Best reverb for small spaces

[peterdh]

Just curious. Lately I am avoiding the bigger spaces in my reverbs, like the medium and large halls. Too much. Smaller spaces, like rooms and chambers, sound more interesting. Which reverbs do excel in smaller spaces according to you? Software and hardware.

Thanks for your time.

[WasteLand]

Just curious. Lately I am avoiding the bigger spaces in my reverbs, like the medium and large halls. Too much. Smaller spaces, like rooms and chambers, sound more interesting. Which reverbs do excel in smaller spaces according to you? Software and hardware.

Thanks for your time.

i like the Eventide SP2016 for that. the vst version, of course. it is not that cheap anymore, even in sale. but it is quite good (or extremely good). for room, and other algo's..., but it is a bit my go to reverb for room. if it works for you, a reverb reacts, of to the source, so... eventide has a demo (and ILok, which always must be mentioned it seems, i don't mind iLok).

a much different approach, or much... IR reverbs, they can create more natural rooms, and work also great.

[ramseysounds]

Just dial in more or less on a send

[kinkajou]

try "Chambers" from airwindows, simple, light on CPU and good results in very short time.

[poseidal]

I like Acon Digital Verberate 2

[gaggle of hermits]

Just dial in more or less on a send

ok son, sounds legit.

though there's a grain of truth here. OP is going to get every reverb ever made in this thread if it goes on long enough. but the reality is most of them do the job just as long as you eq on the way into the reverb and probably on the way out. if you don't half the time it will sound like you're rattling a tin can in a toilet. you can kill a lot of the graininess in even cheap reverbs simply by cutting out lows in transient-heavy sources, scooping out some mids and rolling off the highs. hint: search for abbey road reverb trick for more as it may change your approach to bigger spaces as well.

however, for best results, get something that gives a lot of control over early reflection as these will often make or break the sound, particularly with brass instruments or pianos as well as drums. earlies will dominate in a small space and if the reflections don't suit the source it will just sound ugly. pick a different ER setting until you get one that mostly works and EQ from there.

[ramseysounds]

Just dial in more or less on a send

ok son, sounds legit.

Condescending much?

[chk071]

Just curious. Lately I am avoiding the bigger spaces in my reverbs, like the medium and large halls. Too much.

It really depends on the music. For spacey Ambient music, e.g., the reverbs can't be big enough IMO. For some "dreamy" piano pieces as well. For Rock music, big reverbs are absolutely misplaced, of course. It's gotta be in your face, and, a lot of reverb is never "in your face".

I got very good results out of PhoenixVerb from Exponential Audio for small reverbs, for percussive sounds, for example. Plate reverbs work well as well, I think. Not an expert by any means, but, that's what I've noticed.

[chk071]

Just dial in more or less on a send

Too easy. Let's discuss about buying stuff.

[donkey tugger]

The website is long gone, but the excellent free set of Samplecity IRs of the Bricasti M7 is arachived here;

https://web.archive.org/web/20190201211 ... responses/

A huge selection, top notch quality and all types of reverb and sizes. Use these loads.

[peterdh]

Thanks for your contributions!

... IR reverbs, they can create more natural rooms, and work also great.

The website is long gone, but the excellent free set of Samplecity IRs of the Bricasti M7 is arachived here;

https://web.archive.org/web/20190201211 ... responses/

A huge selection, top notch quality and all types of reverb and sizes. Use these loads.

Got a very nice Melda IR reverb.

I got very good results out of PhoenixVerb from Exponential Audio for small reverbs, for percussive sounds, for example...

Got Phoenixverb.

i like the Eventide SP2016 for that...

Got UltraReverb from Eventide and like it. Gonna try SP2016.

@gaggle of hermits: Thanks for the theory lessons

[chk071]

Got Phoenixverb.

How do you like it for small spaces?

[andymcbain]

The website is long gone, but the excellent free set of Samplecity IRs of the Bricasti M7 is arachived here;

https://web.archive.org/web/20190201211 ... responses/

A huge selection, top notch quality and all types of reverb and sizes. Use these loads.

Yes, the free Bricasti M7 and Big Gee Lexicon 480L IRs are a good choice I'm using them loaded into Audiothing Fog Convolver, which I believe is on sale right now.

[_leras]

I think the UAD version Capitol Chambers is slightly better, but the Waves Abbey Road chambers should get you some good smaller spaces. and it's really good value.

https://www.waves.com/plugins/abbey-roa ... ers-plugin

Alternatively a spring reverb might give you a similar small space effect. Not quite the same, but could work for instruments.
https://u-he.com/products/twangstrom/

[_leras]

Just dial in more or less on a send

Lower volume simply is not a shorter, roomier, smaller space reverb.