The Strymon BigSky is a Strymon reverb pedal, currently around $679. Close alternatives include the Gamechanger Audio Light and the Meris Mercury X. It pairs well with the Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head and the Peavey Invective 120.
Strymon BigSky
Strymon · pedal
The Strymon BigSky is a flagship reverb workstation offering twelve distinct reverb personalities, from realistic Room, Hall, Plate, and Spring to expansive ambient voices like the smeary, dreamy 1970s-style Cloud and shimmer-laden textures. Its ambient tone is exceptional despite being digitally modeled, ranging from extremely subtle to fully engulfing the dry signal in a deep, ethereal trail. The Hall offers diffused reflections and slow-building density, the Plate is rich and fast-building, and the algorithms can recreate real spaces or go far beyond physical possibility while staying musical. Crucially, its analog dry path stays untouched and transparent, with only the reverb algorithms coloring the sound, and a programmable mix control. With deep editing, presets, and stereo, it is widely considered the complete reverb package, suiting ambient, post-rock, worship, and studio players wanting the ultimate range of high-quality reverb tones.
What stands out
“With deep editing, presets, and stereo, it is widely considered the complete reverb package, suiting ambient, post-rock, worship, and studio players wanting the ultimate range of high-quality reverb tones”
— from the listing
“A flagship reverb workstation whose twelve personalities deliver exceptional ambient tone, from realistic Room, Hall, Plate, and Spring to expansive voices like the smeary, dreamy Cloud and shimmer textures, ranging from extremely subtle to…”
— from the reviews
“dreamy 1970s-style cloud and shimmer-laden textures”
— from the listing
“ranging from extremely subtle to fully engulfing the dry signal in a deep”
— from the listing
“The Hall offers diffused reflections and slow-building density, the Plate is rich and fast-building, and the algorithms can recreate real spaces or go far beyond physical possibility while staying musical”
— from the listing
- reverb
- ambient
- shimmer
- dry
- stereo
- subtle
- studio
- ethereal
Good for
- Live
- Silent Stage
- Studio
- Worship
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Strymon BigSky is commonly used in
- Post-Rock
- Rock
- Ambient
- Shoegaze
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Experimental
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Strymon BigSky
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head
Revv
26% matchWhat Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head brings here leans toward high gain — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Peavey Invective 120
Peavey
17% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Peavey Invective 120's transparent voice out front: Strymon BigSky goes in Peavey Invective 120's effects loop so its ambient voice doesn't muddy it
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Matchless Lightning Reverb
Matchless
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Strymon BigSky in Matchless Lightning Reverb's effects loop, clear of Matchless Lightning Reverb's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Fender Pro Junior III 15-Watt 1x10 Guitar Combo Amp
Fender
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Run Strymon BigSky in Fender Pro Junior III 15-Watt 1x10 Guitar Combo Amp's effects loop, clear of Fender Pro Junior III 15-Watt 1x10 Guitar Combo Amp's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Schecter Hellwin Stage 100
Schecter
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Strymon BigSky in Schecter Hellwin Stage 100's effects loop, clear of Schecter Hellwin Stage 100's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Revv Dynamis D25 Joey Landreth Edition 25W 1x12 Combo
Revv
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Revv Dynamis D25 Joey Landreth Edition 25W 1x12 Combo's high gain voice out front: Strymon BigSky goes in Revv Dynamis D25 Joey Landreth Edition 25W 1x12 Combo's effects loop so its ambient voice doesn't muddy it
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Orange Amplifiers OR100 100W Dual Channel Tube Guitar Head
amplifier
10% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Put Strymon BigSky in Orange Amplifiers OR100 100W Dual Channel Tube Guitar Head's effects loop, clear of Orange Amplifiers OR100 100W Dual Channel Tube Guitar Head's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Matchless Spitfire
Matchless
10% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Strymon BigSky in Matchless Spitfire's effects loop, clear of Matchless Spitfire's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Strymon BigSky
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
30% matchWhat JHS Smiley brings here leans toward fuzzy — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
28% matchEarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter leans toward fuzzy, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Bad
Electro-Harmonix
21% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
The BigSky's ambient, shimmering reverb gives the Bad's resonant phase sweep somewhere spacious to color into.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase
MXR
20% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put the Wylde Phase before the BigSky in the chain so its metal-voiced sweep gets carried by the reverb tail instead of racing ahead of it.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax
Electro-Harmonix
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Put Strymon BigSky after Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Fulltone OCD V2
Fulltone
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Strymon BigSky's ambient voice goes after Fulltone OCD V2 in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Fulltone OCD V2's own mid-forward character
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Caline CP-10 Hot Mushroom Compressor RED Script
Caline
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Put Strymon BigSky after Caline CP-10 Hot Mushroom Compressor RED Script in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Caline CP-10 Hot Mushroom Compressor RED Script
Comes earlier in the signal chain
GFI System Jonassus Overdrive
Gfi System
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Strymon BigSky after GFI System Jonassus Overdrive in the signal chain, clear of GFI System Jonassus Overdrive's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Cheaper alternatives
Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12
Electro-Harmonix
61% similarityShared character: unique soundscapes, stereo, ambient
SolidGoldFX Ether
Solidgoldfx
61% similarityShared character: infinite sustain, ambient, reverb
Wampler Ethereal
Wampler
59% similarityShared character: ambient, subtle, reverb
Laney Black Country Customs Secret Path Reverb
Laney
55% similarityShared character: reverb, ambient, studio
Boss RV-6 Reverb
Boss
54% similarityShared character: ambient, subtle, reverb
Chase Bliss Dark World
Chase Bliss Audio
53% similarityShared character: ability, ambient, subtle
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Gamechanger Audio Light
Gamechanger Audio
51% similarityShared character: infinite sustain, ambient
Meris Mercury X
Meris
50% similarityShared character: stereo, ambient, reverb
Empress Reverb
Empress
49% similarityShared character: stereo, ambient, mix
Strymon blueSky
Strymon
48% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb, studio
Red Panda Context 2
Red Panda
93% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Strymon BigSky (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Strymon BigSky?+
The closest matches in character are the Gamechanger Audio Light, the Meris Mercury X, the Empress Reverb. Budget picks: Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12, SolidGoldFX Ether, Wampler Ethereal.
What pairs well with the Strymon BigSky?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head, Peavey Invective 120, Matchless Lightning Reverb — What Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head brings here leans toward high gain — that's worth building a pairing around.
How much does the Strymon BigSky cost?+
Around $679 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).