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Verberate 2

Using Verberate 2

The graphical user interface of Acon Digital Verberate 2 is designed to give quick and intuitive access to all the parameter settings defining the sonic quality of the reverb.

Verberate 2 interface

Reverb Parameters

  • Dry level (dB)

The amount of dry (unprocessed) signal to send to the output specified in decibel. You can use the toggle button to exclude the dry signal completely. You can lock the relation between the dry and reverb levels by clicking the lock button between the dry and reverb level sliders.

  • Reverb level (dB)

The amount of reverberation signal to send to the output specified in decibel. You can use the toggle button to exclude the late reverberation completely.

  • ER boost (dB)

The amount of early reflections to send to the output specified in decibel relative to the reverb level. The early reflections are important for our perception of distance to the sound source. Increasing the early reflection level gives the impression of getting closer to the source. You can use the toggle button to exclude the early reflections completely.

  • Algorithm

Verberate 2 offers two late reverb algorithms. We recommend the new Vivid Hall algorithm, but you can also choose the Legacy Hall algorithm from version 1.

  • Early reflections mode

You can choose the early reflection (ER) mode from a set of predefined modes, such as rooms, chambers, halls and plates. The modes with names that correspond to natural acoustical surroundings aim at realism.

Please note that the room size should match the ER mode. Realistic room simulations should have small room sizes whereas halls require larger room sizes to sound natural.

The Wide ER programs are designed to be as smooth as possible while at the same time enhancing the stereo image. These are ideal for music production.

  • Reverb time (s)

The reverb time specifies the duration of the reverberation and is specified by the number of seconds before the reverb tail level drops below -60 dB or 1/1000 of its initial amplitude. The freeze button on the left hand side of the numerical reverb time entry can be toggled to "freeze" the reverb. The reverb time is infinite and no input is added when the reverb is frozen.

  • Room size (%)

The room size defines the size of the simulated acoustical environment.

  • Pre-delay (ms)

The pre-delay slider allows you to adjust the time in milliseconds before the reverberation signal arrives.

  • Stereo spread (%)

You can use the stereo spread parameter to control the stereo width of the reverberation signal. If the stereo spread is set to 0%, the reverberation signal will be mono and at 100% the full stereo width is achieved. The Vivid Hall algorithm allows stereo spread values above 100%. Vivid Hall uses M/S processing when the stereo spread is above 100% and the reverb gradually decays more into the side channel with higher values. This ensures mono compatibility while adding a touch of extra width.

  • Dispersion (%)

Frequency dispersion is an effect that occurs in mechanical plate reverbs. High frequency content travels faster in metal than low frequency content. You can set the amount of dispersion in percent and 0% disables the effect completely.

  • VIVID HALL ONLY – Swirl (%)

The swirl effect smooths the frequency spectrum as the reverb tail fades out, thus giving it a vintage "swirly" or "cloudy" effect. The effect strength is specified in percent. Positive values of Swirl produce a more modulated reverb tail, whereas negative values calm down the fluctuations in the vivid hall algorithm. 0% disables the effect completely.

  • VIVID HALL ONLY – Bloom (%)

The bloom parameter changes build-up time of the reverb and is specified in percent relative to the room size. The late reverb build-up gets quicker with Bloom values less than 100% and slower with values above.

  • LEGACY HALL ONLY – Modulation rate (Hz)

Modulation can be applied to the late reverberation to simulate fluctuations in the arrival times of the sound waves. You can control how rapid the fluctuations are using the modulation rate.

  • LEGACY HALL ONLY – Modulation depth (%)

The modulation depth controls the depth of the modulation ranging from no modulation (0%) to full modulation (100%).

  • Decay Editor

The decay editor allows you to set up reverberation times that are dependent on the frequency. Air absorbs high frequencies to a larger degree than lower frequencies, so the low frequencies will in general have a longer reverberation time in natural spaces. This effect is easily modeled in the decay editor with a high cut or a high shelving filter.

The Vivid Hall algorithm offers high and low cut, high and low shelving as well as bell filters to sculpt decay behavior with great flexibility. These filter types all have variable filter slopes. The Legacy Hall algorithm offers high and low shelving filters with a fixed slope. You can toggle the filter bands using the buttons in the lower left corner:

The Decay Editor in Verberate 2

The decay editor lets you define frequency dependent reverberation times and the curve displays the relative reverberation time as a function of frequency.

  • Output Equalizer

You can use the output equalizer to apply filtering to the reverb signal. Both the early reflections and the dense reverberation are filtered using the output equalizer. The Output Equalizer is operated in the same way as the Decay Editor. You can use the buttons in the lower left corner to toggle the filter bands:

The output equalizer in Verberate 2

The output equalizer allows detailed control over the frequency content of the reverberation signal.