What Is the Best Reverb Plugin?

What Is the Best Reverb Plugin?

Your DAW's stock reverb will get you so far. Then you hear a proper one on a vocal or a synth pad and wonder why you waited.

We've tested a lot of reverbs, and these are the ones we keep coming back to, for EDM, trance and dubstep as well as film and orchestral work. The type matters (plate, hall, spring, room), but so does the algorithm behind it, which is what separates a reverb that sits in the mix from one that just washes over it.

Valhalla VintageVerb

Valhalla VintageVerb reverb plugin interface

We could have picked any of Valhalla's reverbs and they'd all have earned a place, but VintageVerb is the jewel in the crown. Its many reverb algorithms are inspired by the classic digital hardware of the 1970s and 1980s, and its Color modes switch the overall character between those eras and a cleaner modern sound.

Lots of configurability such as early reflections, room sizes and the usual pre-delay and decay aspects means you can dial in the reverb sound to suit your work.

A clean, easy GUI, light on CPU, and it sounds phenomenal. It works on all sources and will happily sit on a bus or insert doing what it needs to do. The only weakness is that it doesn't do convincing real rooms the way a convolution reverb does: it's about character, not realism.

Waves H-Reverb

Waves H-Reverb plugin interface

We don't sell Waves, but H-Reverb is worth knowing about. Waves have combined two reverb technologies of Convolution and Algorithmic to bring the best of both worlds to their reverb - this means you get the realism and authenticity of reverb impulse response mixed with the flexibility of algorithmic styles of reverb sound.

Additionally they've extended the range of control by including a whole host of additional options, providing not only the usual decay time and pre delay and so forth but also more advanced controls such as dynamics, EQ and tempo sync making it great for electronic styles.

The presets include many inspired by famous hardware reverbs, and the results are very pleasing indeed. The catch is a fairly busy interface that takes a while to learn.

2CAudio - Aether

2CAudio Aether reverb plugin interface

Aether is a self-modulating algorithmic reverb with a really rich, enveloping quality. Its breadth of parameters will seem overwhelming to some, but a huge preset collection helps you dial in the right reverb quickly. Great on pads and long ambient tails.

FabFilter Pro-R 2

FabFilter Pro-R 2 reverb plugin interface

FabFilter throws the traditional reverb control set on its head. Instead of a wall of technical parameters you get musical controls like Space, Distance, Character and Brightness, plus direct control from an EQ-style display. Its Decay Rate EQ lets you set how long the reverb rings at different frequencies, which feels quite natural in use.

This means less to get in the way, less to worry about and more focus on the sound. Allowing software to take out the tedium of getting the 'right' sound. It also encourages experimentation.

As with all things FabFilter it sounds fantastic, and rather than copying one classic reverb it brings its own clean, mix-friendly sound to the table. If you want a lush, coloured vintage character, look elsewhere on this list.

Buy it: FabFilter Pro-R 2 at SOUND7. We're an official licensed FabFilter reseller.

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven

LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven reverb plugin interface

Seventh Heaven takes its inspiration from the Bricasti M7 hardware reverb and has all the controls you'd expect from a top-quality reverb.

It sounds phenomenal and it's nearly impossible to get a bad sound out of it. It's arguably better suited to acoustic instruments and traditional genres than to sound design, but if you want one of the best-sounding reverbs full stop, it'd be silly not to try it.

Relab LX480

Relab LX480 Dual-Engine Reverb plugin interface

Lexicon is the biggest name in algorithmic reverb, and the 480L is the one everyone wants. Check Lexicon's own site for the current state of its PCM Native plugins. The alternative we'd point you to is Relab's LX480, a dedicated recreation of the 480L's sound with two reverb engines you can run together.

The sound is that dense, smooth, slightly dark Lexicon character that sits behind a vocal or a lead without cluttering it, and no other reverb on this list quite matches it. The hardware-style controls take a little learning if you've never used the original.

Buy it: Relab LX480 Dual-Engine Reverb V4 at SOUND7, or LX480 Essentials for a simpler, cheaper version.

The verdict

For an all-rounder, FabFilter Pro-R 2. For character and vintage colour, VintageVerb. For that classic Lexicon sound, Relab LX480. And if you're on a budget, start with the free Valhalla Supermassive below.

Reverbs we stock

SOUND7 is an authorised reseller for every plugin we sell. Plugins come as a licence activation code by email.

Back to blog