Need a reverb plugin that will add that much-needed vintage “sproing” to your tracks?

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Free Spring Reverb Vst Mac Download
Free Spring Reverb Plugin

Team DYNAMiCS 5.32 MB A spring reverb is a system to obtain artificial reverberation invented during the 40's by Laurens Hammond (also inventor of the Hammond Organ). In a Spring Reverb pan, the audio signal is coupled to one end of the spring by a transducer (a device that can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy or viceversa). MVerb is a free, studio quality, open-source reverb vst plugin. Its release is intended to provide a practical demonstration of Dattorro’s figure-of-eight reverb structure and provide the open source community with a high quality reverb. U-he Protoverb – Windows / Mac A natural sounding reverb based on the concept of a room simulator.

Or maybe you are looking for a great all-’rounder that can handle everything from drums to vocals, surf guitar jams to spacey Krautrock freak-outs?

Read on to find out which the best spring reverb plugin for you!

Quick answer: we like the Audiority’s XenoVerb for the top pick, but Softube Spring Reverb is also a very popular choice. And though it’s a little bit pricey, PSP Audioware’s Nexcellence offers the most features.

Let’s take a closer look 🙂

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What is Reverb?

Reverb, in audio engineering, is an artificial audio effect that recreates or approximates the combined effect of sound waves bouncing off surfaces in an acoustic space (Wikipedia definition of reverb at link).

In music or audio production, reverb is typically used on otherwise “dry” or unaffected audio signals in order to create the impression of the sound being present in a particular environment.

Now, reverb actually occurs naturally, and is present in most every environment. But in the confines of a typical recording space, reverberant qualities may be less present than is desired or required, or in fact may be totally absent. So audio engineers employ artificial means for generating reverb.

Before the advent of digital–and even analog–signal processing technology, studio engineers typically added reverb to sounds by placing the source in a highly reverberant or “echo-ey” space. This was typically a large, empty room with high ceilings and hard wooden walls and floors.

But with the advent of signal processing technology and the shift toward smaller studio spaces, most engineers eventually gravitated toward artificial reverb as one of the to go-to plugins to use for music production.

What is spring reverb?

Spring reverbs were among the earliest forms of reverbs. Similar in principle to plate reverbs, spring reverbs utilized metal springs instead of a metal plate. This spring vibrates in response to audio signals directed into the mechanism, producing a characteristic metallic sound.

The sound produced by spring reverbs had little in common with natural reverb sounds. Nevertheless, the highly reverberant–and sometimes jarring–effect produced was quite distinctive, and was an essential element in early rock-and-roll and surf music.

On Choosing a reverb plug-in

For studio engineers who frequently record acoustic instruments, realism is one of the most important considerations in choosing a reverb plug-in.

For these purposes, a particular reverb should approximate the sonic qualities of a particular environment as closely as possible.

But authenticity and realism aren’t necessarily suited to every application. In some cases, recording engineers, music producers, and/or artists may prefer the “artificiality” of a plate or spring reverb, or even the totally unnatural qualities of a more complex modulated reverb. Spring and plate reverbs in particular are often sought after for these unique qualities they impart to the sound.

You can read more about the different types of reverb by jumping to the bottom of the page.

Best Spring Reverb Plugins

Audiority XenoVerb

Audiority’s XenoVerb is a versatile reverb plug-in that brings together the best of classic and modern reverb algorithms. Despite its clean and simple interface, it is capable of delivering a remarkably wide range of useable reverbs.

Best Reverb Plugin Free

A lot of thought and research have clearly gone into the development of each algorithm, and the overall design is marked by remarkable attention to detail. Practically any type of acoustic space can be dialed in with the XenoVerb, making it so much more than your typical spring reverb emulation.

Specs and features

Ten reverb algorithms: Room, Hall, Plate 1 and 2, Springy, Glass, Flow, Shimmer, Bode, and Formant
Eight controls for each algorithm
“Active” bypass switch
“Freeze” feature for creating loops
“Limiter” control for attenuating the wet signal
Vintage LED display with a drop-down algorithm menu
Knob value meter for precise tuning of tones and pre-delay times

User impressions

Among the most common praises for XenoVerb are its flexibility and high-quality algorithms. Capable of delivering an exceedingly wide range of reverbs from the traditional to the futuristic, it is nevertheless remarkably easy to operate. Many users have in fact expressed amazement at how so much capability has been packed into such a reasonably-priced reverb plug-in.

Bottom-line

Perhaps the one thing that XenoVerb lacks to push it over the edge is a width knob. With the addition of this somewhat ubiquitous feature, what is an already tremendously versatile reverb processor would be even more useful and flexible. As it is, few reverb plug-ins come close to the combination of simplicity and state-of-the-art features that XenoVerb provides, and it is definitely a winner in our books.

Demonstration

Softube Spring Reverb

Softube’s Spring Reverb aimed at providing as close to an authentic, vintage spring reverb effect as possible with this unit. Gritty and full of character, it contrasts sharply with the slick and polished “studio-quality” reverbs that have inundated the market as of late.

The plug-in makes no pretenses of being anything other than a thick and juicy approximation of the dripping-wet reverb sound that has graced countless classic tracks over the years. It even has a “shake” control that approximates the harsh “clang!” produced by a guitar amplifier when kicked by an over-jubilant rock star!

Specs and features

Tension control for spring character and reverb length
Adjustable number of spring pairs
Tube driver simulation with bass and treble controls
Shake control for classic “clanging” effects
Low CPU requirements

User impressions

Softube’s Spring Reverb has quite a bit of accolades from hobbyist as well as from seasoned pros. It has been used by producers and engineers on the projects of such artists as Adele, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2.

One producer in particular pitted the Spring Reverb head-to-head against an AKG BX20, considered by many to be the holy grail of spring reverbs. After logging hundreds of hours comparing the two, this producer retired his venerable BX, and now uses the Softube Spring Reverb exclusively.

Bottom-line

Softube Spring Reverb is a deceptively simple and yet effective reverb that brings that coveted vintage flavor to any production. Some users have complained about the exaggerated quality of the spring reverb approximation, but reviews tend to be generally positive.

Demonstration

PSP Audioware SpringBox

Ba vst plugins free. Developed by PSP Audioware, SpringBox is a plug-in emulation of a hardware spring reverberator device. Its features aim to replicate some of the most recognizable characteristics of spring reverb units, among them the “boing” effect on transient signals.

It also has a rep

Free Spring Reverb Vst Mac