# Is a Bricasti Worth It?



## Prockamanisc (Nov 9, 2017)

I'm wondering if I should get a Bricasti. I have Altiverb and use VSL and Spitfire primarily. Does anyone have experience with and who can tell me if it sounds as good as people say? Is it worth the cost?


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Nov 9, 2017)

Why not try Seventh Heaven Pro first? It may not be 100% the same but will be very close and give you an idea of how it sounds. 

Personally I don't think it's worth it considering all of the plugins that are available. It's my philosophy with all outboard. It'll never be the same but I don't think one is inherently better that the other. You should be able to a achieve the same level of quality with either. Even just with Altiverb.


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## Prockamanisc (Nov 9, 2017)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> Personally I don't think it's worth it considering all of the plugins that are available. It's my philosophy with all outboard


To be honest, the few outboard pieces that I have, in my eyes, neuter that argument. Using only analog summing, my tracks go from "sounds" into "music". Using a Vari Mu? Fuhgettaboutit. So good. It's that magical, inexplicable 3% that turns tracks into feelings.

As far as the Seventh Heaven plugin is concerned, I see it as being just more ITB algorithms. I've heard that the Bricasti is eye-opening (ear-opening). I'm trying to get some confirmation for my bias before I get one. Reverb is the more important plugin we use (not discounting the importance of EQ and compression), so it only makes sense to use the best available to us.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Nov 9, 2017)

Prockamanisc said:


> To be honest, the few outboard pieces that I have, in my eyes, neuter that argument. Using only analog summing, my tracks go from "sounds" into "music". Using a Vari Mu? Fuhgettaboutit. So good. It's that magical, inexplicable 3% that turns tracks into feelings.
> 
> As far as the Seventh Heaven plugin is concerned, I see it as being just more ITB algorithms. I've heard that the Bricasti is eye-opening (ear-opening). I'm trying to get some confirmation for my bias before I get one. Reverb is the more important plugin we use (not discounting the importance of EQ and compression), so it only makes sense to use the best available to us.



There's a thread somewhere around here where people posted tracks through Seventh Heaven and an M7 as an A/B. If it's really that eye-opening and special you should have no trouble picking out which is which. To me, of course they sounded different but neither was better than the other. I often preferred the Seventh Heaven ones. The M7 didn't always have more depth. If you have a similar experience then you can try the Seventh Heaven to see if you like working with it and after that start considering whether an M7 is really worth it.


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## MPortmann (Nov 9, 2017)

Prockamanisc said:


> I'm wondering if I should get a Bricasti. I have Altiverb and use VSL and Spitfire primarily. Does anyone have experience with and who can tell me if it sounds as good as people say? Is it worth the cost?




I owned one for several years and recently sold it. Bought one used and sold it for that same price. Was a good investment for me. I needed to be all ITB for quick printing of stems and being able to duplicate that on a mobile rig. Still miss it at times (especially for tracks that only have one or two instruments) but at the end of the day Seventh Heaven and others do a fantastic job. There's more versatility in having mutiple instances w different settings.


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## Prockamanisc (Nov 10, 2017)

I can imagine that it would be tough to have only a single Bricasti, but I figure I can make the best of it if I use it as my main reverb. Was the sound tangibly better, would you say? Do you feel like your tracks have diminished in quality in any way since selling it?


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## SDCP (Nov 10, 2017)

I love mine. Great for strings and woodwinds. Worth the price in my opinion.


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## jamwerks (Nov 10, 2017)

Prockamanisc said:


> ... I see it as being just more ITB algorithms.


Keep in mind that all reverbs are digital and itb.


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## tmhuud (Nov 10, 2017)

They’re like ruffles potatoe chips. You can’t just have ONE.


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## burp182 (Nov 10, 2017)

Worth it?

Yep.


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## Doppler75 (Nov 10, 2017)

Bricasti M7, I wish I had more than one. I have several very good itb choices, but every time I listen to the tail on the Bricasti's algorithms I am reminded of it's intrinsic value. It is a spectacular tool.


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## Nmargiotta (Nov 10, 2017)

I agree with certain peices of outboard that bring mojo factor the plugins can’t nail. I don’t own a bricasti but I do print almost everything through my vari-mu, the amount of time it saves me is insane. I feel the bricasti has the same effect you don’t have to question it, you put it on and you know your good. From what I’ve heard through interviews Alan Meyerson uses it heavily on program setting 1 which is main hall? I believe? Doesn’t even have to touch it, it’s that mojo — It would be nice to have the same confidence with other ITB gear. Bricasti’s are very special.


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## synthpunk (Nov 10, 2017)

I want to build a tunnel to Capitol's basement.
http://www.acontinuouslean.com/2013/12/02/secret-capitol-studios-sound/



jamwerks said:


> Keep in mind that all reverbs are digital and itb.


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## Oliver_Codd (Nov 10, 2017)

The Bricasti is an amazing tool. Whether or not it's worth the expense would depend on quite a few factors but here are some thoughts to consider...

Chances are pretty good that if you don't feel satisfied with your mixes, the M7 isn't going to magically solve the problem. You should be able to make outstanding mixes with altiverb, lexicon, relab (480, vsr24) etc.

We have at our disposal near exact recreations of the TC6000, and the various Lexicons in cheap plugin form (it's a great time to be alive!), yet most of our mixes can't touch the pre 2007 score mixes that utilized these same tools.

This is obviously in part due to the fact that professional scoring mixers are far better than we are at mixing, but more likely because the source material that we are mixing in the first place isn't nearly as good. With orchestral music, the composition, arrangement, performance and recordings should get you 98% of the way there. The other 2% is the mix/master and I'd say reverb is maybe 10% of that at best. Obviously these are over generalizations but you get the point...

I've found that 'mixing with samples' is far more effective than trying to salvage a production through mixing in it's traditional sense. Creating depth and a sense of 3 dimensions will be much easier and superior sounding using your spitfire libraries mic positions than trying to do so with any reverb. If your mixes sound flat using those libraries, you're doing something wrong. The $1200 spent on a kemper profiling amp gets me far better results than using a $5k massive passive on an amp sim. Point being, your money might be better spent on libraries or elsewhere.

With all of that being said, I've found a few circumstances where the bricasti really shines above all other reverbs and would be worth the investment if you can afford it.

- If you do a lot of tracking of instruments in your home studio space, the M7 room presets can really bring those recordings to life. For example, I like to layer live small percussion on top of samples to give them more energy and the bricasti does wonders in getting those sounds to fit together.

- The Bricasti will help glue different sources together more effectively than other reverbs, so it can be very helpful when dealing with libraries that were recorded in different rooms, but only after you get the balance and EQ right.

So to conclude that very long rant, I probably wouldn't rush to buy one just yet if the near 4k will be a big hit to your wallet. See if you can test one out for a little while first so you really know what you're getting. This might contradict some of my previous posts regarding the subject, but the more time I spend mixing, and the better I get at it, the more I realize it's all about the ears and the source, not the tools. I love my bricasti, but I've been getting great results with Relabs VSR24 (TC6k clone) and as lovely as the m7 sounds, I could certainly live without it.


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## Prockamanisc (Nov 12, 2017)

Oliver_Codd said:


> the more time I spend mixing, and the better I get at it, the more I realize it's all about the ears and the source, not the tools.


I totally agree. It's one thing if I were to be tracking a piece with choice rooms and players, but I'm having to take sampled instruments and force them into an space together. I'll keep improving as I go on, but it seems like a Bricasti would help me in the meantime.


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## jamwerks (Nov 12, 2017)

The Bricasti is especially interesting for creating a beautiful space to instruments that don't have any room information (vocals, guitars, drums, etc.). But for our samples that already have er's and in some cases even great sounding tails, a Bricasti brings much less to the table.


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## Prockamanisc (Nov 12, 2017)

jamwerks said:


> But for our samples that already have er's and in some cases even great sounding tails, a Bricasti brings much less to the table.


For sure, but I use primarily VSL and Spitfire, and getting them to sit well together requires a great reverb. Altiverb is great, so I'd like to see what's on the next level.


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## jamwerks (Nov 12, 2017)

Yes an M7 does do a lot for the old VSL stuff. I had one for a few months and that was it's job! I just couldn't justify the price. Though not quite as rich, MIR gets you very close for a fraction of the price.

If you haven't yet heard Seventh Heaven, check it out. Imo it gets you 90% there towards a real M7.


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## chimuelo (Nov 12, 2017)

I’ve been using 4 x TC Fireworx, about 1800 bucks total, and a Mutec Clock for several years and thought I was slick until I heard the Model 7 in person.

Their office must be in Gardnerville, NV. where my daughter n Law grew up.
She hooked me up with with this 18 year old hip hopper who got one as a gift from his dad as I was shamed.

I’m holding off until I hear the Eventide H9000.
Hoping their Reverbs have improved.

If not, a used Model 7 as the main verb with DSP and TCs would be great.


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## Bruno Alexiu (Nov 15, 2017)

Despite the very high price, I bought a new Bricasti M7. I use it as a send this reverb for all my instruments, in short reverb (1.7s). The result is stunning, truly beautiful and contributes 50% to the sound. What is incredible is the analog input (do not plug them in digitally, they are the converters that are extra ordinary). On the other hand, it gives a character that does not deteriorate the sound: a lower reverb, we add bass and the sound is not restructured.

I liked it so much, I bought a second one! this time at 3.8 s, that I add in automation on the climates mezzoforte, the long notes, the beautiful legato... A treat!

for those who want to hear


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## Prockamanisc (Nov 15, 2017)

Is anybody using their Bricasti with VEP? Does that complicate the routing at all? I'm wondering about how, say, a VSL orchestra would sound if it were panned and everything within MIR, then returned as a stereo track in Cubase. Would it sound terrible if that audio was then sent to the Bricasti as a send? Or would I just have to skip out on the MIR part?


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## benatural (Nov 15, 2017)

I have one and I use it as my main verb. All I can provide is my subjective opinion, but ever since I got it I no longer have to struggle to get a lush and transparent reverb sound. It could be due to a lack of mixing chops, I'm sure that's part of it. I find it a huge time saver.


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## MPortmann (Nov 15, 2017)

Prockamanisc said:


> I can imagine that it would be tough to have only a single Bricasti, but I figure I can make the best of it if I use it as my main reverb. Was the sound tangibly better, would you say? Do you feel like your tracks have diminished in quality in any way since selling it?



Tangibly better perhaps depending on the type of music. If I was recording live solo piano or Chris Botti trumpet in intimate style, yes it's that much better and easier to get that lush sound. For the dense type of music I'm working on now (trailers, big cinematic) no not really, I'm not missing anything. When I came up the ranks, many of the producers and engineers I worked with used heavy amounts of reverb. I'm still trying to use reverb sparingly and only when necessary, based on what the music needs. There are many alternative ways to create space and dimension in tracks besides reverb, use of delays, arrangements, different orchestration techniques, etc....

Maybe there's possibility to rent a bricasti if you're in a location where that's available? I found one to rent online prior to buying. Sold me when I heard it. If it inspires you to create and make music, then great.


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## hueynym (Nov 15, 2017)

Prockamanisc said:


> I'm wondering if I should get a Bricasti. I have Altiverb and use VSL and Spitfire primarily. Does anyone have experience with and who can tell me if it sounds as good as people say? Is it worth the cost?



With the "Black Friday" pricing of the the Design System 4 being a ridiculously low $14,980, it falls very closely to a 
"no brainer." Then you don't need to bother with linking M7s. It's neat and tidy, and the ..sound..


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## LandWaterSky (Nov 15, 2017)

hueynym said:


> With the "Black Friday" pricing of the the Design System 4 being a ridiculously low $14,980, it falls very closely to a
> "no brainer." Then you don't need to bother with linking M7s. It's neat and tidy, and the ..sound..


Well, there goes that kidney.


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## garylionelli (Nov 15, 2017)

What the Bricasti M7 does better than anything else is integrate the reverb sound with the source. Most plug-ins I own (Lex, Seventh Heaven, Exponential, Altiverb, etc.) are all great reverbs but the reverb signal seems more appended to the source, more sitting on top of, rather than fully in it. With plug-ins I can hear the dry source and reverb almost as two separate entities. For example, if I heard someone playing a nylon string guitar in a church, the guitar and the church's natural reverb would be heard more or less as a single entity. This is what the M7 accomplishes. If you do a search for Casey and Bricasti on the Gearslutz Forum, you'll find where he talks about how Bricasti made it a point with their product to have it meld with the source sound. To me this is what separates the M7 from every other reverb on the market, plug-in or hardware verb. I have a single M7 that I got 3 years ago and it's the best product I've ever bought for my studio. I just wish I bought it when it first came out. I wonder if Alan Meyerson would consider mixing with plug-ins as main reverbs. I'm sure he'd do a fantastic job since he is so talented, but he chose the Bricasti's because he thinks they are the best. Seventh Heaven is damn good, but it doesn't live and breath and blend with the source like a real Bricasti M7.


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## Thorgod10 (Jan 25, 2018)

Well the Bricasti is often treated as an ongoing investment than a one time painful purchase. (A good amount of people finance them at around 100-350 a month) and when they don't need it anymore, they'll sell it.
The thing about the Bricasti is that while software reverbs can obtain a similar quality of result, the amount of work and extra processing for each source to obtain such a clean sound pales in comparison to the ease at which the M7 brings out of box perfection.
When paying for the M7, you are paying for an immediate blend of the reverb and its source, something that can take a considerable amount of mixing time when dealing with software....and well....
Time is money


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## jmauz (Mar 20, 2018)

Another thing to consider is the inspiration you might get from using an outboard piece of gear vs. a plugin. Sure it might be subconscious but so what? If it inspires your creativity and work ethic then it's a great investment IMO. For me personally, composing/production fulfills both sides of my brain...that's one of the big reasons why I started out in the first place. I'd get bored if all I did was engineer and I'd get bored if all I did was write. The combination of both is what I love about being a media composer.


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## wst3 (Mar 21, 2018)

my two cents...

It is a remarkable digital reverb, and while there is not better/worse between the M7 and other top tier digital reverbs, there are differences.

So my answer would be that it is worth it if:
(1) you prefer it to the sound of other top tier reverbs, hardware or software
-and-
(2) it improves your ability to sell your music.

Please note I did not say "it improves your mixes" - that's really immaterial at that price point. It is only a worthwhile investment if it makes it easier for you to earn money.

If money is no object then it's a personal preference.

It really is that simple, to me anyway.

As an analog, I just spent a month evaluating small capsule condenser microphones, among them a pair of borrowed KM-84s. There is no doubt in my mind that they provided the sound I was chasing after better, and easier, than any of the other microphones I tried. IF I were still recording for a living I'd buy them because they would help to differentiate my studio and my productions. Yes, they are that cool.

But I didn't buy them, and I have no plans to do so for now. They won't help me earn money. And a decent pair is going to set me back $3K or more, and they are 40 years old, with all the potential problems a 40 year old microphone present.

The exercise was worthwhile though, because I learned that my KM-84 fetish is not all in my head, they really do sound as good as I remember. And they really are a small step above anything else I tried. But they are not worth $3K to me right now.

I will continue to use my Earthworks SR71s, which compared surprisingly favorably to the KM-84, although they are a LOT more difficult to place. I also picked up a pair of (new) Telefunken M60s, which are probably about as close as I can get for $1K, which I do think is a reasonable investment, since it will improve the sound of my guitar tracks, and they were easier to place than the SR-71s. I also learned a lot about my pair of AKG C-451s and my pair of Audio Technica AT-4031s. The AKG microphones sound different (I think I knew that already<G>), but it is a sound that will sit well in some mixes. The AT-4031s fared quite well on strummed and flatpicked guitar, but are just not up to the task of recording finger-style. 

If I were to start recording others for a living, or selling a lot of guitar focused tracks I'd have to reconsider. I'd also have to borrow a pair of Schoeps CMC6/MK41s and maybe a pair of DPA 4011s. Same price range as the used KM-84s, but still available new.

When you reach the point that you are considering a Bricasti M7 or a Manley Variable Mu or even a $3K pair of microphones it is a two part question - do they work for you, and are they a reasonable investment in your business, and unless you hit the lottery I don't think you can ignore one or the other.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Mar 25, 2018)

wst3 said:


> So my answer would be that it is worth it if:
> (1) you prefer it to the sound of other top tier reverbs, hardware or software
> -and-
> (2) it improves your ability to sell your music.





wst3 said:


> When you reach the point that you are considering a Bricasti M7 or a Manley Variable Mu or even a $3K pair of microphones it is a two part question - do they work for you, and are they a reasonable investment in your business, and unless you hit the lottery I don't think you can ignore one or the other.



I've been thinking about this a lot recently. If something like this would improve my work but I'm working on projects where it doesn't really matter, then is it really a worthwhile investment? It makes my work better but that doesn't necessarily increase the ability to sell my work. Right now my studio is basically at a point where I have everything I need to do the work I currently have and any new gear I'd like to get is a considerable investment (+$3k). 



wst3 said:


> The exercise was worthwhile though, because I learned that my KM-84 fetish is not all in my head, they really do sound as good as I remember. And they really are a small step above anything else I tried. But they are not worth $3K to me right now.



Don't mean to derail the thread but have you tried the Michael Joly modded Oktavas? They're made specifically to sound like the KM-84 and seem to go a great job. I'm thinking of sending mine in for the mod.


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## Architekton (Mar 25, 2018)

Bricasti certainly wont make your music better...but will it sound more professional technical wise? No one can answer on that question. The closest thing you can get to Bricasti sound is 7th heaven reverb professional which is a direct copy of Bricasti M7 reverb in native world. So, if you cant get the sound you are looking for out of it, you certainly wont get it with 3k $ worth of hw reverb either.


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## wst3 (Mar 25, 2018)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> <snip>
> Don't mean to derail the thread but have you tried the Michael Joly modded Oktavas? They're made specifically to sound like the KM-84 and seem to go a great job. I'm thinking of sending mine in for the mod.


Not really derailing, I think.

I've listened to quite a few demos of both his modified Oktavas and his from-scratch MJE-384s. He was in Philly a while back, but I was unable to attend that meeting. Bummed, because I like Michael a lot, and I think he is quite good, and getting my hands on his microphones could have made a decision a little easier.

So they are certainly under consideration. BUT, as with every other microphone I tried they are not a replacement for the KM-84. At least not based on any demo I've listened to. They are close, but so are the Peluso, and the Mitek, and the Telefunken, and so on, even the Oktava - there is a certain range of sounds one expects from a transformerless FET design small capsule condensor, and they are all in that ballpark. And yet the are all different! Throw in the Schoeps, DPA and Sanken offerings and you get three more takes on it.

Equally important, and an absolute deal breaker, if I can't use them in my studio, on my instruments, then I'm not considering them at all. Actually if I can't use them I'm not considering them, my place, my instruments is a bonus<G>!

No, if I were able to justify the expense I'd get a pair of KM-84s. I'm done looking for a replacement, at least for now. I don't believe it exists. 

Since I'm not there now I'm working with what I have, and I did pick up a pair of the Telefunken M60s. They are not a replacement, but they did provide a very nice sound that I could not get with my other microphones. In fact I'm thinking about selling off a couple of the other pair now. The M60s are really quite good.

All of which plays right back to the original question. For some only a Bricasti will do, for others a plugin version of the Bricasti will do, for some it has to be a Lexi 224 or 480, others like the plugin versions of these.

It's a two part question, every time, and the frustrating part is that the two parts are pretty well isolated. You find the solution that works for you, then you figure out if it makes good business sense, or if you can afford it without the business justification.

To the rest of your post - improving my work, or my work flow is not a sufficient justification for me to spend $3K on outboard gear or even microphones. The audible differences will not improve my bottom line, and since I am not selling my services it won't help me make a sale. On the other hand, better monitors, or a better room will improve my work, and stands a chance of improving my ability to sell my work. Still a difficult business decision, but at least I've identified the question!


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## Greg (Mar 25, 2018)

I was shocked by how realistic the room tones are, nothing even compares in the vst realm to my ears. In fact my very first thought was that I need to buy at least 1 more. Hahaha


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## JohnG (Mar 25, 2018)

I use hardware reverb, but really it's a technicality. Most boxes one buys nowadays, while undoubtedly hardware and separate, nevertheless are just a dedicated processor with software reverb algorithms. So it's somewhat a matter of semantics, when you get down to it, unless you are buying "real" hardware like a plate or something. Or a Manley Massive Passive.

I am not for a moment knocking external hardware reverb, but as a practical matter for [movie/game/TV] score its contribution is marginal in many cases; when it comes to delivering a project I have to provide stems so either I or my engineer would either have to spend about a week printing stems through the hardware reverb or buy six of them.

I'm mostly converted over to using UAD reverbs and they sound good.


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## Henk (Sep 20, 2019)

chimuelo said:


> I’ve been using 4 x TC Fireworx, about 1800 bucks total, and a Mutec Clock for several years and thought I was slick until I heard the Model 7 in person.
> 
> Their office must be in Gardnerville, NV. where my daughter n Law grew up.
> She hooked me up with with this 18 year old hip hopper who got one as a gift from his dad as I was shamed.
> ...


Chimuelo:
I am a new, and found this interesting post.
What reverb do you use now? Have you used h9000?


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## ProfoundSilence (Sep 20, 2019)

jamwerks said:


> Keep in mind that all reverbs are digital and itb.




that's demonstrably false. Reverberation occurs in nature, which is even more out of the box. 

If I play a sound through a speaker in a cave and pick it up with a microphone - there is no box, and the reverberation is analogue. 

but yes - the M7 reverb(unlike a physical plate reverb) is a digital reverb unit. 

As for me, the ability to control each reverb is absolutely better than any hardware unit. in 7th heaven you can adjust each reverb to match the instrument, clearing up any nasty frequency build ups.


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## chimuelo (Sep 20, 2019)

Henk said:


> Chimuelo:
> I am a new, and found this interesting post.
> What reverb do you use now? Have you used h9000?



Actually use my Reverbs for Live work more than recording, so I grabbed the Strymon Big Sky. 
Ive never seen the H9000 in person yet and the trade shows I go to are Computex, CES.
But have seen their pedals which are impressive.
If their 9000 is a step above that it must be phenomenal. 
Their pitch algos are xtreme too.

I bought a Meris Hedra Pedal that loops into/through my Strymon Timeline.
Some exotic signature sounds are being made. 
Heres my mobile rack for local gigs. Its a frame that goes back into an ATA when I travel.
Its a great recording rig though, self contained and uses Reaper, Bidule and Cubase.
PLAY, Kontakt, PianoTeq, ZebraHZ and Omnisphere/Keysacpe get mixed into my DSP Rack where hardware FX, analog and FPGA based hardware synths are combined.

Would love to get a Model 7 someday. 
Love native audio and samples, as well as dynamics processing, but for Modulations, Delays and Reverbs I prefer hardware still.


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## Henk (Sep 20, 2019)

Thank you, I understand.
ITB is easy to work, but the sound quality is not good.
I have lexicon 300, uad fx (480, emt140..)
But always think that the plugin is not as good as hardware。


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## chimuelo (Sep 20, 2019)

Henk said:


> Thank you, I understand.
> ITB is easy to work, but the sound quality is not good.
> I have lexicon 300, uad fx (480, emt140..)
> But always think that the plugin is not as good as hardware。



I prefer Dynamics on ITB Audio as it is immediate, but mixing and mastering in DSP and routing hardware FX into that environment is my fav.
Most of my samples need no treatment until I start layering sounds which works really well for me. 
So nailing the intial sounds with EQ and Dynamics befre adding Time based effects gets me the bang I like.
Especially for that drone Sine Bass so popular in HipHop.
I can get a better Tube simulation with really well shaped sound ITB than going out into my Modded Tube Compressor or Tube based Sonic Exciter and those units cost me some dough. But they are great on the Mains of a PA as Inserts. Real beefy.

UAD someday will add MIDI Automation and parameter control especially on their Console 2 Mixer.
By the time they break down and add MIDI my 10 year old DSP rack will likely die or lose support.
Mixing in DSP has been my workflow for 15 years now.
I fear change..


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## IvanP (Sep 21, 2019)

I have a Bricasti and it's an amazing piece of hardware. But, to be honest, for music production, I very rarely use it. Printing Stems is obviously done in Real Time, so I don't have the time to do it and use a mix of 7th Heaven + Other Great Reverb Plugins offline.

I've mixed with Lexicon hardware too, which sounds obviously spectacular, but the Bricasti does has that magic. Too bad I think it's more for Mixing purposes than for Music Production.

I do have a funny anecdote though.

Last year, I was reviewing some demos with a director for a Feature Film and he mentioned that that (forgot which) instrument didn't sound very real in the mockup.

I said. Let me change something. I only had to switch the Bricasti and he said "Ah! Now it sounds amazing"


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## brunodegazio (Sep 21, 2019)

Bruno Alexiu said:


> Despite the very high price, I bought a new Bricasti M7. I use it as a send this reverb for all my instruments, in short reverb (1.7s). The result is stunning, truly beautiful and contributes 50% to the sound. What is incredible is the analog input (do not plug them in digitally, they are the converters that are extra ordinary). On the other hand, it gives a character that does not deteriorate the sound: a lower reverb, we add bass and the sound is not restructured.
> 
> I liked it so much, I bought a second one! this time at 3.8 s, that I add in automation on the climates mezzoforte, the long notes, the beautiful legato... A treat!
> 
> for those who want to hear





Wow, this sounds fantastic. Nice composition, great sound quality. One question though - what is it you are advertising? I don't quite get it...


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## wst3 (Sep 21, 2019)

I think you need to look at a purchase like the Bricasti - any purchase really - from two perspectives.

First, and more important I think - does it make good business sense? Will it elevate your productions such that you can command more money? Will it impress prospects so you can attract more business? In short, will it pay for itself? If it won't, then it is a risky purchase. Not necesarilly a bad purchase, just a risky one. If you happen to be in a position where you don't need to worry about that then go for it.

Second, will it make your projects sound better to you? Will it inspire you? Will it encourage you to spend more time making music? If any or all of these are true then maybe a little risk is not such a bad thing.

These investments - and they are investments - are never black and white. That new hardware or new library or whatever could be the trick that makes your business more profitable, even if tangentially. Or it could cause you to miss the next mortgage payment and mess up your credit rating. And really, you won't know till you know.

The third metric - at least to me - has become somewhat irrelevant. Does it sound better. Few will notice, fewer will care. The UA Lexicon 480 sounds amazing, and it has helped me mix. (No idea if my mixes are better, but I like them<G>!) It does not sound like the hardware I used years ago, but as others have said, it is a matter of different, not better or worse. If I had the hardware I'd probably still use the plugin for cases where it worked better. (I will never really know!)

A concrete example - I had a chance to purchase a pair of Neumann KM-84s recently for about $3K. They were pristine. They were well matched. And in spite of my desire to prove, once and for all, that they were no better than a good modern microphone I discovered that there is something about them that has yet to be duplicated. They sound great, and they are nearly impervious to placement - stick them in front of something and it will sound good. Find the magic spot and it will sound amazing.

Once upon a time (and why I never purchased a pair way back when is beyond me) I did a lot of studio and remote recording. A pair of microphones like these would have paid for themselves quickly. They'd have sounded great, which supports a reasonable price for my work, they are easier to use, which means fewer hours spent, and they have that name that would appeal to prospects. Win/win/win!

But I don't do that sort of work anymore. I record me, in my studio, almost exclusively. And the clients I choose to work for don't care what microphones I use. So there is no way for me to rationalize such an investment. And I tried. I find the sound of many of my guitars recorded with a pair of KM-84s to be inspiring. That should be enough, but financially it just doesn't work for me right now.

And that's my suggestion for evaluating big dollar investments. Will they earn their keep, whether it is through better or faster results, marketing power, or inspiration - if there is a good business reason then go for it.

But to ask if the hardware is better than the software seems to me the wrong question. These days plugins are beyond anything we ever imagined when they first appeared. They are good, more than sufficient to do great work. I think it becomes a business decision.

That said, and I hope this doesn't sound silly, I have a Lexi PCM-90 that I use as my 2-mix reverb often. It does something for the mix - to my ears - that none of my pliugins can do yet. Call it glue or magic, or even habit, I like the result. I probably would not buy one today, but dang, it sounds great, and I am glad to have it in my tool kit.


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## ManicMiner (Sep 21, 2019)

I have EastWest and Spitfire stuff. I demoed a lot of mid-range reverbs, and ended up going with the VSS3 (native). Just brought everything together well better than, for example, the Pro-R. 
Last BF , the VSS3 was ~$100.


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## synthetic (Sep 24, 2019)

Bricasti is the only hardware that gets used on 100% of everything I do. PCM96S and Minimoog are used on 90%. After that, a few analog synths sometimes but rarely use other hardware besides microphones.

but I bought mine before stuff like Valhalla and Exponential Audio verbs came out. Not sure if I would do it again. Software gets better every year.Hardware is still better IMO but only like 5% better. But getting 5% better gets expensive the further you go.


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## chimuelo (Sep 24, 2019)

synthetic said:


> Bricasti is the only hardware that gets used on 100% of everything I do. PCM96S and Minimoog are used on 90%. After that, a few analog synths sometimes but rarely use other hardware besides microphones.
> 
> but I bought mine before stuff like Valhalla and Exponential Audio verbs came out. Not sure if I would do it again. Software gets better every year.Hardware is still better IMO but only like 5% better. But getting 5% better gets expensive the further you go.



Yepp.
Like my expensive RCF TTO8A speakers vrs. QSC 8.2.
RCFs have noticable difference but not 3000 dollars worth.

I could have bought a Bricasti.
When you sell it please contact me first.


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## synthetic (Sep 24, 2019)

I have the PCM96 Surround too so obviously I'm the wrong person to ask if hardware reverb is worth it.  

But it's like anything else. A Lamborghini is 2% faster than a Corvette but 3x the cost. There is a difference, but is it worth it to you? But IMO audio upgrades are cumulative. You don't notice changing one cable in your studio, but upgrade all of them and you can hear it. 2% better here and there and eventually it sounds like a record.


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## jamwerks (Sep 25, 2019)

I had one for a while, several years back. A real M7 really shines imo on material recorded without any ambience, which in practice means most elements found in a pop arrangement. But for orchestral samples with varying degrees of a room already backed-in, reverb plugins do (98%) just as well, and sometimes even better.


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## sumskilz (Sep 25, 2019)

jamwerks said:


> Keep in mind that all reverbs are digital and itb.


Not true, but the Bricasti M7 is literally a digital reverb in a box.



Nmargiotta said:


> I agree with certain peices of outboard that bring mojo factor the plugins can’t nail.


I'm pretty sure a plugin could nail what the M7 does if the plugin's programmer had access and the rights to the M7's code.


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## jamwerks (Sep 25, 2019)

sumskilz said:


> Not true, but the Bricasti M7 is literally a digital reverb in a box.


Which ones aren't?



sumskilz said:


> I'm pretty sure a plugin could nail what the M7 does if the plugin's programmer had access and the rights to the M7's code.


The M7 is a "plugin" (albeit proprietary) and it reportedly has the equivalent of an UAD Octo + Quand running it.


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## sumskilz (Sep 25, 2019)

jamwerks said:


> Which ones aren't?


Plate, spring, and oil can reverbs. The former two are what I usually think of when I think of hardware reverbs, and they really can't yet be emulated that well in digital form. Oil can reverbs I barely think of at all, because who has one? I'd usually refer to something like the M7 as an outboard reverb, since the reverb itself isn't really hardware. Not that the semantics really matter.


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## Prockamanisc (Sep 26, 2019)

To summarize and simplify the messages in this thread: 

If the underlying question is "is the Bricasti AMAZING?" then the answer is yes.

If the question is "will the money invested in this device yield more than what is invested?" then the answer depends on your current happiness with your productions, and the projected state of your business.


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