Reverb Settings - Blind Test

Which of the sound bytes is High Quality, Echo Density 8

  • A

    Votes: 4 16.0%

  • B

    Votes: 3 12.0%

  • C

    Votes: 5 20.0%

  • D

    Votes: 5 20.0%

  • E

    Votes: 4 16.0%

  • F

    Votes: 1 4.0%

  • G

    Votes: 2 8.0%

  • H

    Votes: 1 4.0%
  • Total voters
    25
  • Poll closed .
Smittefar

Smittefar

Axe-Master
Put your CPU where you ears are !! :)

With all the talk about how much CPU the Reverbs cost, I thought we should have a little test - So I made a preset with comp, amp, cab, looper and reverb. I chose the reverb preset "Rich Hall"
Screenshot%202016-04-15%2022.16.05.png


I recorded eight different reverb settings Normal Quality, with Echo densities 2, 4, 6, 8 and High Quality with Echo Densities 2, 4, 6, 8

The preset is attached. I did no post processing in my DAW, I just exported all recordings to 320 kbps MP3s.

Can you tell the difference?

Here is a zip-file with all the MP3s https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10538417/ReverbTest/ReverbTest.zip, if you prefer to listen directly on your computer

And here are the sound bites

Dry Track: A: B: C: D: E, F, G, and H are in the next post - Only five pieces of media are allowed in each post.

The preset is at 27% CPU without the reverb block, with a spring reverb, it is at 34%, with Rich Hall, Normal Quality, Echo Density 2, it is 43% and with High Quality, Echo Density 8, it is at 56%. So you can save 13% CPU by lowering the quality, and 22% CPU by using a Spring Reverb.

EDIT: The poll has ended - find the results here http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/reverb-settings-blind-test.113538/page-2#post-1360644
 

Attachments

  • Reverb Test.syx
    12.6 KB · Views: 2
Last edited:
Fun excercise. I'm frustrated with myself that I can't tell which is which in my studio reference phones. I can hear differences in each, most especially high versus low density, but the "quality" is difficult to differentiate, especially with the small snapshot of context.
 
I am admittedly just a dumb guitarist with no appreciation for superior reverb algorithms so to me they all sound good even with their differences. Heck, I play most of the time with just some delay and no reverb. :)

It makes me think that keeping High Quality reverbs in the AX8 was unnecessary considering how much CPU they take up. If you give most people high quality whatever they will use it or at least try to. I'm sure folks would complain or ask why (if this was the case) but you're never going to please everyone. :)
 
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I'm not a big reverb user either. Once the drummer starts the less reverb the better as far as I am concerned. I haven't owned an amp with reverb for a long time... I do like using the Ambient setting for some things. I suppose I should compare the Ambient setting to some really short spring reverb settings to see if I can save a little CPU and get similar results.

I can hear differences but I could not tell you which is High Quality. I guess I really don't care enough about reverb and don't know what to listen for that would tip me off.
 
I am not a big reverb guy myself. I never owned a reverb pedal, and while my amp spring reverb was always on, it was always on a very low setting.

I view the big lush reverbs in Ax8 as a special effect that might be applicable in a big ambient song intro, but then I might make a special preset for that. For all my other playing that just need a little ambience, spring reverb combined with delays are fine. I also like the diffusion setting in the delay block for added ambience.

I also think all of the reverbs above sound nice. There are differences, buy I am not sure, if one is necessarily 'better'.

I am curious to see how the votes fall in the coming week. When the poll ends, I will post the correct answers.
 
Barmaleus said:
Just a guess: G
Click to expand...

Well now that we're coming out about it: I went with G yesterday as well, it seemed pretty clearly more diffused than some others. But who knows as far as quality goes. A whole set of them seemed louder than a whole other set. I used that as a clue.
 
I'm in the same boat as the others - I can definitely hear a difference in the diffusion going on, but I have no real preference. The first thing I did when I loaded up a reverb block in my own presets was to set it to normal quality and lowest resolution, and I have absolutely no complains about the sound. With that said, there is no way I could settle for a spring reverb for the type of ambient sound I use my reverb for.
 
C. Just a guess. I'd have to use headphones.

It might help a little to know which type and the reverb length. I'd love to hear this test with higher mix and longer length. That might be more telling.

With the popularity of the Neunaber Wet, that type of reverb has become more common. I have not tested it on the AX8, but I was able to dial in some convincing reverbs similar to the Wet on my Axe FX II.
 
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