I don't work for Waves...

[dobro]

...but this promotional video for a new Waves reverb is pretty interesting, watching how he thinks about stuff and works with space on mix elements.

[video]http://www.waves.com/plugins/h-reverb-hybrid-reverb?utm_source=wnletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=h-reverb#shaping-your-reverb-with-h-reverb[/video]

 

[Free Spirit]

fascinating!

 

[jimmys69]

I just bought it.

 

[Steenamaroo]

That's very cool!
I spent all my pennies already though.

 

[Greg_L]

This is extreme music production micromanaging. It's a miracle anything gets done at all anymore.

 

[miroslav]

I got the email yesterday from Waves for this...but man, on sale for $200 isn't IMO much of a "sale".
I mean....there's tons of reverb plugs that do the same shit. I've got a high-end reverb that comes with my DAW (Samplitude ProX) that does all of that.

I think I would lose my mind if I spent that much time considering every single aspect of a reverb application per track, and sat there tweaking all of them for each track...each time I did a mix.
I usually find a couple of reverb presets that come with a plugin or with a hardware unit....makes some global adjustments to them for their pre-delay, EQ, diffusion....and then I create several variations, short, med, long, very long.
After that I'll use those presets I created, mix after mix, and I rarely bother to go back into all those micro-adjustments again. I think of reverb as creating a space...and then placing all the tracks into that space...rather than applying reverb as a more "singular" effect, like you would EQ or compression. I'll use pretty much the same reverb type in a mix, but just pick different delay times from the presets I created.

The thing with the video...he's listening to individual tracks and setting reverb...I didn't ever hear how anything sounded in the mix.
It's the same mentality used when synth/sample developers add reverb to the sounds...they always go for some perfect, usually over-the-top reverb setting...because they just want to make that one synth/sample sound terrific to sell the product....then when you go to use them, you end up having to remove most of that and get it back to a more dry state, because by the time you layer a few sounds, it's like reverb syrup all over everything.
So in the video he's selling it the same way. letting you just hear it per track...but if you consider a complete mix, you could get the same thing with dozens of reverbs.
Anyway...for $200, I passed. When it's on sale this coming holiday season for $69...I might get it.

 

[Steenamaroo]

This is extreme music production micromanaging. It's a miracle anything gets done at all anymore.

Some genres are built entirely out of digital creation or manipulation, Greg. You know that!

Of course, there'll still be plenty of idiots who just need the latest tool. <cough> I almost choked on those words.

 

[Greg_L]

Some genres are built entirely out of digital creation or manipulation, Greg. You know that!

Of course, there'll still be plenty of idiots who just need the latest tool. <cough> I almost choked on those words.

It's not even that. It's technology running amok and making people think they need this latest tool. I mean really, it's a neat little plug-in that simply does too much. I won't use it so I ultimately don't really care, but I hate to think of people spending hours fine tuning a reverb tail on a snare that no one will ever notice or care about.

 

[miroslav]

...but I hate to think of people spending hours fine tuning a reverb tail on a snare that no one will ever notice or care about.

Yeah...that was my point too...will that 0.05 dB drop at 10k Hz on the reverb tail REALLY make any difference in the mix?

 

[Greg_L]

Yeah...that was my point too...will that 0.05 dB drop at 10k Hz on the reverb tail REALLY make any difference in the mix?

You and I know it won't, but this is the sort of thing that many people fall for unfortunately, and then it becomes an accepted norm, and things just keep getting sillier and sillier.

 

[DM60]

You and I know it won't, but this is the sort of thing that many people fall for unfortunately, and then it becomes an accepted norm, and things just keep getting sillier and sillier.

Marketing.

I looked at it and thought, what is this really doing that I can't already do?

 

[Greg_L]

Marketing.

I looked at it and thought, what is this really doing that I can't already do?

Exactly. But stick the Waves name and a hefty price tag on it and it must be great!

Pre-delay, room size, decay, etc is adjustable on just about any reverb plug.

 

[DM60]

Exactly. But stick the Waves name and a hefty price tag on it and it must be great!

Pre-delay, room size, decay, etc is adjustable on just about any reverb plug.

I did get some good tips on improved ways to work with reverb. So it was worth a click.

 

[Mr Clean]

I gave up on fancy plugins long ago. The simpler the better for me.

 

[dudernut]

I did get some good tips on improved ways to work with reverb. So it was worth a click.

My thoughts exactly…I'm probably not going to shell out $200 for it any time soon; it has a lot of features that I would likely never use…Nonetheless, with my intermediate skill level, I found that it had some universally useful tips for using the freebie reverb I already have (Ambience).

 

[ShortySMC]

There are tons of great verbs out there for sure....
I'm a heavy Waves user (practically strictly, with only a few exceptions)...

That said, sometimes my plugin decisions are not solely made based on SOUND, but also workflow.

In the case of H-Reverb, having something with as many controls as this does, in some cases, saves me from the time or need to set up more complex busing or using other effects (like EQ's, or comps, or sidechaining etc) in conjunction with this one. Saving time is huge to me (and my clients paying by the hour), and saving on CPU from not needing other plugs is nice too.

The H-Reverb not only sounds great, but it is also unique in a couple ways

1) I can work with a form mostly familiar to what I'm used to from my other heavily used reverbs (TrueVerb, R-Verb)

2) The input/output echo controls, as well as LFO/Envelope are great to dial the verb in how I want it to sound or feel (even tempo based)

3) ^and also to get crazy and make more of a special FX type sound

4) The ducking filter is one of the biggest bonuses to me and makes this more of a go to plugin for me especially for vocals in heavy tracks

5) the EQ and Damping is the most versatile of all the verbs I have

6) zero latency plugin

On top of all that, I do think it is one of the best sounding reverbs I have..... in part due to the level of detailed control , which is important to me as well....

All these things together in one plug is what seals the deal for me

 

[miroslav]

By the way....if anyone is really looking to pick the Waves H-Reverb...you can save yourself almost $30 by getting it from Audio Deluxe for $170 instead of $199.

 

[richinmusic]

Can someone explain what the $200 buys you that $50 buys you with one of the Valhalla reverb plugins? Even better, buy both, throw in the Valhalla Shimmer for that elusive Brian Eno sound, and still have $50 leftover. Waves used to be "the best" because they were ahead of the game in the audio plugin market. But now there are so many tools made by amazing developers, and priced very competitively. Valhalla, Overtone, Sknote, Melda....it's a huge list....

 

[jimmys69]

Can someone explain what the $200 buys you that $50 buys you with one of the Valhalla reverb plugins? Even better, buy both, throw in the Valhalla Shimmer for that elusive Brian Eno sound, and still have $50 leftover. Waves used to be "the best" because they were ahead of the game in the audio plugin market. But now there are so many tools made by amazing developers, and priced very competitively. Valhalla, Overtone, Sknote, Melda....it's a huge list....

I don't know man. Why does a $200 Hondo guitar not sound the same as a vintage Fender Les Paul? Why does Angel Soft toilet paper feel better than store brand TP on your ass?

Personal preference has much to do with this as anything. Not all plugs are the same. They have different characters and way of working. Just like a DAW, it is up to the user to decide what is good for themselves.


I bought the H-Reverb and love the flexibility of the plug.

I like to have the options even if I won't use half of them.

I am also lucky enough to have the couple hundred to spend on it and still feed my family. I surely would not suggest spending money on a plugin such as this if there are other things that are more important.


I don't work for Waves and I care not to. But I do like this reverb!

 

[miroslav]

I think the H-Reverb is a very nice plug to have....I'm just not ready to drop $200 on it (well OK, $170 at Audio Deluxe)...and I am 100% confident it will be on sale between now and XMas at some point for even less.
Waves always does crazy sales, you just have to be ready to buy when they do.

One of the things to consider is that not all digital reverbs sound the same just 'cuz you dial up a "Hall" preset on all of them. The H-Reverb uses FIR (Finite Impulse Response} reverberation technology...while the Valhalla is an algorithmic reverb. Some folks feel that the algorithmic reverbs blend better with natural track ambiance...but then the H-Reverb FIR technology takes reverb to lusher/denser flavors with immaculate tails...etc.
I did notice that some folks were saying the H-Reverb was a CPU hog....but then others said they didn't find it to be too bad.

They all sound different and are good for different things.
You have the Lexicon stuff which is on millions of tracks...and there's so many more software reverbs that sound great...not to mention, there are the hardware units too...like the TC Electronics stuff or the high-end Bricasti M7...etc.
You also have folks that like using old 16-bit reverbs on stuff...'cuz they add some character with their lo-fi quality.

I think the FIR stuff compares in many ways to HD TV....where the algorithmic verbs are not as super-detailed. Each one can sound right in a given situation.
Shit, I've been loving my old-school EMT 240 gold foil plate on drums....it kills.

At the end of the day I think it's more about the application rather than the type/brand of reverb you have...otherwise, one more tool in the shed is never a bad thing.