Jump to content

Just a touch of reverb/ambience


garyrc

Recommended Posts

Does anybody know of a reverb/ambience black box with pre-delay and adjustable reverb that I can patch into my  two rear channels without going through a computer?  The laptop is not always nearby.  I'm thinking of one that would go between my pre-pro and the two freestanding power amps going to my two surround speakers.

 

Context: 

 

I used to have my Klipschorns and surround Heresy IIs in a very small room, so I got a Lexicon CP1 to add subtle, realistic reverb to the two rear channels (Heresys) ONLY, which were in a loft above and behind the room.  I emphasize just a touch of reverb from the rear did the job.   I used a pre-delay (to put the first simulated wall encounter about 50 imaginary feet away) and used moderate concert hall style reverb (which a reviewer said should have been labeled "ambience").  After a few days of tweaking, I got it just right.  It was quite musical, but unobtrusive. 

 

A few years later, we moved.

 

For the last 8 years we have had a combination music room/home theater/library in a 4,264 cu.ft. room, with Audyssey making our sound better than ever, except the room is a little too dead.  I never thought I'd need reverb in a room that large. The instruments sound real and beautiful, but the reverberation time is too short.  I don't want to change the room treatments or content -- it has wall to wall carpeting and many bookshelves and books.  Audyssey is working beautifully, and I'd like to preserve what it does for the front three channels.  The Lexicon is long dead (developed noise in one channel that is very noticeable unless I have the reverb turned way too far up, or crank up the input up to the point at which it is in the red zone for peaks in orchestral recordings), and no one wants to repair it, for any amount of money, including Lexicon.  It is no longer available new, and originally cost > $1,000.  They are on the used market for suspiciously low amounts ($30-$60), and I'm not sure how to know if they've developed noise (the amount in my single channel might not bother a garage band, with constantly loud music, but it drives me nuts on soft classical passages).

 

There are intriguing, much more modern, units around, some quite inexpensive (or even free!) but they all seem to need a computer.  Is there any way around this? 

 

I'd just like to give it a shot.

 

Here is one that is priced right, has pre-delay and everything I need, but it needs a computer.

image.png.2f54d5f198a1db08e8452f75f1a28929.png

AD034 EOS2  $60

 

Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, garyrc said:

Is there any way around this?

I think that you're overlooking the fact that an AVP could easily do the job (i.e., used)...and potentially provide greater functionality, although you can use one to do only what your Lexicon CP1 did.  There are a quite a few choices on ebay.

 

By the way, you're looking at a VST plugin, above.

 

Chris

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, garyrc said:

Here is one that is priced right, has pre-delay and everything I need, but it needs a computer.

 

If you did use a computer, there would also be the latency of going into the computer and back out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, babadono said:

A while back there was a thread about the OLD analog implementation of ambiance rear channels. I believe it used a QUADAPTOR

image.png.a61f6a1b5049ac209f17157f0ec59ff3.png

@garyrc would you consider one of these?

 

I had a circuit similar to this in the late 70s.  It worked pretty well.  I'll  keep it in mind.  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Chris A said:

I think that you're overlooking the fact that an AVP could easily do the job (i.e., used)...and potentially provide greater functionality, although you can use one to do only what your Lexicon CP1 did.  There are a quite a few choices on ebay.

 

By the way, you're looking at a VST plugin, above.

 

Chris

 

Thanks.  I am actually using an AVP, but hadn't thought of using it for reverb.  I have now tried increasing the delay on the two surrounds, and this works for both music and movies.  For music only, I'm trying adding panorama to the increased delay in the surrounds.  It seems o help, too.  I'll have to listen for several days and see if I still like it, while watching out for novelty effect.

 

Do you know of any additional things I could try with an AVP?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you can find one, the ADC shown above would emulate the functionality of your Lexicon CP-1 pretty much one-to-one, and offers really easy control. 

 

Using the AVP to do the same without the added burden of other "stuff" embedded in the synthesized stereo-to-5.1 modes (Pro Logic, etc.) is a little more involved.  If your AVP has an "all channel stereo" mode, then you could use that mode and then set the distance to the front loudspeakers at various distances with the surround channel gains to create the same effect as the ADX DD-4AX shown above. 

 

Chris

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the 70s I used a digital time delay to add a very subtle amount of reverb using rear speakers.  When properly set up you did not perceive the rear speakers as a source of sound.  You did not perceive it being used, until it was turned off and the sound collapsed to the front.

 

As a struggling student living in a small apartment, I sold the unit (can’t recall the manufacturer) to a doctor with Belles.

 

I’ve also dabbled with the Dynaco Quadaptor referenced earlier.  Dave @Mallette knows a lot about that device.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...