these two basic reverb engines bring the instant feedback of a physical effect pedal while offering more controls than your usual effect pedal. Onboard, three dials, three faders, and three push buttons connect with instant, physical control over your two reverb effects.
Based around the stereo effect design, each reverb engine can be blended, panned, equalized, and shaped independently to come to interesting tonal conclusions. Each reverb in the Oceans Abyss can be engaged on or off independently for playability, experimentation, A/B comparisons, whatever you need to do. Though the Oceans Abyss is playable in a traditional effect pedal context, that's not entirely why we're here today. The Oceans Abyss doesn't call itself an Advanced Reverb Laboratory for nothing.
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Reverb Effect Building
At the center of the Oceans Abyss is a conversation between its preset and live modes. We'll talk more about this pedal's presets in a minute, but for now, let's talk about effect building. Sharp-eyed readers might notice that, between the two reverb control setups, we have an OLED display and a joystick control toggle. This setup enables interaction with the Oceans Abyss's design structure, a blocks-based effect architecture.
Looking in, the OLED display shows off in live and preset modes the pedal's internal digital signal routing. The pedal's block-based digital effect design, as driven by the OLED screen and control knob, is quickly interactive as players visually and tangibly navigate their signal flow. In live and preset modes, effects can be introduced, set, adjusted, and mono and stereo signals can be built, split, and melded to build your own custom digital effect routes from the ground up.
The Oceans Abyss enables endless effect tinkering through ten different reverb types including classic spring, hall, and room types, as well as more ambient-leaning types like shimmer, polyphonic, and auto-infinite. This effect building capability makes it such that the Oceans Abyss is essentially only limited by your imagination. Should straightforward or complex effect building be your thing, EHX has you covered every step of the way.
Enchantment Under the Sea
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Presets and Tones
How about some presets, huh? Within the Oceans Abyss, Electro-Harmonix went in to build dozens of performance-ready effect presets. Running the whole gamut from more reserved effects to truly out-there sounds, the Oceans Abyss features a whole suite of interesting effects that incorporate other effect types to create new, tonal mixes. Just to run down a couple, we picked out a few:
#30 – BioluminescenceA phaser-driven reverb engine. This preset certainly does its name justice as it creates an organic, glowing sonic profile ready for ambient musicmaking.
#40 – ShoegazeA flanger-driven reverb engine. We're wasting no time with this one, now are we? Spurred on by a powerful flanger effect, this shoegaze-inspired preset introduces a subtle, pseudo-vibrato effect that sounds like the pitch bending produced by bands like My Bloody Valentine. Go ahead, try 'gazing without a reverb. Just kidding, please don't.
#64 – Lo-FiA filter-driven reverb engine. Maybe we've buried the lede a bit here, but the Oceans Abyss is not just an incredibly powerful reverb effect unit. With a preset like Lo-Fi, we're treated to more of the pedal's digital effect capabilities. For now, Lo-Fi gives you that hazy, filtered effect profile you'd expect from its moniker.
As we alluded to with the Lo-Fi preset, the Oceans Abyss is not just a reverb pedal. In the preset library of the pedal, you can find not only advanced reverb effects, but modulations, delays, and saturation effects. The Oceans Abyss builds in completely separate and dedicated Electro-Harmonix effects with preset slots for an emulated Memory Man delay, Small Stone phaser, and even a digitally-modeled Big Muff fuzz. However you fancy a digital Big Muff hidden within a dual reverb effect unit, you have to admit such a feat is impressive. Just about any effect type you could need exists here as a digital model for either building extensive, branching signal routes or utilizing robust presets.
Oceans on Oceans
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Further Functions
Let's start rounding this discussion a bit, shall we? Compounding on this whole effect experience, the Oceans Abyss comes fitted with extensive stereo and control connectivity. A built-in external effects loop allows for the Oceans Abyss to be routed into existing pedalboards and setups for players who really like to get involved with their signal flow. The possibilities for expansion and control are added onto with expression and MIDI control connections. Maybe you're a master of MIDI, maybe you're an expression aficionado, either way, the Oceans Abyss indulges you in each scenario.
The Oceans Abyss continues on with a USB-C connection that connects the pedal to EHX's dedicated desktop app, meaning this is a pedal to keep up on for future updates. This pedal takes your standard nine volts of power, but does require a 500mA amperage. Luckily, EHX includes a dedicated power supply alongside the pedal, so starting up is seamless.
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss Advanced Reverb Laboratory Final Thoughts
Fit for the truest reverb fiends of the world, Electro-Harmonix delivers on every level with the Oceans Abyss. Sticking the landing, EHX meets the mark of its own naming scheme "Advanced Reverb Laboratory," with an effects unit that is just about everything you need it to be and more. The landscape of advanced reverb units has absolutely been treated with the Oceans Abyss, providing another opportunity for players, tinkerers, studio rats, and soundscapers alike to take part in vast effect crafting experiences in a powerful, one-and-done pedal.
