Best < $100 Reverb and Delay plugin (each)

[2ZrgE]

Is there a specific reason why you guys prefer VVV to VRoom? Always thought VRoom is more of a all-in-one solution than VintageVerb, or is it better for a certain type of music? Sorry for my ignorant questions without demo'ing either one of them.

For me VVV is just easier to program, all parameters are on one page and easy to understand if so has worked with reverb before:



VRoom has some esoteric parameters I never heard of: What the heck is "BassXover" or "HighXover"? Then I don't like having to switch tabs for "early/late".



For me this GUI (Ableton Live) is unbeaten in it's layout and simplicity:


This is also a nice GUI (Eos):


Both VVs are very good sound-wise...

[ants13]

I really like the IK CSR for a reverb, but I did get it quite cheap a few years ago.
I also like d16 toraverb when I'm looking for a reverb that's a bit different.

Delays I tend to use what's in Cubase or NI replika,
The only delay I've bought is d16 sigmund. Really like it I just don't use it as much as I'd like!!!!

[Gamma-UT]

Is there a specific reason why you guys prefer VVV to VRoom? Always thought VRoom is more of a all-in-one solution than VintageVerb, or is it better for a certain type of music? Sorry for my ignorant questions without demo'ing either one of them.

I don't prefer one over the other - they're designed to do different things. VVV is meant to simulate the type of reverb produced by older (mostly Lexicon-style) hardware, so tends to do lusher reverbs as well as older (1980s) grainy ones where you want to be able to hear the reverb as part of the sound.

Although it can do artificial spaces, VRoom is better than VVV when trying to emulate more naturalistic spaces. I've got one preset set up as part of a headphone monitoring rack that sounds like the room I'm in. I occasionally have to touch the side of my head to check I've got the headphones on and I'm not listening through speakers. VRoom works very well when you want the reverb to be there but not in an obvious way.

[transmetropolitan]

Is there a specific reason why you guys prefer VVV to VRoom? Always thought VRoom is more of a all-in-one solution than VintageVerb, or is it better for a certain type of music? Sorry for my ignorant questions without demo'ing either one of them.

For me the difference between Vroom and VVV is about utility and workflow moreso than sonic vibe or character. Not that there aren’t differences sonically, but for me the more significant differences are workflow related.

To caricature them: VVV reflects the way hardware boxes have been used in studios for years whereas Vroom is a more fully fledged sound design tool.

Many of us when mixing neither want nor need to fully design a space from scratch for a mix. It takes up too much time and disrupts the creative flow. Instead we want quality, known and trusted presets that can be quickly and easily tweaked to fit a project – the way hardware reverb boxes are used in practice (I still use and love my Midiverb whose presets can’t even be tweaked). This is more the territory covered by VVV.

Vroom can certainly be used in this way but with 11 algorithms and the additional controls it’s perhaps easier to get lost in the detail/possibilities on offer. The other side of the coin is that if you ever do want or need to get deeper into the realms of what an algorithmic reverb can do there’s not much ground that Vroom doesn’t cover.

But with that said, your best bet really is to pick one and learn it. The best one is often the one you know best.

[Andy Gone]

For me it is Waves TrueVerb or Waves RenReverb ($99 each when on sale, and both are now).

For delays, I prefer Waves H-delay ($69 when on sale, and it is now) and PSP audioware PSP 85 (which is a bit more expensive, about $130 I think with a discount). These two are very different, but both are very versatile. H-delay has a nice analog vibe to it, GUI is excellent and easy to use. PSP is based on Lexicon 42 if I remember well. It is more difficult to use, but it has everyting in there including auto-ducking feature.

[chk071]

@ VVV vs. VRoom: I get what you're saying. I'v been demoing both yesterday, both sound very good, especially haven't heard anything remotely as clear as VRoom. The GUI and sheer amount of options overwhelmed me a bit though, also i feel like sound wise, VVV is rather up my alley, and the GUI isn't quite as rocket science-y as the one in VRoom. So i believe i will end up buying VVV. I bought Eos here recently, but it's simply not long enough for my needs... could use the infinite mode, but then i'd end up modulating a lot, and that's not really the way i'd want to do it, if i can have it another way. Not too fond of the GUI either.

[7EROCOOL]

Reverb
VVV and Acon Verberate: VVV for sound design / synth / big spaces. Acon for natural rooms / chambers . Definitely worth checking out Verberate. They have a CM (Computer Magazine) version as well with a truncated set of options.

Delay
EchoBoy: My bread and butter. Might be able to get it for sub $100 2cd hand.

[zerocrossing]

For reverb my favorite is Reflect by Virsyn. I think it's still on summer sale.

For delay... there are so many I love... so many times I just load up Dub Station though. If you want fancy there's Dr. Device or Ronin. All Audiodamage plug ins.

[jens]

For me VVV is just easier to program, all parameters are on one page and easy to understand if so has worked with reverb before:



VRoom has some esoteric parameters I never heard of: What the heck is "BassXover" or "HighXover"? Then I don't like having to switch tabs for "early/late".

Actually "BAssXover" is exactly the same as "BassFreq" in V³ - only that "BassXover" is a more accurate description of what the parameter really does i.e. it's more self-explanatory - well and "HighXover"? I bet you get the picture now (albeit the high frequency decay is controlled a little differently in V³)...

Feature-wise VRoom and V³ are pretty similar actually, with the biggest difference being, that with VRoom you have a lot more control over the early reflections - in V³ you can only control the diffusion...
Vroom also has got the stereo-spread function, V³ on the other hand features the "Attack" parameter...

both have a similar number of algorithms (V³ has got a few more than VRoom since its V1.5 update) but V³ here has got the added flexibility gue to its "Color" feature.

The HUGE difference between Vroom and V3 are in the algorithms really - for the most part of them both plugins sound nothing like each other, no matter how much and how long you'd ever tweak them - there's some slight overlap, but I think that's mostly territory where I'd much rather use V³ than VRoom.

[jens]

Oh, just to add:

both (VRoom and V³) can be really great in combination with each other - VRoom followed by V³

[dickiefunk]

Another recommendation for Valhalla reverbs. If you want something that's more real sounding Acon's Verberate is worth checking out

http://acondigital.com/products/verberate/

[plexuss]

I have most of the good reverb plugins and many of the delays (if you want me to list them, let me know. I don't have the Lexicon reverbs, Blackhole or H3000). I am going to put it this way, bearing in mind this is highly subjective, the best reverb under $100 for me is... Too bad it has to be $100 because Breeze blows the others away. actually Aether and B2 are in completely different league. ok back to reality, $100... Breeze on sale? I guess the best value/sound quality is Valhalla Room. but it depends on how you use reverb too. if you sculpt the reverb into the source and mix then Room is a good choice because of all of its customization and sound. For delays, on sale, either BOZ Imperial Delay $89 or Eventide H3000 which I think sees $100 or so? so you saved $50 on Valhalla Room so that gives you a $150 budget for a delay! I'd pick UVI Relayer - its quite complex and definitely more than one typically needs but if offers a lot when you need it, for the price. Another option is Waves H-Reverb. its on intro sale for $199 but you can get it from retailers for around $150-160. its under the $100+$100 budget. H-Reverb is quite amazing actually. it doesn't offer the kinds of explosively lush huge immersive spacial experiences that the 2caudio products off (or from what I understand Blackhole) but it does have a really really nice sound that is easy to mix with. it also has some delay capability. so if you could work with the delay features its a good all in one solution with a great pro sound. or Valhalla Room + UVI Relayer for $180 total.

[Phorous]

Delay wise Sigmund isn't bad for the money and can be had for around $50 on the used marketplace. The one downside it has for me is the CPU usage is high for a delay, but it is extremely flexible when you start to program it.

Reverb wise I tend to be more partial to Valhalla Room for under $100. Unfortunately It hasn't gotten much use since I picked up Aether, B2 and Breeze. Still respectable for the money though.

[plexuss]

Delay wise Sigmund isn't bad for the money and can be had for around $50 on the used marketplace. The one downside it has for me is the CPU usage is high for a delay, but it is extremely flexible when you start to program it.

Reverb wise I tend to be more partial to Valhalla Room for under $100. Unfortunately It hasn't gotten much use since I picked up Aether, B2 and Breeze. Still respectable for the money though.

I find Room compliments the 2c reverbs. I use Room when i want a bit more grain and body in the reverb. every reverb is different and I'd be hard pressed to pick "the best". there are some reverbs that just wont cut it and some that are so similar to others they cancel out. but mostly a decent reverb will have some characteristic that makes it useful over the others. just depends on how many reverbs you want in your tool box. off the top of my head I have 15 commercial reverbs and I'd be hard pressed to get rid of any of them.

[glokraw]

For a commercial delay, I would choose U-he MFM2, and it's much
more than a delay unit.