Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Boss RV-6 Reverb vs MXR Carbon Copy: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 66% of 68 Boss RV-6 Reverb owners recommend it, vs 71% of 31 for the MXR Carbon Copy.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Boss RV-6 Reverb

66%of 68 owners recommend
66% recommend · 24% neutral · 10% don't
Owners praise
  • Modulate mode is the standout, and several owners keep the pedal for that setting alone
  • Shimmer turns lush and usable with the tone knob rolled right down
  • Quick to dial in, with no hidden button combos or manual to keep referring back to
Owners complain about
  • A minority hear the algorithms as digital or metallic, competent rather than inspiring
  • Shimmer is abrasive at default settings and needs the tone rolled well back to tame
  • Too conventional for players who want experimental or heavily washed ambient sounds
Full owner report →

MXR Carbon Copy

71%of 31 owners recommend
71% recommend · 13% neutral · 16% don't
Owners praise
  • Warm, natural-sounding analog delay tone that owners rank among the best analog delays available
  • Long-term reliability and loyalty, owners keep it for a decade or more, tour heavily with it, and keep returning to it after trying other delays
  • Underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it
Owners complain about
  • Underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Boss RV-6 Reverb if
  • ✓Players who want one reverb for standard hall, room, plate and spring sounds and expect to run it always-on
  • ✓Anyone who wants shimmer occasionally and is willing to roll the tone knob back to get it
  • ✓Gigging and travel-board players who need something compact that holds up at volume
  • ✓Boards that already have a weirder ambient reverb and want a dependable base layer under it
Skip it if
  • Players chasing experimental, washy ambient textures as their main sound
  • Anyone who wants a reverb with a strong voice of its own rather than a neutral do-everything one
Get the MXR Carbon Copy if
  • ✓Players wanting warm, natural analog delay
  • ✓Guitarists after slapback and short echo settings
  • ✓Ambient players needing swells that preserve the dry signal
  • ✓Beginners who want simple, hands-on controls
Skip it if
  • Players needing versatility beyond one analog sound
  • Those wanting very long delay times

What Boss RV-6 Reverb owners say

“The Reverb is a gem. That pedal has a lot of settings to get some really cool sounds out of it.”
— neverw1ll on Reddit
“Big fan of RV-6. When I got it I thought it was “pretty good” but after a couple of years I love it.”
— ziganaut on Reddit
“Had the RV-6 at one point, but found it too metallic. All Boss reverbs are like that to my ears though. Modulated is the best algo on the RV-6, but it seriously pales in comparison to Mercury7 modulation.”
— KickFragrant7836 on Reddit

What MXR Carbon Copy owners say

“Easily my favourite delay pedal!”
— @thejosebatista on YouTube
“Love the CarbonCopy.”
— @northof50now on YouTube
“j'ai acheté cet effet c'est loin d'être ça !”
— @francoisb4830 on YouTube

Boss RV-6 Reverb vs MXR Carbon Copy: frequently asked questions

Is the Boss RV-6 Reverb or the MXR Carbon Copy better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 66% of 68 Boss RV-6 Reverb owners recommend it, vs 71% of 31 for the MXR Carbon Copy.

Who should get the Boss RV-6 Reverb?

Owners point the Boss RV-6 Reverb at players who want one reverb for standard hall, room, plate and spring sounds and expect to run it always-on, and anyone who wants shimmer occasionally and is willing to roll the tone knob back to get it.

Who should get the MXR Carbon Copy?

Owners point the MXR Carbon Copy at players wanting warm, natural analog delay, and guitarists after slapback and short echo settings.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Boss RV-6 Reverb is a minority hear the algorithms as digital or metallic, competent rather than inspiring. For the MXR Carbon Copy, it's underwhelming compared to alternatives for a minority of owners, some felt it didn't outperform other delays (like the analog settings on an FB/FB4) and ended up returning or replacing it.