Best vocal reverb under $500

[Brusco]

I'm looking for a rack mount reverb that'll allow me to have minimal reverb if needed.. Quality of sound and control without affecting my original dry signal would be the best. I prefer the dryer reverb sounds used in the early 70's. Can it be done under $500? Finding something vintage would also be an option if I knew what to look for. THanks for any suggestions.

[GaryNattrass]

Lexicon make some good budget reverbs I have the MPX 100 and it is great for vocals and has a digital out too.

I think the current model is the MPX110 and they are under $250 here in the Uk so you could buy two.

http://www.lexiconpro.com/mpx110/index.asp

These guys have them for $199

http://www.music123.com/Lexicon-MPX110-i43649.music

[Tom CT]

If you're patient, you may be able to find a Lexicon PCM70 on Ebay for your target price. Great rooms, halls and plates, as well as some outstanding chorus effects. It will work best in a parallel loop so you're not processing your entire signal, as is the case with any reverb/delay effect. Tom

[SturmerChilton]

I'll go with flavums picks as well on the lexis. I'm not sure how much the old 41 and 42 go for these days but I imagine well over $500. Ever since Jeff Buckley came on the scene, a lot of folks are after the alesis quad so it's something to check out but not one of my favorites. For an old standby that's not much money used, be sure to look at one of the old Yamaha SPX 90s. Every studio should be equipped with one of those anyways. :)

[MichaelK]

There are also reverb plugs that sound as good as some of the old high-end boxes, IMO. My two favorites are Altiverb and RealVerb. I love Lexi and Eventide boxes, too.

[Chris N]

I just purchased a TC Electronic M-One XL. For the money I think it's great. IMO

http://www.tcelectronic.com/M-OneXL

I'd check one out before making a decision.

[Brusco]

Thanks for the responses. The TC M-OneXL seems cool. I'd like to put next to no reverb on a track If possible. I've had reverbs that I couldn't use minimal amounts of effect which makes them unusable.
I will be computerized one of these days so those plug-ins may not be ruled out either.
Does vintage always sound better? As much as I like the old stuff why can't they make new ones that sound just as good?..

[MichaelK]

>> Does vintage always sound better?

Not at all.

>> As much as I like the old stuff why can't they make new ones that sound just as good?

People just get used to certain sounds from certain boxes and don't like re-learning menus and controls that change every time a new box is released. If I know that I like "Warm Chor/Verb B" in a particular unit there's no telling what they'll call it in next year's model, or even if it will sound the same. And with 500 factory presets and 25 different menu screens accesible by holding this button while you step through that one, the heck with it. If they ain't broke I don't replace them.

Nobody mentioned Kurzweil, but they have a couple of new 1-space units that people are saying very nice things about. I have not heard them yet. TC makes nice stuff, too.

[GaryNattrass]

Interesting about the new and old debate about 20 years ago we had Steve Lipson in to do Frankie Goes to Hollywood for the tv show The Tube.

We had Quantec room simulators, AMSRMX16, Yamaha Rev 7's and SPX90's available but he spied our old EMT plate controls in the Calrec desk. He then beamed as we said that they were the old mono tube plates from the 50's.

We hooked up a revox with a 7.5ips pre-delay and that was his main vocal reverb for Holly Johnson and it sounded fantastic.

I must admit that I prefer the reverbs that I know and we still rely on the PCM 70 at work.

And as for guitars I still use a trusty stereo great british spring.

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by GaryNattrass
And as for guitars I still use a trusty stereo great british spring.
Yeah, well... hard to argue with that! But I think he was asking about "vintage" digital verbs.

Amazing that one can use the words "vintage" and "digital" next to each other without causing an explosion. I'm getting f*cking old.

[GaryNattrass]

I suppose vintage digital will be 8-16 bit and modern will be 24 bit.

I also think that more care was taken with the alogorythms in the old days and that is why the older ones have a fuller sound.

[Brusco]

I don't even know what a plate reverb looks like. I imagine them being too big for the average home project studio. I guess that's what they used to make all those fine recordings at Abbey Road.

[GaryNattrass]

Yes Plate reverbs are rather large anything up to 8 by 6 feet and the reverb time was adjusted by moving the pick-up head down the plate.

EMT were the most common ones you can get small plates made by AKG and EMT but it was the big old mono ones that you hear on most classic recordings from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

You could make your own though!
http://www.prosoundweb.com/recording/tapeop/plate/plate.shtml

[GaryNattrass]

Actually this is a great site it even tells you how to make a microphone:

http://www.prosoundweb.com/recording/tapeop/buildmic/buildmic_16_1.shtml

[Brusco]

cool stuff. Building a plate reverb would most likely be over my budget price. Digital may just be the way to go.

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by GaryNattrass
I suppose vintage digital will be 8-16 bit and modern will be 24 bit.
Ah, those grand old days of 16-bit reverbs, rip-cord lawnmowers and bottled ice cream. Sipping seven-and-sevens with Dolly Mae Lipschitz down by the foam pond...

I'm gonna cry... :(

[IIIBOOMERIII]

I hate to sound like some one who will not step into the present
day and try to use modern effects. But this is what I am going
to sound like. I have two Yamahas that I have had for
years. The first is an SPX 90 and the second is an SPX
90II. I love them they sounds so big and have such warm
tone to them. I could go on and on about these units.
When I find them I try to buy them. They have been
turning up now and again for $350 to $400. IMHO worth
every penny.

[Bassomatic]

Originally posted by IIIBOOMERIII
I hate to sound like some one who will not step into the present
day and try to use modern effects. But this is what I am going
to sound like. I have two Yamahas that I have had for
years. The first is an SPX 90 and the second is an SPX
90II. I love them they sounds so big and have such warm
tone to them. I could go on and on about these units.
When I find them I try to buy them. They have been
turning up now and again for $350 to $400. IMHO worth
every penny.

(spam warning)

About to sell my old SPX 90. Drop me a line if you're interested.

[OOG]

+1 on the PCM 70

[Bassomatic]

My favorite vocal processing for less than $500 would hafta be tape slap. An echoplex'll get you there, and will crunch better.

[jzb]

I have to second the REV7. I beta'd that when I was working in LA years ago and have collected them ever since.

You can grab them for under 500 clams. Other than that it's had to get a really pro sounding verb for short money. I thing TC Electronics make a killer prosumer unit - M one.

If you play your money right you could get a PCM unit (70 or even an 80) for 5-600 bucks.

-j

[MichaelK]

Recently I've been using the Lexi MPX-1 a whole lot and I'm really digging it. I have no idea what they go for on eBay, but that's easily found out.

PCM-70 mentioned above is wonderful. It's all over the Baal Shem Tones album.

[EVT]

I just recently ran into this that seems pretty cool...

http://www.bigcitymusic.com/product.asp?pid=1000393

evt