One of the earliest digital studio reverbs to find its way into professional racks, the Ursa Major Space Station SST-282 is less a traditional reverb and more a beautifully strange delay laboratory. Released in the late 1970s, the Space Station uses a 255 ms digital delay memory with multiple delay taps arranged into preset patterns, creating everything from tight room reflections to comb-filtered textures and clustered echoes.
Eight “audition taps” form the stereo output image while additional internal taps generate the reverb field. Feedback, delay pattern selection, and onboard EQ shape the density and decay, allowing the unit to move from short ambience and slapback to swirling, synthetic reverbs that became a signature sound of early digital processing.
Instead of imitating natural spaces perfectly, the SST-282 leans into its character. Comb programs create metallic resonances and tuned textures, while clustered delays can thicken instruments or produce rhythmic echoes. It is equal parts reverb, multi-tap delay, and sound design tool.
Specs:
Digital multi-tap delay and reverb processor 255 ms digital delay memory 8 stereo audition delay taps 16 preset delay patterns Continuously variable echo tap 1–255 ms Internal reverberation tap network Maximum reverb decay approximately 3.5 seconds 9-input internal stereo mixer Shelf EQ in feedback path 20 Hz–7 kHz frequency response ≥80 dB dynamic range 0.1% THD typical XLR input and output connections
Includes 2 x IEC cables.
Video: https://youtu.be/g3yWKCuGSEQ&t=28s
Product Specs
- Item Number: 41632
- Make: Ursa Major
- Model: SST-282
- Condition: Very Good
- Finish: Black
- Categories: pro-audio ⇒ delay
- Year: 1978
- Made In: United States
- MPN: 41632