Best overall software reverb under $250?

[SparkySpark]

Good question - I love Phoenixverb for it's ability to place sounds in a space, yet be transparent enough to stay out of the way in the mix. I ended up upgrading to Nimbus as soon as I could, which does the same things (I think) only with more scope to tweak the result.

I wasn't sold on the dense sound of R2/R4 and get my character reverbs from other things, but many folk seem to like them.

Maybe get both as they compliment each other quite well.

Hope you're having a good day in sunny Lancaster

Thanks! OK, so it doesn't seem like a must then anyway. Well, I guess I just have to find out for myself...

[AudioAlien]

Here are examples of TEN reverbs, all under $250:

Thanks, this is very helpful.
Now I will have to buy more reverbs......

[Cooker]

I made a topic here about testing reverbs not long ago, took the time to be more technical (level matching etc.) which was very educating for me.

There was no clear winner (which was to be expected) but pro-r exceeded my expectations (with so few parameters wasn't expecting much) on comparison. To my ears specially excelled on giving more depth feel than others.

[Examigan]

The reverbs I use more often than others are
B2
SP2016
bx_rooMS
UVI Plate (on sale for $90 now)

Also the Arturia reverbs are good and not badly priced either, as the FX Collection is on sale at the moment.

[Spring Goose]

what about under $25 (twenty five)? cheap and cheerful. not Phoenixverb/R4

[Michey]

I made a topic here about testing reverbs not long ago, took the time to be more technical (level matching etc.) which was very educating for me.

There was no clear winner (which was to be expected) but pro-r exceeded my expectations (with so few parameters wasn't expecting much) on comparison. To my ears specially excelled on giving more depth feel than others.

Makes one ponder about the notion of quality and the differences between processors (I vividly remember reading SOS' article about range of preamps... with prices from cheap to the "prepare-to-weep". the EXACT same conclusion you came up with... which makes one wonder : are we just fools who buy and switch tools under the guise of "knowledgeable technicians who make the right decisions according to the circumstances" when most processors sound remarkably the same when level matched ? just saying...

We wanted to know how much variation there would be across eight very different preamp designs, and whether the expensive preamps would reliably outshine their cheaper cousins. The most striking aspect of the test for Hugh Robjohns and me was the way in which our expectations coloured our opinions: when we listened back to each take in Jonathan's studio, in the knowledge that we had just recorded a cheap and rather ugly ART unit or a £2000 handbuilt valve preamp, we thought we could hear clear differences between them. But when the files were level-matched and made anonymous, those differences suddenly seemed far smaller, to the point where neither of us felt we could reliably tell them apart in a blind test.

[Cooker]

...

The most proper way would be applying to a mix but that would be very time consuming. Actually for hardware preamps, a common test of prototypes is using them in a dense mix to detect if any masking etc. occurs. This is why although people demand more "noticeable color", for the designer things must be adjusted according to a very dense mix.

For my reverb test I started with drums then guitar (strum) and finally piano. Each revealed a different limitation for me, for example I love the valhalla vintage reverb but with piano it started to show its limit on a more fragile sound.

Alone probably wouldn't feel the problem but when comparing only then one realizes limits. One of my overall conclusions was that the expensive stuff makes the main difference on fragile sounds but for others (drums for example) you can pretty much make anything work.

[Spring Goose]

PSA, Exponential audio's R4 is on sale at plugin boutique for 29 bucks with a code of R4EA. It requires iLok, which I've avoided for now, but since you just need the software license I finally took the plunge. I feel a bit like I'm going to be issued a blaster and a set of white stormtrooper armor

The single use thing I could see as really annoying to a working pro...I only have the one laptop at this point. Also, I wonder if this eventually would just be added to izotope's normal installer/licenser and iLok would not be needed for it. In any case, yes you need iLok and it's one install at a time.

Anyway, first impressions after trying some of the (very many) presets on drums and synth---sounds very nice and smooth. Is it my "best" I don't know, but it's obvious it is very good indeed. It certainly offers a lot of control to go with the sound so between that and Space Designer and IRs I should be set. LOL, "should be set" should be tattooed on many of our arms surely.

Edit: tuzemet beat me to this, but I'll leave this here as a monument to my shame (and for anyone like me that perhaps missed that psa!)

I got R4 a couple months ago on a similar price offer also on pluginboutique.
It's seriously a great reverb, with tons fine-tuning options (and lots of presets if someone needs it).

Weird that it's already the 2nd time in less than 2 months this goes on a huge sale, but they haven't done the same with Nimbus, which I'd immediately get at that price. Or if they did I tragically missed it

Nimbus is on sale now until Jan 7 at Plugin Boutique for £25.What's great about Nimbus? (i have R4)

[andymcbain]

Nimbus is on sale now until Jan 7 at Plugin Boutique for £25.What's great about Nimbus? (i have R4)

Nimbus rocks for putting a sound in a “space” and just sitting nicely in the mix without getting in the way or being obvious. It complements a more colourful reverb like R4 as it’s not trying to sound impressive.

[Spring Goose]

Nimbus is on sale now until Jan 7 at Plugin Boutique for £25.What's great about Nimbus? (i have R4)

Nimbus rocks for putting a sound in a “space” and just sitting nicely in the mix without getting in the way or being obvious. It complements a more colourful reverb like R4 as it’s not trying to sound impressive.

Sounds useful. I think i'll get it then. Thanks.

[HotCoffee]

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven replaced my beloved VVV as my go-to. Amazing reverb, especially on percussive stuff. I have the pro version, but quite frankly the standard version is enough for most musical applications. It has this amazing ability to stay out of the way while still adding that reverb magic to anything I throw at it. Love it.

[Spring Goose]

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven replaced my beloved VVV as my go-to. Amazing reverb, especially on percussive stuff. I have the pro version, but quite frankly the standard version is enough for most musical applications. It has this amazing ability to stay out of the way while still adding that reverb magic to anything I throw at it. Love it.

I got the standard version on BF but i haven't used it yet. So do you think i don't need Nimbus?

I could save the money i would have spent on Nimbus and put it toward Valhalla Shimmer.

[HotCoffee]

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven replaced my beloved VVV as my go-to. Amazing reverb, especially on percussive stuff. I have the pro version, but quite frankly the standard version is enough for most musical applications. It has this amazing ability to stay out of the way while still adding that reverb magic to anything I throw at it. Love it.

I got the standard version on BF but i haven't used it yet. So do you think i don't need Nimbus?

Try it ASAP. It is a hardware emulation with fairly limited tweakability, so it might not float your boat if you are a "tweak head". That said, I use it for everything and it has yet to fail me.

I am not familiar with Nimbus, but I know that it is a highly regarded reverb. Did you like it? If so, maybe get it too?

[Spring Goose]

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven replaced my beloved VVV as my go-to. Amazing reverb, especially on percussive stuff. I have the pro version, but quite frankly the standard version is enough for most musical applications. It has this amazing ability to stay out of the way while still adding that reverb magic to anything I throw at it. Love it.

I got the standard version on BF but i haven't used it yet. So do you think i don't need Nimbus?

Try it ASAP. It is a hardware emulation with fairly limited tweakability, so it might not float your boat if you are a "tweak head". That said, I use it for everything and it has yet to fail me.

I am not familiar with Nimbus, but I know that it is a highly regarded reverb. Did you like it? If so, maybe get it too?

Oh it's on sale for 2 weeks yet, i haven't tried the demo (yet). I was just casually asking Niowiad about Nimbus. You're right i probably should get it for the price.

I'm sure that i'll like Seventh Heaven. Great sound but less tweaking, i already understood that when i bought it. I weren't gonna try it until either i get a more reliable computer or i get an Ilok dongle, but i'm still buying plugs this month!

[Halonmusic]

Silverspike Room844
Signaldust Abstract Chamber & Tila2
TAL Reverb 2, 3 and 4
Nuspace Riviera

All free.