Ambient Reverb 5.5 help manual

VST2 and VST3 version release 5.5
Copyright © 2019 - 2020 Vasily Makarov / Stone Voices
http://stone-voices.ru
All rights reserved.

Ambient Reverb plugin acts on the principle of high-quality algorithmic reverb with the calculation of sufficiently dense in time sound reflections, which allows to obtain realistic reverb without granulation effect.

Reverb or reverberation can be seen as a series of echoes so dense that they cannot be distinguished from each other, provided that the intervals between the reflected signals are less than 100 ms. With an increase in the interval between incoming sounds over 100 ms, the subjective perception of a person marks a separate echo.

It is intended primarily for working with sound material in the ambient genre, although it can be successfully applied to other musical styles and directions. A distinctive feature of the plugin is a wide range of reverberation time (up to 100 seconds), which allows you to get different types of reverb in nature, as well as the ability to literally freeze sounds, while receiving interesting sound pads, like Frippertronics.

Ambient Reverb interface

The plugin used 19 parameters, combined into 7 functional groups. Each parameter is controlled by a corresponding control in the user interface. Below is a detailed description of all parameters and their associated controls, as well as other plugin controls.

#1 True Stereo Mode
Control: Toggle "True Stereo"
Group: Main
States: On or Off

Enable true stereo mode.
This option is very useful when you want to get a natural arrangement of reflections in space. For example, if the signal source is located in the left channel, then the reverb signal will also be present in the left channel (with a space width of 100%). The included state of this parameter requires a bit more computational resources, so if you use a mono input signal, then this mode is useful to turn off.

#2 Input Level
Control: Knob "In"
Group: Level
Range: -inf to +6 dB

Sets the relative input signal level.
Setting the knob all the way to the left will mute the signal, displayed as a -oo dB level.

#3 Output Level
Control: Knob "Out"
Group: Level
Range: -inf to +6 dB

Sets the relative output signal level.
Setting the knob all the way to the left will mute the signal, displayed as a -oo dB level.

#4 Dry Level
Control: Knob "Dry"
Group: Level
Range: -inf to +6 dB

Sets the relative dry output level.
Setting the knob all the way to the left will mute the signal, displayed as a -oo dB level.

#5 Wet Level
Control: Knob "Wet"
Group: Level
Range: -inf to +6 dB

Sets the relative wet output level.
Setting the knob all the way to the left will mute the signal, displayed as a -oo dB level.

#6 Low Cut
Control: Knob "Lo Cut"
Group: Cuting
Range: off, 20 to 3000 Hz

Adjusts the low cutoff frequency.
Setting this parameter to the minimum value will bypass the Low Cut filter, displaying "off" in the value field. Use this parameter to remove low frequencies from the input signal before reverb is added. For example, if you are adding reverb to, say a drum track, you might want to remove some of the "rumble" from the bass drum by attenuating the bass frequencies.

#7 High Cut
Control: Knob "Hi Cut"
Group: Cuting
Range: 0.5 to 20.0 kHz, off

Adjusts the high cutoff frequency.
Setting this parameter to the maximum value will bypass the High Cut filter, displaying "off" in the value field. Use this parameter to remove high frequencies from the input signal before reverb is added.

#8 Predelay Left
Control: Knob "Left"
Group: Predelay
Range: 0 to 250 milliseconds

Controls the delay time between the direct input signal and the first reverb reflection in left channel.
Predelay should be set to modest values for small rooms, and can be increased in relation to increases in room size. Predelay creates a slap-back echo effect that can both add atmosphere and muffle the signal, so use it wisely. When True Stereo is off, the presenter effect in this channel is not so pronounced.

#9 Predelay Right
Control: Knob "Right"
Group: Predelay
Range: 0 to 250 milliseconds

Controls the delay time between the direct input signal and the first reverb reflection in right channel.
Predelay should be set to modest values for small rooms, and can be increased in relation to increases in room size. Predelay creates a slap-back echo effect that can both add atmosphere and muffle the signal, so use it wisely. When True Stereo is off, the presenter effect in this channel is not so pronounced.

#10 Decay Time
Control: Knob "Decay"
Group: Space
Range: 0.1 to 100 seconds

Control the decay time of the reverb.
The Decay parameter refers to the time it takes for the signal to decay to -60dB (1/1000 of the maximum amplitude). Use low decay times for small rooms or boxes, long decay times for large rooms, halls or stadiums, and very long decay times for create effects of ambient textures or atmospheric soundscapes.

#11 Decay Freeze
Control: Toggle "Freeze"
Group: Space
States: On or Off

This toggle will allow to freeze the reverb tail indefinitely.
By enabling the Freeze toggle you can create reverb with almost infinite decay, this will help to fill a empty space and add a nice ambient texture.

#12 Block Input On Freeze
Control: Toggle "In Block"
Group: Space
States: On or Off

This toggle will allows you to block the input signal when the Freeze toggle is on.
The In Block parameter is used in conjunction with the Freeze toggle is on. The on state of this toggle blocks the reverb input by freeze the current reverb tail only.

#13 Width
Control: Knob "Width"
Group: Space
Range: 0 to 200%

Adjusts the stereo width of the reverberation effect.
A 0% width value corresponds to a monophonic wet signal, 100% is stereo and 200% is super wide stereo.

#14 Size
Control: Knob "Size"
Group: Space
Range: 1 to 100 c.u. (in abstract conditional units of size)

Control set the size of the virtual space where the reverb is created.
More specifically, Size scales the internal delay lines used to the reverberation. Low values are typical for simulating spring reverbs or echo in metal vessels, large values of size sound better with longer reverb times. In Freeze mode, changing this parameter is disabled.

#15 Low Ratio
Control: Knob "Lo Ratio"
Group: Damping
Range: 0.0x to 3.0x

This setting is used to adjust the decay time of the signal below the Crossover frequency.
This parameter is represented by the value of the ratio of the bass relative to the rest of the frequencies when dumping. A ratio of 1.0 x indicates that the low-frequency reverb has the same attenuation time as the rest of the signal. Increasing the value adds to the signal the content of the bass and its warmth, while the decay time of the bass can become longer than the decay time of higher frequencies. Lowering the ratio reduces the attenuation time of the low frequencies.

#16 Crossover
Control: Knob "Crossover"
Group: Damping
Range: 20 to 2000 Hz

Sets the crossover frequency for the bass signal ratio.
Only frequencies below the crossover frequency will be affected by the Low Ratio setting.

#17 High Damping
Control: Knob "Hi Damp"
Group: Damping
Range: 0.5 to 20.0 kHz

This parameter allows you to adjust damping of the high frequencies in the reverb signal over time.
Damping refers to the high frequencies being attenuated and dying out. This causes the sound to become gradually muffled and warm like it is being absorbed in the room.

#18 EQ Low Band Level
Control: Knob "Lo Band" (outside)
Group: Parametric EQ
Range: -15.0 to 15.0 dB

This parameter adjusts the EQ bass band level of wet signal.

#19 EQ Low Band Freqency
Control: Knob "Lo Band" (inside)
Group: Parametric EQ
Range: 100 to 3000 Hz

This parameter adjusts the EQ bass cutoff frequency of wet signal.

#20 EQ High Band Level
Control: Knob "Hi Band" (outside)
Group: Parametric EQ
Range: -15.0 to 15.0 dB

This parameter adjusts the EQ treble band level of wet signal.

#21 EQ High Band Freqency
Control: Knob "Hi Band" (inside)
Group: Parametric EQ
Range: 2.0 to 10.0 kHz

This parameter adjusts the EQ treble cutoff frequency of wet signal.

Other plugin controls

Levels meter
Control: "Meter"
Group: Level
Range: -inf to 0 dB

The Levels meter displays the peak input and output levels of the audio signals.
The Input meter displays the peak input level of the audio signal after the input level adjustment. The Output meter displays the post-reverb signal after the output level adjustment.

Menu button
Control: Button "Menu"
Group: Main

Display plugin pop-up menu.
The plugin’s pop-up menu contains tools for working with presets and banks, as well as some settings, a registration command, and various background information.

The plugin provides built-in tools for working with presets and banks, which are independent of your host application. Using these tools, you can not only select and edit presets, but also work with presets and banks from external files. Consider the following context menu commands for working with presets and banks:

Presets

In the submenu that appears, you can select the desired preset from the current bank.

Restore Preset

With this command you can undo all changes to the current preset, or in other words - restore the preset.

Modify Preset...

If you need to make changes to the current preset, use this command. At the same time, the dialog box for making changes will be displayed, where you can also set a new preset name, although this is not necessary. When you click OK, the changes will be made. To close the dialog without any changes, click Cancel. It should be noted that not all host applications save the current bank in a session, so if you are not sure about this, we recommend that you save the modified presets or banks yourself as files.

Copy Preset

This command copies the current preset to the plugin buffer (do not confuse it with the operating system clipboard - this command does not affect it).

Paste Preset

Replaces the current preset with a buffer that was in turn prepared by the Copy Preset command. If the buffer is empty, that is, the Copy Preset command has not been previously executed, then the Paste Preset command will be unavailable. Please note that the preset buffer is available only in the current session of the plugin and will be destroyed along with the termination of the plugin.

Load Preset...

Replaces the current preset with the loaded from the file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxp file is indicated.

Save Preset...

Saves the current preset to a file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxp file is indicated.

Load Bank...

Replaces the current preset bank with the one loaded from the file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxb file is indicated.

Save Bank...

Saves the current preset bank to a file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxb file is indicated.

Some other plugin functions available from the pop-up menu.

Skin

In the submenu, you can choose the skin for the design of the plugin:

Classic – Classic theme (in the same shades as version 4.x)
UFO (Lyapunov Fractal) – The space theme of design, where the Lyapunov fractal is taken as the basis.

Help Manual...

Launches your default internet browser and displays this help file. You can also use F1 shortcut to display help, however this may not work on some hosts.

Stone Voices Web Site...

Launches your default internet browser and displays the Stone Voices web site.

About...

Displays About Box.

The Ambient Reverb plugin is distributed in accordance with the "try-before-you-buy". This means that you can evaluate the plugin for 30 days, after which the main functions will be disabled. To unlock the plugin, you need to get a registration code by purchasing it in our shop. This can be done at any time, starting from the first moment of using the plugin.

To start the purchase procedure, press the "Menu" button, and the menu that appears, select the item "Buy Ambient Reverb Now...", as shown in the screenshot.

Then your default Internet browser will be launched. It will open the page of our store where you can pay for the purchase of a registration code.

In case of successful payment, registration data will be sent to your e-mail address, which was indicated when making the payment. They must be entered directly in the plugin. To do this, press the "Menu" button of the plugin, and select "Register Ambient Reverb...", as shown in the screenshot.

In the window that appears, fill in the "Registered on" and "Registration key" fields in accordance with the submitted registration data. After completing the input, we recommend that you verify the entered data, and only after that complete the registration process by pressing the "Register" button. See a screenshot with an example.

Please use only the above method to purchase and register an activation key. Otherwise, there will be problems with registration.

In case of registration difficulties, you can contact us through the Center of Feedback page.

If you have any problems or have questions when using the plugin, our technical support team is always ready to help you. For Technical Support, please visit the Center of Feedback page on our website.