various reverb-will it make a difference?

[rxnet]

I currently have a mackie cfx-16 mixer and I used the built-in reverb effects at my last gig...made the vocals sound pretty decent. My question is if I were to add lets say a TC Electronic M-one XL reverb unit to my rack...would it be a dramatic improvement over the Mackie's??

 

thanks!!

[W. M. Hellinger]

I suspect that the first time you tie into a PCM-90... you'll have a whole different outlook on life. HUGE reverb.

[agedhorse]

Yes, there is a difference in classes of reverbs. The PCM-90 is a big and lush sounding verb, but I personally do not like to use it when placed in the context of many live mixes because it becomes just too much of a good thing. Solo, though, or for recording, where the room acoustics are not so much a contributor to the overall sound, it can be an improvement. I prefer something a little simpler, something that doesn't aggrivate the room's sound, something that's just a little more benign like an SPX-990. This is also where a verb like the Alesis is valuable. It's simple, straight ahead... kind of like "reverb-lite".

 

There are some positively awful reverbs though, both terrible software, using way too much effects by the operator, and porely chosen presets. Artifacts such as a metallic texture, comb filtery artifacts etc. are the trademarks of poor reverbs.

 

You should be able to get a fully useable reverb out of the CFX. I would concentrate on that first, and remember to use just enough to get the job done... too much of a goods thing is bad.

[tony k]

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think about the Alesis MidiVerb? I've got the original version that I use on vocals. I may have a tin ear but I'm satisfied with what it does for me.

 

I've never heard much good about this box.

 

Or was it a MicroVerb....Full size rackmount...Damn..I'm too lazy to go out to the trailer...it's 5 degrees outside right now

[agedhorse]

The original Midiverb was a 1/2-rack sized piece.

 

The full rack sized pieces were available in Midiverb or Microverb (and Quadraverb) series. The Microverb had no MIDI interface and no programable parameters.

 

They were decent even by today's standards, especially for live reverb applications. Keith Barr was a big part of the sound behind the product, his software algorithms are still considered outstanding (and often copied) even today. He is still involved in the industry, though no longer part of Alesis.

[The Real MC]

 

is still involved in the industry, though no longer part of Alesis.

 

 

OK, *THAT* explains a lot...

[Alan Roberts]

I like the microverb, too. Simple, but hard to screw up.

[boomerweps]

I Like the micro/midiverbs buy they seem to be just a little more noisy (more hum) than some others and the wall wart power supplies drive me crzy in a trailered system, bouncing out. I solve the problem by replacing them.

 

Boomerweps

[agedhorse]

There shouldn't be any audible hum unless there is a ground loop, perhaps through the rack rail and audio common. Another possibility is a transformer in a large piece of equipment inducing noise via magnetic field into the verb. Both are easy to test for... remove physically from the rack and see if hum goes away. Then it's a matter of positioning.