Best overall software reverb under $250?

[Ploki]

I agree with fapfilter

The thing about valhalla is that they're tuned really well - it's really hard to make them sound bad. There's a lot of revers that can easily be made sound bad.

[ramseysounds]

Any Valhalla seems to be very popular on here and probably for good reason. Ive gone back to using 112db just recently and getting some very pleasing results

[ghettosynth]

Any Valhalla seems to be very popular on here and probably for good reason. Ive gone back to using 112db just recently and getting some very pleasing results

He's very engaged and discusses reverb readily both here and on his blog. Sadly, I don't have one of Sean's reverbs and I feel a bit guilty about that. I should go snap up shimmerverb just because I use those kinds of sounds quite a bit.

Ok, but why is that? It's because I tend to buy plugins like this:

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/ ... everb-Pack

And at the end of the day, as I said earlier in this thread, I think that this is the way to round out your reverb collection if you are on a budget. These are excellent reverbs that, for a while, would never go on any real sale. Since iZotope bought them out, however, these go on sale regularly but they're no less capable than they were in the past.

[AC222]

I agree with fapfilter

The thing about valhalla is that they're tuned really well - it's really hard to make them sound bad. There's a lot of revers that can easily be made sound bad.

With a name like that, one would be hard pressed to disagree with anything

[jancivil]

What I use, and I use it in every track and not a lot else for reverberation, when it is it's a delay, comes in a bundle with an EQ; a "Master EQ" with more bands and control; Compressor; Multiband comp; Limiter; Exciter; Analyzer; Goniometer; and Power Panner and a matrix for surround. In two flavors, a Convolution 'verb and a Hybrid, which has an algo late reflections. with a lot of control.
Usually eschew bringing it up, because bundle, but since the goals is 'best overall' "under $250", it now goes for 130 euro.
It cost me a lot more (around 400 USD on sale) but they have superseded the product with a Pro version which costs similarly to what that used to.
VSL, the original Vienna Suite. I much prefer the reverb in it to the one in the Pro version. Just excellent.
Hybrid comes with some really great plates, it's mostly about rooms. Little rooms, medium rooms, huge rooms, hot rooms, cool rooms. There's a good reverse kind of a deal in it too.

[recursive one]

you also don't really need much else if you just use Valhalla

I was using Valhalla VV exclusively for few years.

On the one hand, it defo does the job, on the other hand I was thinking lately if it may be worth buying some other reverb, maybe with a bit cleaner tone and more "expensive" overall sound, for the lack of better word.

I basically need a general purpose mixing reverb which I could put on a send track and admix to leads, pads and stuff (this is how I prefer working with reverbs, not a fan of using separate reverbs on different tracks, unless some specific effect is required)

I do synthy stuff, mostly psytrance but lately also some downtempo/ambient breaks kind of stuff. I want a lush reverb making big, clean and bright halls but also capable of a more natural/subtle ambience.

Any reverbs I should consider first? Preferably below EUR 150 and ilok-free. Or do I just need to learn my VVV better?

[chk071]

Give ArtsAcoustic Reverb a go. I know, it's not actively maintained anymore, but, it really has "that" sound. If you know what I mean. I'm sure it would complement your music perfectly, as I really think it's THE reverb for electronic dance music (ugh). I mean, the better electronic dance music, not that stuff they sell you as "Trance" these days.

Not really helpful, but, I also think that Synapse's Obsession has a great onboard reverb (it's from Mirko Ruta). I really hope that it will be released standalone one day.

And, for a budget reverb, I can recommend NI's Raum. Unfortunately, (like all the good stuff) it's a CPU eater.

[recursive one]

Give ArtsAcoustic Reverb a go. I know, it's not actively maintained anymore, but, it really has "that" sound. If you know what I mean. I'm sure it would complement your music perfectly, as I really think it's THE reverb for electronic dance music (ugh). I mean, the better electronic dance music, not that stuff they sell you as "Trance" these days.

Not really helpful, but, I also think that Synapse's Obsession has a great onboard reverb (it's from Mirko Ruta). I really hope that it will be released standalone one day.

And, for a budget reverb, I can recommend NI's Raum. Unfortunately, (like all the good stuff) it's a CPU eater.

Cool, thanks! Yes, I think we are on the same page, sonically

I remember the Art Acoustic one from some old trance tutorials. I thought it was kinda no more relevant/bettered by something else but I will give it a go.

Parawave Rapid has great reverb which is available in the FX version, not sure if it's the same as Obsession reverb but it is also coded by Mirko Ruta. Actually it's a surprisingly good reverb for a synth ondoard effect, I do use it sometimes on leads, pads and stuff, not only with Rapid. Maybe I should try using it as a global send reverb.

I have Raum and it does sound nice but I think of it more as a "special effect" kind of thing, rather than bread and butter mixing reverb.

[Ploki]

I basically need a general purpose mixing reverb which I could put on a send track and admix to leads, pads and stuff (this is how I prefer working with reverbs, not a fan of using separate reverbs on different tracks, unless some specific effect is required)

Pro-R.
However for the same price you can do a lot of similar stuff with Valhalla Plate+Room+VVV.

The thing with Pro-R is that it just sinks into the mix, with as little work as possible

[recursive one]

The thing with Pro-R is that it just sinks into the mix, with as little work as possible

That's what I'm looking for, will give it a go.

With VVV it's often that I hear a reverb and it does sound nice but it's somewhat disconnected from the dry signal if that makes sense. That may be my lack of skills ofc.

[LeVzi]

Im still using Aether as well as VR , Raum is good for stuff too, nice to have a lot of choices.

But I used poor plate for years n years tbh

[Ploki]

I don't think its lack of skill, I think VVV is an obvious reverb, and more often than not i use it as such, when i need a "this is a reverb!" sound and really shines at that, not "lets give some ambiance to make this less artificial".

Valhalla Room much less so, but i think Pro-R is more flexible than Room.

re: aether
it's probably still my favourite "acoustic room" reverb, but the lack of development and maintenance was too much for me so i sold it. I will very likely get it again if they ever make an M1 version and update interface to HiDPI/Retina. They haven't even fixed the preset sorting bug lingering since Mojave tho - so i'm not holding my breath.
It's also a f**king pain in the ass to set-up, it's not an easy reverb to configure, compared to i.e. ValhallRoom and esp. compared to Pro-R which is just tuned so well.

[chk071]

With VVV it's often that I hear a reverb and it does sound nice but it's somewhat disconnected from the dry signal if that makes sense. That may be my lack of skills ofc.

I felt the same. I always think their reverbs sound exaggerated (I owned both VRoom and Vintage Verb). VRoom is super clean, almost unrealistically so, Vintag Verb is super chrous-y and modulated. They sound to me as if, instead of a tea spoon, they put a whole soup spoon of "extra sugar" on it. Never got the hype about their reverbs. To me, there's at least a dozen which sound better.

[Ploki]

Which tho?

[recursive one]

Have to admit I like big and obvious reverbs but I realize they shouldn't be used on everything, even in trance or ambient

It's possible to make VVV less obvious by tweaking some settings inside, equalizing pre and/or post reverb (another reason to use it as a send), carefully setting the send levels etc but probably I could just get another reverb more inclined to natural/subtle ambiences

Maybe if I have VV doing the "big" stuff, Room will suffice for the subtler reverbs, but I'll also try Pro-R and Art Acoutsic.

Thanks for the replies guys!