Replacing the Arts Acoustic Reverb

[Weasel-Boy]

I know Arts Acoustic has a KVR forum…but it has been pretty much unattended by anyone from AA since 2013 or so…after they released the 64 bit version of their reverb unit.

It would appear they are ostensibly out of business in terms of updating the reverb unit and the rest of their catalog. Purchase still seems possible, though. I could be wrong.

It’s really shame, as the AA Reverb was (is still) one of the best sounding algorithmic reverbs ever created. Quite an accomplishment in 2005.

Unfortunately, it was never converted to VST3, let alone made silicon ready for the latest generation of Mac CPUs.

So here’s my question. Can anybody make a best guess at a modern silicon-ready replacement for the AA Reverb? Something than approaches the silky quality of the unit?

However, I have to rule out anything Valhalla makes. I own 2 of their units and have demoed all of them. Really nice, but they just miss the mark. I must also rule out FabFilter’s Pro R and Pro R2 units. While also lovely sounding and versatile reverbs, there is a certain smoothness that the AA unit has the FF or Vahalla units can’t match. It's one of those damn intangible "I'll know it when I hear it" things.

So with those two restrictions in mind, what’s out there the comes closest to the silky AA sound?
I’d love to have something that comes close, by the time Apple finally makes Rosetta disappear in a year or so,

[Iva]

Arts Acoustic Reverb is integrated into VPS Avenger synth. It works on ARM. If you want to continue using this reverb, you need to get this synth.

[secomo]

I know what you mean, AAR has a great sound. I'm still using the vst on my M3, along with many other vst's i didn't want to say goodbye to, but some people are biased against using Rosetta2.

[sqigls]

yeah i't still works via Rosetta 2.
i'd use a bridge like Metaplugin.
i kind of replaced it in part with Tai Chi ...and Cinematc Rooms ...and Hyperspace.
the functionality is one thing, but the algorithms are original so not ultimately replaceable.
I have done a pretty good job with Tai Chi though. really love that verb

[Choikdoi]

I bought it long after it had been abandoned. A gamble that paid off though, as I still use it religiously. If you want the silk, I find using Phonolyth's Velvet Machine dialled in to taste alongside another reverb is a great way to get it.

[Weasel-Boy]

Arts Acoustic Reverb is integrated into VPS Avenger synth. It works on ARM. If you want to continue using this reverb, you need to get this synth.

Really? I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the tip.

[Weasel-Boy]

yeah i't still works via Rosetta 2.
i'd use a bridge like Metaplugin.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have Plogue Bidule and Element, both of which can do the same job. But no matter what, once Apple 'disappears' Rosetta, none of those will help getting AAR to run on native silicon. This is why I'm looking for alternatives.

[Weasel-Boy]

I find using Phonolyth's Velvet Machine dialled in to taste alongside another reverb is a great way to get it.

Thanks.
Interesting...I find myself using a combo of FabFilter R2 and WaveArts MasterVerb 6 to get close. Close but no cigar. BTW, the MasterVerb makes really believable small spaces that somewhat match the old Klark-Teknik DN-780 reverb's ability to do believable small rooms without any "ringing".

[NAD]

However, I have to rule out anything Valhalla makes. I own 2 of their units and have demoed all of them. Really nice, but they just miss the mark.

Have you tried the latest one? Just came out a few weeks ago. I think it's a significant improvement on their previous offerings.

[Weasel-Boy]

Have you tried the latest one? Just came out a few weeks ago. I think it's a significant improvement on their previous offerings.

I assume you mean FutureVerb. That's one of the units i own. No, not that one, it's almost impossible to rid that unit of what I can only describe as 'aliased noise' in all the tails. The silky tails of the AAR is one of its most outstanding characteristics. Those guys got so much right over 20 years ago.

Iva's suggestion of Avenger is interesting in that it may be worthwhile to contact them and ask them about the possibility of breaking the AAreverb out of Avenger for use as a standalone effect unit, provided they can convince AA to pick up the development. Having to buy the whole synth (which I don't need) for the reverb is too expensive a proposition for me. Even with the discount.

It's worth an email just to see. Who knows? It could start a dialog to give AA a kick in the butt to pick up development again.

[kerfuffle]

Iva's suggestion of Avenger is interesting in that it may be worthwhile to contact them and ask them about the possibility of breaking the AAreverb out of Avenger for use as a standalone effect unit, provided they can convince AA to pick up the development.

I have this side project where I look for old plugins and fix them up (mostly for the purpose of documenting how they work). I've had the Arts Acoustic reverb on my list for a while but haven't reached out to the author yet. But if someone can convince them to release the code as open source (in whatever state it's currently in) then I'd be happy to dig into it and bring it back to life.

[sqigls]

the owner has been unresponsive for god knows how many years now.
I for one spent a good few hundred dollars on their plugins and feel completely shafted by ArtsAcoustic.
Meanwhile they're obviously doing deals with the Vengeance mob, whatever, but still in commerce yeah?

YEARS their website kept generating income with ZERO support. I can't even change my email nor get my serials sent to me. around 10 years! of ignored suppport emails. Waste of f**king breath really, but i tell you because that's how much i think ArtsAcoustic are bad form. Amazing sounding plugins, whatever the excuse disappearance. Life happens and with a few simple lines of human words - people can empathise and understand. but ArtsAcoustic took the Houdini to a whole new level.

[secomo]

The last time i had contact with AA support was about a year ago. Alexander fortunately helped me out with something about my AAR install. Some years before that they said they were planning something for the future, so hopefully we will see them again.

[mholloway]

The last time i had contact with AA support was about a year ago. Alexander fortunately helped me out with something about my AAR install. Some years before that they said they were planning something for the future, so hopefully we will see them again.

how can you say this with any seriousness at all......It has been 13 years since ANYTHING, but you're still holding out hope? Amazing....

[mholloway]

I'm able to run the AAR audio unit in Ableton Live without needing to switch to Rosetta mode, so that's been nice. For now, it still works, though the UI can be a bit glitchy (not displaying correct preset name until re-opened, etc).

But I think these guys are long gone. No updates since 2013? I mean, c'mon....

As for "replacing," there is nothing out there that is "the same" but a couple reverbs I use have come awfully close, at least for the long-tailed, deeply modulated type reverbs (think 'deep gong long')...

• Sonsig Rev-A
(relab) this thing is incredibly good at huge washes of verb, tails 10sec and onward, etc. Very similar vibe as AAR doing the same style. Check out the presets in the "fantasy" folder, especially '1Reverb' and 'Spaceverb2' -- ahhhhh that's the sound.

• NI Rev-24
(NI / Softube collab) - this is an old one, but hey so is AAR, ha! I think this verb is really overlooked in general. People complain it doesn't have all of the 224 algos, even though it has the most popular ones. It sounds excellent and, as above, it does super long tails w/ heavy modulation *beautifully*. Plus it's just so quick and easy to use, instant results every time.