Reverb suggestions?

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LarryF

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Thinking about getting a dedicated reverb box, can cost up but probably not more than $2k. For use in home studio mixing. Considering Eventide 2016 and Lexicon PCM91. May also consider multi-effects boxes combining reverb with other effects...but primarily concerned with getting highest quality reverb. Wondering if anyone has opinions on the above two reverbs, or other comparable boxes, or perhaps multi-effects boxes worth considering. I already have Waves (truverb, ren reverb, etc) but I'm ready to move beyond native software tools. Thanks for any advice...
 
Kurzweil will soon be releasing smaller stereo versions of their flagship KSP8 effects box, which is considered by many to be as good as anything out there.

the beauty of these new units is, unlike the budget lexicons or Tc's, there is no sacrificing of audio quality compared to the kSP8. It just won't have as many algorhythms and it won't be 8 channels.

and instead of costing $3000 they will list for only $650!!!

anyone considering an affordable high quality hardware reverb should consider waiting for these.
 
The only way to really know is to audition them. You've already narrowed your search down to a few very popular and well-respected choices. Often, what it comes down to is your personal taste, style of music, and your philosophy on mixing/production.

I'm not much of a Lexi fan, for example, but I know a lot of people who gush over them. I love TC, but I know others who think they're boring. :D To me, it comes down to the fact that I like natural-sounding verbs that sound like they could have been done in real, existing spaces, and the TC does that sort of thing rather well. But what I like might not be what you like. Try 'em out.
 
littledog said:
Kurzweil will soon be releasing smaller stereo versions of their flagship KSP8 effects box, which is considered by many to be as good as anything out there.

the beauty of these new units is, unlike the budget lexicons or Tc's, there is no sacrificing of audio quality compared to the kSP8. It just won't have as many algorhythms and it won't be 8 channels.

and instead of costing $3000 they will list for only $650!!!

anyone considering an affordable high quality hardware reverb should consider waiting for these.
Click to expand...

Sounds good lil'dawg!

At the present, I'm using a Lex 500. Decent unit that provides above avg efx processing with it's strengths being in the area of
'Verbs and delays.
My only complaint on efx processors in the Lex 500 price range is the lack of fine tuning on 'verbs.
Do you happen to know the Kurz's effect's parameters and what incremental range can the efx algorithms be adj'd to ?
A earlier efx unit I owned only allowed adjustments in .5 increments which no matter how you adj'd the efx algorithms, it basically perf'd like a preset, which sucks. The Lex 500 allows a tad more fine-tuning but my ears are seeking that unit with absolute control w/o stealing from my kid's college fund!

Have U audienced the Kurz yet?

Thx!
 
The Eventide 2016 is kind of a specialty box, a recreation of an older reverb from the early 80's (I think early 80's). Anyway, it is a great sounding box with character, but not one that I would want as my primary reverb.

I have a PCM-91, and it is a great sound. Lexicon is supposedly working on new 96k replacements for the PCM91/81 though, so you may want to wait for the new stuff if you go Lexicon.

The Kurzweil KSP8 is a great box. If you can spend $2,000 you are pretty close to the street price on that. The thing to remember with the stock KSP8 is that for $2,000+ you get a very flexible fx processor with six inputs and outputs (four analog and AES). You can use it as three stereo processors or six mono processors if you want. The effects programming possibilities are of course much more deep than the new Mangler/Rumour, although I've heard the Mangler/Rumour on several occasions and they sound excellent too.

Still, if you've got $2,000 or so to spend, then it would be wise to spend all of it on the best you can get. No point cutting corners on reverb.

Also, there's the new Yamaha SPX2000 to consider. Supposedly it has a new reverb algorithm. I would want to take a listen to that box as well. It's less expensive, but I personally like Yamaha effects boxes. I have a REV5 that I still think is a great reverb for some things.
 
Albert, thanks for the info. I've tried the Lexicon in a store against Waves Ren reverb (which is what I own) and I thought it was fantastic, with Waves being not in the least comparable. I've read good things about the Kurzweil but the local store doesn't have one working. It sounds like you're using both. Can you compare the reverb on the Kurz to the Lex - I'd appreciate that. I do like the fact that the Kurzweil lets you run three stereo instances and that it has other effects, but that's not enough to make me go in that direction if the reverbs aren't fully on par with the Lexicon. Having bought at least 10 multipurposes gadgets for the studio, I've learned after many years and $$$ to try to get one important thing really right versus ten things half-right. (But if the Kurzweil has Lexicon-class reverb, that'd be a different story).

Thanks...
Larry
 
I don't own a KSP8 myself, but I have auditioned it on several occasions. Unfortunately, all those occasions were NAMM or AES shows on headphones, and the background noise at those conventions is very high. So I don't feel I'm really qualified to give you an in depth comparison between the KSP8 and a Lexicon reverb.

Reverb/multieffects boxes I own: Lexicon PCM-81/91, TC Electronic M3000, M2000, Yamaha REV5. What I often do for reverb is layer the PCM-91 and M3000.

As far as reverb character, the PCM-91 is lush and rich, although it can be programmed to be much lighter. The M3000 doesn't have that lushness, but has a nice realism to it. I think I still prefer the PCM-91, but both come really in handy.

From what I've heard myself and what I've read from others, the KSP8 reverb is somewhere in between the Lexicon and TC Electronic stuff. I've also auditioned the Rumour/Mangler at NAMM/AES shows and they sound excellent. I think they are going to prove to be a real value for the money kind of thing.

It really would be good if possible to wait for the new Yamaha SPX2000 and try that out, as well.

On the lower budget end, I personally like the TC Electronic M-One XL for reverb. Impressive for the money and a bit better than the M2000 reverb in my opinion. I'm referring to the M-One XL, not the original M-One. If you got a Lex PCM-91 and an M-One XL you'd have the bases covered nicely. Or add a Kurzweil Rumour to the PCM-91.

My philosophy when I was upgrading my outboard was to have one *great* reverb, and a couple secondary reverbs that were very very good. I ended up with several great reverbs, actually! But the approach works, and it's better to have more than just one fine reverb.

So perhaps a Lexicon along with the SPX2000, or a Lex and the lower cost TC or Kurzweil. However you combone them is up to you. It is important that at least one be stellar though.

Hope some of this rambling helps.
 
:p :p :) ... salivating at the thought of the new Kurzweil boxes. Can't wait for them to come out!!!
 
The Kurzweil "Rumour" [reverb/delay FX] and "Mangler" [weirder shit FX] are out... they run like $550- and sound absolutely awesome... sonically on par with the KSP-8.

I have my KSP-8 setup to accept 4 mono analog inputs and output 4 stereo signals... which essentially nets me 4 "high powered" FX units in 2RU w/a remote.

When I've been doing smaller gigs or gigs where it really isn't pragmatic to schlepp my full racks to someone's house I've been bringing a pair of the 'Rumour' units... they have the best "plate" emulation of any digital reverb I've ever experienced with the possible exception of an EMT 250.

I hope this is of some assistance.
 
Have any of you used the Ensoniq DP4? I am looking for a good multichannel effects unit mainly for time based effects like delay/flange/chorus for thickening up stuff. Do you get true 4 channel i/o?
 
I don't own one but I have used them from time to time. I believe they are able to be used as four independent processors. My engineer owns a DP4 and likes to chain four delays in series. After all these years, it's still a great sounding box. Very musical, in my opinion.
 
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