Boss · RV-3 · 1994–2000s (discontinued)

Boss RV-3 Reverb/Delay

The RV-3 followed Boss's RV-2, which in 1987 was the first digital reverb pedal and could only run on its AC adapter. The RV-3 arrived in 1994 with a new custom DSP chip, a lower price and the ability to run on a 9V battery. Boss also gave it so much delay that Delay went into the name. You get four reverbs (Room 1, Room 2, Hall and Plate), three straight delay modes reaching 2 seconds, and four modes that run delay and reverb together. It has a mono input and stereo outputs, and Boss's own history calls it wildly popular. The shimmery Modulate reverb some players associate with it actually arrived later, on the RV-5. The RV-3 is discontinued, and Boss points buyers to the RV-6 today. Buy an RV-3 if you want reverb and long delay together in one compact box with stereo outs. If you're after modulated reverb, look at an RV-5 instead.