What are using for your main reverb in the studio?

[gmeister]

Looking to upgrade my reverb. Currently using the MPX1, looking for something a considerate step above, but less than $1500.00. Tried plugins but are too cpu hungry. Just curious as to what others are using.

[Scott Gould]

For several years my main studio reverb has been the TC Electronics M3000. It sells for (just barely) under $1500, and does a fantastic job. It leans toward the cleaner, more "natural" sound as opposed to the thicker "enhanced" sound of the Lexicons in its price range (PCM81, 91). You may prefer the Lex sound (it's a matter of taste, not quality - I also have the 81).
I hope this was helpful.

Scott
P.S. I recently got a Kurzweil KSP8, which is seeing more and more use, but it's a fair bit above your price range.

[gmeister]

Thank's Scott,

I've done some searching and found a TC M5000 mainframe without the remote and with 1 dsp1 reverb card in excellent condition. How important is the remote for this unit and what am I missing with having only one dsp card? I'm not very familiar with the Tc electronic verbs. Not sure what the final price may be yet as it is being auctioned.

I've heard the KSP8 and it sounds great. It makes me wonder if the Rumour sounds anything like it considering the price difference.

[xstatic]

Just about any TCM5000 configuration for under $1500 is a great price. You can always expand it later. No matter what config it should at least offer 2 ins and outs.

Personally, I use the Wavers IR-1 with primarily either Lexi 960 and 480 samples, or Eventide 3000 samples. Ir 1 AND a cpu upgrade should put you right around $1500. Overall, I have been VERY impressed with some of the samples available to the IR-1. There are cheaper convolution reverbs out there as well.

[sdelsolray]

Originally posted by gmeister
Looking to upgrade my reverb. Currently using the MPX1, looking for something a considerate step above, but less than $1500.00. Tried plugins but are too cpu hungry. Just curious as to what others are using.

I use a TC Eletronics M2000 and several plugings (Altiverb, Waves). I'm looking to pick off a M3000 off eBay for cheap. The M2000 is nice but I want those additional verbs in the M3000. Altiverb is quite stunning.

[djui5]

I love the M5000....it's one of my top 5 verb/fx boxes.....

Our top verb currently is either the Reverb One plug-in or a Yamaha SPX-1000 outboard verb....


Yeah..I know.

[Hynek]

Mine is TC M3000. What I wanted it to do I does great. However, I've never tested it directly against any of the contenders mentioned here since my only other outboard reverb is MOneXL. The M5000 has been discontinued for some considerable time now. I'm not sure if it really is a better value than the newer M3000. My friend bought a second-hand M5000 and got upset when we talked about it. It was something about a lot of presets being inaccessible without some kind of a card he didn't get with the unit. I never visited him to figure out the details so I can't tell how serious it really was, if at all.

Just make sure it all sounds pretty good before you apply the reverb. Some of us remember the guy who showed up in this forum a few months ago and then, to my regret, disappeared again. His name was Greg, he posted some awsome pieces of his own engineering and he didn't use any other reverb on the album than the RoomVerb plug-in. As good as the RoomVerb is, we'll probably agree there are better reverbs out there but Greg's recording was just beyond reproach if you know what I mean. If it sounds too smart just disregard this second paragraph ;) Good luck.

[flattop100]

I don't do much ( = hardly any) studio work, but from what I've heard, I'd live and die by the KSP8's "Abby Piano Hall."

[gmeister]

Thanks everyone,

It seems the TC electronics M3000 is very popular. I'll definately want to check it out. I thought there might be more people using the Lex PCM91. I'm really looking for something that doesn't color the sound that much. It sounds like the M3000 might be the one.

GMEISTER

[Reddirt]

I'd be giving the TC stuff a good listen before I bought as I bought the M-one on reviews and while it is a lovely piece with great delays and choruses etc ,I could never get the reverbs to convince on vox /clarinet/classical guitar no matter how hard I tried. I ended up using a cheap old Lex reflex which wasn't perfect but felt way better. I know the M3000 is in another stratosphere but I'd listen hard paricularly with a PCM91 as prospective competition.
Cheers, Ross.

[flattop100]

Red--what kind of verb were you looking for? I felt the same way, so one day I sat down and twiddled the dials until I got what I wanted (which was a big cathedral-sounding space). It took too long, especially considering that there are 200 presets, but in the end I got what I needed.

I actually think the M-1XL verbs sound worse than the M-1 itself. With the XL, all of the verbs sound like a bathroom. Just really, really big bathrooms.

[Reddirt]

I was looking for a warm yet wide, cohesive sound which was not disembodied from the source -believeable; I tweaked the hell out of it and still no joy.
I did hear the Rumour through cans in a shop and thought it showed a lot of promise particularly it's small spaces but wondered if it had a resonant note running through the upper bass of all the programs and again I reckon you need to try before you buy.One big rap on the Rumour is the convertors-people are using them in their own right.

[robertallen1977]

Which plugins did you try? the Waves TrueVerb is nice!

[gmeister]

I heard a demo of the TC m3000 and must say it sounded pretty good, But I found a demo unit PCM91 with a full manufactures warranty for less money and bought it. The Waves Trueverb is nice and can compliment my new PCM91. Now I got to sell the MPX1.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[Hynek]

Sounds like a very good deal.

[marc777]

Hi Gmeister,

I personally use DreamVerb Powered plugin from the UAD1 Card. I am more than happy with the result I achieve with this plugin!

It also has the advantage as to have no drainage on the CPU of your computer as it has its own brain power. And the best news is it is only the tip of the iceberg as to your plugin choice. The compressors and EQ plugins on the UAD1 are just simply amazing! Smooth Sweet Sounds!

There lastest addition the Precision Limiter, is the first in a series of mastering plugins. This is one serious plugin!

This is just my opinion as to another alternative way you could go and achieve a CPU-less high quality Reverb plugin and also take advantage of all the other high quality plugins on offer.

Marc777

[Ted]

Don't know if you're still looking, but the price of the M3000 just dropped to $999:

M3000 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M3000/)

I don't need one, but at that price I'm seriously considering picking one up. Just what I needed...

-Ted

[gmeister]

Ted,

That's a great deal. I've already bought the pcm 91 and can't swing the m3000 now. It's just my luck. Maybe down the road at that price its hard to pass up.