In this video for Production Expert, Eli Krantzberg takes a look at the Eventide SP2016 Reverb. Eli puts the SP2016 through its paces by trying to demonstrate the range you can get from this classic Eventide hardware emulation. This video shows how the SP2016 algorithms work on drums, vocals, guitars, and orchestral instruments.

Creating a good sounding and functional algorithmic reverb is part art and part science. The science part is about how convincingly the reverb conveys the feel of a real room or space. Recreating the subtleties and nuances of density, diffusion, reflections, and smooth tails requires a lot of CPU horsepower. The art part of algorithmic reverb comes in the user interface. You don't want to overwhelm the user with minutiae that barely affect the result. Yet you also want to provide enough, as simple to use as possible, control over the important sound, or should I say, space, shaping parameters.

The SP2016 is a lovingly detailed software recreation of Eventide's first programmable effects box available on the market. It was first introduced in 1982 and quickly became a staple of the eighties reverb sound. The plug-in includes authentic emulations of Room, 2016 Stereo Room, and Hi-Density Plate algorithms, each available in two versions: Vintage and Modern. The Vintage algorithms are true to the original box, all the way down to the bit-depth. The Modern algorithms are brighter, more diffuse, and use a higher bit-depth.

So, in essence, this is six reverbs in one. And all six algorithms do absolutely have their own personality and character. Eventide got the interface right with the original hardware. And happily, even with the addition of the newer modern algorithms, it is still intuitive and easy to use.

The vintage versions of the three algorithms are true to the lower bit depth of the original unit. We tend to think of lower bit depths as inferior to signals at higher bit depths. But with this sort of algorithmic reverb, there is something about the vintage versions that allows them to blend into the mix more naturally. The tails don't seem as bright the spaces don't seem quite as reflective. They are smooth. The Modern algorithms, with their higher bit depths, are brighter, and more diffuse. Switching between the vintage and modern versions with the same settings, you instantly recognise a substantive difference and the higher resolution processing's modern quality and aesthetic. And depending on the context, it is often the vintage model that works better in the mix.

The Room algorithm is the most "retro" of the lot. The mono-in/stereo-out configuration is great for guitars and vocals. The wide pre-delay range makes this a great choice for doubling and slap style echoes. The Stereo Room settings are actually concert halls. It’s smooth ambiance also works great when dialled in with short decay times and creates natural sounding small spaces. The Plate settings create that big heavy, dense quality that makes plate reverbs so distinctive and appealing.

As with all Eventide plug-ins, there is a huge variety of artist presets to get you started. And unlike with many plug-ins, these presets are very good. They not only point you in the right direction, but they will also even hold your hand and walk you to your destination if you need them to!

As Simple As Possible, But No Simpler

The Position slider is great for tailoring the balance of the early reflections and overall placement of the source from the reverb's onset - all in one slider.

Diffusion alters the character of your space. It ranges from the sharp reflections of flat, hard surfaces (low) to the diffused reflections from rough, irregular ones (high). The Diffusion control doesn't change the decay time, but it does affect the evident nature of the decay by thickening or thinning its density. But you don’t really need to know all this. Just move the two sliders until it sounds good.

My Thoughts

In this video, I put the SP2016 to work on a variety of sources. I love the vintage version of the Stereo room on drums. It creates a very natural small room ambiance with lots of depth and dimension. High diffusion works great here to keep the room as the supporting player and not the star of the show. Both rooms and plates are fantastic on vocals. The simplified interface on the vintage plate removes some control from the user. So, if more tweaking is necessary, you have to find other ways to get your sound. I love that this forces you to think differently and search for other solutions using either pre or post reverb processing.

This plug-in hits the sweet spot for me in terms of speed of use versus the ability to tweak. Give me two or three well-programmed macro style controls in addition to pre-delay and tail, and I'm happy. The input and output gain staging and metering are simple and useful. The two shelving EQ bands are designed for subtle gestures rather than full-on character-shaping control, which is fine by me. I love that I get both smooth 12-bit style soft blending and higher resolution brighter, more modern-sounding spaces all in the same plug-in. The only potential downside is that if you are the type of user who relishes the nuanced control of a complex interface, this might not satisfy. But for the rest of us, this is as close to a "desert island" reverb as I can imagine.

For full details on Eventide SP2016 Reverb head over the Eventide’s website.