Eventide BLACKHOLE Plug-in Officially Released

[valhallasound]

As I was just cutting/editing Glockenspiel samples this morning and after following this thread I had to make a video where Glockenspiel meets Blackhole meets Shimmer, not as a comparison but more as a musical space impro. I also tried integrating Space Master which I hadn't used for years, but the sound was just not up to par with the other 2 so I skipped that.

Your example points out a cool feature about ValhallaShimmer: when using the stereo modes, you can run as many instances of Shimmer in series as you like, without causing excessive coloration. This also works for processing the output of other reverbs, such as Blackhole in this example. ValhallaShimmer can be viewed as a "reverb extender," that can add a LOT of sustain to any reverb without changing the character. I haven't tried Blackhole->Shimmer before, but Simon has demonstrated that it can sound amazing.*

Valhalla DSP: We Play Nice With Others.™

Sean Costello

* I'm pretty sure that Simon could make "farting through a garden hose" sound amazing as well. I don't think I've heard a bad example from the guy.

[jc_vt]

I for one am a big fan of Simon's work and would love to hear his take on farting through a garden hose!

[Sampleconstruct]

I for one am a big fan of Simon's work and would love to hear has take on farting through a garden hose!

I stopped doing flatulence sound design decades ago, there were so many other things to explore.

[Sampleconstruct]

Valhalla DSP: We Play Nice With Others.™

This! ™

[ghettosynth]

Trouble is, Simon makes this (and many other things) sound brilliant.

Then I buy it, and fail to make it sound brilliant.


This time, I say NO.

See, that's kind of where I'm at on this. If I can't make it sound great, or, I can't hear the difference, then it doesn't really matter if there is a difference. I thought that there was a smoothness in BlackHole that wasn't in SpaceMaster at first listen, but then when I tried to be more precise, I couldn't put my finger on it. I'll try again, but probably not until the weekend.

Chances are, I'll just pass on all of them. I know what's going to happen, my plugin directory is going to get a whole bunch of new free reverbs and my Reaktor folder is going to get a couple as well. I'll then realize that comparing reverbs isn't making music and I've got enough stuff already.

I've already installed the open source plugin that I linked above and, of course, Uhe's new experimental reverb.

The thing is, I actually use these kinds of reverbs. I'm something of a reverb slut and I used to really hate on a lot of different reverbs for not being smooth. I can't quite put my finger on what has changed in my perception, if anything. I do exactly the kind of pointless ambient/experimental music drenched in reverb that these things were designed for and they're not really getting me all excited.

I might just have reached the point at which I can't tell anymore. In the hardware days the best reverb that I owned (still own) is a Lexicon LXP-15. Noisy as hell though, but it sounded good in those days. I also have a couple of Alesis units that aren't bad. The only one that still gets any use is The Wedge and that's just because it's a convenient form factor for live stuff. I have never owned anything really good though.

Lately I've been using a lot of impulses with NI's Reflektor. What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

[jens]

What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

Valhalla Vintage Verb?

[ghettosynth]

What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

Valhalla Vintage Verb?

Maybe, I guess I'll spend some time with them. I have to ask though, what do people think of the NI reverbs? I don't mean Reflektor or anything that's in GuitarRig, but the new ones that are bundled with KU10+.

[Sampleconstruct]

What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

Valhalla Vintage Verb?

Maybe, I guess I'll spend some time with them. I have to ask though, what do people think of the NI reverbs? I don't mean Reflektor or anything that's in GuitarRig, but the new ones that are bundled with KU10+.

NI's RC 48 is pretty good, I found this experiment on my Soundcloud made some years ago while Beta-testing it:
https://soundcloud.com/sampleconstruct/ ... eets-rc-48

[ghettosynth]

What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

Valhalla Vintage Verb?

Maybe, I guess I'll spend some time with them. I have to ask though, what do people think of the NI reverbs? I don't mean Reflektor or anything that's in GuitarRig, but the new ones that are bundled with KU10+.

NI's RC 48 is pretty good, I found this experiment on my Soundcloud made some years ago while Beta-testing it:
https://soundcloud.com/sampleconstruct/ ... eets-rc-48

Yeah, see, that sounds good to my ears. Once I start adding up things that I'd like to have, the upgrade to ultimate doesn't seem so expensive.

I don't know yet. I might pick up BlackHole, I do like iLok plugins, it makes management easy across computers. I might just go back to making music with what I have, building new toys with what I learn, and wait for the KU11 sale which will eventually happen.

[plexuss]

What I was hoping to find was an algorithmic reverb that leaves me with that feeling of amazement of the space with the ability to do crazy spaces and also have that motion and dynamism that's not really there in I/R verbs.

Valhalla Vintage Verb?

I am a reverb junkie. Try 2c audio B2, it's pretty amazing for creative reverbs. their Aether is also very nice. I have Blackhole and a bunch of other reverbs. Blackhole is definitely a great reverb too.

[deastman]

I find myself tempted by Blackhole at that price, but honestly, with the Valhalla reverbs I'm set for life! I also have the NI KU reverbs, which sound quite lovely in their own right. Still, I would never choose one of them over Valhalla. Call it brand loyalty or a fanboy or whatever, but they just sound brilliant! Oh, and I also love my Strymon BigSky. Um... and the various hardware spring reverb tanks I've got.... and I'm still amazed at how good the Alesis Wedge sounds on those rare occasions when I bother to hook it up.

[Firebird]

--


Blackhole on multiple tracks, side by side with VintageVerb.

A total of TEN reverb tracks are being used between the two verbs.

Interesting hearing the 2 together:

This is helpful, I was concerned at the overlap in sound between these two reverbs.
They are different in character and seem very compatible sonically.

Thanks for the video, its cool to hear them on the same project.
Sweet presets!

[ImNotDedYet]

--


Blackhole on multiple tracks, side by side with VintageVerb.

A total of TEN reverb tracks are being used between the two verbs.

Interesting hearing the 2 together:

This is helpful, I was concerned at the overlap in sound between these two reverbs.
They are different in character and seem very compatible sonically.

Thanks for the video, its cool to hear them on the same project.
Sweet presets!

I think a better comparison is Valhalla Shimmer vs. Blackhole.

I'd love to bite on this plug, but really see no need as I have Shimmer. (which is always that price BTW )

[Doug1978]

Trouble is, Simon makes this (and many other things) sound brilliant.

Then I buy it, and fail to make it sound brilliant.


This time, I say NO.

Then you can just use my version

Thanks Simon - and your sounds from this reverb are really great.


We're living in a era of outstanding software plugins.
Blackhole is a very interesting plugin, and I'd probably buy it if I didn't have Vahalla and Lexicon reverbs already.

Ironically, although there is now a plethora of wonderful and affordable plugins (which we would pinch ourselves about 10 years ago), the amount of high quality across the board now makes buying even outstanding plugins like Blackhole less likely for me!

Cheers.

@ Ghettosynth, some good points mate.

[AstralExistence]

I think that he was just saying that the reverb is being actively developed. The elaboration is to avoid someone saying "well, it wasn't being developed between 2012 and 2014."

Well, his post starts by saying about Blackhole and Shimmer that "after using both neither really sound that good", then talks about how old they are and that "shimmer does not even have a built in preset System"
before talking about how Reflex Pro had to be completely rewritten and how Reflex+ receives a lot of updates, before closing by saying that Reflex+ will "take through[sic] an ocean of stars" when being combined with Atmosphere.

Incongruity much?

omg what a dumbass lol dude! you are exploring my post like the wreck of the titanic. i don't even know how to respond omg. are you writing a research paper or thesis seriously dude. no words. times have have changed man. i work a full time well paying job incongruity? its a 2 minute post lol. you know when i need to be congruent? at my job! lol