averystemmler
Active Member
EDIT: I didn't want to bump this thread, but I did want to post an update for anyone who stumbles on this later. I've since bought the stereo bundle (Nimbus, R4, and phoenixverb) and I absolutely understand the appeal now. Once you spend some time with the controls, you can dial in incredibly clean and transparent reverb with Nimbus for all sorts of source material. It just kinda fits without drawing attention to itself, and without cluttering things up. R4 is similar, on the "less clean" side, but I still need to spend more time with it.
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So, I've been on my bi-annual reverb crusade, and I figured I'd finally give EA another go. I had demoed something many years ago (PhoenixVerb, I think) and passed, but they get such praise that I thought I'd be remiss not to investigate. So, I now have demos going for every single EA reverb.
[SUBJECTIVITY WARNING!]
So far, I really want to like them, but the entire line - with the possible exception of some of the dense ERs possible in Stratus and Symphony - sound very old-fashioned. To me, what that means is that they can make some lovely tails, but they have a lot of very clear, static taps in both the early and late reflections that comb when close together and sound like a hailstorm when far apart. To me, this makes it difficult to use for spacializing dry signals, and potentially problematic when introducing the reflections inherent in wet ones. I've been able to find a decent compromise by noodling with the attack and ER modules, but even Stratus and Symphony with their dense reflections and more elaborate featureset, don't sound nearly as natural/unobtrusive to me as Pro-R, Breeze 2, or Seventh Heaven (convolution, but of an algorithmic unit).
My question: is this just a matter of taste, or am I missing something? If anyone has examples on hand of work they've done using EA stuff, I'd love to hear it!
Thanks!
As an addendum: I own the Lexicon PCM Bundle. I love the RandomHall, but I have almost the exact same feelings as the above with everything else. Perhaps that's sensible, given the pedigree. If I didn't already own the PCM bundle, R4 does have some really nice lush tails in that style.
---
So, I've been on my bi-annual reverb crusade, and I figured I'd finally give EA another go. I had demoed something many years ago (PhoenixVerb, I think) and passed, but they get such praise that I thought I'd be remiss not to investigate. So, I now have demos going for every single EA reverb.
[SUBJECTIVITY WARNING!]
So far, I really want to like them, but the entire line - with the possible exception of some of the dense ERs possible in Stratus and Symphony - sound very old-fashioned. To me, what that means is that they can make some lovely tails, but they have a lot of very clear, static taps in both the early and late reflections that comb when close together and sound like a hailstorm when far apart. To me, this makes it difficult to use for spacializing dry signals, and potentially problematic when introducing the reflections inherent in wet ones. I've been able to find a decent compromise by noodling with the attack and ER modules, but even Stratus and Symphony with their dense reflections and more elaborate featureset, don't sound nearly as natural/unobtrusive to me as Pro-R, Breeze 2, or Seventh Heaven (convolution, but of an algorithmic unit).
My question: is this just a matter of taste, or am I missing something? If anyone has examples on hand of work they've done using EA stuff, I'd love to hear it!
Thanks!
As an addendum: I own the Lexicon PCM Bundle. I love the RandomHall, but I have almost the exact same feelings as the above with everything else. Perhaps that's sensible, given the pedigree. If I didn't already own the PCM bundle, R4 does have some really nice lush tails in that style.
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LiquidSonics have really ruined most other reverbs for me. Honestly, SHP has even ruined other LiquidSonics reverbs for me. If my studio didn't need a million other upgrades first, I'd be drooling over a real M7 next, because nothing else I try can even surpass its convolution shadow (though it's easier to do weird stuff with Illusion).
