4ms Mesa

Stereo Eurorack reverb module with 4 LFO modulations, freeze reverb, and 96 kHz/64-bit processing

• High-fidelity reverb by 4ms and Valley Audio, based on the legendary Dattorro plate reverb algorithm
• The same sound engine as the renowned Plateau module for VCV Rack, now available in hardware with no compromises
• 96kHz processing with 64-bit double precision for the highest level of audio quality
• Freeze reverb: freezes reverberations indefinitely, with momentary or toggle/latch modes
• 4 independent modulation LFOs for chorus, plucked strings, pitched echoes, and alien textures
• Dual filters on input and reverb, pre-delay up to 500 ms, adjustable spread
• Stereo inputs and outputs, ideal both as a studio reverb and for extreme sound design

4ms Mesa is a high-fidelity Eurorack reverb module, the result of a collaboration between 4ms and Valley Audio, built around Dattorro’s legendary plate reverb algorithm—the same engine that powers Plateau, Valley’s beloved module for VCV Rack. Mesa brings the sound of Plateau to hardware without compromising on quality: running at 96kHz with internal 64-bit double-precision processing, it ranks among the most refined-sounding reverbs available at any price point.

Plate Reverb for Modular Synthesizers: Spatiality and Depth

Whether you’re breathing life into a dry, static patch or sculpting vast soundscapes, Mesa transforms the sound with that lush, spacious, and multidimensional character that only a true plate reverb algorithm can offer. Far more than just a reverb, the four modulation LFOs, pre-delay buffer, dual filter, and extensive reverb network open the door to subtle chorusing, plucked strings, pitched echoes, swirling textures, and true forays into alien sonic territories.

Freeze and Clear: Total Control Over the Reverb Tail

The Freeze function freezes the reverberations permanently, with a button that can be set to momentary or toggle/latch mode. Clear resets the buffer, erasing any existing reverb and making room for new echoes: useful for gated reverbs or for cleaning up chaotic soundscapes.

Size, Diffusion, and Decay: The Geometry of Mesa Reverb on Eurorack

The Size control sets the overall delay time and the apparent size of the reverb, ranging from very short spaces to extremely long tails. The Tuned Size button shortens the delay times and tunes the all-pass filters to an exponential response, allowing you to drive the reverb with 1V/octave sources. Diffusion controls how diffuse the reverb sounds: without diffusion, distinct echoes emerge, similar to a delay.

Diffuse Input and Decay: From Signal Diffusion to Infinite Tail

Diffuse Input activates a pre-diffusion stage that blurs the signal before reverb; when deactivated, the input signal is clearer and more defined. Decay determines how quickly the signal decays over time: at maximum, it produces a long reverb that evolves into a sound cloud with an extremely slow decay.

Pre-Delay, Filters, and Mix: Fine-Tuning the Reverb Sound

Pre-Delay sets the delay with which the original signal enters the reverb unit, ranging from 0 to 500 ms. The Input Filter and Reverb Filter allow you to filter the input signal and the reverb signals, respectively, from low-pass to flat to high-pass. The Dry/Wet control blends the original signal with the reverberated signal, featuring a dedicated clipping indicator that signals overload at this stage.

Input Level and LFO Modulation Section

The Input Level control adjusts the input gain from -∞ to +3 dB, with a corresponding red clipping indicator. The modulation section includes Mod Depth, which controls the amount of modulation applied to the left and right delay sections via the four LFOs, Mod Rate, which adjusts the speed with an offset between the four LFOs, and Mod Shape, which selects the modulation waveform, ranging from an ascending sawtooth to a triangle to a descending ramp.

Technical Specifications

• Inputs and Outputs: stereo
• Maximum audio amplitude: ±9.6V
• CV inputs: -5 V to +5 V
• DSP: 96kHz sample rate, 24-bit codec, internal 64-bit double-precision floating-point processing
• Processor: Cortex-A7 1 GHz
• Width: 20 HP
• Depth: 25 mm
• Power supply: to be confirmed