Reverb Quality

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tkingen

tkingen

Djembes Rock
How do you determine the quality of a reverb plugin? I usually use just a touch of reverb to simulate a small room and sometimes haven't been able to tell a whole lot of difference between different brands.
I have found that some of them sound more metallic when testing 100% wet but that isn't as evident when using a more realistic dry/wet ratio.
So, what's the difference between expensive reverbs and cheap reverbs? What differences can you hear when they're applied to your mixes?
 
The metallic sound that you refer to... can't stand it! I have yet to hear a software reverb that doesn't suffer from this to some extent.

Many tend to fill the space rather than create it. I find that I have to fiddle and fight a lot with software reverb to make them work for me, a lot of EQ, some compression even. On the other hand with KDFX on my Kurzweil K2600 I find it much easier to have reverb that I can actually hear, yet doesn't swamp the the mix. With software you either can't hear them, or they swamp everything turning things into mush. Yuck.

Localisation. I want to be able to place sounds exactly where I need them to be. Again... even with some reverbs offering extensive controls, they sound so shitty that it doesn't matter. I'd rather have less control and better sound... (yeah, use convolution I hear some of you say... what if I don't want realistic spaces? ;) )

Perhaps this is the reason why most modern music sounds so dry? Because no one likes the sound of current software reverbs, and everyone is using software, and since it sounds shitty, people instinctively don't use it or use it only as small room stuff which kind of masks the shittiness of current reverbs? Thus creating a "fashion" of dry music?
 
Perhaps this is the reason why most modern music sounds so dry? Because no one likes the sound of current software reverbs, and everyone is using software, and since it sounds shitty, people instinctively don't use it or use it only as small room stuff which kind of masks the shittiness of current reverbs? Thus creating a "fashion" of dry music?
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That's pretty much my situation.

I use short (.5 sec) dark (rolloff over 2 kHz) verb just to remove the abrupt ends of sounds, but I'd sure like to use more if it didn't sound so digital.

Tim
 
the ones that you can graphically attenuate frequencies and adjust early reflection well are good for me
 
I like the ones that turn my shitty guitar tone into something that's not so shitty. ie: GlaceVerb.
 
I'll expand on that thought, and say; I don't like the ones that sound bad.

.
 
I just have to say I love the "dry" fashion. But that's just taste I guess. I generally don't like BIG sounding songs. Songs that sound like they're being played on instruments ten times the normal size, or like they're played in a cathedral.

I like to call it "Phil Collins sound" don't ask me why ;)
 
I like the reverb you find in an oil tank and the one you find in the church. Remember the one you found in the stairwell? Man she was a sweety :)
the one that was in the cave, ah... she was hot!

A good way to determine the quality of a reverb plugin is to compare it cause there ain't nuthin like the real thing baby.

Remember taking field trips just to get that right sound? Yes, those were the days :D...
 
Lomas said:
I just have to say I love the "dry" fashion. But that's just taste I guess. I generally don't like BIG sounding songs. Songs that sound like they're being played on instruments ten times the normal size, or like they're played in a cathedral.

I like to call it "Phil Collins sound" don't ask me why ;)
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Reverb doesn't have to be used to give you that 80's "BIG" sound. Reverb can be very subtle and used simply to create a little bit of depth. It's another way of giving instruments room for each other, like panning and EQ.
 
Usually the quality of a reverb comes out in the tails. That's where the complexity and quality of the reflections becomes evident. I use a TC Powercore DSP card, and am quite happy with Classic Verb and Megaverb. Also, the room sim in Samplitude is superb. But even with less investment than that, I think there's some darn good verbs out there these days.
 
RAMI said:
Reverb doesn't have to be used to give you that 80's "BIG" sound. Reverb can be very subtle and used simply to create a little bit of depth. It's another way of giving instruments room for each other, like panning and EQ.
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Yes, I'm aware of that. However I am very new to this and I can't seem to use the reverbs for anything but making it all muddy, so excuse me for dissing reverbs ;)
 
Try putting a little pre-delay on the verb. That helps to keep the definition of the original sound intact. Also, try rolling off the low end on the verb.
 
Ambiance is killer!

RoomVerb 2 is great!!!

Lexicon Pantheon is pretty damn good.

There are MANY that I could use, but not like using it much, but wouldn't complain too loudly at having to use them.

Most people just don't have a freakin' clue how to set up a reverb. Too bad.
 
noisewreck said:
Thus creating a "fashion" of dry music?
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The dry music thing is probably more about the compression and limiting used on CDs these days. In order for big reverbs to work in a mix, there has to be room for them. With RMS levels running up around -9dbfs, there is no space to stick the reverb in.
 
tkingen said:
How do you determine the quality of a reverb plugin?
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How do you determine the quality of a spice?

G.
 
the only (useable) reverb i have is waves trueverb.
i've actually gotten compliments on my use of reverb (on a particular cd) from a fairly big mastering guy.

wish i had more options though.......
i'd really like that lexicon "thing" as an alternative to the sometimes (kinda sorta) over real sound of the waves.
it's the only real reverb i've had for some time, i guess i'm just bored of it.

but dammit........ verbs are expensive.
(rtas)
 
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