There are two main approaches to reverb; algorithmic and convolution. Algorithmic reverbs aim to simulate rooms and spaces of different sizes using mathematical algorithms. They offer a lot of adjustability of a wide variety of controls. Convolution reverbs, on the other hand, are based on impulse response recordings of actual spaces. This means that they’re capable of reproducing a room or space authentically, as long as a high quality impulse response has been captured. One of the downsides to conventional convolution reverbs is that they offer limited scope for adjustment. Where parameters can be adjusted, the impulse response has to be time stretched or compressed in order to give a longer or shorter reverb time. This has a big disadvantage of introducing artefacts into the reverb, which greatly detract from the naturalness. Nugen Audio Paragon, however, takes a different approach to convolution.

The plugin was developed in collaboration with Dr. Jez Wells, who at the time was a Senior Lecturer in Music and Sound Recording at the University of York. He had initially approached NUGEN with a mathematical solution to allow for re-synthesising impulse responses. With this information, he and the team at Nugen created the brief for the development of Paragon.

The USP of paragon is quite simple. Offering the realism and clarity of a true-convolution reverb with the flexibility and tweakability of an algorithmic reverb. In order to achieve this, the team at Nugen had to create a method of re-synthesising the impulse responses each time the user moved a parameter on the GUI. This was where the research and collaboration alongside Dr Jez Wells and their own development team was paramount to the functionality of the plug-in. In brief, impulse responses have been specially commissioned for the plug-in, captured in a number of real spaces, which are analysed to create a model. It’s with this model that the plugin can go through the process of re-synthesis.

What all of this means in practice is that, with just a relatively small collection of included impulse responses, a huge variety of reverbs can be created by tweaking and adjusting any of the included presets. Whereas a conventional convolution reverb may need a large set of impulse responses to give you the range of spaces you might require, Paragon instead utilises its own set of impulse responses, all of which can be tailored to your requirements using the controls provided in the plugin. All of Paragon’s impulse responses have been captured as B-format Amibsonic recordings, which means the signals can be processed to generate a number of different output channels, arranged in any layout. This allows Paragon to accommodate any formats from mono up to 7.1.4 channels, compatible with Dolby Atmos beds, all from the same core IRs.

Paragon includes an IR page. Here, you’ll find a spectral analysis and EQ. The EQ is a useful way to adjust the decay time in relation to frequency. Adjustments made here are reflected in the spectral view, giving a handy visualisation of the reverb’s frequency characteristics.

Something which I found particularly useful when using Paragon in surround is the Crosstalk control. This is essentially the interaction between each channel and its adjacent channels either side. If this is dialled down to zero, it pretty much creates a multi-mono signal, so the input signal only generates reverb for its corresponding output. If the Crosstalk is increased, each input signal is allowed to bleed into its adjacent channels, generating a smoother spread of the reverb across the panorama.

Paragon is a great plugin, and certainly the best sounding and most adjustable convolution reverb I’ve ever used. It sounds rich and spacious when needed, but is equally at home creating small spaces, which covers everything you might need in a reverb for audio post.

Check out the video below to see and hear Nugen Audio Paragon in action.