Realistic artificial reverbs and other time-based processors are commonplace in today’s music technology, so it’s easy to overlook how much of a technical marvel it was when reverberation could be divorced from the physical location of a performance, and how quickly it transformed recorded music. From Bill Putnam’s reamping technique using physical echo chambers, to the Brobdingnagian 600-pound EMT plate reverb machine, to the complex digital convolution and algorithmic reverbs we have today, artificial reverbs have been sculpting the sonic space of recorded music only 80 years—a shockingly short time span, even when considering the timeline of recorded music history.
In this article, I’ll go over some of the history of reverbs, delays, and other time-based effects processors, showcasing ten of the most legendary and groundbreaking innovations and studio classics.
Echo Chambers – The First Artificial Reverb (1947)
Bill Putnum is a name associated with a staggering number of audio engineering innovations; the first artistic use of artificial reverb was just one of them. In 1947, Putnam engineered the harmonica trio “The Harmonicats” single Peg o’ My Heart, which peaked at number one on the Billboard magazine chart and sold more than two million copies in the first year.
During the recording process, Putnam re-amped the harmonicas’ signal to a speaker placed in the 42nd floor bathroom of the Chicago Civic Opera Building and mic'd the speaker’s output, thus creating an echo chamber and the first documented instance of artificial reverb in recorded music.
Echo chambers are still used in many high-level studios and can be a simple thing to do on your own, provided you have the space. Sunset Sounds, Abbey Road, and Capitol Studios still make use of dedicated echo chamber rooms, and any good stairwell or bathroom can be used for effective reverb.
Elektro-Mess-Technik EMT 140 Plate Reverb (1957)
The first artificial reverb machine was the EMT 140, a leviathan 600-pound beast that has been used on countless recordings since its introduction in 1957, with many units still in use. Because of the substantial cost associated with leaving an entire room unused outside of reverb purposes, EMT created the 140 plate reverb as an alternative to the echo chamber–and its unique and realistic sound continues to impress listeners to this day.
The EMT 140 was the first implementation of plate reverb, an artificial effect created by vibrating a large metal sheet with an audio signal and capturing the sounds of the sheet with pickups or contact microphones. The result is an inherently bright and spacious sound that differs from reverberation that can be found in real-world acoustic space.
The first models of the 140 had just one pickup for mono output, with later models (EMT 140 ST) featuring two for stereo output. One of the great innovations of the EMT 140 was an adjustable dampening pad which could control the reverb time, making it far more versatile for studio engineers—prior to the 140, engineers were beholden to the natural reverb characteristics of whatever echo chamber or physical recording space they were using, able to make only small adjustments with mic placement.
EMT 140 units can still be found in many music studios, and while they’re expensive, they aren’t impossible to get your hands on (though getting it into your studio might be). It has been used to create lush reverbs in great records including those by the Beach Boys, Van Halen, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles—all plate style reverbs are based off this initial innovation.
Check out a plug-in version of the 140 plate reverb here.
EMT 250 Digital Reverb (1976)
By the 1970s, audio technicians and scientists were deeply involved in the exploration of digital audio for one main reason: better control of the manipulation of time-based effects. Even with the innovation of EMT’s prior 140 plate reverb and other adjustable physical reverberation models, the practice of recording reverberation was neither precise nor flexible.
As the first commercially available digital reverb machine, the release of EMT 250 Digital Reverb Unit in 1976 represented a transformational shift in the audio industry. Engineers were now unbound by the prior limitations of physical space and material and were granted a level of control and precision unachievable prior to the roll out of this machine, nicknamed “R2D2” due to its retro-futuristic design (maybe just futuristic for the time).
The EMT 250 was rapidly adopted by music studios in the 1970s and 80s. While it could produce natural-sounding and immersive reverbs, the unit was also capable of other time-based effects like delay, phasing, chorus and echo, making it perhaps one of the most powerful audio tools in existence at the time.
There are some EMT 250s still in use today, but only a few hundred were ever produced and they have become notoriously unreliable—replacing and repairing fifty year old electronics is an incredibly expensive and complex process (and it didn’t help that the original manufacturers scratched off the names and logos of all the internal electronics to gatekeep their invention). The EMT 250’s sound has been recreated with other hardware reverb units as well as software plug-ins, so getting the 250’s vintage sound isn’t an impossible task, but getting the chance to see a real EMT 250 in action is becoming increasingly rare as time goes on.
Lexicon 224 Digital Reverberator (1978) and 480L Digital Effects System (1988)
The Lexicon 224 was not the first digital reverb to market, but since its release in 1978, it has cemented itself as one of the most popular and sought-after high-end reverb modules in recording history – not only because of its immersive sound and super-long decays (immortalized in Blade Runner’s soundtrack), but perhaps due to its “affordability”: The Lexicon 224 sold at US $7,500, while the EMT 250 costed double or more.
The Lexicon 224 was later improved with the 224X model which featured a higher sampling rate, and the 224XL, a similar model which came with the “LARC” (Lexicon Alphanumeric Remote Control), an upgrade to the previous desktop control panel that utilized a 24-character LED alphanumeric display for better monitoring of settings and parameters.
Lexicon 224’s are highly prized possessions (they’re known to be quite delicate machines) having been featured on a staggering number of popular records since the 1970s, including Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A., Remain in Light by the Talking Heads, and Pearl Jam’s Even Flow.
In 1988, Lexicon rehauled the 224 entirely, releasing the 480L. While the Lexicon 224 was a solely a reverb unit, the 480L improved its modeling with new randomization algorithms that created even more natural sounding spaces while reducing or removing artificial reverb artifacts like metallic ringing.
The 480L is also capable of adding high-quality delay, chorus, doubling, and tremolo effects unlike its older sibling, and supports dual-engine configuration, allowing two 480Ls or a 224 and 480L to be controlled through a single LARC, which can result in some unique and complex processing potential. The Lexicon 480L continues to be a staple in the modern recording industry and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon—but getting one today will cost you a not-so-small fortune.
Check out the plug-in version of the 224 on our website.
AMS DMX RMX16 Digital Reverberation System (1981) and AMS Neve RMX16 500 Series (2020)
The Advanced Music Systems DMX RX16 Reverb was a massive contributor to the evolution of reverberation and signal processing when it was released in 1981, responsible for innovative production methods that culminated in the unmistakable and enormous gated drum sound of the 1980s, spurned particularly by the work of Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and engineer Hugh Padgham.
The RMX16 came with nine processing algorithms, most notably the legendary non-linear algorithm which produces a socially intense artificial reverb effect that first delivered the authentic drum sound of the 1980s—in fact, the RMX16 is often praised for its unnatural reverberation, known for injecting fascinating digital textures to whatever signal passes through it.
There’s a reason why this forty-plus-year-old reverb is being reissued: AMS Neve reissued the RX16 in 2020 as a 500 series module, retaining the same sound and functionality as the original, if not the form factor. If you’re looking for that iconic 80s sound—or even just a high-quality outboard effects processor—but want to avoid the vintage price tag and servicing costs of an older machine, you’re in luck.
Roland SDD-320 Dimension D Chorus (1981)
Even though the Roland Dimension D was an industry standard device, explaining its function is not exactly straight-forward; while it is an effects unit, the term “psychoacoustic processor” may be more descriptive. The Dimension D’s chorus effect is subtle but powerful, creating a stereo image out of a mono source or further widening an existing stereo source, as opposed to creating a more obvious warbling and beating effect like most chorus effects on the market.
Chorus is an effect that occurs when two or more sounds with not-quite-the-same timing and pitch converge, rendering any out of tune sound imperceptible while creating a rich shimmering quality—this effect occurs in acoustic reality when a choir or orchestra plays in unison.
The Dimension D is dead simple; there are four preset modes with no adjustable parameters, a bypass switch, and a jack for a foot pedal to activate/deactivate the device. Despite this aggressive simplicity, the Roland Dimension D had an enormous impact on the sound of recorded music in the early 1980s, used extensively by the Talking Heads, Kate Bush, and The Police.
This is an esoteric and enigmatic machine. Descriptors like “widening,” “sweetening,” or “fattening” are in the definitional ballpark, but this is a machine that you really need to hear to understand– and when you do, you’ll hear the unmistakable sound of the early 80s.
Check out a plug-in version here, and an affordable modern clone here.
Yamaha SPX90 (1985) Multi-Effects Processor
Perhaps not even Yamaha could have predicted that its mass-produced and affordable SPX90 effects processor would become an industry standard machine—but even halfway into the 2020s, it continues to be a mainstay in studios throughout the world. The SPX90 is vaunted for its iconic symphonic chorus preset, a built-in effect many engineers say is worth the price of admission alone.
But beyond just a single preset, the SPX90 incorporates a plethora of algorithms that can produce full and natural sounding reverbs, delay and echo, and modulation effects like chorus, tremolo, vibrato, and stereo phasing.
The SPX90 (along with its extensive lineage of upgraded versions) is known for its reliable utility, versatility, and affordability, commonly used in recording studios as well as stage racks for live performance. Even today, you can pick up one of these for under US $350—and despite the “vintage” quality of some of its sounds (it can show its age at times) it has found a home in many a modern recording environment.
Eventide H3000 Series Ultra-Harmonizer (1987)
The Eventide H3000 has been usurped by more modern and functional models, with today’s Eventide H9000 as the flag bearer to the ultra-harmonizer’s legacy. That said, it seems that the H3000 remains the one held in highest regard in the hearts and minds of the audio community.
The Eventide H3000 is a fully-featured multi-effects processor with effects including delays, reverbs, and phasers—but its main claim to fame was its superior pitch-shifting functionality (especially when considering the era it was introduced). The H3000 was capable of diatonic pitch shifting, which means pitch adjustments would abide by the equal-tempered 12-tone scale that defines western tonality. Prior to this, pitch shifting was done by speeding up or slowing down tape, which was unbound diatonic tonality and would introduce speed changes (and the workarounds to avoid these issues didn’t produce very desirable results).
The H3000 would allow you to set user scales, correct out-of-tune notes, and (most impressively) create entire choirs out of a single monophonic input. Despite its age, the H3000 harmonizer has been used on some enormously influential and fairly recent recordings such as Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance and Random Access Memories by Daft Punk.
Check out a plug-in version here.
Sony DRE-S777 Sampling Digital Reverb (1999)
The Sony DRE-S777 was the first commercially available real-time convolution reverb, the pioneer of a marked advance in the realism and sound quality of artificial reverb compared to previous algorithmic models.
Convolution reverb digitally simulates the reverberation of a real-world acoustic space by using an “Impulse Response” or IR: a digital recording that captures the sonic characteristics of a physical space. With some processing, the recording can be applied to another audio signal, making it sound like it occurred in the space the IR was recorded in. Take a look at a very old email newsletter from B&H for a more in-depth breakdown of convolution and IR, and you’ve got technical knowledge, check out Dr. Brian McFee’s incredible work defining the mathematical process. It reveals some python code if you’d like to implement your own convolutions.
Prior to the DRE-S777, processors would take as much as a day to process impulse responses. The DRE-S777 was the first to make implementing IRs reasonably efficient but was still quite slow compared to convolution reverbs today (the advances in digital signal processing (DSP) in the last twenty years are really quite impressive). The reverb programs the DRE-S777 would run were located on a set of CD-ROMs and stored on a miniature memory stick, so there was a loading time of 20-30 seconds every time you’d change the preset or program—unimaginable today, but an enormous breakthrough in 1999.
The Sony DRE-S777 represented a major technical advancement in reverberation technology, blurring the lines between artificial and natural sound and defining a new level of sonic realism that defines most reverb technology today.
Bricasti Design M7 Stereo Reverb Processor (2007)
Released in 2007, The Bricasti Design M7 quickly became the industry standard modern reverb processor for professional recording, where it remains to this day. Many engineers claim that it outperforms the vintage classic modules such as those produced by Lexicon and Eventide by leaps and bounds, often relegating them to “flavor” reverbs.
Even though the M7 is not a convolution reverb, it’s known for a sound nearly indistinguishable from real, natural space, and is considered the be one of if not the most realistic and high-fidelity reverb units that currently exist on the market. While convolution reverb is typically considered the most natural sounding, algorithmic reverb offers far more control and flexibility; IRs are static recordings that commit to the space they were taken in. The M7 found a way to achieve convolution-like realness in an algorithmic platform.
Bricasti Designs offers the M10 remote (invoking alphanumeric memories of the LARC) which can control up to eight M7 rack units at once. If you can’t justify a bankrupting yourself to buy audio gear, LiquidSonics’ Seventh Heaven reverb plug-in is the software recreation of the M7.
Conclusion
There are only ten of the many studio icons and industry standards produced in the eighty-year history of artificial reverberation. Most reverbs produced today are software plug-ins as the affordability and accessibility is clearly superior, and modern computation can handle greater complexity. But there is something about using the vintage outboard gear, knowing that each instance of a physical machine can produce a unique sound profile, that can sprinkle just a bit of magic onto a recording. Check out the reverbs and gear we have to offer at B&H, as well as the great resources and knowledge our expert audio team can provide.
