Favorite Reverb

[kritikon]

I find reverbs are like arseholes...too many and it gets very messy.

[mholloway]

I am consistently impressed by the quality of the Relab reverbs, namely LX-480 / Essentials and Sonsig Rev-A. They really seem like the top of the heap, in my experience, and I've tried just about everything.

That said, I still get great mileage out of the old standby Valhalla Room. It just works.

How are you liking the Relab Lexicon reverbs vs the UAD Spark ones? Think I saw you somewhere say you were trying out the UAD ones…

The only Lexicon currently in the UAD Spark native subscription is the 224, which was great news for me, as it's the one I wanted the most. It's wonderful. Comparing the UAD 480 to Relab LX480 would make more sense, and I assume it will eventually appear in the Spark native subscription, but who knows. So I think there's no real 'vs' at the moment between Relab and UAD Spark, specifically. But by using both, I currently have my Lexicon needs 100% covered: 480 from Relab, 224 from UAD Spark....it's a wonderful time for plugin gear users

(ADDENDUM...That said: obviously Sonsig Rev-A has some 224 aspects to it, though it's certainly not a strict emulation of it. The '224' mode knob isn't some full-on emulation, it just changes the sample rate I think, but I would have to check the manual to be sure. I have compared Sonsig vs the spark 224 native and my conclusion was they sound really different overall, at doing very similar things: rich, long tail space-age Vangelis verbs. Sonsig has a richer, denser sound to it -- arguably more 'complex' and interesting as a result, but the flip side of that is that it's harder to Fit in the Mix. The 224 has a less diffuse, grainier sound, exactly as you'd expect from the vintage digital unit -- and it's easier to Fit in the Mix, in my experience anyway! Sonsig is beautiful for sure, but lately I lean harder toward the 224, maybe just because it's Newer to my ears (always a possible bias) but I'm finding the overall mixing results are more wide and spacious with it, whereas Sonsig things get dense and cluttered very quickly. Hope that helps!)

[vitocorleone123]

I am consistently impressed by the quality of the Relab reverbs, namely LX-480 / Essentials and Sonsig Rev-A. They really seem like the top of the heap, in my experience, and I've tried just about everything.

That said, I still get great mileage out of the old standby Valhalla Room. It just works.

How are you liking the Relab Lexicon reverbs vs the UAD Spark ones? Think I saw you somewhere say you were trying out the UAD ones…

The only Lexicon currently in the UAD Spark native subscription is the 224, which was great news for me, as it's the one I wanted the most. It's wonderful. Comparing the UAD 480 to Relab LX480 would make more sense, and I assume it will eventually appear in the Spark native subscription, but who knows. So I think there's no real 'vs' at the moment between Relab and UAD Spark, specifically. But by using both, I currently have my Lexicon needs 100% covered: 480 from Relab, 224 from UAD Spark....it's a wonderful time for plugin gear users

(ADDENDUM...That said: obviously Sonsig Rev-A has some 224 aspects to it, though it's certainly not a strict emulation of it. The '224' mode knob isn't some full-on emulation, it just changes the sample rate I think, but I would have to check the manual to be sure. I have compared Sonsig vs the spark 224 native and my conclusion was they sound really different overall, at doing very similar things: rich, long tail space-age Vangelis verbs. Sonsig has a richer, denser sound to it -- arguably more 'complex' and interesting as a result, but the flip side of that is that it's harder to Fit in the Mix. The 224 has a less diffuse, grainier sound, exactly as you'd expect from the vintage digital unit -- and it's easier to Fit in the Mix, in my experience anyway! Sonsig is beautiful for sure, but lately I lean harder toward the 224, maybe just because it's Newer to my ears (always a possible bias) but I'm finding the overall mixing results are more wide and spacious with it, whereas Sonsig things get dense and cluttered very quickly. Hope that helps!)

Thanks!

I was thinking of dusting off Reverberate 3 and using some 224 IRs, but - even with the modulation Reverberate3 provides - the modulations is... different... than if it was "built in" to the reverb itself. The 224 is one reason I was toying with at least trying the 14 day trial from UAD, but I'm afraid of getting hooked on a subscription.

[woodsdenis]

Sonsig Rev A and Blackhole

[bmanic]

Sonsig Rev-A
/end thread

This!

Sonsig Rev-A is indeed absolutely phenomenal. Another one is Reverb Foundry Thai Chi.

My top most used reverb plugins are these:

1.) Thai Chi
2.) UVI Plate (most transparent reverb ever, but only at it's extreme CPU killing Insane setting)
3.) Sonsig Rev-A
4.) U-He Protoverb (this one is FREE and phenomenal!)
5.) Pro-R (my most used for "realistic" small rooms and ambiences)
6.) Valhalla Supermassive
7.) Audiority Xenoverb (very unique sounding and distinct character)
8.) Ariesverb
9.) Seventh Heaven Lite

I would have added Exponential Audio reverbs here but alas, they don't have any working versions for my Mac M1 out.. unfortunately.

Nooooo!!!!! Don't tell me you favour Sonsig highly like that while at the same time praising Tai Chi even more so!!!

Just when I finally had my G.A.S. in check at least when it comes to reverb...








b.t.w.: for me right now it's Sonsig and Sunset - that's a match made in Heaven in my book.

Yeah tell me about it! I made a HUGE mistake demoing Tai Chi when it was released. I was already 100% happy with my rather large reverb plugin selection (and some hardware too!).. but unfortunately that thing is just bloody brilliant and even more unfortunate, it's rather unique sounding and behaving. Thus I got rid of some money again.

[Monkberry]

Mostly Seventh Heaven Pro, Relab LX480, Valhalla Room, EW Spaces II. Eventide Blackhole, NI Raum, and Tritik Irid for special fx.

[jens]

Yeah tell me about it! I made a HUGE mistake demoing Tai Chi when it was released. I was already 100% happy with my rather large reverb plugin selection (and some hardware too!).. but unfortunately that thing is just bloody brilliant and even more unfortunate, it's rather unique sounding and behaving. Thus I got rid of some money again.

Yes, I didn't demo it nor even listened to audio-demos for that reason. Ironically enough when it came out they had that big discount on HD Cart and I was so close to purchasing it - despite being happy with Sonsig etc. - because I read a lot of praise for it and the sale was very attractive to me (especially since I do not have to pay VAT) - but then they came out with Tai Chi and I was like... - "Wait, what? A new reverb again? Nah, not playing that game anymore, it's not fun anymore!". So I got neither and instead sticked to what I have. I mean I totally get that they need to make a living, but I think I must have 50+ commercial reverb plugins by now.
(but then again tbh I have too much of almost everything by now - that also includes hardware and physical instruments (and the wife knows, so there isn't even the fun of having dirty little secrets left ))

[bmanic]

(and the wife knows, so there isn't even the fun of having dirty little secrets left ))

Haha I know exactly what you mean. I stopped trying to keep secret purchases, well, secret the day I brought this massive hulking Kurzweil K2500XS home. I couldn't hide it as I wasn't able to get it safely up the stairs on my own. I now occupy 1/3rd of the living room corner with my audio stuff. Even my kids roll their eyes at me when I sit among all those glorious blinking lights!

.. what my wife doesn't know is that I have two more K2000 racks at the studio.

[greententacle]

guys, you have to hide stuff from your girls?
in Germany we call this a fotzenknecht.

[martinjuenke]

guys, you have to hide stuff from your girls?
in Germany we call this a fotzenknecht.

Uuaahhh! Den kannte ich noch nicht

[mholloway]

I was thinking of dusting off Reverberate 3 and using some 224 IRs, but - even with the modulation Reverberate3 provides - the modulations is... different... than if it was "built in" to the reverb itself. The 224 is one reason I was toying with at least trying the 14 day trial from UAD, but I'm afraid of getting hooked on a subscription.

Do you have Sonsig? I have to say....it's the most versatile of the bunch, overall. It's also extremely easy to program. I am continually jumping back and forth between Sonsig and UAD 224 Native, trying to come to a 'clear winner' conclusion; I know in my previous post I strongly suggested the 224 was the winner....but this is all a bit, arbitrary, obviously. Maybe I'm just hoping Sonsig will step up so I can cancel a monthly subscription to UAD... Sonsig is so rich and beautiful that it's the kind of reverb you only want to use on one instrument in your mix, does that make sense? It's too much to run a bunch of stuff into....or maybe that's just the limitations of my mixing!

But here's what I can say in its favor over the 224: Sonsig is much better at doing *other* tasks as well. It makes very convincing bright 80s rooms, small ambiences, lush chambers.... the 224, for me, is a one-trick-pony: the perc-plate algorithm with a long tail, for the Vangelis sound. I've been playing with the chamber, halls and room algorithms this weekend and....for me, personally, they are basically useless. I have 5 or 6 other reverbs (including Sonsig) I'd reach for to do such things over this. The logn-tail Perc Plate is what it's all about, and you can send 12 instruments to it and somehow it still sounds clear...that's the real magic of it. I'm going to keep tweaking sonsig though (since it comes *so close* to nailing the same Vangelis-long-tail space verb, as well), the issue, again, just being that it's perfect on 1 synth, a nightmare on 4, or 6, or 12....

[vitocorleone123]

I was thinking of dusting off Reverberate 3 and using some 224 IRs, but - even with the modulation Reverberate3 provides - the modulations is... different... than if it was "built in" to the reverb itself. The 224 is one reason I was toying with at least trying the 14 day trial from UAD, but I'm afraid of getting hooked on a subscription.

Do you have Sonsig? I have to say....it's the most versatile of the bunch, overall. It's also extremely easy to program. I am continually jumping back and forth between Sonsig and UAD 224 Native, trying to come to a 'clear winner' conclusion; I know in my previous post I strongly suggested the 224 was the winner....but this is all a bit, arbitrary, obviously. Maybe I'm just hoping Sonsig will step up so I can cancel a monthly subscription to UAD... Sonsig is so rich and beautiful that it's the kind of reverb you only want to use on one instrument in your mix, does that make sense? It's too much to run a bunch of stuff into....or maybe that's just the limitations of my mixing!

But here's what I can say in its favor over the 224: Sonsig is much better at doing *other* tasks as well. It makes very convincing bright 80s rooms, small ambiences, lush chambers.... the 224, for me, is a one-trick-pony: the perc-plate algorithm with a long tail, for the Vangelis sound. I've been playing with the chamber, halls and room algorithms this weekend and....for me, personally, they are basically useless. I have 5 or 6 other reverbs (including Sonsig) I'd reach for to do such things over this. The logn-tail Perc Plate is what it's all about, and you can send 12 instruments to it and somehow it still sounds clear...that's the real magic of it. I'm going to keep tweaking sonsig though (since it comes *so close* to nailing the same Vangelis-long-tail space verb, as well), the issue, again, just being that it's perfect on 1 synth, a nightmare on 4, or 6, or 12....

I do have it, but find Sonsig fairly bright, even with everything made as dark as it can be using the onboard controls. Is it me, or do you do something like pre/post EQ to get the sound you want dialed in?

I understand that, with a long tail and that switch dialed up to really start modulating (without going crazy), Sonsig can be quite full-sounding. Just like some synths can fill a mix with one pad, you can fill in the gaps between notes pretty quickly with Sonsig.

You definitely make it sound as though the UAD 224 is like a very beautiful pony, even if the only thing it can do is canter

[ghettosynth]

One thing that I've found with any of these quests, e.g., the perfect reverb, the perfect EQ, the perfect compressor, is that when you're deep in the quest you hear all kinds of differences and they get amplified in your mind. I think being able to see the plugins amplifies this. I'm not saying that there isn't value and that some don't do more than others, I also have preferences, and I've spent too much money on reverbs. I am saying though that some distance, both in time from the decision process, and in terms of how they sound in the mix, may have you seeing some of that subtlety fade into the background.

We are spoiled with choice today. You can spend a few hundred dollars and have some of everything. The reverbs that come with DAWs vary between decent and excellent.

Today I would make the choice to buy new reverbs that "spark joy" and are on sale, and use them and not quest for the perfect one. So for example, Eventide Blackhole and Soundtoys Little Plate have stood the test of time for me as reverbs that spark some joy, but I wouldn't pay full price for either, ever. The most expensive reverb that I have, still bought on sale, that I like in isolation, but that I use much less often than my "demo brain" could anticipate, is Ircam Verb 3. If I'm honest, I regret buying it.

tl; dr: Sparks Joy + On Sale + Different from what I have + Features = Just buy if at a no-brainer price and demo + wait for the next sale otherwise. This helps me to prevent spending money unnecessarily.

[concon]

Interesting to see all the favorites, and I'm surprised how often Raum shows up. I have liked it when I've used it, and I think I'll re-explore it.

Meanwhile, my favorite has been Mturboreverb, because it delivers reverb with a punch. But sometimes I scrounge around for something softer....

[mholloway]

One thing that I've found with any of these quests, e.g., the perfect reverb, the perfect EQ, the perfect compressor, is that when you're deep in the quest you hear all kinds of differences and they get amplified in your mind. I think being able to see the plugins amplifies this. I'm not saying that there isn't value and that some don't do more than others, I also have preferences, and I've spent too much money on reverbs. I am saying though that some distance, both in time from the decision process, and in terms of how they sound in the mix, may have you seeing some of that subtlety fade into the background.

We are spoiled with choice today. You can spend a few hundred dollars and have some of everything. The reverbs that come with DAWs vary between decent and excellent.

I think you are absolutely right about this, and have had very similar thoughts / observations before; and yet this knowledge has yet to curb my Reverb Lust and extensive, practically exhaustive study / comparison of them So it goes!

And the irony is that, back from 2010 to 2015-ish, I actually was a One Reverb Guy: I used Arts Acoustic Reverb on *gosh darn everything* that I made, for all three of my main projects. And I still use it today! But I fell down a long, deep dark hole of Reverb Purchases / Comparisons / Loving and Hating because AA has appeared to be fully dead as company for, what, 6+ years now? AAR will likely never get an update again, and I fully expect that one day it will just stop working entirely, probably whenever I next need to upgrade my computer... (it has, in fact, already been behaving strangely -- mostly weird graphical and text bugs -- on my current system). So I "needed" a replacement, which led me into the well....and I have never come back out !!