Slate Digital

Slate seem to be on a ‘partnering’ drive at the
moment – as well as collaborating (to an
unspeciied extent) with D16 on Repeater,
reviewed on p94, they’ve also recently joined
forces with LiquidSonics to create VerbSuite
Classics (VST/AU/AAX). Coincidentally, like
Repeater, this also aims to emulate a range of
legendary hardware efects – reverbs, this time,
rather than delays. It can be bought outright, or
– the vastly preferable option, in our opinion – as
part of Slate’s ever-expanding Everything Bundle
for a $14.99/month or $149.99/year subscription.
Suite as
VerbSuite Classics works its reverberant magic
using LiquidSonics extremely impressive
Fusion-IR technology (irst seen in Reverberate 2,
9/10,
227), which employs multisampled
impulse responses to generate far more detailed
early relections and tails than are possible with
static IRs. Crucial to successful virtualisation of
any high-end digital reverb is reproducing its
modulation characteristics, and Fusion-IRs make
that possible. Of course, they’re also much
bigger than regular IRs, so VerbSuite Classics
demands a hefty 2GB of space for the default
seven Fusion-IR packages, plus another 10GB for
the optional Bricasti M7.
For such a seemingly high-concept plugin,
VerbSuite Classic’s interface is surprisingly
simple. The Fusion-IR is loaded via a rather
annoying hierarchical menu series that,
thankfully, is scheduled to be replaced with a
proper browser in the near future. Starting with
the reverb unit itself, you drill down into its
various captured presets or conigurations
– FG2016/Plate Reverb/Plate 0.2s, for example,
or FG480/Wild Spaces/Big Bottom. The Decay
knob is then used to scale the length of the tail
to anywhere from 25130% of its original length,
while the Attack and Predelay controls fade and
ofset the reverb by up to 150ms (to be raised to
350ms, we’re told). For stereo widening and
thickening, the Width knob adjusts the level of
the M/S sides component, and the Chorus knob
dials in a pitch-modulated, delayed signal.
There’s also a no-frills EQ, comprising a Low
shelving band at 460Hz, a Mid bell at 3kHz, and
a High bell at 12kHz – useful, but it would beneit
immensely from the addition of low- and high-
pass ilters. Gain, Dry/Wet mix and A/B
comparison controls complete the picture,
along with a modest library of presets.
VerbSuite Classics is essentially a heavily
reduced version of Reverberate 2. The stripped-
down interface is much more direct and easier
to use than its supercharged cousin, making
VerbSuite Classics thoroughly unintimidating
and quick; but obviously, the only emulation
taking place is in the impulse responses
themselves, with the homogenous control set
enabling only basic sound shaping and ofering
none of the actual parameters found on the
original hardware units. In use, however, that
rarely feels like a bad thing, and those eight
Fusion-IR sets are very much the story here.
Ironically, the public domain Bricasti is the best
of the lot, but all of them are truly outstanding,
serving up a wide range of breathtaking spaces
and ambiences. Ultimately, VerbSuite Classics
stands as another very compelling reason to
take the plunge with Slate’s increasingly good-
value subscription.
Web www.slatedigital.com
Slate Digital
VerbSuite
Classics
$199
Want to get your hands on eight of history’s greatest hardware
reverb units at a fraction of the price? Step right this way…
Verdict
For Fusion-IRs are simply stunning
Eight bona ide classic ’verbs
Very easy to use
A/B comparison
Against Might not be tweakable
enough for some
Changing IRs is currently annoying
No ilters
With its simplicity being, mostly, a positive,
VerbSuite Classics takes convolution to
new heights, delivering the essence of
eight of the inest reverbs of all time
9 / 1 0
Alternatively
LiquidSonics Reverberate 2
227 » 9/10 » £80
Much more lexible, but primarily
powered by plain ol’ static IRs
Audio Ease Altiverb 7
178 » 9/10 » €560
Incredible – and pricey –
convolution reverb
Between them, VerbSuite Classic’s eight
Fusion-IR libraries take in 40 years of digital
reverbs, and although Slate don’t name any,
the names and sounds give the game away.
FG250 is the EMT 250, the world’s irst
digital reverb, released in 1976. FG480 is the
Lexicon 480, famous for its beautiful
modulation and still considered by many to
be the greatest reverb ever made. FG16X
captures the versatile AMS Neve RMX16
– instrumental in the sound of the 80s.
FG2016 brings the high-gloss Eventide
SP2016 from 1982 to the modern DAW.
FGQRS is the rare and beautiful Quantec
Room Simulator. Sony’s characterful DRE
2000 from 1981 is represented by FG2000.
FG6000 is the spatially convincing TC
Electronic TC6000. And last but… well, most,
the BM7 does an incredible job of replicating
the Bricasti M7, and is provided as a free
expansion pack using the public domain
LiquidSonics responses.
Fusion reactor
2
MINUTES
WITH…
VIDEO
March 2017 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 99
slate digital verbsuite classics / reviews <
CMU240.rev_verbsuite.indd 99 04/01/2017 11:45