AMS Neve RMX-16 (1981)
The AMS RMX‑16 is widely acknowledged as the first dedicated digital reverb unit. Mark Crabtree, managing director of AMS Neve, discussed the unit's development in Mix Magazine (Feb 1997, p.22). Advanced Music Systems (later AMS Neve) introduced it in 1981 at £5,000 in the UK or $8,500 in the US. It used a 16‑bit processor, and all audio I/O was analogue via XLR connectors. There are eight reverb algorithms, switched by a front‑panel push‑button: Plate, Hall 1, Hall 2, Ambience, Non‑Lin 1, Non‑Lin 2, Reverse Gate, and Tiled Room. The Non‑Lin (non‑linear) algorithm became synonymous with the 1980s gated‑reverb drum sound. Sixteen user presets could be stored in EEPROM.
The RMX‑16 was a single‑processor rack unit, distinct from the larger, four‑processor “quad‑chassis” system offered at the same time. It was an immediate rival to the EMT 250. Period press coverage is thin in the Archive’s holdings. The unit shows up mainly in later retrospective articles rather than contemporary reviews. Common age‑related problems are failing PSUs that cause clock instability, and corrupted EPROMs. AMS Neve offers replacement PSUs and program EPROMs. Replace the internal batteries if that hasn't been done already.
- Years: 1981
- Price: £5,000 / $8,500 (1981)
- Processing: 16‑bit
- Bandwidth: ~13.5 kHz
- Algorithms: Plate, Hall 1, Hall 2, Ambience, Non‑Lin 1/2, Reverse Gate, Tiled Room
- Presets: 16 user memories (EEPROM)
- I/O: Analogue via XLR
- Pre‑delay: 10 microseconds
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