sometimes i use reverbs to add texture to sounds, just to give it some width or shimmer, rather than to sound like a room. the problem is reverbs usually use a lot of CPU (at least on my computer), so if i do this a few times in a track the CPU use can build up pretty fast.

so i am looking for a low CPU reverb VST to use for this. it does not have to sound the best because the effect is very subtle and usually almost no tail will be heard. i am still looking for room reverbs though, rather than something that is exclusively for spring or plate reverb or something like that.

just to be clear, i usually use reverbs on a send to create space, but i am looking for a low CPU one for creative effects and wacky sound design.

anybody have any suggestions?

thanks guys <3

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2020

I find Valahalla verbs to be quite cpu friendly....

 

TAL Reverb.

I wouldn't use reverbs on inserts, btw. Instead I'd use one or two busses with differnt quality reverbs and send to them. Makes the mix sound more coherent and saves a lot of cpu.

 

Valahalla, breverb 2, wave renaisance, psp 2445, melda mconvolutionMB + sampliciti impulse bricasti m7

 

+1 for using reverbs on sends/busses.
it gives one 1 more level/layer of control/creativity

 

EVENTIDE REVERB 2016 STEREO ROOM

 

nah, this plugin is not friendly

 

+1 for what reliefsan and 5teezo already mentioned. I am not a PRO mix engineer, but usually they will tell you to put one short and one long reverb on 2 busses and use sends as needed. This way you also have more control on the reverb itself (like vol./send automation, sidechain and/or eq..)

 

that is how i use them when creating space for a mix, but i am talking about using them for a different purpose, more like adding a layer. i will create a reverb and manipulate the reverb signal to be used as a layer or whatever other purpose i decide, which is why i wanted a low CPU one to use as an insert (or whatever works), while using high quality and high CPU ones on sends for space.

i like to play around with wacky sound design ideas

 

is it not CPU friendly? or is it just complex?
i am an experienced producer so no reverb will be too complex, but if it is not CPU friendly then it will not help me.
thanks

edit:
had a quick look at it and it looks very simple, so i assume you mean it is not low CPU?

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2020

thanks for the suggestions everybody. thats loads for me to try! thank you all so much <3

just to be clear i am talking about using it for weird reasons, not typical reverb for space. i will update OP to clear that up. sorry for the confusion :/

 

Eventide Tverb. Low CPU usage & smooth, warm tones.

 

It's currently on sale for 59 dollars

 

As to my experience the plugins delivered with the DAW are mostly CPU-friendly.

 

ValhallaShimmer or some of the lexicon ones maybe, i dont think that many low CPU creative reverbs exist, your best bet would be to combine something like eventide H3000 or guitar rig etc. with a reverb on a send bus

 

yea i didnt even try mine yet! hahaha
i have been using studio one for about 2 weeks now, ive just made the leap to a new DAW and i thought i would try it out. i am so used to my workflow with my typical VSTs that i didnt even think about the studio one stock reverb

thanks for the suggestion, i am going to try that out in a minute.

 

i only need a normal reverb, i will do the creative part myself. the reverb is just to create a canvas to carve from.
i think you are right in general though, i think reverbs tend to be high CPU by nature.
i have been looking at a lot of the suggestions above though and a lot of them look promising. i am going to try some out and hopefully find a balance between CPU and function. some of them look really nice, but i think the features i like will mean more CPU hahaha

 

Yp. This is true in 98% of cases. But it takes a LOT of willpower to start using stock plugins! ;))

This really depends.. a couple of days ago I saw CPU measurements some guy made. Let's just say I was surprised by how a compressor easily eats 3x more than an algo or even convo reverb.

Studio one Mixverb (not the Room rev) is very gentle on CPU. Others you could try and sound decent would IMO be the ol' Waves TrueVerb, the (already mentioned) Eventide 2016. And then 112dB Mikron and Kilohearts one (very light, but just couldnt make it sound right).

There is of course another less flexible way, if you only need a "normal reverb" to get creative with it - bounce the fully wet signal of a "large hall" to separate audio track and turn the plugin off. That way you can use as many HQ revs as you please..

 

Tun, these plugins could give you something to try on an insert. Blackhole and Spring from Eventide. I usually put reverbs on a bus but the two I mentioned have this "morphing" slider thingy (sorry about the technical term) that somehow you would not want globally (on a bus). Spring can give some weird morphing sounds. Good Luck

 

i played around with all the reverbs i already have installed last night and measured their CPU and thought about if they would suit my needs.
studio ones mixverb was actually pretty well suited and, as you said, low on CPU.

bouncing is what i usually do when i am forced to, but i like to keep things flexible as much as possible and i try not to commit to audio when i can avoid it.
although i am learning more and more about studio one and it seems really good for bouncing things without commiting, so maybe that can work for me now.