Anyone else find themselves frustrated with the compromise between

[chagzuki]

reverb which is optimal for headphones or precise near-field listening, and that which is optimal for rooms/larger spaces with the additional reverberations of the room?

Dialling down the reverb to preserve clarity in room settings risks losing depth on headphones/nearfield. Optimal reverb for headphones/nearfield tends to result in a slightly subdued room listening experience.

Yes, there are ways to use reverb that maximise preserving clarity, but even so it seems the best compromise is a mix which isn't quite ideal for either setting.

[Azbest]

A useful trick to use when you want long reverbs is sidechaining them with the dry signal. Fills out the space without blurring the sound. Also, EQ the verbs.

[chagzuki]

A useful trick to use when you want long reverbs is sidechaining them with the dry signal. Fills out the space without blurring the sound. Also, EQ the verbs.

Yep, I've been spending a bit of time comparing different strategies, since in the era of spectral dynamics processing there are lots of posibilities. Also trying Sonible Smart Reverb combined with early reflections from other reverbs. It's a shame that Smart Reverb just isn't that good a reverb, since the 'clarity' feature is implemented well.