Choosing the Best Hardware Reverb in 2024
July 7, 2024
Hardware reverbs have been experiencing a resurgence in recent years, highlighted by the re-introduction of the classic AMS RMX16 and, in 2024, the release of a new plate reverb. If you’re building your own analogue studio and searching for the best hardware reverb to add to your effects rack, this guide will help you find the perfect one to suit your needs and budget. When talking about the best hardware reverbs, there are plenty of options available, including many vintage reverbs. However, vintage models can present reliability issues if not chosen carefully. If you are looking for a hardware reverb for a touring rig, reliability is everything and many older vintage reverbs are rather fragile. For the sake of this article, we’re focusing on the best hardware reverbs you can buy new, and the list is more varied than you might expect.
Lexicon PCM 92 DIgital Reverb
There’s no better place to start our search for the best hardware reverb in 2024 than with the studio legend, Lexicon. Their expertise in hardware reverbs is immense, with many models achieving legendary status over the past four decades. The Lexicon 224, their first digital reverb, and the Lexicon 480L are both regarded as some of the finest reverbs ever made and are still in use today. Sadly, the Lexicon PCM 92 might be the last high-end reverb/effects processor we see from Lexicon. Whether you need perfection on stage or the gold standard in the recording studio, the Lexicon PCM 92 delivers versatility and a smooth, rich sound that is unmistakably Lexicon.
The Lexicon PCM92 features the highly acclaimed Hall, Concert Hall, and Random Hall reverb algorithms, consistently favoured by live sound and recording engineers for their exceptional ability to recreate the musical ambience of large, expansive spaces. These classic Lexicon Hall algorithms have been used in over 80% of all recorded music.
Lexicon’s Room algorithm offers a remarkable palette of natural-sounding rooms, capturing the inherent realism of actual spaces. Reflection patterns can be easily selected, scaled, and equalised while simultaneously passing audio, and the room size can be instantly changed or reversed. These capabilities offer a more flexible alternative to convolution-type reverbs, providing precise control and manipulation unique to a reverb synthesizer.
One of the standout features of the Lexicon PCM92 is its ability to create incredibly realistic small spaces. For both music and film production, it’s often crucial to capture the ambience of a phone booth or a very small drum room. The Lexicon PCM92 can create these with a level of realism previously unheard of from any processor other than a Lexicon.
Additionally, the Lexicon PCM92 enhances traditional reverbs with new capabilities by adding multimode filters in the audio flow. This allows for more precise shaping of the reverb while maintaining the distinctive smooth, rich “Lexicon Sound.” All reverbs also include an “Infinite” switch, enabling the reverb to run indefinitely, which is useful for creating unique backgrounds and sound effects.
Designed as a single rack space processor with two channels of balanced XLR or 1/4″ analogue I/O and two channels of XLR AES/EBU digital I/O, along with MIDI, Word Clock, and Ethernet, the Lexicon PCM92 complements any large-scale mixing console or integrates easily into your studio setup.
The Lexicon does not come cheap, but can be found with reasonable discounts from time to time.
Bricasti Design M7 Digital Reverb
Bricasti Design made a significant impact in 2007 with the release of the Bricasti Design M7, one of the greatest sounding digital reverbs of all time. The M7 offers an unparalleled level of musicality and ease of control, setting a new standard for reverb processors dedicated to delivering exceptional reverberation. It is certainly a contender for the best hardware reverb in 2024, budget permitting.
The Bricasti Design M7 represents a modern high-resolution digital design, leveraging a stunning array of the latest DSP processors to take reverb processing algorithms to the next level. With a separate fully differential analogue section and a dedicated transformer-based linear power supply, the M7 offers the finest analogue specifications of any product in its class.
Its exceptionally strong stainless-steel chassis and precision-tooled aluminium front panel are paired with a classic high-visibility display and straightforward human interface, resulting in an enduring design that serves its purpose now and well into the future. Every element of the Bricasti Design M7 reflects our vision for the evolution of reverb processing in its most classic form. With a deep appreciation for the best designs of the past and a commitment to advancing the science of reverberation, the M7 delivers a palette of sounds that blend the familiar with new artistic expressions.
The Bricasti isn’t a budget-friendly option, but top-of-the-line products rarely are. If you’re looking for one of the finest reverbs ever made and can afford it, the Bricasti is your answer to all of your reverb needs and then some. The Best Hardware Reverb for 2024? Quite possibly.
Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine Digital Reverb
How about a tube-based reverb? That’s precisely what the Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine offers, and much more. Based in Germany, Tegeler takes a unique approach to their designs, and the Raumzeit Maschine is no exception. With its ethernet connection, you can create presets and control it from a plugin within your DAW, providing the convenience of software reverb with the character and quality of hardware.
All controls of the Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine are equipped with servomotors, allowing for direct control from the front panel, the internal web server, or a DAW plugin (AU, AAX, VST). Since the Raumzeit Maschine connects to your computer via Ethernet, it avoids the cable length limitations of USB. Additionally, wireless control through your router is also possible.
A hardware reverb for the modern world, yes indeed!
The Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine features two double triodes per channel along with input and output transformers, which is why it only has analogue inputs and outputs. This analogue setup is crucial for its distinctive sound. If you prefer a fatter sound, you can even try to overdrive the tube from the input stage.
The Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine provides direct access to the perfect sound with just three parameters. Instead of sifting through hundreds of settings – most of which are confusing for non-programmers – you can now easily tune the sound to fit your mix. This user-friendly approach feels more like playing a real musical instrument.
Unlike the Lexicon, TC Electronic, Eventide, and Bricasti reverbs, the Tegeler Raumzeit Maschine won’t replace a plate or spring reverb. However, its unique spatial quality is sure to earn it a spot as the main reverb in your setup. Listen for yourself, you might just find it is exactly what you are looking for.
AMS/Neve RMX16 Digital Reverb
What do you do when an old reverb remains popular after nearly 40 years? You update it and release it again. The AMS RMX16, the world’s first microprocessor-controlled, full-bandwidth digital reverberator, has defined countless seminal recordings since the 1980s. Its designer’s passion for music and background in the aerospace industry made it revolutionary upon its release.
The AMS RMX16 has remained a staple in world-class studios since its release, with units still commanding a substantial portion of their original cost due to their high desirability. But they do not travel well and are in fact quite fragile, certainly not what you want to take on the road for you next tour.
Designed from the outset to be musical rather than just implementing mathematical algorithms, each program was meticulously tuned to provide a wide “sweet spot” of settings. This was achieved through “carpet graph” parameter tables, with interactively linked controls. Developed by ear over an extended period and from first principles, this design approach is what has made it a classic. Despite its age, there is little that modern designs could improve upon, and its sound remains unique and instantly recognisable.
In addition to the 9 standard programs, the AMS RMX16 had a rare series of 9 aftermarket programs available to those who could obtain the unique RMX16 remote control with a bar code reader input. All of which are included here.
The AMS RMX16 500 series utilises premium quality, high-performance 32-bit DSP processing, and 24-bit, 48KHz sampling with top-tier A/D and D/A converters, achieving over 100dB dynamic range and +22dBu of headroom. These specifications make the AMS RMX16 500 series the best platform for perfectly recreating the iconic sound of the original unit using the very same algorithms.
AMS Neve chose to re-release the RMX16 as a 500 Series product, for better or for worse depending on your point of view. The best part however is its price as it is relatively affordable compared to the other reverbs we have looked at in this blog. So, for about half the price of other reverbs here, you can own one of the most legendary studio reverbs ever made, perhaps your search for the best hardware reverb of 2024 ends here? If budget is limited, then it most definitely does.
CVPA PlateMic Plate Reverb
It’s hard to believe that in 2024, we’re seeing the release of a new plate reverb. A small independent developer in the USA has recently introduced the PlateMic, which offers classic plate reverb effects in a unit significantly smaller than the legendary EMT 140 plate reverb, first released in 1957.
The all-new CVPA PlateMic: a compact analogue stereo plate reverb with low noise class-A JFET/BJT preamps and transformer-balanced output. Experience the lush, dynamic sound of real analogue plate reverb in ways not possible with traditional plates. The CVPA PlateMic allows you to sing or play directly to the plate, creating a dream-like reverb sound like no other.
Yes, you read that correctly, you can ‘sing’ directly into the PlateMic!
The CVPA PlateMic adds an extra stereo dimension, depth, and dynamics to your mix that VSTs and digital units can’t match. It offers a wide range of reverb decay time adjustments, from a brief 1-second “small room” reverb to a massively long 6 seconds (brass plate only), making it a creative analogue substitute for digital delay. The CVPA PlateMic could become the centrepiece of your studio and a major draw for clients. Its impressively beautiful sound will inspire you to mix and experiment, unlocking new ways to maximise its incredible potential!
No new plate reverb was ever going to be cheap, so the PlateMic is going to set you back many thousands of dollars, but plate reverbs are special, and from all reports, so too is the CVPA PlateMic. So, is the newest reverb of 2024 also the best hardware reverb of 2024? If you love plate reverb, and who doesn’t, then maybe this is the reverb for you, budget permitting.
