Which reverb plugin is your favorite? Waves, Fabfilter, or Lexicon...

[James Perrett]

i remember a convolution reverb called sir that used to be free..it was affa good if i remember right..i just did a quick google,its still out there but it isnt free anymore

The OP is using Reaper so already has ReaVerb which will load the same impulse files that SIR uses. ReaVerb also has its own impulse generator which is worth exploring.

[Martin Walker]

I still tend to reach for 2CAudio's Aether as my main reverb (I reviewed it for SOS way back in 2009), as it's just so versatile and sounds so good:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/2caudio-aether

If I want a realistic real-world space it's my ancient yet still fully functional 32-bit Altiverb 6.

I have dabbled with both plates and springs, but still tend to use them more for special FX (I know they are perfect for snares Monsieur Elf, but I favour weirder-sounding reverbs for mine ).

Martin

[gongli]

Such an outpouring of kindness from all who posted - especially lengthy ones...I am touched.

I sure have enough to chew on - I am sure I will end up with something I can use now!

[Bob Bickerton]

However, this week( for reasons**), I've kinda fallen in love with Seventh Heaven (it's a Bricasti M7 convolution + special sauce reverb) and it sounds... glorious.

Just wanted to say thanks to Desmond! The above post tempted me to try the M7 emulation and my first impression is that it's very good. It appears to have that special something for classical concert recordings that I've only heard about from people who actually have the real thing.

I need to spend more time with it, but in the meantime:



Bob

[Arpangel]

However, this week( for reasons**), I've kinda fallen in love with Seventh Heaven (it's a Bricasti M7 convolution + special sauce reverb) and it sounds... glorious.

Just wanted to say thanks to Desmond! The above post tempted me to try the M7 emulation and my first impression is that it's very good. It appears to have that special something for classical concert recordings that I've only heard about from people who actually have the real thing.

I need to spend more time with it, but in the meantime:



Bob

I think if you’re involved in classical recording, you’re going to get it right in the hall for a start, hopefully, the only reverb controls you’ll need are your microphones.
But you can’t get it right all the time, and there will be a need for artificial reverb sometimes, but I’ll always try and get away with using the minimum possible, just enough to give the impression of a space, and because of that, I think you’ll find any reasonably decent software or hardware reverb will do fine, it doesn’t have to be anything special.
I have found in classical music, units from TC, like the M3000/4000, are fine, and often favoured, also the Lexicon 480L was also preferred by some engineers for this.

[Bob Bickerton]

Thanks ARP.

Yes, quite right, but often a little reverb helps and is commonly used, if only sparingly. I’ve often favoured Lexicon 224 over 480 emulations but I know the M7 (hardware) is used by colleagues but I’ve never had the budget to buy such a beast. Accordingly a software emulation opens up a few doors.......... subject to further listening.

Bob

[muzines]

Just wanted to say thanks to Desmond! The above post tempted me to try the M7 emulation and my first impression is that it's very good.

My recommendations are solid!

I think if you’re involved in classical recording, you’re going to get it right in the hall for a start, hopefully, the only reverb controls you’ll need are your microphones.

Quite a lot of orchestral and related work is still done in the controlled environment of studios, so there's still a need for flexibility in ambiences - not just strict classical, but also jazz, big band, film work and so on.

I have found in classical music, units from TC, like the M3000/4000, are fine, and often favoured, also the Lexicon 480L was also preferred by some engineers for this.

I was watching interviews with the legendary Al Schmitt, for pretty much every recording session he uses two reverbs from the 480L, a Bricasti M7, and then real Capitol chambers when working there. He favours the M7 for the vocal (Halls 1 -> 14 Clear Hall, rev time 1.9 secs, ~90ms pre-delay).

If it's good enough for the kinds of singers and material he works on, the plugin version is plenty good enough for me

I'm still exploring it between doing other things. I'm really digging the small rooms, ambiences, and interiors (designed for 100% wet) to add dimension into dry parts without actually adding reverbs/tails. It's just very nice all round, imo...

[The Elf]

I find M7 impulses very useful for those ultra-short reverbs where all you need is to put the source in a space, rather than hear anything overt - 'invisible reverb'?! They work really well for me in that context.

[muzines]

I find M7 impulses very useful for those ultra-short reverbs where all you need is to put the source in a space, rather than hear anything overt - 'invisible reverb'?! They work really well for me in that context.

Yes, that's precisely what I was referring to above. I'm finding it great at that.

[Martin Walker]

I find M7 impulses very useful for those ultra-short reverbs where all you need is to put the source in a space, rather than hear anything overt - 'invisible reverb'?! They work really well for me in that context.

Yes, that's precisely what I was referring to above. I'm finding it great at that.

Ooh, now this has got me intrigued as well - putting a sound in a real space without obvious reverb is something I'm particularly interested in exploring in more depth (pun intended) just at the moment.

I've got various room/ambient presets available in Aether that are just enough to remove DI perfection, but they tend to be quite picky about source material - some work well with drum sounds but are too subtle on bass guitar, while others sound great on bass but 'honk' on drums.

Bookmarked the Seventh Heaven page, and will try out the demo when I get the chance:

https://www.liquidsonics.com/product/seventh-heaven/

Thanks all!

Martin

[The Elf]

I've literally just created a couple of mixes of this type - I can create an A/B for you if you need. Just drop me a PM, because I can't put them out in the open.

[dickiefunk]

My favourites are LiquidSonics, Exponential Audio and for a plate reverb I use either Kush GoldPlate or Rare Signals Transatlantic Plate. I've tried the demos of the various Waves reverbs and Fabfilter Pro-R and quite liked Pro-R but personally prefer all the others I've mentioned.
The Exponential Audio reverbs often come up in special deals at Plugin Boutique. Nimbus is possibly my favourite realistic natural space reverb that I've heard and R4 has the Lexicon character. They are both much lighter on CPU resources compared to all the other reverbs that I own.

[Rain]

All Altiverb and 7th Heaven here (with Adaptiverb for more out-there fx).

I'm newly interested in the 'invisible reverb' idea too. Anything to particularly recommend for this in 7th Heaven?

(I've recently 'remastered' an album I did a few years back for Spotify, iTunes etc. that was all Lexicon. I think I'd replace all the reverbs with 7th Heaven if I were mixing it now...)

[Martin Walker]

I've literally just created a couple of mixes of this type - I can create an A/B for you if you need. Just drop me a PM, because I can't put them out in the open.

If you were replying to me Paul, yes I'd love to hear a mix or two to focus on how you're placing sounds in a space without obvious reverb!

PM sent.

Martin

[Aled Hughes]

I don’t see it mentioned all that often but I’m fast becoming a big fan of the Eventide 2016 plugin.

[Zukan]

I have all the Eventide verbs and use them all the time. I also use Valhalla Room/Vintage/Supermassive, Tsar-1, Pro R, PSP 2445,Waves Plates/Chambers/H-Verb, Exponential PhoenixVerb/Excalibur, IK Multimedia TR5, SSL X-Verb and Soundtoys Little Plate...and a few thousand more.

My favourite? Eventide.

[Superdelphinus]

I’m a Valhalla tart, so either vintage or plate for me. I tend to use plate on vocals or quite rich instruments/ sounds and the vintage on practically anything else. I’m not a huge reverb fan though and use it extremely sparingly!

[DC-Choppah]

Lexicon PCM native reverb!

[rggillespie]

Irritatingly I’ve completely lost access to my liquid sonics reverberate 2 due to some Ilok issue. Rather than buy something else can I use the impulses from that and use my reaverb that comes with reaper. Anyone had any experience of doing this?

[Drew Stephenson]

Should be able to, as long as they're compatible file formats.

[dickiefunk]

I bought the IK Sunset Sound reverb in the sale they had. I paid £31 with the jam points and am really enjoying this reverb. I tried the demo first and liked the character and sound I was hearing.
Sunset Sound reverb has replaced Kush Goldplate on a jazz project I’m currently working and I prefer it to my go to reverbs on some earlier projects I’ve already finished.

[Airfix]

Glaceverb - free. Free is a bad word. Check it out on guitar - Fab

[beej65]

Second on the Sunset Sound Studio from IK. I too tend to the 'less is more' approach for reverb; current technique is to add it last on my 2-bus just for a little space (saw Andrew Scheps do this on his 2-bus). UA's Ocean Way Studios (in reverb, not re-mic mode! And very gentle, only 12% wet) also works here. Even Baby Audio's recent "Spaced Out" using one of their simple reverb modes, no timed delays, worked.

[rggillespie]

So many reverbs so little time, thanks for those recommendations, I’ll look into them all. First off I’ll see how I go with the reaper one. Especially with vocals I’m never quite sure if what I’m hearing and liking on records is reverb or delay.