What are your favorite non-Valhalla reverbs, and why?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Effects Discussion
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Reflex free does what it does very well.

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The UAD EMT 140 and EMT 250 are just magical...

140 is beautiful on short synths or stabs, i know its a plate reverb but it really makes stuff like that sound like its in a big room or small club - really nice
the 250 on vocals (especially female vox) is just beautiful as well, really smooth

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I've got one to add to the list: The Lexicon 224XL. I was working with one of those last week. WOW. What a sound. Perfect amount of modulation, not too bright yet not too dark, amazing variety of algorithms, and a "bloom" to the low frequencies that was pretty spectacular. I'd buy one, if I could find one with a working LARC.

Sean Costello

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I'm a big fan of Virsyn's REFLECT.

http://www.virsyn.de/en/E_Products/E_RE ... flect.html

In it's price range I feel that nothing I put it up against sounded more natural and open. It's a hybrid convolution/algorithmic plug in so you've got the "real" of the impulse with the control of an algorithmic system and I find it's hard to make it sound bad. I'd probably own some of the Valhalla plugs if REFLECT hadn't come along first, though I think I still will pick up Übermod.

I also really like the reverb in my Lexicon MPX1 which I picked up used cheaper than many plug ins. I suspect it's probably in the same range of quality as the Valhalla stuff though, and it sure is a UI mess.
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I'm pretty excited about the Strymon BigSky...
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.

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zerocrossing wrote:I'm a big fan of Virsyn's REFLECT.

http://www.virsyn.de/en/E_Products/E_RE ... flect.html

In it's price range I feel that nothing I put it up against sounded more natural and open. It's a hybrid convolution/algorithmic plug in so you've got the "real" of the impulse with the control of an algorithmic system and I find it's hard to make it sound bad. I'd probably own some of the Valhalla plugs if REFLECT hadn't come along first, though I think I still will pick up Übermod.

I also really like the reverb in my Lexicon MPX1 which I picked up used cheaper than many plug ins. I suspect it's probably in the same range of quality as the Valhalla stuff though, and it sure is a UI mess.
Ive seen you post good things about this reverb,I would love to try it but I don't have ilock. :(
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zerocrossing wrote: I also really like the reverb in my Lexicon MPX1 which I picked up used cheaper than many plug ins. I suspect it's probably in the same range of quality as the Valhalla stuff though, and it sure is a UI mess.
The hardware Lexicons I have worked with that don't use a LARC have UIs ranging from "meh" to nightmarish:

LXP15: Meh. I haven't used it in a while, but I don't remember it being impossible to navigate.

PCM70: Horrible. Press the UP arrow key, and your menu/preset number increments DOWN. WTF?

300M: Nightmarish. Without the manual, I was unable to figure out how to change reverb presets, or select new algorithms. And the manual for my ROM edition was unavailable online. I finally found a copy (thanks, TheLastByte) and was able to figure out how to change presets. What a dreadful UI.

The 224XL w/LARC was a pleasure to use. I can see why most mixing consoles have a LARC on them. The 480L was easy to use, for the same reason. I've never used a Lexicon 200, but the hardware controls on the front make it look easier to use than the "arrows + 2x40 line display" of the later low-end Lexicons.

Sean Costello

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deastman wrote:I'm pretty excited about the Strymon BigSky...
It looks pretty cool. I like the look of the box itself. I haven't loved the Strymon reverbs in the other pedals I have tried, but this one sound pretty good. I like their no-nonsense description of what is going on inside of the reverb. For example, here is their description of the Bloom mode:
In the '90s, more diffusion blocks were added to reverbs to 'smooth out' the sound. A side effect of this was the tendency of the reverbs to have a slowly building envelope that 'bloomed', resulting in big ambient reverbs that sit nicely with the dry signal even at high Mix levels. The Bloom reverb features a 'bloom generating' section that feeds into a traditional reverb 'tank', and adds a unique Feedback parameter that expands the possibilities exponentially.
No bulls*** hand waving, no marketing spiel about "proprietary techniques." It's a bunch of series allpasses (whenever you read "diffusors" or "diffusion blocks" in reverb literature, you can substitute the word "allpass" or "allpass delay"). This is what a bunch of allpasses in series does. And then something different for the late reverb. I love it.

The description of the Reflections mode is interesting. 250 reflections. I remember doing that on the 21369 SHARC back in the day. You could generate that many discrete multitaps, and the SHARC wouldn't break a sweat. I'm kinda sad I got rid of all my EZ-KITs now.

Sean Costello

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valhallasound wrote: No bulls*** hand waving
Agreed. Of course, this is one of the things I appreciate about your products too- a willingness to explain what they actually do under the hood. That and kickass sound quality, of course. But I like having hardware boxes to run my other hardware through and software to run virtual instruments into... Call me crazy!
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkY8HyzI1bU

I love the reverb on this tune.


For a bonus, Guess the name of the drummer and who he is most famous playing for.

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Part B: a Grammy-award-winning heavy metal band, no doubt.

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indeed and loud playing of the mandolin is so wicked.

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perhaps add in some bird chirps and you can make that location live in your music maybe the sound of a stream flowing in the background.

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@Sean

What is the effect of each all-pass filter in a series. Does each add a delay to the signal? And what else does it do - are there frequency dependent phase shifts or something? If there is a quick reference that explains the basics of this in readily intelligible terms I would like to read it.

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yessongs wrote: bird chirps


http://www.xoxos.net/vst/nature/birdsandinsects.html

This thing is the real deal if you want bird sounds. I don't say this to be funny, it is seriously, simply amazing.

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