# Lexicon PCM Native bundle vs UAD 480L



## brandowalk (Jun 30, 2019)

Need some help with my next reverb purchase/decision.... are the Lexicon PCM Native bundle and UAD 480L about the same quality and functionality - or is there an advantage of one over the other?


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## wst3 (Jun 30, 2019)

keep in mind we all hear things differently, but if you ask me (and you sorta just did) there is no comparison between the UAD 480 and the Lexicon PCM bundle, the UAD sounds more like the hardware than the Lexi plugins, and has more flexibility. Which is a bit of a disappointment if you are really looking for the 480 sound.

There is nothing wrong with the Lexicon bundles, they are good, solid reverbs, for as far as they go.

UA, on the other hand, is just amazing. There are native plugins that are in the same league - the Relab plugs are fantastic, as are the Exponential Audio (now part of Izotope) plugins, I own Nimbus, R4, and Excalibur and I use them often, and to great effect. Same goes for 2C-Audio, I use Breeze a lot as well. The big difference between EA and 2CAudio stuff and the UA emulation is that the emulation is pretty much limited (can you really say limited?) to what the hardware could do, the others extend those capabilities.

I should also mention that I still have a PCM-90 in the rack, and that is what I use most often on my 2-mix. It's probably all in my head, but I think it sounds just a little bit better<G>!


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## brandowalk (Jul 1, 2019)

wst3 said:


> keep in mind we all hear things differently, but if you ask me (and you sorta just did) there is no comparison between the UAD 480 and the Lexicon PCM bundle, the UAD sounds more like the hardware than the Lexi plugins, and has more flexibility. Which is a bit of a disappointment if you are really looking for the 480 sound.
> 
> There is nothing wrong with the Lexicon bundles, they are good, solid reverbs, for as far as they go.
> 
> ...




Thanks Bill, much appreciated!


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## erikradbo (Jul 1, 2019)

Maybe slightly OT, but Relab just released a new reverb, Sonsig Rev-A, which is highly praised over at gearslutz: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-product-alert/1269381-relab-sonsig-rev-algorithmic-reverb.html


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## X-Bassist (Jul 5, 2019)

Amazing how everyone has different tastes. I had planned on buying the relab version years ago after all the good reviews, but when a sale arrived decided to try it out first for a month. Now I had been working for years on a real 480L and 300L (since the 90’s), and always loved the sound, making a solo instrument shine and sound natural (tough for a digital reverb), but other digital reverbs and the emulations always fell flat. 

For me the Relab also fell short. The interface was small (that may have changed) and the verbs didn’t give me that ability to solo an instrument, with nothing else playing, and give me a realistic sounding room that I could believe. I was so glad it was a month trial, because after a few mixes I knew I would move on. I tried the other reverb they had as well and although different, it didn’t impress me.

But after going through many, many other reverbs, I decided to give Lexicon PCM bundle a shot when it went on sale. I was pleasantly surprised, closest to the classic Lexicon sound of anything I have heard yet... Now I want to clarify, I use Lexicon for hall reverbs (I still bring a 300L to every live mixing gig) Medium Hall is one of my favorites because it is warm yet neutral, with just enough lush tail to help you hear it in a mix, even if it’s low, yet not so long as to blurr the mix. You can eq it to make it warner or clearer, and it works well on most orchestral instrument (strings, brass, woodwinds, piano, even solo violin) I usually go to other plugins for other fx (Soundtoys, Fabfilter) but for long reverbs, Lexicon has that warm, yet natural sound.

If you are using Lexicon for other fx, then your milage (and opinion) may vary. 

But I still like and use the PCM bundle for my orch tail, even bought the fx bundle on another sale to check it out, some cool stuff in there, but nothing essential.

My advice is to do a trial on everything you can first. Because your usage and what qualities your looking for can really depend on your tastes. Reverb is really a trial and error thing. Like with strings, some work perfectly in certain situations, and may fall flat with others... and when in doubt layer many together!


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## brandowalk (Jul 24, 2019)

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I decided to go with the UAD 480L format. I am quite pleased with it so far in use with orchestra samples and mixing a big band album project that I am currently on.

Brandon








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## heliosequence (Sep 26, 2019)

I think the UAD version slightly beats the Relab version for me, it does sound more like hardware... but I have heard rumors that Relab may have an update for their 480... perhaps some better modeling of the analog section and better preset management? Or at least I thought I read that somewhere on Gearslutz.

I really enjoy the new Sonsig-A and their 480 is also very nice sounding (for a vintage classic with a slightly cleaner sound). I also have the Lexicon PCM native, but rarely use it. Strangely, the plugin, with the exact same settings, does not always sound the same as the Hardware PCM96. The RHall (which is my favorite 'Lexicon' sound) in particular has a much smoother/musical and nicer/cooler sounding modulation on the Hardware in which the plugin somehow falls short and sounds a bit repetitive/mechanical. Very strange, since I am to believe that the algorithms are the same... but at least the RHall isn't.

FWIW I'm more into colorful verbs and not usually trying to recreate a symphony halls...


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## dman007 (Jun 11, 2020)

So is there a final conclusion on the UAD 480L vs Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-in Bundle ?


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## doctoremmet (Jun 11, 2020)

dman007 said:


> So is there a final conclusion on the UAD 480L vs Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-in Bundle ?


There will never be one, as there are no truly subjective answers. It all boils down to taste. I have the Relab 480 and like it, for what it’s worth - which isn’t much. I also like Seventh Heaven, R2, H-Reverb and the new Cinematic Rooms - for reference.


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## Living Fossil (Jun 11, 2020)

dman007 said:


> So is there a final conclusion on the UAD 480L vs Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Plug-in Bundle ?




If you want the 480L sound (which the PCM Native doesn't cover exactly) i'd recommend the Relab offering.
They did an online blind test (against the real one) and gave everyone, who could spot the difference, a free copy.
Until this day, not a single person could win the free copy.
(This includes all those persons, who are convinced that they could hear the difference...)


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## doctoremmet (Jun 11, 2020)

Living Fossil said:


> If you want the 480L sound (which the PCM Native doesn't cover exactly) i'd recommend the Relab offering.
> They did an online blind test (against the real one) and gave everyone, who could spot the difference, a free copy.
> Until this day, not a single person could win the free copy.
> (This includes all those persons, who are convinced that they could hear the difference...)


The Relab TC Electronic 6000 emulation with the difficult name is even nicer sounding (to me, to me!)


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