Matthew Pritchard 2/6/23 Matthew Pritchard 2/6/23

Top 7 Free Pro Audio Plugins

If you’re an audio engineer or just starting out, you’re likely looking for a great tool to add to your arsenal. Through research on your own or with friends and colleagues, you’ve likely encountered many sites offering free demos and products.

While some may seem too-good-to-be-true, there are some free pro audio plugins on the market right now that can upgrade your workflow, inspire your creativity, or help fill a specific need.

Check out our list of the top 7 free audio plugins on the market right now and start experimenting.

1. CHOW Tape Model by ChowDSP

Born out of the genius of Stanford University students, Chow Tape Model has since grown into a fantastic option for saturation. Modeled after the Sony TC-260, the Chow Tape Model offers many more features than its analog counterpart.

With the plugin, you have the option to select input and output gain, modify between tape and tone, and control your level of drive. There are settings for loss, degradation, and an eponymous CHEW setting, which simulates tape that has been chewed up by a broken tape machine.

There’s even a section for adding in Wow and Flutter as well. These timing irregularities, due to imperfections in the mechanics of the machine, were captured from an original Sony TC-260 tape machine.

There are presets, and many more features worth exploring, as well as their entire suite of tools at ChowDSP.

2. Delay by Stagecraft

Stagecraft’s Delay plugin is much more than a regular delay effect. The high-resolution FFT spectrum display enables you to visualize how your delay settings are affecting the music, in real-time.

While using the plugin, combine a classic delay with a filter to control the band of each echo, and create a deep soundscape. Additionally, all parameters can be automated, allowing you to create complex, expressive sounds that manual tweaking cannot.

There is also a preset-sharing feature, which allows you to create and share presets with other Delay users online.

Check it out on their website here.

3. MAnalyzer by Melda Production

The MAnalyzer is a spectral analyzer and sonogram tool that measures average, infinite average, temporary maximum and infinite maximum. Smoothing features spread the energy between the ranges of frequencies, allowing you to identify anomalies visually.

There are even extended features like deharmonization, which reduce the harmonics and leave fundamentals, to identify the most relevant frequencies to your project.

By downloading the MAnalyzer, you get full access to the entire suite of Melda Production tools, including 36 other pro audio plugins. Check out all the advanced features and download on their site here.

4. Space Modulator by Valhalla

While Space Modular looks simple, the plugin covers a lot of territory. Now free to all instead of a free add-on, download Space Modulator to access rich modulations, and Valhalla’s incredible modulation engine.
On their site, they describe the plugin as “Eleven algorithms allow you to get through-zero flanging, barberpole flanging, detuning, doubling, strange echoes, reverbs, and all sorts of effects that defy description.”
The eleven algorithms can be controlled to shape the depth and type of modulation applied, as well as feedback, and the dry/wet mix. All of the algorithms are available in the Mode selection menu, and each mode includes a brief explanation of the type of modulation.
Check out more from Valhalla here.

5. Couture by Auburn Sounds

If you’re looking for alternatives to compression, or trying to expand your horizons, it’s worth looking into transient shaping. Couture offers control over all dynamics, but particularly attacks. It solves a surprisingly huge range of mixing problems, with very low effort.

Couture’s Sharpen tool emphasizes transients and increases dynamic range. By turning it down, you’ll smoothen the signal and reclaim headroom. Tweaking the transient shaping speed determines how the transients are emphasized or de-emphasized. Couture has three detection types: Flat, Human, and Sybil.

Couture’s transient shaping and distortion are fully level-independent, meaning that you can change the gain of a signal before it hits Couture, and it won’t make a difference to the transient-shaping or the distortion processing.

6. Snap Heap by Kilo Hearts

Snap Heap is a modular Snapin Host which allows you to build up to seven serial or parallel effects chains and modulate every parameter using Kilohearts' powerful modular modulation system.

When you’re in the creative flow, you don’t want to get encumbered with the technicalities of complicated tasks. Snap Heap allows you to manage long FX chains in tidy ways. It can also add some additional depth to sound design tasks when the onboard FX of a VST falls short. This goes a long way in crafting an original signature sound, fast.

7. EcoSlap by HEAR360 & The Department of Sound

EcoSlap is a delay plugin derived from the Ecoplate I plate reverb, utilizing Ecoplate’s shortest decay setting with additional high and low-pass filtering, pre-delay, and creative mix controls. It’s a different kind of slap-delay, with its signature sound originating from a true analog plate reverb.

EcoSlap includes must-have quick slap features allowing you to build unique sonic landscapes in your mixes with a simple user interface. Use it on any instrument or vocal performance to add beautiful sounding depth and width to your mix.

Download EcoSlap here.

Eric Von 3/4/22 Eric Von 3/4/22

What Are the Different Types of Reverb?

Reverb, short for reverberation, is that cozy blanket of sound that makes a listener feel like the artist is singing just across the room, or that auditory bliss that makes the snare drum in your favorite song sound like it’s been recorded right on the edge of a canyon. But you likely already know that, so let's discuss some of the various types of reverb.

ROOM REVERB

The most basic type of reverb is room reverb and it’s exactly what that the name implies: the reverberation of a room. Generally speaking, most rooms are untreated and have parallel surfaces, which impart some distinct sonic characteristics.

From the warm sound of grandma’s living room to the ceramic boxiness of a Walmart bathroom, all spaces have a reverb of their own. Room reverb tends to be described as small or intimate and typically has short decay times.

In my opinion, these verbs work best when you can’t actually hear the effect but can more “feel” it. One of my favorites for this type of reverb is the Valhalla Room.

PLATE REVERB

Have you ever tapped on a large metal bowl and noticed how the sounds rings out? That’s sort of how a plate reverb works.

Invented in the late 1950’s by German audio company, Elektromesstechnik (EMT), plate reverb was one of the first types of artificial reverb used in recording. Created by suspending a large steel plate with springs at each corner, a transducer emits signal into the plate which is then picked up by a contact microphone on another part of the plate.

Up until the advent of digital reverbs, the plate verb remained the most used form of artificial reverb due to its relatively low cost and size when compared to other forms of verb at the time. If you’ve ever heard Pink Floyd’s album Dark Side Of The Moon, then you’re familiar with the sound of Plate reverb. Today there are a plethora of brilliant emulations of Plate Reverb with my favorite being Ecoplate.

Check out their review on TapeOp here.

CHAMBER VERB

If you’ve ever heard the 1940’s song Peg O’ My Heart by The Harmonicats, then you’ve heard what is widely considered the first instance of artificial reverb and a great example of chamber reverb.

For the song, producer and legendary engineer, Bill Putnam Sr. put a speaker and a microphone in the men’s room of his studio and pumped the song through creating the world’s first chamber verb.

Characterized by a lush and ambient sound, chamber verb also tends to have a bit more clarity than other long-decay time reverbs. Capitol Studios and Abbey Road Studios are world famous for their chambers rooms, and luckily for most of us, there are some really solid emulations of both on the market. My favorite is the UAD Capitol Chambers plugin.

HALL REVERB

As the name suggests, hall reverbs emulate the spatial sounds of a concert hall. Generally made for orchestral arrangements, these verbs are massive and have extremely long decay times.

Often described and thick and lush, Halls tend to sound a little more ‘washed out’ and less clear than Chamber verbs. One of the best plugins on the market for hall reverbs is Audio Ease’s Altiverb which uses impulse responses to faithfully recreate these large spaces.

SPRING REVERB

When you were a kid, did you ever play with those old school spring doorstoppers at the bottom of bedroom doors, the ones that when flicked would ring out for 15 seconds or more? If so, you can understand the way in which Spring reverb sort of works.

Similar to a plate reverb, spring verb is created using a transducer that send signal down a spring (or, a thin coiled piece of metal) which is then picked up on the other end and then mixed back into the original signal, creating a bouncy sort of sound.

Popularized in the 1960’s by Leo Fender and his Combo Amp, Spring verb’s compact build made its way into most classic guitar amps and other instruments like the Hammond Organ. One of my favorite Spring verb plugins is the Arturia Rev SPRING-636 and emulation of the legendary Grampian 636 spring reverb.

Liked this article? Looking for more reverb tips? Check out how to work with a plate reverb plugin here!

Eric Von 11/12/21 Eric Von 11/12/21

Getting Started with EQing

Let’s explore some of the various types of EQ and when you might use them.

Author Eric Von takes a look at how to get the most out of your EQ.

Making the assumption that you’re already familiar with what an equalizer is, basic EQ parameters, and how EQs work, let’s explore some of the various types of EQ and when you might use them.

PARAMETRIC EQ

With dedicated controls for frequency, bandwidth (Q), and gain, fully-parametric EQs are the most widely used and most flexible type of equalizers. These versatile EQs can do everything from extreme surgical boosts/cuts to broad shelves and filters. Parametric EQs that don’t offer full control are referred to as semi-parametric EQs, which often have a fixed Q bandwidth and are found in many studio and live sound consoles.

Fabfilter’s Pro-Q 3 is a great example of a fully-parametric EQ that offers almost-unlimited control, while the Waves API 550A is a popular example of a semi-parametric EQ.

GRAPHIC EQ

Like a 550A, graphic equalizers have fixed frequencies with bands that are chosen for their musical significance. Often having a minimum of 7 bands, and sometimes over 30 bands, graphic EQs are great at notching out problem frequencies and are a go-to for live sound engineers trying to tame pesky feedback at a venue.

Many of these types of EQs have what is called ‘proportional Q design,’ meaning that the bandwidth of the filters become more narrow when the gain of the filter increases or decreases. For instance, the more you boost/cut the more narrow the Q.

SHELVING EQ

As the name suggests, Shelving EQ is based on ‘shelves’ that boost or attenuate frequencies above or below a cutoff point. Dedicated shelving EQs generally come with two main parameters: boost/cut amount and frequency selection. One of the most popular shelving EQs is the Dangerous BAX EQ, which uses a gentle slope to create a musically-rich curve when boosting or cutting.

DYNAMIC EQ

Working in a similar way to multi-band compression, Dynamic EQ uses a threshold control to trigger the gain or attenuation of a specific EQ band once the threshold is reached.

Let’s say you apply a high frequency notch on a singer, who’s falsetto in the chorus is resonating uncomfortably, but that same EQ makes the verse’s sound dull and un-energetic. Using a Dynamic EQ ensures that the cut only engages once the threshold is passed on the high notes in the chorus.

MINIMUM-PHASE VS. LINEAR-PHASE EQ

All analog EQs, and many digital EQs, are what we call ‘minimum phase’ equalizers - EQs that introduce a tiny amount of latency when manipulating different frequencies, which in turn affects the phase of the signal.

Often the phase shifts caused by minimum-phase EQ aren’t problematic and can be musically pleasing to our ears. However, an instance where phase shifts might cause an issue is when applying EQ to a parallel processed track and small differences in the phase relationship could add up to unwanted signal filtering. This is where linear-phase EQ could be your best bet. Linear-phase EQs work by delaying the entire signal, ensuring that the phase relationship stays intact once EQ changes are made to specific frequencies.

Linear-phase EQ isn’t without some issues of its own, though. Due to the computational demand of these plugins they often use quite a bit more CPU than their minimum-phase counterparts. The biggest potential issue of linear-phase EQs is “pre-ringing”. Pre-ringing is an artifact caused by the delay that linear-phase EQs introduce to curb phase issues. This pre-ringing can cause havoc on transients and suck the punch out of your track if used incorrectly.

This video might help with avoiding some of the potential pitfalls of linear-phase EQ:

While there is much more nuance and depth to the topics mentioned above, you should walk away from this article with a better understanding of these EQs and hopefully some newly found curiosity around EQ types and their many uses! Happy EQing, everyone!

Eric Von 11/12/21 Eric Von 11/12/21

Getting Started with Compressors

Author Eric Von takes us through compression and how to get the most out of your compressors below.

First off, what is compression?

In the simplest terms, compression is the act of reducing dynamic range, or, the area between the softest and loudest part of an audio signal. There are multiple ways to achieve a reduction of dynamic range, such as limiting and distortion/saturation, but the most popular way might be achieved by using a compressor.

What is a compressor, you ask?

Classically, a compressor is a big piece of hardware, filled with transistors, tubes, and various electrical components that will ultimately reduce the dynamic range of the audio signal that passes through it. In the digital world, plugin companies have sought to create emulations of these classic compressors.

If all of this sounds like gibberish to you, I suggest checking out Fabfilter’s two-part YouTube series: Beginner’s Guide To Compression.

Now that you’ve brushed up on the basic terminology and functions of compression and compressors, let’s explore the four main types of analog compression and when you might use them.

FET COMPRESSION

FET stands for “Field Effect Transistor” and is the circuitry behind one of the most famous and widely used compressors of all time – the UREI 1176 – a true peak compressor with all transistor circuitry. Odds are if you’ve ever visited a studio you’ve seen one of these in the gear rack.

Without digging us too deep into an electrical rabbit-hole, a transistor is a semiconductor that allows for both the amplification and attenuation of a signal. For example, a transmitter and a resistor make up a transistor. FET compressors generally use transistors to emulate the behavior of tube-style compression with optimal versatility.

A hallmark of FET compressors is how quickly they act upon signal that has passed through it. For example, the famous 1176 compressor mentioned above can detect signal down to a whopping 20 microseconds, or, in technical terms, fast as f***.

Not only is it extremely fast, but FET compression is also famous for imparting some pleasing harmonic saturation. People generally describe these compressors as colorful, bright, and punchy, making them a go-to on drums, percussion, guitars and vocals.

VCA COMPRESSION

VCA stands for “Voltage Controlled Amplifier” and it uses a control signal – movement of the threshold knob – to dictate whether or not gain reduction is applied to an incoming signal. VCA compression is probably the most widely used form of compression, and is characterized as clean, quick, and transparent compression.

Providing a wide array of control, VCA compressors often include all the bells and whistles you’re used to seeing in compressor plugins, such as attack, release, threshold, ratio, and knee.

Due to their transparent nature, VCA compressors are popular on master busses, sub groups, and just about everything in-between. If you’ve ever reached for a plugin emulation of the coveted SSL Bus Compressor or the API 2500 compressor, then you’re familiar with VCA compression.

OPTICAL COMPRESSION

Often called “Opto Compressors”, these devices rely on a light source and a light-dependent resistor as their means of achieving gain reduction. Basically, the incoming audio signal is converted into light, a sensor detects the light, and then regulates the amount of reduction – the louder the signal, the brighter the light, and more gain is reduced.

Logically, you could assume that since light is fast then an opto compressor must be fast too, right? Well that isn’t the case, when compared to FET and VCA compressors at least. This is because the components that make up the gain reduction circuit – the light source and sensor – aren’t particularly fast.

Different light sources and sensors make these compressors less predictable and linear than their VCA and FET counter parts, and often the user doesn’t have as much control over attack and release times.

Since these compressors tend to be slower acting with more gentle release times they are favored on less transient-heavy sources like vocals, strings and synths, or anything that needs a slight rounding-out.

DELTA-MU COMPRESSION

Delta-MU, or Variable-MU, compressors get their name from the Greek words, Delta meaning change, and Mu, which, in electronics, means gain. You might also hear this class of compression referred to as tube-compression.

Where these “gain-changers” are a real “game-changer” is in the fact that the gain reduction is handled directly by the tubes in their circuitry. Other types of compressors may utilize tubes to add coloration to the signal or to boost output gain but only Delta-Mu compressor use tubes in the actual gain reduction stage.

Characterized by being smooth, rich, and fat, these compressors generally have a slower style of compression–similar to an optical compressor. They often handle transients in a very musical way and tend to impart loads of harmonic saturation making them a favorite on vocals, drums, and basses.

COMPRESSION’S GOLDEN RULE

Hopefully you now know a little bit more about the tools that are available for you, but the most important thing to remember is … If it sounds good, it is good. There are no rules – and if there are – try and break them as often as possible. Every article you read, tutorial you watch, or bit of advice you seek should serve as a starting point. This industry was built by individuals who broke rules and pushed the tools available to them to the limit. That’s what moves the needle forward.

That’s where greatness happens!

Matt Marrin 10/14/21 Matt Marrin 10/14/21

Does Ecoplate Live up to the Hype?

Warren Huart from Produce Like a Pro tests the limits of Ecoplate

You may know Warren Huart as a wildly successful English record producer, musician, composer and recording engineer. What you may not know is he also has a massively successful Youtube channel and professional recording academy. Warren brings together experts from all over the world who share his passion for recording and engineering.

We asked Warren to evaluate Ecoplate while we were still in Beta testing. During the process his team provided honest, constructive, professional feedback on GUIs, CPUs and all the other acronyms that help make our luxurious and robust Ecoplate plate reverb plugin. So how did we do? You’ll have to watch to find out.

In this deep dive Warren and his team put Ecoplate to the test. What you’ll love is how they let you really hear the cleanliness and detail in the extra long tails and they provide a few tips and tricks for you to try with the Ecoplate.

If you’d like to learn the history of the original analog Ecoplate Plate Reverb click here. And don’t miss the introductory price on the Ecoplate plate reverb plugin.

Be sure to subscribe to Produce Like a Pro on Youtube and check out Produce Like a Pro Academy.

Read more about the review and win 1 o 3 Ecoplates on the Produce Like A Pro Blog : https://producelikeapro.com/blog/ecoplate-ultimate-plug-in-review

Matthew Pritchard 9/30/21 Matthew Pritchard 9/30/21

Plate Reverb Plugins — How Do They Work?

Plate reverb plugins are used by audio engineers, recording artists, music producers, and sound artists to add effects and details to their music that may not have been present in the original recording.

Audio engineering can be complex, but we’re here to help you understand how reverb works, and how a plate reverb plugin could be your next best tool in your audio engineering arsenal.

What is Reverb?

For the uninitiated, reverb is the noise a sound continues to make after it has been produced and includes reflections containing information about the physical space where the sound originated from. Imagine you slam a car door in a large concrete parking garage. The sound from the door doesn’t stop suddenly after you close it ; rather, it continues to reverberate throughout the environment until the noise fades away.

But sounds don’t happen in a vacuum. Chamber, Hall, Room: these are all reverb terms and environments used in the studio, and the effects they produce are easy to imagine. In fact, audio engineers and recording artists use a combination of natural and digital reverbs to modify their mixes. Some studios build their own reverb rooms, and some use plugins to emulate the sound of specific rooms and environments.

On the other hand, plate reverb is a bit harder to imagine. The name doesn’t refer to an existing space; moreover, it does refer to a specific process, technology, and artificial environment for generating reverb without the need to involve an existing space’s reverberations.

What is Plate Reverb?

One of the first synthetic reverbs, plate reverbs are essentially a sheet of steel suspended in a large case. When a sound is played into a plate reverb unit, the vibrations inside the case create the illusion of reverb.

Inside the case, there’s a transducer which allows the incoming electrical audio signal to interact with the metal plate. This causes the metal sheet to vibrate. Pickups or microphones then translate these vibrations back into an electrical signal and the resulting audio output has a lush, dense texture.

Before plates, a more common technology was spring reverb. Fundamentally, these spring reverbs functioned similarly to plate reverbs. Sound would pass through the spring, creating a twangy, percussive audio signal. However, spring reverbs tend to be more restrictive, as their capabilities are more limited than plates.

Some of the most famous plate reverbs include the Ecoplate and the EMT-140.

What Are Reverb Plugins?

Reverb plugins allow recording artists and audio engineers to access reverb environments from the comfort of their studio. No longer do studios need to build massive reverb rooms, nor do they need to invest in costly plate reverbs to get that same rich reverb sound.

Reverb plugins are complex pieces of software that emulate all sorts of reverbs, from massive spaces to tiny rooms. With the right mixing, you can create a virtualized environment that sounds strikingly similar to the real thing.

If you’re just starting out or exploring your DAW, consider looking deeper into the stock reverbs included in your software. No matter your DAW, there are a few different free reverbs with their own qualities and traits that are worth examining before you commit to a dedicated reverb plugin.

How Do Plate Reverb Plugins Work?

As a plate reverb plugin is a digital replica of something in the real world, people have been coming up with different ways to emulate them with code for a long time. Some approaches are considered “algorithmic”, in that they use digital algorithms crafted specifically to generate echo or ringing sounds. Many use a series of all-pass delays, comb filters, and other subcomponents to create the effect. To this day, people are still dreaming up new ways to create reverberation digitally.

Other approaches can loosely be categorized as “modeled”. Modeling plugins involves creating digital models of the real world device/space/thing. For reverbs, a common modeling technique is convolution, in which an impulse response (think of an acoustic fingerprint) of the “space” can be captured and reproduced through a method called convolution.

With our plate reverb plugin, Ecoplate, we took great care to make sure we exhaustively recreated the original using a multitude of different techniques and approaches, while also adding modern features that today’s audio engineers would benefit from and commonly use in conjunction with reverbs.

With a simple download, the Ecoplate reverb plugin brings the massive physical Ecoplate into any studio, for an affordable cost. New software-only features include pre-delay with tempo sync, low- and high-pass filters, and even an analog model that includes Ecoplate’s original noise floor, offering a vintage vibe and added color (the actual hardware noise and hum) to your recordings.

True to its roots, the controls for Ecoplate are modeled after the original model, including the famous lever system. There’s even a settings menu, where you can further manipulate tone, analog noise level, analog saturation, and stereo width. Fatten up your bottom end, or fine tune your stereo image to match the personality of your session. Try Ecoplate for free here.

Why Use a Plate Reverb Plugin?

There are many instances in which an audio engineer might reach for a plate reverb. Overall, they are a versatile addition to your toolkit, which can add beautiful depth and texture to any mix. But, as with any tool, you must use discretion and be sure not to overuse it.

Here are some examples of when and why to use a plate reverb plugin.

To create a distinct space for your lead vocal, background vocals, or solo instruments
To make your tracks sound fuller without adding more instruments
To give a spatial quality to your instruments
To widen vocals and strings
To create lush resonances
To create a vintage sound or vibe
To spice up your sound design, foley, or SFX work
To use in combination with other techniques to create a wall of sound
To differentiate one instrument from all the rest

If you’re still looking for a great plate reverb plugin, check out our list of the 7 best reverb plugins. And try a free demo of Ecoplate over at The Department of Sound. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more news!

Matthew Pritchard 7/28/21 Matthew Pritchard 7/28/21

The 7 Best Reverb Plugins to Buy in 2021

With the wealth of digital reverbs and technology always changing, choosing the perfect reverb plugin in 2021 is not an easy task. But the research phase is a worthwhile undertaking, as reverb is central to audio production!

From creating acoustic spaces for instruments to adding depth and dimensions to mixes, reverb is used in various ways. There’s no correct way to use reverb, but there are some time-tested principles that can help make your tracks stand out. For instance, shorter, tighter reverbs make tracks sound more exciting, whereas longer, larger reverbs help to soften a track’s presence in the mix.

However, due to their massive size, analog reverbs are not always a feasible option for audio engineers, so many have turned to digital reverbs to secure the same effects. Companies like UAD, Valhalla, and The Department of Sound create high-quality digital reverb plugins and presets that can accomplish as much as (if not more than) analog reverbs.

Here’s a list of the seven most popular reverb plugins to buy in 2021.

Valhalla VintageVerb - $50

Valhalla DSP is an excellent developer of amazing audio tools, created by Sean Costello. Valhalla makes a wide variety of reverbs, plugins, and other resources for serious and hobbyist audio engineers.

According to the site, “VintageVerb is a postmodern reverb plugin, inspired by the classic hardware digital reverbs of the 1970s and 1980s.” In this way, Valhalla’s VintageVerb plugin is an homage to the classic and expensive reverbs of the past. It has three modes – 70s, 80s, and NOW – and each mode has their own features and artifacts worth exploring.

In the studio, the VintageVerb has excellent sound quality and an extraordinary range of effects for each mode: decay time and predelay, damping control of high and low frequencies, and EQ and modulation controls. These effects can be changed while sound is processing, which lend themselves to dynamic, interesting audio. There are even mouse-over tooltips to help you learn how to make the most out of your effects.

Valhalla Room - $50

At The Department of Sound, we’re big fans of Valhalla. They get two spots on our list. While their VintageVerb is a classic throwback, their Room reverb is a modern take on reverberation tools.

Room features twelve original reverberation algorithms, and produces a wide range of natural reverberation. The sounds vary from ambiences and rooms to more traditional hall and plate sounds. There are even massive modulated spaces, created by Sean Costello to push the boundaries of audio production.

With all the reverb types and parameters, the options are endless. However, there are lots of well-chosen presets to help you get up-to-speed with the tech, if you’re just learning.

Lexicon Reverb - $659

Lexicon is widely accepted as a standard for digital reverbs. As such, it’s worth taking a closer look at their most recent reverb bundle: PCM Native Reverb. Lexicon’s bundle offers 7 legendary reverbs with hundreds of finely-crafted studio presets, including recognizable classics from Lexicon’s immense sound library.

Whichever reverb algorithm you choose, the software can be run in either mono, stereo, or a combination of the two. There are even Input and Output Meters, and a graphical EQ section for fine-tuning your sound.

The UI displays parameters for customization, and allows you to go deeper with an editing matrix. Custom presets can be compared to the original for faster A/B testing, and can be saved and loaded into a different DAW.

UAD EMT 140 - $199

For over 60 years, UAD has been pioneering audio production and recording. Many of their hardware and software technologies are used every day by major recording artists, like Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, and Dr. Dre.

With three different reverbs, the UAD EMT 140 replicates the EMT 140’s Classic Plate Reverberator. UAD’s EMT 140 reverb plugin harkens back to the classics, modeling the EMT 140 – the only reverb used on Pink Floyd’s album Dark Side of the Moon.

With the EMT 140 plugin, you can sculpt your sound with the EMT 140’s original controls, such as mechanical damping and system input filters, adding natural depth and shimmer to all your tracks.

FabFilter Pro-R - $199

Though reverb is a powerful tool, too much can make your mix sound muddy. Fab Filter Pro-R helps to mitigate any unintended noise or unwanted artifacts by offering a smooth digital reverb.

FabFilter’s Pro-R is designed to be intuitive, easy-to-control, and instant. The UX is visually-appealing, and addicting to use. The range of available parameters help you dial in more natural reverbs, or take your mix to an entirely different level.

While there are lots of presets and other goodies, the integrated 6-band post-EQ will help you shape your reverb in great detail, with incredibly accurate results on shape and character.

Waves Renaissance Reverb - $99

Emulating vintage sounds, Waves offers a reverb that has 12 reverb types, reflection systems, and rich reverb tails. The multitude of features offer a jumping point for making your reverbs more dense and textured.

There’s even a dual-band EQ, damping controls, and a great UI. Leading producers and engineers even have offered their ears to create presets for the plugin. If you’re looking for a flexible reverb plugin, at a low-cost, try the Waves Renaissance Reverb!

Ecoplate - $150

Designed by Los Angeles-based company The Department of Sound, Ecoplate is a model of the original Ecoplate I. It’s been modeled with precision, care, and 30 years of industry experience to deliver authentic, true-to-life sound in a digital reverb plugin. In fact, The Department of Sound has even upgraded the original analog Ecoplate interface with modern features and a clean UI.

Ecoplate by The Department of Sound is a wide, robust, and luxurious plate reverb plugin. With a simple download, the Ecoplate reverb plugin brings the massive physical Ecoplate into any studio, for an affordable cost. New software-only features include pre-delay with tempo sync, low- and high-pass filters, and even an analog model that includes Ecoplate’s original noise floor, offering a vintage vibe and added color (the actual hardware noise and hum) to your recordings.

While this list is not meant to be exhaustive, we hope that it will help you understand how and why to buy a digital reverb plugin in 2021. With so many other technologies out there, are there any that you think we should add to the list? Let us know below.

No matter what, the best reverb plugin is the one that will work best for your project. However, your budget, recording experience, and ability to experiment with the tech should be deciding factors when choosing your next reverb plugin. Want to chat reverb plugins or get more recommendations? Reach out to us on the web, Instagram, or Facebook.

Matthew Pritchard 5/28/19 Matthew Pritchard 5/28/19

History of Ecoplate

Manufactured by Programming Technologies in the 1980s, the Ecoplate is a series of three mechanical analog plate reverberator units designed by Jim Cunningham. Programming Technologies ultimately released three models, the Ecoplate I, Ecoplate II, and Ecoplate III. Each had their own sound and design, informed by one another but still completely unique.

At HEAR360, we’re passionate about creating beautifully-designed audio products and platforms. Over the past few years, we’ve created an entire ProTools plugin-suite aimed at spatial audio. Our goal was to dramatically solve cumbersome workflows for audio engineers and sound professionals and make mixing spatial audio easy.

While we’ve been specializing in spatial audio with the inception of VR and AR, we always found ourselves attracted to improving and designing custom plugins for music. After all, we got our start in the recording industry working with acts like Young the Giant, Booker T. Jones, Janet Jackson, Mary J Blige, and Keb Mo. While working with these artists, we’ve been able to study and use famous hardware like Fairchild compressors, and more niche tools like the Ecoplate.

Now, it’s our goal with the creation of The Department of Sound to create quality software plugins, modeled after some of the most incredible tools. At HEAR360, we want that same sense of wonder we felt while mixing tracks available to all who want to experience it.

“As audio engineers first, our number one goal is to make tools that are unique for our community, informed by years of experience making records in the studio–tools that we want to use everyday on our own projects.” - Matt Marrin

With the onset of our dedicated plugin marketplace, we’re excited to announce that our first big project has been modelling our vintage plate reverb, Ecoplate. But what is Ecoplate and why is it such a significant, timeless piece of technology? Let’s take a look at some of the history behind the product.

At a size of 4’ x 6’, the Ecoplate I features lush wide image, with a sweet high frequency response, using a sturdily-designed plate suspension system, a stainless steel alloy plate and a 3-pole filter in the driver amp. The resulting sound is strikingly musical. Our CTO Greg Morgenstein bought an Ecoplate I in 2009, and was immediately struck by its complexity and ability to create a smooth, bright, and open sounding analog decay.

“I purchased an Ecoplate I after using an Ecoplate II at Red Star Studios in Silver Lake, CA. I was so enamored with the clarity of the Ecoplate II that I had to find one for myself. I instead found an Ecoplate I for sale and was blown away. I fell in love with the clean, hi-fi, and lush sound it produced.” - Greg Morgenstein

In 2016, seven years after Greg’s Ecoplate purchase, we started HEAR360 and ventured out into creating pro-audio plugins. We saw what was a legitimate need at the time for investing in and improving spatial audio workflows. During this time, we used our collective knowledge to build, test, and release a suite of plugins made available to anyone working in a surround sound or spatial mediums.

As we worked more on creating improved spatial workflows, we saw the immediate value that plugins provided to our customers. We spent the next four years improving our plugin development methods, using our spare time to replicate whatever analog gear we could get our hands on.

Expensive, large, and very heavy, only large studios could accomdate Ecoplate. Even up against some tough competition – the EMT 140 – Ecoplate still managed to sound wider, brighter, and cleaner. Big musical acts flocked to large studios with Ecoplate to create timeless records. Now, with the increasing rise of home- and smaller-studio recording, plate reverbs just aren’t as common. We knew we had to make this technology available to everyone who wanted to feel that same rush we did in 2009.

That’s why we’ve decided to digitally model and release Ecoplate as a plugin available to anyone. With this release of the Ecoplate plugin, We added modern features including switchable input and output filters, an adjustable sync to tempo pre-delay, analogue modeled & digital meters. As a fascinating reverb with a rich history of use, we’re excited to be able to provide such a rare piece of studio gear to audiophiles everywhere.