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Hardware Reverb Recommendations?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:37 pm
by Text_Edifice
Hi all - I know there was a thread on this ages ago but also know the market / opinions may have changed.

I am considering purchasing an outboard verb as plugins are choking up too much processing power.

Would like something with digital i/o (spdif) for preference. Would be nice to have some other fx sounds but would prefer a better verb than a multi-purpose box.

Kurzweil Rumor appears to fit the bill but wondering what else is out there that you'd recommend.

Cheers.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:23 pm
by ChrisW
Budget?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:22 pm
by Text_Edifice
Rumor retails around $1000 - can be had for closer to $800. So around that mark or less.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:15 am
by Barney Loveland
It's older and won't break the bank but my Sony R7 still works great. Can't save settings with a session though if that's a consideration.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:04 am
by Text_Edifice
Thanks Barney - recall sheets / presets work fine for me. Think the R-7 was suggested last time the topic was raised - will keep an eye out.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:22 am
by tunetown
Hi Dave. Not sure how much you want to spend, but I've recently purchased the new Lexicon PCM96 Surround. You can buy the non surround with Digital I/O only and it's a bit cheaper. It has all the old usual Lexi verbs and some new algo's as well. If you run mac, you can also use firewire to use it like plugins inside your DAW. It's damn expensive from Jands but you can source new units from the States cheaper. Sounds great. Native Verb plugs still can't do what hardware can.

Cheers

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:37 am
by heathen
tunetown wrote:Hi Dave. Not sure how much you want to spend, but I've recently purchased the new Lexicon PCM96 Surround. You can buy the non surround with Digital I/O only and it's a bit cheaper. It has all the old usual Lexi verbs and some new algo's as well. If you run mac, you can also use firewire to use it like plugins inside your DAW. It's damn expensive from Jands but you can source new units from the States cheaper. Sounds great. Native Verb plugs still can't do what hardware can.

Cheers


Have you tried Altiverb Pete? It's the only one which gets me excited though yeah I prefer hardware too.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:49 am
by tunetown
Yeh, I have. They do some nice rooms.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:52 am
by tunetown
Actually, now that I think about it, I recently tried the free Bricasti Impulses from Acousticas. They were very good. If you have Altiverb or any other Impulse player you should download them and try.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:18 pm
by walding
tunetown wrote:Actually, now that I think about it, I recently tried the free Bricasti Impulses from Acousticas. They were very good. If you have Altiverb or any other Impulse player you should download them and try.


+1

They are very good indeed.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:44 pm
by TimS
any links then??

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:57 pm
by walding

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:17 pm
by TimS
I just was too lazy - I thought if its was mentioned in a thread might have been posted also..
Thanks for the link Mark..

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:19 pm
by tunetown
Sorry Tim. My fault. I should have posted a link.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:21 pm
by TimS
all cool Pete - no worries..
as I said, I was too lazy to look.. I should have Googled..

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:22 pm
by walding
TimS wrote:I just was too lazy - I thought if its was mentioned in a thread might have been posted also..
Thanks for the link Mark..


No probs at all.

PS I couldn't find the original so I found that one for ya....

The shorter IR's are extremely good.

I'd love the hardware unit thats for sure :D

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:27 pm
by TimS
I know its not a Bricasti, but I had the PCM 80 - I wish I'd NEVER sold it..
Its was my guitar rack rev unit
Its now in SimonB's rack!!

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:33 pm
by tunetown
I would have bought the Bricasti if it had more in's and outs. The PCM96 surround has 4 mono, 2 stereo or 6 i/o surround. It's like having 2 standard PCM96's for only a bit more money.

I do, however, think the Bricasti Verbs are awesome.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:33 pm
by Chris H
Mighty fine link gents....much appreciated.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:34 pm
by walding
TimS wrote:I know its not a Bricasti, but I had the PCM 80 - I wish I'd NEVER sold it..
Its was my guitar rack rev unit
Its now in SimonB's rack!!


Yea the 80 is damn good. I have fond memories of using them back in the day as I do for 2"

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:25 pm
by seanolyte
PCM70 & 96 are my tastes. The latter being a whole lot more expensive.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:59 pm
by Text_Edifice
hi again all,

so after doing a bit more listening, reading, budgeting and messing around with gear I think it's a toss up between a new Kurzweil Rumour (currently available for around AU$500 from the states), a second hand Sony DPS-V77 (apparently similar verbs to the R7 but, importantly for me, can do SPDIF I/O) or - don't laugh - a be!@#$%^& V-Verb 2496.

All will run D I/O at 24 bit, all come recommended by various colleagues and acquintances.

Lexicon would be nice but at the moment I need Digital I/O and that prices them out of the game.

I think it's probably better to spend the fairly small difference in cash on the Kurzweil or the Sony units as the be!@#$%^& has (reportedly) quality control issues but wondering if anyone can provide any personal insight or forewarning regarding these choices?

Would also love it if someone had a V77 they wanted to offer me ;-)

Cheers.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:06 pm
by Chris H
I have a distinct liking for the Great British Spring Reverb.

Now that's off my chest,....... i have been using the Bricasti impulse responses in Logic's Space Designer and found an annoying distorted sound that continues on after a song has finished or the track it's applied to stops. I discovered it when listening to fade outs on some mixes. It is most annoying and i'm wondering if it is peculiar to my set up or if others are hearing this?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:26 pm
by no-fi
lexicon Mpx-1 is a pretty good unit (OK, it's no PCM... but does a nice reverb or 2, and a whole bunch more other fx besides)

it also does s/pdif.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:09 am
by tunetown
If you run the UAD2 card the new EMT250 is simply outstanding. It's, by far, the best ITB reverb I have ever tried.

It uses the exact same algo as the real unit and they emulated the output section.

Very immpressed.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:58 am
by 13thbeach
Spend a little more and buy an EMT 140 plate. No SPDIF in this old battle ship but it'll make up for it in other areas. haha! You just need space for the damn thing.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 11:31 am
by Text_Edifice
so, no-one has experience with either unit?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:17 pm
by Jason Dirckze
What are the V77's fetching these days on the 2nd hand market?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:27 pm
by Text_Edifice
Saw one go recently for $450, currently one on US Ebay or $675 BIN - I probably want to pay somewhere in between.

As a point of comparison a batch of Sony R7's just went for $209 on Grays online.

The R7 may yet be a better option...

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:45 pm
by Text_Edifice
or the Alesis Quadraverb 20 - but haven't been able to find one of those locally...