Exponential Audio: R4

Every generation of engineers and producers has iconic pieces of studio equipment; they act like markers along the path of recording history. Many top engineers will talk about reverbs in the same way, they will speak of the first time they heard some of the classic hardware reverb units which have created a dynasty over the past few decades. Some of these units have Michael Carnes' fingerprints on them, and his new creation R4 is the next reverb in this royal lineage. R4 offers all the class of historic hardware reverb units but with many new features only possible with modern plug-in development technology. R4 is pure class and for this reason, is destined to become a classic.

NIMBUS set a new standard for transparent reverb with unprecedented flexibility. R4 is about to do the same for character reverb. R4 will transform your mix by adding movement and fatness to the reverb tail.

No CPU hog: R4 is a native plug-in, requiring no special hardware and offering even more flexibility while continuing to work with its now-famous minimal load on your computer.

Easy to use: We know that workflow matters to our users. While R4 is brand new, existing users will find it reassuringly familiar, and new users will find their way around in a matter of minutes. And just to make sure of that, Exponential Audio has once again teamed up with Groove3. You'll find plenty of videos to help you find your way around.

R4 features at a glance:

• A character reverb that outdoes all the classics.
• Powerful EQ.
• 6 selectable types of filter for input, early reflection, and reverb tail.
• Early and tail EQ can be dynamically modulated. Whether a subtle pulsation or a sweeping notch, modulated EQ is a powerful new weapon in the producer's toolkit.
• R4 retains the Chorused Hall of earlier Exponential Audio plugins. And it adds a second Hall with density modulation that adds motion to the tail without adding pitch change. Of course, you can add pitch modulation on top if you want it. These halls are the perfect solution for sparse or sterile mixes and solos.
• There's also a Plate and Chamber; updated from R2.
• Warp section with compressor/expander and overdrive.
• Pre-delay and reverb delay now adjustable by tempo.
• Tail suppression circuit for more dynamic response.
• Gated reverb effects.
• Over 1200 presets.
• Helpful tool-tips to guide new users.

Warp Factor Ten

We've also taken features from NIMBUS that have proved a big hit. These include:

• Warp (compression/expansion, overdrive, bit reduction). The Warp feature adds a little analog grit and brings you even closer to the sounds of those great old hardware boxes.
• Tail suppression. Whether you want to mash a kick drum or want to keep the reverb out of the way in complex passages, this tool has proven its usefulness in NIMBUS. Now it's in R4.

No Room? No Problem

And of course, there's a powerful early-reflection section in R4. Early reflections were where vintage reverbs were weakest. There just weren't enough CPU cycles to provide convincing early energy.

Weak early reflections were less of an issue in the days where everyone had an enormous tracking room; it was simply a case of using the space of a real room. Today's project studios often don't have that option and must rely on more close-miking and directional mics. R4's early section can bring back the naturalness and softness of a big room. And add tempo-following if you need it.

Echos In Eternity

And there's one last thing. Sometimes a reverb just doesn't have enough reverb time. How about forever? R4 has a new Freeze button. Click the button, and the contents of the reverb go into an infinite mode that goes on as long as you like. Whether you're capturing a chord, designing an environment, or creating SFX for a movie, Freeze is a powerful and fun tool to use. Better still, Freeze also has an option that keeps the early section open. You can continue to pass live signal at the same time the tail is frozen. You can also use some of the external controls to tailor the sound of the Freeze after you have captured it.

More For Less

All of this comes in a package with the renowned Exponential Audio efficiency. Run as many instances of Exponential Audio R4 as you need; this is no CPU hog.