The 10 Best Reverb Plugins For Vocals (2024)
A good reverb effect for vocal processing is often crucial for a great vocal mix. Luckily, you don’t need a reverberant room, a chamber, or a hardware unit anymore to have the iconic sound. There are great reverb plugins available, providing sophisticated reverb effects to enhance your vocals.
There are many different kinds of reverb plugins with different levels of quality and versatility, as well as different characters, serving different purposes. A good reverb plugin would be one with a good amount of versatility, sound quality, and controls to get you the killer vocal mix that you are searching for.
Here are 10 of the best reverb plugins out there today.
Contents
1. Audio Ease Altiverb 7
Audio Ease Altiverb 7 is a great choice for producers who want the vocals to sound as natural as possible. It is a convolution reverb plug-in that works through the sampled Impulse Responses (IRs) of acoustic spaces. This way, the realism and authenticity of the effect are significantly increased.
There are many different reverb types in the plugin, such as the recording studio effect, which makes the vocals sound quite bright. Other examples are the cathedral or the church effect, which makes the vocals sound quite big. There are also different experimental reverb effects, such as castles, trains, and caves, which are all based on real recordings of acoustic spaces.
The use of the plug-in is also quite easy. It comes with plenty of controls, such as multiband damping options, an internal equalizer, brightness control, a positioner, and time-shifting options. The interface is also pretty clean and well-organized.
There are many different reverb types in the plugin, such as the recording studio effect, which makes the vocals sound quite bright. Other examples are the cathedral or the church effect, which makes the vocals sound quite big. There are also different experimental reverb effects, such as castles, trains, and caves, which are all based on real recordings of acoustic spaces.
The use of the plug-in is also quite easy. It comes with plenty of controls, such as multiband damping options, an internal equalizer, brightness control, a positioner, and time-shifting options. The interface is also pretty clean and well-organized.
Check it out: Audio Ease Altiverb 7
2. Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics
Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics is another great convolution reverb with eight most-used digital reverb types. The plug-in recreates some of the iconic reverb effects in history, such as Eventide SP2016, Quantec QRS, Lexicon 480L, Sony DRE 2000, TC Electronic 6000 EMT 250, Neve RMX16, and the iconic Bricasti M7.
The plug-in uses multi-sampled IRs called Fusion IR processing for more authentic effects and more detail. This way, the effects you get from the plugin are pretty rich, smooth, and dynamic.
While the effects are high-quality, the user interface is also pretty clean, with traditional controls such as width, decay, attack, and a chorus control for each unit. Additionally, you get a 3-band EQ, gain, and mix knobs to control your signal. Experimenting with all these reverb types takes some time, but they're all high-quality and unique. Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics is a great reverb plug-in to make your vocal mix shine.
The plug-in uses multi-sampled IRs called Fusion IR processing for more authentic effects and more detail. This way, the effects you get from the plugin are pretty rich, smooth, and dynamic.
While the effects are high-quality, the user interface is also pretty clean, with traditional controls such as width, decay, attack, and a chorus control for each unit. Additionally, you get a 3-band EQ, gain, and mix knobs to control your signal. Experimenting with all these reverb types takes some time, but they're all high-quality and unique. Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics is a great reverb plug-in to make your vocal mix shine.
Check it out: Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics
3. Waves H-Reverb Hybrid
With its innovative Finite Impulse Response software technology, Waves H-Reverb Hybrid is a great reverb plug-in that can create rich and detailed reverb tails without decreasing the clarity of the mix. The hybrid plugin allows you to create different reverb effects, from massive cathedrals to subtle ambiances.
The plugin is quite versatile as it has many features, from real reverse to advanced analog modeling with drive control. It also has a set of EQ, modulation, resonant filter sweeps, and dynamics processing controls, as well as a rich library with modern and vintage reverb effects. Furthermore, you can use artist presets to copy the settings of famous mixing engineers.
The user interface and controls are pretty simple, making the use of the plugin quite straightforward. Overall, it is a great reverb plugin for vocals with a pretty attractive price tag.
The plugin is quite versatile as it has many features, from real reverse to advanced analog modeling with drive control. It also has a set of EQ, modulation, resonant filter sweeps, and dynamics processing controls, as well as a rich library with modern and vintage reverb effects. Furthermore, you can use artist presets to copy the settings of famous mixing engineers.
The user interface and controls are pretty simple, making the use of the plugin quite straightforward. Overall, it is a great reverb plugin for vocals with a pretty attractive price tag.
Check it out: Waves H-Reverb Hybrid
4. Eventide SP2016 Reverb
Based on the iconic hardware device of the same name, Eventide SP2016 Reverb is a great reverb plug-in packed with six great-sounding reverbs. It provides the classic Room, Stereo Room, and Hi-Density Plate algorithms and their modern versions with brighter and more diffuse sounds and higher bit depth.
You find Mix, PreDelay, Decay, Position, and Diffusion controls on the control panel, along with a separate EQ section to fine-tune your reverb sound. Plus, the plugin provides great artist presets that you can use, including presets from Dave Pensado, Joe Chiccarelli, Richard Devine, George Massenber, Sasha, and more.
While the interface is straightforward, where this plug-in shines is the sound quality. The algorithms modeled after the hardware are impressively accurate, and the modern versions are very clean and crispy. Moreover, the artist presets are very well-designed, saving you the time and effort of experimenting with different settings.
You find Mix, PreDelay, Decay, Position, and Diffusion controls on the control panel, along with a separate EQ section to fine-tune your reverb sound. Plus, the plugin provides great artist presets that you can use, including presets from Dave Pensado, Joe Chiccarelli, Richard Devine, George Massenber, Sasha, and more.
While the interface is straightforward, where this plug-in shines is the sound quality. The algorithms modeled after the hardware are impressively accurate, and the modern versions are very clean and crispy. Moreover, the artist presets are very well-designed, saving you the time and effort of experimenting with different settings.
Check it out: Eventide SP2016 Reverb
5. iZotope Exponential Audio: Phoenix Verb
One of the most versatile reverb plugins is the iZotope Exponential Audio: Phoenix Verb, which offers three different reverb types and the option to change and manipulate every aspect of the reverb effect. The plugin has no limits in terms of shaping your sound, which is great for experimental producers.
It allows you to adjust your reverb effect with its internal equalizer, diffusion, and damping controls, ADSR controls, and reverb gain control options. Furthermore, you can fine-tune, balance, and mix your vocal reverb with the attack, the early reflections, the tail’s sound, and ADSR separately, increasing the versatility of the plugin significantly.
The interface is quite straightforward, but you have more options on the control panel compared to other plugins in the list. To shape your sound as you like, you will need to experiment more with the controls. It is great for producers who want to take full control over the vocal reverb effects, but it may be too much for beginners.
It allows you to adjust your reverb effect with its internal equalizer, diffusion, and damping controls, ADSR controls, and reverb gain control options. Furthermore, you can fine-tune, balance, and mix your vocal reverb with the attack, the early reflections, the tail’s sound, and ADSR separately, increasing the versatility of the plugin significantly.
The interface is quite straightforward, but you have more options on the control panel compared to other plugins in the list. To shape your sound as you like, you will need to experiment more with the controls. It is great for producers who want to take full control over the vocal reverb effects, but it may be too much for beginners.
Check it out: iZotope Exponential Audio: Phoenix Verb
6. FabFilter Pro-R
FabFilter Pro-R is a unique algorithmic reverb plugin with a natural sound, a beautiful interface, and high versatility for creating natural and smooth reverbs as well as electronic and modulated reverbs. The plugin features a simplified set of parameters with multiple functions controlled by a single knob.
The reverb type and the room model are controlled with the main control knob, the Space. You can’t know how many reverb models there are as they are unnamed, but the classic reverb types, like room reverb, are definitely in the range. Plus, you get the traditional pre-delay and decay control knobs along with unique decay rate EQ to control the decay rate depending on the signal frequency.
You also have unique controls such as character, brightness, and distance to spice up things. In short, FabFilter Pro-R is a unique reverb plugin with high versatility and good sound quality.
The reverb type and the room model are controlled with the main control knob, the Space. You can’t know how many reverb models there are as they are unnamed, but the classic reverb types, like room reverb, are definitely in the range. Plus, you get the traditional pre-delay and decay control knobs along with unique decay rate EQ to control the decay rate depending on the signal frequency.
You also have unique controls such as character, brightness, and distance to spice up things. In short, FabFilter Pro-R is a unique reverb plugin with high versatility and good sound quality.
Check it out: FabFilter Pro-R
7. Ableton Convolution Reverb
Ableton Convolution Reverb is a sample-based reverb plugin with high realism and versatility, as it offers over 200 impulse responses created with world-class hardware and real spaces. While the plugin has plenty of control options, it also allows you to modify an IR to something completely new.
Another unique aspect is that the plugin allows you to use two different IRs for a single reverb: one for early and the other for late reflections. This way, you can create hybrid reverb effects. In addition, you can create your own reverb spaces with the IR Measurement Tool.
For those looking for authentic sounds and experimenting with different reverb types, the Ableton Convolution Reverb is the ideal reverb plugin to go with.
Another unique aspect is that the plugin allows you to use two different IRs for a single reverb: one for early and the other for late reflections. This way, you can create hybrid reverb effects. In addition, you can create your own reverb spaces with the IR Measurement Tool.
For those looking for authentic sounds and experimenting with different reverb types, the Ableton Convolution Reverb is the ideal reverb plugin to go with.
Check it out: Ableton Convolution Reverb
8. Valhalla Plate
Valhalla Plate is Valhalla’s algorithmic version of the classic plate reverb. While this plugin is only for one reverb type, it gets really deep into the effect with plenty of controls and twelve original algorithms to replicate the behavior and sound of real-world reverberation.
On the interface, there are Mix, Pre-delay, Decay, Size, Width, and 2-band EQ with gain controls, as well as Modulation rate and depth knobs to adjust your sound.
Additionally, you have the mode control, which allows you to switch between different plates like Chrome, Steel, Brass, Cobalt, and more for different types of real-world steel plate reverbs. The emulations are quite natural, and the sound quality is top-notch.
On the interface, there are Mix, Pre-delay, Decay, Size, Width, and 2-band EQ with gain controls, as well as Modulation rate and depth knobs to adjust your sound.
Additionally, you have the mode control, which allows you to switch between different plates like Chrome, Steel, Brass, Cobalt, and more for different types of real-world steel plate reverbs. The emulations are quite natural, and the sound quality is top-notch.
Check it out: Valhalla Plate
9. Lexicon 224
If you like reverb effects, there is a big chance you might have heard about the Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb, which shaped an era with its iconic lush reverb tail and slider-based tactile controller. Now, one of the most popular digital reverbs of all time is offered as a plugin to track and mix your vocals and instruments.
The reverb effects from LX224 were used in many iconic recordings, such as U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire”. The plugin offers eight classic reverb programs and one chorus program along with great presets from famous Lexicon 224 users like Chuck Zwicky of Prince and Kevin Killen of Peter Gabriel.
Just like the physical unit, you get the tactical slider controls with plenty of tweaking options like the 3-band equalizer, crossover, depth, pre-delay, and more for the highly tunable reverb image.
The reverb effects from LX224 were used in many iconic recordings, such as U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire”. The plugin offers eight classic reverb programs and one chorus program along with great presets from famous Lexicon 224 users like Chuck Zwicky of Prince and Kevin Killen of Peter Gabriel.
Just like the physical unit, you get the tactical slider controls with plenty of tweaking options like the 3-band equalizer, crossover, depth, pre-delay, and more for the highly tunable reverb image.
Check it out: Lexicon 224
10. LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven
LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven is a revolutionary convolution reverb plugin with the Fusion-Ir technology. It takes advantage of a unique modulated convolution-based capture and reproduction to create impressive realism and reverb quality. Plus, it is one of the most easy-to-use plugins ever.
The plugin has some of the highest-quality reverb effects with a good level of versatility to shape your sound. The standard version includes plates, halls, rooms, chambers, spaces, and ambiances taken from the legendary Bricasti M7. The controls include pre-delay, mix, low and high cut, gain, very low frequency, and early-late reflection knobs.
The Pro version features all the controls, presets, and modes of the M7 hardware. But, if you are not a huge fan of M7 and want to avoid going deep, the Standard version is more than enough. Its versatility, sound quality, controls, and presets can easily become the new industry standard in the reverb plugin world.
The plugin has some of the highest-quality reverb effects with a good level of versatility to shape your sound. The standard version includes plates, halls, rooms, chambers, spaces, and ambiances taken from the legendary Bricasti M7. The controls include pre-delay, mix, low and high cut, gain, very low frequency, and early-late reflection knobs.
The Pro version features all the controls, presets, and modes of the M7 hardware. But, if you are not a huge fan of M7 and want to avoid going deep, the Standard version is more than enough. Its versatility, sound quality, controls, and presets can easily become the new industry standard in the reverb plugin world.
Check it out: . LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven
Conclusion
Vocals are some of the most challenging parts of the mixing process as they are the main center of attention and are positioned in the center of your mix. To make them sound as good as possible, you must create the right space that compliments their best qualities. And this can be done with the right kind and amount of reverb with the right settings.
