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Denise Audio - Perfect Room 2: Make the reverb sounds of your dreams

In the following review; we test out the new Denise Audio reverb, Perfect Room 2 (its predecessor being Perfect Room), across a variety of different instruments (strings, pads, keys, vocals and drums).

We have provided demo recordings of both the dry and wet samples so you can hear the effects for yourself.

By Eimear O SullivanMusicngear Editor

There are no shortage of reverb plugins out there; but I can say after applying this plugin across multiple test scenarios; that I have never used a reverb as powerful as this one.

This will allow you to craft the soaring Hollywood-eque strings you have dreamed of; you can use it as a rhythmic device for drums, you can transform lifeless pads into sounding like they from a 1980s VHS tape, and, you can create a lush bed of heavenly vocals without sacrificing their clarity, without all the harshness and the risks of clogging up the mix.

Overview

Price: $79 (with a $39 intro sale). Perfect Room 1 existing users can upgrade for $25.

The main promise of Perfect Room 2 is that the reverb is fully transparent, and will as a result, not flavour the sounds it is applied to, by “starting with a mathematically ideal acoustic response”.

In addition to this, the controls allow you to control the microscopic details of the reverb; preventing the muddiness, harshness and chaos that can at times come at the cost of using a lot of reverb in a mix.

I will be applying the parameters to a variety of scenarios below; but here is a very brief overview of some of the base elements. There is the standard mix-to-wet ratio (the bottom left), a bypass button; and some cool other elements, such as the Eco setting (which I have personally never come across in a plugin) on the top right, which reduces CPU load. 

The Halo parameter allows you to focus on the lower or higher frequencies of the reverb tail (and extend its decay), I really liked the Width section (which changes the reverb from mono to stereo, I found this to be very useful for strings); the pitch mod section allows you to add a nice tape effect; and, to the left of the Length parameter you can reverse the reverb tail which is pretty cool, (the metronome syncs the reverb to your session tempo). The graphic EQ at the top allows you to enhance or attenuate the reverb on specific frequencies which is a great feature to have in a reverb plugin. The attack and pre-delay function operate as described (I found these parameters great for adding rhythmic effects to kick drums, something I have not come across in previous reverb plugins); and these can also be synced to the song tempo.

Using the Plugin + Audio Examples

In the below section I will put the plugin to use across a variety of instruments, demos will be provided for each of these instruments. I will be using the plugin on a send, within Ableton Live. have the signal chain I used for recording below:

Soundcard: Universal Audio Volt / Preamp: WA - 2MPX / Instrument: Roland Juno DI / Microphone (only used on the vocals) - SubZero R1 Ribbon Microphone

Strings

In the past, I have found Strings can be one of the trickier elements to get right when it comes to reverb; instead of the Old Hollywood-esque soaring strings, or the goosebump-inducing heavenly sounds that float to your ears from a dream that I had in mind; I am faced with a muddy, clogged disaster that no amount of parameter adjusting will fix.

For this test, I used the 008 Sahara Str patch from my Roland Juno DI, with some 002: JUNO Strings for the lower notes; my aim for this being something cinematic, soft and cloud-like.

I began with the default plugin settings; and I adjusted the length of the reverb to what I had in mind (lush, full sounding, but without muddying up the transitions). I was able to do this very easily and quickly, by adjusting the decay profile controller to the exact length I wanted, and I had a soft, lush bed of strings almost immediately!! This is unheard of!! The graphic EQ was pretty useful here also, as it allowed me to add a bit of a boost at 1k to make things a bit more airy.
 

Strings DRY 

Pads

Patch used: 052: Neo RS- 202

Next up is pads; for this I had a warbly and warm 1980s vibe in mind. This reverb was perfect for this (thanks to the pitch mod). For the pads, I didn't mind having a longer decay in this as I had a different idea in mind compared to the strings. The graphic EQ was very useful here again, as I could concrete the reverb on some of the lower mids, to enhance the warmth of the sound, I was able to do so without making it muddy.

Pads DRY 

Keys

I was very impressed so far, so for the next test I used an electric piano sound, I was aiming for a nice warm, RnB vibe as opposed to a very bright sound. 

Applying reverb to darker sounds has historically caused a lot of issues for me in mixes; as it has muffled the sounds.

For this, the graphic EQ was a huge help, as it really helped me narrow down the frequencies that really enhanced this sound, and it did not come at the cost of muddying the transitions between chords. 

Keys DRY 

Vocals

I love cloud-like, glittering vocals, however, in past mixing sessions, getting the reverb exactly right has taken up vast amounts of time, as you battle with harshness, and crowding that can come with using a reverb of that size.

I was eager to see how Perfect Room 2 would do with my vocals; and I was really, genuinely impressed. The reverb was nice and soft; without the aforementioned harsh resonances that can come at the cost of a nice airy vocal, the harmonies sounded so plush and alive, without crowding the mix.

Vocals DRY 

Kick

I really like a reverbed kick drum; that sounds like it is coming from an ominous underground concrete warehouse. Usually, when I use a reverb with a kick drum, it dulls its impact; but as you have so much control with this reverb, my hopes were up.

I initially just used the preset ‘Drums - Kick Techno Rumble’ and not only did it add more life to the kick, it dawned on me that this reverb could also be used as a rhythmic device. I created some of my own rhythmic effects, by adjusting the pre-delay and having it at a higher frequency (which resulted in something that sounded almost like a snare, for your reference listen to the sample WET 02).

Kick DRY 

Conclusion

There are a lot of reverbs on the market; I have used many; and I have liked them, but, I can easily say, that I have never used one quite like this. 

With this reverb you craft the soaring strings from a golden-era Hollywood movie; you can use it as a rhythmic device for drums, you can create a lush bed of heavenly vocals that retain their clarity, without all the harshness and the risk of clogging up the mix.

Although this does allow a lot of control, this does not come at the cost of character, you can still use this to transform pads into glittering cosmic clouds from space; or to fully alter a sound as you would when creating sound FX.

This can also be used simply to add effects to sounds, e.g make them a bit wider, add a slight tape effect.

In short, your days of battling with reverb are over, with Denise Audio, you can create the exact sound you have in your head. What a time to be alive!!!

About Eimear O Sullivan

Eimear Ann O Sullivan is a multi-genre music producer, audio engineer and vocalist. After receiving a Masters in Music Technology from the CIT Cork School of Music, she went on to operate as a producer under the name Blakkheart. Her releases have received critical acclaim from Ireland's biggest music publications, such as District Magazine and Nialler9, alongside receiving heavy commercial radio airplay. She currently works in Cork recording studio Flashpoint CC. Previous clients of hers include the likes of Comedy Central’s Dragony Aunt star Candy Warhol, rapper Darce and Outsider YP. (Photo credit @Fabian Boros)

Contact Eimear O Sullivan at eimear.o.sullivan@musicngear.com

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