The Best Reverb Plugins for Professional Music Producers

Phil Spectre was famous for achieving his ‘wall of sound’ production technique that really emphasized the use of space.

This is where he recorded different parts of a song in different areas of the studio. This helped him get a different spatial quality and tone for each different instrument.

If you are a music producer with some experience, you should pick up a reverb plugin. You’ll probably already be aware of various reverb effects that come built into your studio. But what about the ones that you get on your plate?

There are so many types of reverb, that having your own reverb board is most authentic method of exploring these sounds.

There are so many types of reverb to choose from: chamber, room, hall and plate reverb. You’ll be able to explore every facet of the spacious echo with a reverb plate.

Having a plate reverb will really elevate your game as a producer. You can apply some springy reverb to help the guitar in your track jump out in the mix. You also can apply some plate reverb to the bass to round out that sound. With a reverb plugin board, the possibilities are limitless.

Well, if you are a producer and looking for the solution to all of your reverb problems, keep reading.

We have list of some of the best reverb plugins that you can find. You’ll also find a buyer’s guide that will help you find a good reverb plugin and whether it is suitable for your needs.

Best Reverb Plugins

LX480 Complete

This first reverb plugin really is one of the best for beginner engineers and procedures who want a bunch of presets. This comes with impressive modulating digital reverb that you can use to give your instruments that ethereal quality.

This plugin has been described as a must-have for the drums in particular – introducing the LX480 Complete.

If you crave that 80s reverb sound on the snare and your toms, this is the reverb plugin for you. It comes with a preset that will exactly emulate the drum sound of your favorite 80s bands.

You can change the tone of your reverb easily. This board emulates some classics that the old school producers would have used.

Pros

• This comes with plenty of dynamic reverb that you can apply to your track to help it stand out.
• The interface is very simple to use, making it ideal for beginners.
• You can apply reverb to one individual instrument or you can apply it to the entire track. This versatility makes it one of the best reverb plugins that we’ve come across.
• This comes with many presets that you can use as a template for your own custom reverb settings.

Cons

• This unit is quite expensive, which might not be appealing to the cash-strapped producer.

Valhalla Room

This next reverb unit is one of the simplest that we have on this list. It has an interface that newbies and professionals have described as one of the easiest to use in the business.

This will sound incredible on your individual instruments or your final track, coming at an amazing price point too – introducing the Valhalla Room.

This will give you a spotless and smooth reverb sound, which is simply great for fleshing out some of those drier tones. You can use this on almost any instrument: guitar, synth, drums and bass. You can have a long tail reverb, which will track out the delay for as long as possible.

Pros

• The interface on this reverb deck is simple, so you will have lots of fun experimenting with these effects.
• This is one of the most affordable units that we have on this list. You won’t have to worry about breaking the bank with a new sound system.
• This is one of the most solid reverb outputs you can get. Not only does it deliver reliable performance, but it is also very robust.
• This is a neat plugin to use, with an impressive set of dials that will allow you to engineer your reverb within a fraction of a second.

Cons

• This might not have all the features that a professional producer or mixer is used to. If you want something that will really challenge your abilities, we would recommend another model.

Lustrous Plates

This next plugin comes with plenty of skin options, which is great for those for whom cosmetics are very important. This is a dazzling plugin. It has plenty of features that you can use to amend the reverb that you have applied to your tracks.

This is also a great plugin for expert producers – introducing Lustrous Plates.

If you want something that will bounce all of your tracks to the front of the mix, we would definitely suggest that you pick up this plugin.

You can crank up the EQ on this reverb machine to make the mix nice and bright. If you need to distinguish the guitar from the low hum of the bass, then this is a great tool to use.

Pros

• This plugin is one of the easiest to use on this list. It comes with plenty of features that you can use to exercise complete control.
• This comes with different skins. This is great if you are looking for a certain appearance and want to convey a sense of style.
• This comes with plenty of presents that boost your instruments to the front of the mix.
• You can control the depth and the rates as well as how wet or dry you want your mix. For controlling, this is the perfect option.

Cons

• This might not be great with vocal reverb, with a few reviewers describing the sound that it produces as slightly muddy.

Valhalla VintageVerb

Next up, we have a really psychedelic reverb plugin. It will definitely give your dull and drab mixes that extra bounce and color.

You can be sure that these will have all the reverb of those 80s bands you know and love. If you want that big and spacious drum sound, then you can’t go wrong with this – introducing the Valhalla VintageVerb.

If you want something much larger in your mix, then we would certainly suggest that you get one of these reverb plugins. These come with plenty of knobs that will allow you to adjust the depth and the dryness of your reverb. You can have very long tails with these reverb settings, so why not experiment with them?

Pros

• This is one of the most effective reverb plugins that you can get on the market. It comes with plenty of features that you can use to achieve many unique sounds.
• This has an extremely stylish skin that will impress any musicians that you are working with.
• You can control the shape and the damping of this reverb easily. Make sure that you experiment with these nodules until you get the sound that you want.

Cons

• This might seem slightly messy at the tail end of these reverb. Use the built-in low-cut option to clean it up.

Pure Plate Reverb

Next up, we have a very compact and straightforward unit. It will allow you to control the amount of delay that is coming from the output of your instruments.

If you want to control the amount of reverb that you are layering on your instruments, this is the best unit to get – introducing the Pure Plate Reverb.

You can use this reverb on many styles of instruments, including vocals, drums and guitars. You can even use this reverb when you are tracking artists live. With this, they can play with the reverb on to see how it sounds.

If you are working with live players, then have this reverb running to explore uncharted sonic landscapes as they play.

Pros

• You can run this one through the desk, making it a must-have accessory for your entire mixing board.
• This will really push forward the instruments that are lower in the mix than some of your others. If you have a low-frequency bass, add a touch of reverb to make it bounce.
• This is a great reverb for snare effects. If you want to change that sharp snapping snare for one that is a little roomier, then you should definitely have this reverb panel.
• This will be great for live tracking artists, giving you the ability to affect the guitar with your reverb.

Cons

• The price – again, this is a very expensive unit, so be sure that you have enough cash in the bank.

Soundtoys Little Plate

This final reverb is one of the simplest that you can have on this list, coming with the basic options, which is perfect for anyone looking to get to grips with the rudiments.

You can get an infinite decay mode with this plugin, which will allow you to practice with that endless slow reverb function – introducing the Soundtoys Little Plate.

When it says little, it really means little. This plate comes with everything that you need to cover the pure basics of reverb. This gives you plenty of space and reverb of many types, including springy, hall and bouncy reverb. You can use this one on any instrument that you like.

Pros

• If you want a reverb plugin that doesn’t appear daunting, then we would recommend using this one, as it only comes with basic features.
• This is a stylish reverb unit, which is perfect for the working producer who wants to give their clients that air of professionalism.
• This comes with multiple dynamic reverb that you can use on any instrument or you can simply whack it on your final track to make it pop.
• Use the infinite decay mode to get that real cinematic effect on your track. We would also recommend playing with the chamber reverb to make your track stand out.

Cons

• This might be a little basic for most people. So, if you are an expert producer and you want as much choice as possible for your reverb, then opt for another model.

Buyer’s Guide

If you are looking for a new reverb plugin, then there’ll be a few features that you simply must-have.

A professional producer will want as many options as possible. They also want the ability to control all aspects of the reverb. This includes wetness/dryness, the character and quality of the tone, as well as how much dampness it has.

Here are a few other things that you’ll be looking for:

How Many Dials Does It Have?

The number of dials will really determine how much control you have over your settings. If you want to create a pre-delay, then you’ll want a dial for that. The same will apply if you want the right tone for your reverb.

Having the right EQ levels will also help your track to stand out. You can be sure that you’ll have everything that you need to bring out the finer details of your track. If you have a low frequency, then bringing up the EQ will really help those finer details to pop.

How Easy Is It To Use?

A reverb plugin with too many bells and whistles might deter the newbie producer, who simply wants to bring out the guitar with a bit of reverb.

However, if you are an expert producer, then having something that you can access easily and quickly will be an important feature too.

How Much Does It Cost?

If you are paying a subscription, then you might look at paying a certain amount of money each month for your reverb plugin.

Make sure that you have enough money set aside to pay for this, although you can work out different payment methods such as yearly or just a one-off payment.

Of course, there are also free reverb plugins:

How Many Reverb Presets Does It Have?

The amount of presets will determine how much you can experiment with your settings. If you have a preset, then this will give you a good basis for exploring the possibilities of your settings and getting distinct sounds.

If you are a new producer, then having presets will make the entire process of refining the sound that you want a lot easier. This is also good for professional producers who want a basis on which to craft their sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Types Of Reverb Are There?

There are a few types of reverb that will offer you a distinct sound, depending on what you are looking for. A springy reverb will allow the unique sounds to pan from one speaker to another.

You can also get a hall reverb, which is a nice and round sound that will bring out some of the brighter elements of your music.

Chamber reverb is the largest reverb that you can get and will replicate the sound that you might get in a large concert hall. You can also mix the wet signal from this chamber reverb in with the dry signal from your source recording, blending the two to create that richer sound.

Our Final Say

We hope that our list of reverb plugins has helped you to decide which one is the best for your producing needs. If you are looking for that professional level of quality, then we would suggest that you get a reverb board with as many dials as possible.