What can an $8,000.00 reverb unit do to justify its expense? The answer is surprising – sound like nothing. The most amazing attribute of the 777 is that it does not have a distinct aural signature. Whereas other digital effects units lend a unique tonality to their resident reverb programs, the DRE-S777 is the essence of Swiss neutrality, with no artifacts to denote its company origins. Also, the 777 redefines the concept of open architecture for effects units. In place of a limited series of space-defining algorithms, it has the ability to become the electronic equivalent of an almost unlimited number of real acoustic environments. It can best be considered a blank canvas, awaiting the application of colors from a palette each time the unit is brought to life. Finally, what sets this device apart is its attention to detail; both from a physical build quality perspective as well as in its operating system and program application software.

While only two rack spaces in height, the DRE-S777 is as deep (20 3/8”) as a high capacity power amplifier, and sports enough heft (33#) to contend for the effects heavyweight title. The front panel, on the other hand, is anything but brutish, more akin to the interior of a Jaguar than a piece of pro-audio gear. Gold-toned accents perfectly set off the polished cherrywood faceplate, while a large backlit LCD display conveys essential data with ease. Below the display are four variable function buttons with status LED indicators and a large jog dial resides to the right of the display. Befitting a product of this stature, the jog dial is a chunky slab of milled aluminum that spins in the hand as if it were a flywheel on a classic English ship of state. The rear panel is designed to accommodate a variety of analog and digital inputs and outputs, but only comes standard with the digital variety. Options include balanced analog connections on XLRs’ (DABK-S701/2) and multiple outputs for surround processing applications with the DABK-S703 expansion DSP card. A standard IEC power connection, MIDI ports, BNC-style Word Sync, and an RS232C maintenance port round out the back. Rack mounting of the 777 is accomplished via optional overbuilt ears (RMM-30) that match the front of the unit well.

Using an effects device of this caliber is a thoroughly entertaining exercise in audio indulgence. Gruff road veterans become giddy school kids when allowed to investigate the unit’s unique design. The 777 effectively eliminates the compromises of standard reverb processors, giving full expression to the user’s acoustic desires. That freedom does involve a commitment to a small number of instantly accessible programs, since the Sony’s algorithms are so complex as to require a CD-ROM drive for permanent data storage and a Memory Stick slot to assure the data is properly licensed. Once the Stick is inserted in an adapter and the unit is brought to life, the transfer of CD-ROM data can begin, with a relatively long wait time of roughly two minutes. Never, though, have two minutes of waiting been so rewarded as with the quality of effects loaded in the 777’s memory. The DASK-S701 disc that is supplied with the unit showcases several European halls and churches with unimagined accuracy. If the designers’ goal was to authenticate an effects device as a legitimate alternative to physical presence within a given environment, then they have succeeded brilliantly. The large LCD display presents numerous options available to the user regarding mic and speaker positions within the room that were chosen for the sampling session. For instance, a triangle at the top of the diagram signifies the output transducer’s location while an up-arrow denotes a unidirectional mic with its axis pointed toward the speaker. Further detail includes the choice of one of six various mic orientations used during the session. While such minutiae may appear to border on the ridiculous, the result is a forward knowledge that grants the user the ability to accurately predict the aural outcome of a setting before actually hearing it. Additionally, the manipulation of seemingly insignificant parameters can have a major impact on the project, just as a slight increase in the amount of salt added to a recipe can ruin its outcome.

Sony, sensing the frustration users might experience with the 777’s use in a live setting, thoughtfully added a sizeable cache memory to allow instant selection among nine reverb programs. Once the input mode and clock setup have been completed, the fun can begin. Reverb programs are stored in the cache memory and selected by scrolling with the jog dial and the F2 softkey. This process is quite painless unless you want to select a program on a different CD-ROM than the one in the unit or a program stored on another Memory Stick. While certainly not a Herculean effort, it is somewhat involved. Perhaps, as with any licensed product, the steps are a result of necessary precaution against illegal usage. Just as SCMS and dongles became a part of every studio, the Memory Stick codes may be common in the future. Protecting the expensive intellectual property involved in the creation of these samples is a noble goal that has slight unintended consequences on the vast majority of honest users.

Within each reverb program, several useful parameter adjustments are available, including 500mS of pre-delay and reverb times up to six seconds, depending on the selected program. The mixer section is rather extensive, with metering options, separate controls for dry and wet levels, and a four-band, dual parametric midrange equalizer that sets a new standard for transparency in DSP boxes. The third and final mixer screen adjusts the left and right input trim independently over an 18dB range. Utility chores are handled in the Setup display mode, with everything from display contrast angles to clock format adjustments available for tweaking.

Surprisingly, the owner’s manual is a thin fifty-four pages, but all the information necessary is included, from setup through a MIDI implementation chart. As the manual states, the direct, unreflected signal as well as the reverberation aspects, accompany natural reverb in a room. The 777 allows the direct signal to be either incorporated as part of the output or removed, leaving a true “wet-only” signal. The manual also notes the latency effect caused by the unit’s own processing results in a slight delay even when the predelay is set to zero. Such detail and honesty are welcome changes in the staid world of operation manuals.
As the technical director for the Maranatha Praise Band, and accustomed to using the local church’s available music-store-grade ear candy, I was eager to try the DRE-S777 in a typical church environment to determine the viability of placing a member of electronic royalty in the company of the masses. Given the chosen venue’s poor acoustics, my expectations were quite low. Fortunately, the experience was positive, with the Sony’s neutral nature lending a smoothness to the vocals that belied the harshness of the metal room. Whereas adding reverb to a reverberant space is not orthodox, nor encouraged, it did provide a worst-case scenario to see if the Sony could add pleasantry to an unpleasant situation. I found it unnecessary to engage the usual reverb tricks, such as compressing the aux send output to prevent overloading the reverb’s front end and returning the reverb output through a channel strip to remove low-end artifacts. The 777 simply sounded great when routed back in through an aux return, freeing a channel for more pressing needs. On vocals, the 777 seemed to further tighten an already impressive group that is known for some of the smoothest harmonies this side of Manhattan Transfer. Even a momentary experiment of wetting the monitors caused no ill effect on the team’s ability to understand each other. Toggling between standard effect units and the 777 showed just how impressive a job Sony’s engineers did, for even non-audio personnel could quickly identify the better unit. On drums, the Sony was equally remarkable and convinced Will Denton (from Steven Curtis Chapman) that the 777 would be required on his next project. Side stick drum shots tailed off beautifully and his classic Paiste 602 hi-hats sounded amazing through the Sony. In all, the DRE-S777 proved its place among the DSP elite in a live, hostile environment.

Studio application of the 777 proved a foregone conclusion – it sounds terrific and works on any genre of music and almost any type of instrumentation. When mated with a classic large diaphragm tube mic for vocal applications, the Sony delivered a consistent, articulate reverb that was warm, but never became muddy while retaining enough “cut” to keep the vocals in front of the mix.

The adoption of the CD-ROM format in conjunction with the Memory Stick slot for program storage and licensing verification bestows on the 777 an interesting dilemma, for, while it slows some mundane operations, its open architecture creates an entire world of possibilities. As Sony’s engineers span the globe capturing every intriguing acoustic environment possible, the owners of these machines can transport their projects to any spot instantly. For example, the disc containing samples of Ocean Way Studios gives every small project studio owner “that” sound without “that” expense. A church choir confined to a converted strip mall can be transformed by digitally placing them in any of several renowned cathedrals, all by the grace of the 777’s CD-ROM drive. An evangelist with a broadcast ministry can create the desirable signature of a grand auditorium from the comfort of his living room. The aspiring CCM artist, struggling to be heard among the throng, can set herself apart with the pure tones provided in the 777. Even though the Sony DRE-S777 is priced beyond the reach of many church production environments, it represents the best of the present for those who can obtain it and heralds the wave of future products as they inevitably trickle down to the mainstream.