Alesis Microverb 1 & 2 MVB - switchable operating system mod

video upload by circuitbenders.co.uk

"Alesis Microverb I with a switchable operating system to turn it into either a Microverb I or a Microverb II. Both operating systems are now on one EPROM with a switch to swap between them live, without crashing. The only difference between the OS files appears to be in the 16 preset parameters.

In terms of the hardware the two units are absolutely identical other than some minor resistor differences that restrict the bandwidth very slightly on the Microverb I. The Microverb I also runs slightly slower with a 6mHz ceramic resonator for the system clock, while the Microverb II runs at 8mHz.

This Microverb I in the video has had the 6mHz clock changed to 8mHz, and the necessary resistors changed to those of the Microverb II. It is now effectively a Microverb II that can also run the Microverb I presets, rather than the other way around.

Maybe you loose a little of the Microverb I's muffled 'character' when you replace the resistors, and the effects run slightly faster at 8mHz so reverbs are a little shorter, but the difference is very small, and if you were reclocking the thing anyway then the clock difference is irrelevant.

We will have some no solder kits for the OS switching upgrade sometime soon. It will work on either unit to add the preset reverbs of the other unit."