Strymon built both. But the BigSky and BlueSky V2 aren't the same pedal — here's where they split.

The BigSky and the BlueSky V2 take different ambient approaches. Here's what that means for your rig.

The Strymon BigSky vs Strymon BlueSky V2 comparison is a look at two high-end reverb platforms from the same brand, both capable of lush ambient spaces, but with different depths of control and expressive scope. The BigSky is designed as a comprehensive reverb workstation with multiple algorithms and deep parameter access. The BlueSky V2 refines an already strong core reverb platform with smoother tails and expanded control within a slightly more focused set of algorithms. Both deliver high-quality reverbs, yet they serve different use cases depending on how much control and complexity you want in your rig.

The Strymon BigSky offers a wide range of algorithms including Plateaux, Cloud, Hall, Room, Swell, Bloom, and more, each with dedicated parameters like Pre-Delay, Diffusion, Damping, and Mod controls. In practical use, the BigSky gives players a vast palette from subtle room ambience to sprawling, evolving dreamscapes. Its depth of control allows you to fine-tune how reverbs decay, interact with modulation, and sit with other time-based effects. That depth makes it particularly suited for ambient, post-rock, or sound-design contexts where reverbs become a core part of the instrument’s voice rather than just a backdrop.

The BlueSky V2 takes the core reverb strengths of the original BlueSky and expands on them with refined decay shapes, smoother parameter interaction, and an updated control feel. Its Plate, Hall, and Room algorithms with optional modulation and shimmer offer a balance of usability and musicality. In practice this means the BlueSky V2 often feels more immediate and easy to dial in, with reverbs that sit naturally behind both clean and driven tones without overwhelming the core signal. The V2’s updated behavior in decay and filter interaction often translates to tails that feel cohesive with the dry signal, which makes it well suited for players who want high-quality reverbs without navigating deep control layers.

In context of different rigs, these differences matter. Into a clean amp with single-coil pickups, the BigSky can create expansive, atmospheric textures that become part of the instrument’s identity, while the BlueSky V2 delivers refined, musical reverb that enhances without dominating. With darker amps or humbuckers, the BigSky’s deeper controls help maintain clarity and shape within dense ambient layers, whereas the BlueSky V2’s smoother tails help preserve articulation when drive or modulation are present. Stacking with delay also highlights contrast: the BigSky can produce rich, evolving spaces that intertwine with rhythmic repeats, while the BlueSky V2 tends to keep reverbs distinct and supportive behind delays.

If you are deciding between the Strymon BigSky and the Strymon BlueSky V2, the choice comes down to how much breadth and depth you want from your reverb platform. The BigSky delivers an expansive algorithm set and deep parameter access for richly textured, evolving reverbs. The BlueSky V2 offers refined high-quality reverbs with smooth parameter interaction that blends well in a variety of musical contexts. Neither is categorically “better”; they simply offer different takes on ambient reverb that will appeal to different rigs and stylistic uses.