No matter the genre or style, reverb is a great way to add space and atmosphere to your music. A good reverb plugin, or several are therefore incredibly important to any music producer.
Professional reverbs can be quite expensive, so we've compiled a list of our 10 favorite reverb plugins, for the absolute best reverb sounds you can get for free!
So let's jump into our first pick, so you can start creating big and massive reverb sounds!
Our picks for the 10 best free VST reverb plugins:
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- Valhalla Supermassive
- TAL-Reverb 4
- Voxengo Oldskoolverb
- u-He Protoverb
- Acon Digital Reverb Solo
- CloudSeed
- Dragonfly Reverbs
- OrilRiver by Denis Tihanov
- Smart Electronix Ambience
- Variety of Sound Epicverb
Contents
Valhalla Supermassive
Valhalla is famous for providing extremely high-quality plugins at a fair price.
- Unique and ethereal reverb sound, which adds a dreamy and atmospheric quality to audio.
- Can be used on a variety of audio sources, including vocals, guitars, and synths, and can be applied to different musical genres.
- Simple and intuitive, making it easy to adjust settings and experiment with different sounds.
- Affordable compared to other reverb plugins on the market, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
- Low CPU usage, meaning it can be used on multiple tracks without causing any performance issues.
- Limited control over the reverb parameters, with only a few basic settings available for adjustment.
- Plugin can be used on a variety of musical genres, it may not be suitable for all styles, as its unique sound may not fit every mix.
- Plugin comes with a limited number of presets, which may be a drawback for users who prefer a wide variety of preset options.
- Lacks advanced features such as EQ, modulation, and early reflection control, which may limit its versatility for some users.
- Not compatible with all digital audio workstations (DAWs), which may limit its accessibility for some users.
Valhalla are mad scientists when it comes to reverbs and spaces. From their incredible VintageVerb and Room, to the experimental UberMod, everything Valhalla makes is super high quality and they sound unlike anything else.
Supermassive is their Free Delay/Reverb plugin, which is their newest addition to the Valhalla line. Made for massive reverbs and delays, Supermassive will blow you away with reverb clouds, feedback loops and out of this world delays.
Supermassive is easily, the best sounding free reverb we've ever used. The UI is also very appealing, but while it looks simple, the controls understate the capabilities of Supermassive.
That being said, there is one drawback to Supermassive, and that is, well, that is' just massive. This can make it more situational, and we rarely find ourselves using Supermassive when we want something more subdued.
TAL-Reverb 4
TAL Reverb 4 is a versatile and user-friendly reverb plugin offering natural and realistic reverberation effects, compatible with various DAWs on Windows and macOS.
- TAL Reverb 4 is known for its realistic and natural reverb sound, making it suitable for a wide range of genres and audio sources.
- The plugin features an intuitive and straightforward interface, making it easy for both beginners and professionals to navigate and achieve desired results.
- TAL Reverb 4 comes with a variety of presets that can serve as starting points or inspiration for different reverb effects.
- The plugin is designed to be efficient in terms of CPU usage, allowing users to use it extensively without overloading their systems.
- While TAL Reverb 4 offers a great natural reverb sound, it may lack some advanced features and customization options found in more complex reverb plugins.
- The plugin is primarily designed for stereo applications, so it might not be suitable for users requiring surround sound capabilities.
- If you're looking for extremely experimental or unique reverb effects, TAL Reverb 4 might not provide the same level of creative possibilities as some other plugins.
- The plugin's visual feedback and representation of the reverb parameters might not be as detailed or dynamic as some newer plugins.
TAL software are known for professional quality freeware plugins and synths, such as the TAL BassLine, Dub series and NoiseMaker. The TAL-Reverb-4 is an updated version of their awesome free Reverb.
Reverb-4 is an old school Plate reverb, reminiscent of the 80's. Awesome on vocals, Reverb-4 is one of TAL's best plugins. In fact, it sounds great on anything, from synths to drums and vocals, Reverb-4 is one of our go-to Plate verbs.
TAL-Reverb-4 is also really well-optimized, and won't eat up your CPU, much like it's previous versions. Comparing to the previous iterations, the Interface has gotten noticeably cleaner and the plugin itself has become more flexible.
With control over multiple reverb algorithm parameters, such as reverbn diffusion, room size and modulation, Tal-Reverb-4 can be suited to fit a variety of production scenarios.
TAL makes some of the best freeware out there, and their reverb is no different. It's really worth your time!
Voxengo Oldskoolverb
Voxengo OldSkoolVerb is a reverb plugin designed to emulate the classic sound of vintage reverb algorithms and hardware.
- OldSkoolVerb aims to replicate the sound of classic hardware reverbs, making it suitable for adding vintage or nostalgic vibes to your audio.
- The plugin offers a variety of algorithms and settings that allow you to achieve different reverb sounds, from subtle room ambience to larger-than-life halls.
- The plugin's interface is typically user-friendly, with knobs and controls that are intuitive to use. This can be beneficial for both beginners and experienced users.
- Despite its classic emulation focus, the plugin often offers a range of parameters to adjust, allowing you to tailor the reverb effect to your specific needs.
- While the plugin aims to recreate vintage reverb sounds, it might lack some of the advanced features and algorithms found in more modern reverb plugins. This could limit its suitability for certain modern music styles.
- Depending on your digital audio workstation (DAW) and operating system, there might be compatibility issues or technical limitations that prevent the plugin from working smoothly.
- The reverb plugin market is quite competitive, with numerous options available. While OldSkoolVerb has its niche, there might be other plugins that better suit specific preferences or requirements.
- Some users might find that OldSkoolVerb, like other reverb plugins, can consume significant processing power, potentially leading to performance issues on less powerful systems.
While it can look quite outdated, Oldskoolverb is still one of the best free reverbs around. Voxengo are well-known in the freeware world, with tons of other effects and synths available.
Oldskoolverb is probably their most popular plugin however, and it's easy to see why. It's a simple, no-bullshit reverb, that offers great sound quality and tons of functionality
Offering 18 different reverb modes, Oldskooverb is capable of small, large, room hall, plate and other reverb types.
In addition to this you also get 5 extra reverb modes, which you can combine with your other reverb settings, to create entirely new and unique reverbs.
Oldskoolverb is deceptively awesome, it let's you know what it does when you first look at it, but somehow it's still surprising, what Oldskoolverb is capable of
Oldskooverb can be your main reverb, it can easily cover most of your basic Reverb needs. Truly one of the best free reverb plugins available.
U-He Protoverb
U-He Protoverb is an experimental and creatively inspiring reverb plugin with a unique algorithm, encouraging exploration of unconventional reverberation effects, available for both Windows and macOS platforms.
- U-He Protoverb uses a unique algorithm that encourages experimentation and creativity, enabling users to create unconventional and interesting reverberation effects.
- The plugin's visual representation of the reverb parameters allows for intuitive manipulation and understanding of the sound shaping process.
- Its simple interface and minimalistic design make it user-friendly, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users.
- Protoverb is known for its low CPU usage, enabling users to apply its unique reverb algorithm without straining their system resources.
- The plugin's simplicity can be a limitation for those seeking a more in-depth control over reverb parameters found in more complex plugins.
- While its unique algorithm is great for experimental effects, Protoverb might not cover all the traditional reverb styles and applications.
- Some users might find the absence of presets limiting, especially if they are looking for a quick starting point for their reverberation needs.
- The experimental and unconventional nature of Protoverb might make it less suitable for certain genres that require more standard or predictable reverb effects.
- U-He Protoverb had reached the end of its development cycle, so there might be limited support or updates in the future.
U-He are one of the most well-known names in professional digital audio. From their incredible Diva and Hive synthesizers to effects like Twangstrom and Satin, U-He software is as famous as they come.
What most people don't know however, U-He has a solid library of freeware plugins. One of these is Protoverb.
Protoverb originally started as an experiment, by a U-He developer, to gather data on wat makes reverb algorithms sound good.
The general idea of Protoverb is to randomize your model and delay algorithms, to find a reverb that sounds great, and then use the send code button, to share your patch info and feedback with U-He.
Even though it's an experiment, Protoverb has been designed to give you great reverb tones straight out-the-box. Since a lot of the reverb tones you get are quite experimental, Protoverb is an awesome way to get entirely unique and interesting reverbs.
You can also control the decay, and dry and wet of your reverb, to make it fit your music better. The actual reverb experiment is over, but Protoverb is still very much available from the U-He website.
Acon Digital Reverb Solo
Acon Digital's Reverb SOLO is a user-friendly reverb plugin offering high-quality algorithms to enhance audio recordings, compatible with Windows and macOS operating systems in VST and AU plugin formats.
- Reverb SOLO offers high-quality reverb algorithms that can add depth, dimension, and realism to audio recordings and mixes.
- Its intuitive interface makes it easy for users to dial in the desired reverb settings without getting overwhelmed by excessive controls.
- The plugin comes with a variety of presets that cover different reverb styles, offering a quick starting point for various musical genres.
- Visual representations of the reverb parameters aid in understanding the changes being made, enhancing the user experience.
- While user-friendly, Reverb SOLO still provides a good degree of customization, allowing users to tweak settings to match their preferences.
- Advanced users seeking more intricate control over reverb parameters might find Reverb SOLO's simplified interface somewhat limiting.
- Unlike some other plugins, Reverb SOLO is not available for free, which could be a consideration for users on a tight budget.
- If you're looking for extremely unconventional or experimental reverb effects, Reverb SOLO might not be the best choice as it focuses on more traditional reverb styles.
- As the name suggests, Reverb SOLO focuses solely on reverb, so users looking for an all-in-one effects solution might need additional plugins.
- While generally compatible with major DAWs, always verify its compatibility with your specific DAW and operating system before purchasing.
Reverb Solo by Acon Digital is probably the simplest reverb on our list, in fact, it's pretty much a one-knob plugin.
Made in collaboration between Acon Digital and Reverb.com, Reverb Solo is made to be a foundational reverb. It gives mixes a sense of space, which can be a solid groundwork for the rest of your reverb work later on.
Reverb Solo is super simple to use, and provides a bright, almost slap-back like reverb sound, to place your audio in a small room, with an intimate sound. That being said, you can crank Reverb Solo up to very long, dark reverbs that make your audio buried in deep space.
We always love plugins that are super simple to use, but are powerful and useful. Reverb Solo is one of those plugins. Pop it onto an audio channel and just add some space, super easy!
Cloud Seed by Low Profile
- Cloud Seed offers a distinct and ethereal sonic texture, enabling users to create atmospheric and ambient soundscapes.
- The plugin encourages experimentation with its unconventional approach to reverb, allowing for creative and unexpected sound design.
- Its straightforward interface makes it accessible to users of various experience levels, simplifying the process of achieving ambient effects.
- Cloud Seed provides various parameters that can be adjusted to shape the reverb's character, giving users control over the resulting sound.
- The plugin's efficiency in terms of CPU usage allows users to use it extensively without straining their system resources.
- Due to its specific sonic character, Cloud Seed might be less suitable for genres that require more traditional or realistic reverb effects.
- If you're looking for traditional reverb controls like decay time, pre-delay, and other parameters, Cloud Seed's unconventional approach might not offer those.
- While excellent for creating ambient textures, Cloud Seed might not be a go-to choice for projects that demand more standardized or transparent reverberation.
- The plugin's sonic character might not cover the full spectrum of reverb styles and applications, limiting its use for certain musical contexts.
- Cloud Seed lacks visual representations of parameters, which might make it harder for users to understand the effects of adjustments.
Cloud Seed is a free algorithmic reverb plugin by Low Profile, made for endless spaces, modulating echoes and tons more.
Less of a mixing utility, as it is a creative effect, Cloud Seed can turn any signal into massive, lush and evolving pads. Not only that, you can easily recreate natural spaces, like rooms and halls.
Reminiscent of legendary reverb machines, such as the Lexicon 224, Cloud Seed doesn't try to recreate any hardware reverb. Despite this, however, Cloud Seed still somehow manages to capture the tone and character of vintage 80s reverb effects.
That being said, Cloud Seed is kind of limited to huge spaces and massive reverbs. Smaller rooms and tighter reverbs can feel strained, when compared to their intended, massive spaces.
Probably one of the go-to reverbs for a huge 80s reverb sound, any sound designer or producer will be happy to have Cloud Seed. That being said, Cloud Seed is built with C# and C++, so it sadly only works on Windows-based machines.
Cloud Seed can also be quite CPU hungry, so you probably won't use this on all channels. Cloud Seed is super unique, and we love it for sound design, you probably will too!
Dragonfly Reverbs by Michael Willis
Dragonfly Reverbs, created by Michael Willis, are an open-source collection of reverb plugins designed for the Linux operating system in LV2 plugin format, offering a variety of algorithms and customizable parameters for users seeking versatile reverb effects.
- Being open-source, Dragonfly Reverbs allows for community contributions, improvements, and modifications, fostering a collaborative environment.
- The plugin offers a range of reverb algorithms, allowing users to choose and experiment with different reverb characteristics.
- Dragonfly Reverbs provides various parameters for customization, enabling users to shape the reverb effect according to their preferences.
- The plugin comes with a variety of presets that cover different reverb styles, offering a starting point for various musical genres.
- Dragonfly Reverbs is designed for the Linux operating system, which is beneficial for Linux-based music production setups.
- The plugin is primarily intended for Linux users, which might limit its availability to those on other operating systems.
- The presence of multiple algorithms and parameters might be overwhelming for beginners or users looking for a simple reverb solution.
- As of my last update, Dragonfly Reverbs lacked a visual interface, requiring users to interact with parameters through text-based means, potentially impacting user experience.
- While primarily designed for Linux, compatibility with specific Linux-based DAWs might vary, and it might not be compatible with other DAWs on different operating systems.
- As an open-source project, documentation might be less comprehensive compared to commercial plugins, potentially requiring users to rely on community resources for support.
The Dragonfly Reverb bundle by Michael Willis is easily the best free reverb plugins bundle. Offering 4 different Reverb plugins, the Dragonfly Plate, Room, Hall and Reflections, the Dragonfly bundle can cover most of your reverb necessities.
Dragonfly Reverbs have a very characteristic and uniquely warm character. These are great for most reverb applications, but we love tuning these up to larger spaces, with a high setting on the wet.
Perfect for vocals, pads, keys and anything else, Dragonfly Reverbs are pretty much freeware essentials. You likely won't get much more out of free reverbs, than you will with the Dragonfly bundle.
The interfaces of these plugins are super easy to use, just choose your reflection, dial in the width and size, filter it to where you like it and you're done. However, unfortunately, on newer Mac models, they have this weird sizing issue.
Each plugin comes with many different algorithms and reflection types, for even more choice.
If you've been mostly using your DAW stock reverb for everything, consider picking up the Dragonfly bundle, it's free and will expand your musical spaces tenfold
OrilRiver by Denis Tihanov
Developed by Denis Tihanov, OrilRiver is a reverb plugin that offers a simulated acoustic space, enhancing audio recordings with its versatile and customizable reverberation effects.
- OrilRiver is capable of rivaling the quality of commercial reverbs, providing users with professional-grade reverb effects.
- The plugin allows users to simulate both small rooms and grand halls, offering a wide range of acoustic environments for sound enhancement.
- With 12 variations of early reflections and 5 variations of the reverb tail, OrilRiver provides diverse sound shaping options.
- OrilRiver's user-friendly interface enables quick adjustments to achieve the desired reverb sound without steep learning curves.
- The built-in 3-band equalizer for the wet signal facilitates the creation of different virtual space textures, adding to the plugin's versatility.
- The use of 64-bit floating point internal signal processing ensures optimal audio quality throughout the signal chain.
- OrilRiver supports a wide range of sample rates, from 44100 to 192000 Hz, catering to various project requirements.
- The suspension of development, with the last update being 2.0.3 Beta, means that users may not receive future enhancements or bug fixes.
- As development is suspended, there might be compatibility issues with newer operating systems or digital audio workstations that arise over time.
- Without active development, users might face challenges if they encounter issues or require technical assistance.
- It's important to consider both the pros and cons when evaluating the use of OrilRiver. While it offers impressive features and quality, the lack of ongoing development and support might be a significant consideration for potential users.
OrilRiver by Denis Tihanov is quite a capable reverb plugin. While the original OrilRiver looks quite dated, Version 2 has updated the UI to where it looks almost as good as it sounds.
Easily able to compete with tons of other commercial reverb plugins, OrilRiver is a no-brainer. With tons of control, OrilRiver offers a lot of customizability, while having a top-notch sound, which makes it stand apart from other free reverbs.
OrilReverb isn't going to blow you away with it's experimental capabilities however, and is more suited to the basics, which it does extremely well.
The reverb is very light on the CPU and has 12 different reflection types, to mimic room acoustics, such as halls, rooms and more.
OrilRiver is entirely free, so it's worth picking up. It's not the most incredible reverb we've ever heard or used, but if it's the first one you're getting, you won't be disappointed.
Smart Electronix Ambience
Ambience Reverb by Smartelectronix is a free VST plugin that delivers high-quality reverb effects, adding depth and spatial richness to audio recordings on Windows operating systems.
- Ambience Reverb offers high-quality reverb effects that can enhance the spatial depth and texture of audio recordings.
- The plugin comes with a variety of presets that cover different reverb styles, providing users with a starting point for various musical genres.
- Ambience Reverb provides adjustable parameters that allow users to tailor the reverb effect to their preferences and the needs of their projects.
- Ambience Reverb is available for free, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
- Whether it's adding subtle ambience or creating more pronounced reverb effects, Ambience Reverb can cater to various levels of sound enhancement.
- Smartelectronix's Ambience Reverb might not receive regular updates or ongoing support, potentially leading to compatibility issues with newer systems.
- While functional, the plugin's interface might not be as modern or user-friendly as some more recent reverb plugins.
- Depending on the plugin formats and operating systems, Ambience Reverb might have limitations in terms of compatibility with certain modern digital audio workstations (DAWs).
- While versatile, Ambience Reverb might not offer the same variety of reverb algorithms and styles as some more comprehensive reverb plugins.
- The availability and comprehensiveness of user documentation or support resources might be limited compared to commercial or more actively maintained plugins.
Ambience by Smart Electronix is nowhere near a new player in the free reverb market. That being said, it still very much manages to impress with its reverb tails and full sound.
Ambience is a specialized reverb, made for gigantic spaces and cosmic reflections. The reverb sound of Ambience is nothing short of inspiring. The detailed controls also help to customize your reverb to be exactly the way you want it to sound.
While it used to be considered a CPU hog, modern machines have absolutely no issues running multiple instances of Ambience in one project.
The UI is definitely quite dated and would do well with a refresh. The plugin window isn't re-sizable either and can be quite small especially when viewed on a 4K screen.
That being said, if you can look past the UI, you'll get one of the coolest free reverbs you can get right now. Lastly, Ambience has been compiled to work on 64-bit Mac OS systems, but is unfortunately only available in a 32-bit version for Windows users.
Variety of Sound Epicverb
Variety Of Sound's epicVerb is a free VST plugin that delivers high-quality and natural-sounding reverb effects, enhancing the depth and realism of audio recordings on Windows operating systems.
- epicVerb offers high-quality reverb algorithms that can enhance the depth and character of audio recordings.
- The plugin provides a range of parameters that can be adjusted, allowing users to tailor the reverb effect to their specific preferences.
- epicVerb is known for its ability to produce natural and realistic reverb, making it suitable for various musical genres and applications.
- The plugin includes presets that cover a range of reverb styles, offering users a starting point for different creative directions.
- epicVerb is available for free, providing access to quality reverb without financial commitment.
- Depending on its development status, the plugin might not receive regular updates, potentially leading to compatibility issues with newer systems.
- The interface might be less modern or intuitive compared to some more recent reverb plugins.
- Depending on its plugin format and operating system compatibility, epicVerb might have limitations in terms of integration with certain modern digital audio workstations (DAWs).
- While versatile, epicVerb might not offer as wide a variety of reverb algorithms and styles as some more comprehensive reverb plugins.
- The availability and comprehensiveness of user documentation or support resources might be limited compared to commercial or more actively maintained plugins.
Variety of Sound, best known for their free Saturation plugins, have released the awesome Epicverb. This freeware reverb VST plugin can stand on its own, when compared to commercial, and professional Reverbs, with its great sound and customizability.
Epicverb can do anything from tiny room reverbs, to ambient shimmers and big epic reverb tails, the name really does not disappoint. It manages all this without sounding overly complex and muddying up your mix.
The control you get over your reverb sound is also quite extensive, allowing for the usual reverb time and pre-delay adjustments. In addition to this, you can also adjust the room reflections, dampening, or tune-up your reverb further with an equalizer and amp.
Overall, Epicverb is one of the best free reverb plugins you will ever use, with a gorgeous, rich and warm reverb sound.
Epicverb is quick and easy to use, provides an awesome reverb tone, and is useful for more than just one job. The Variety of Sound Epicverb deserves to be on a list of the best free reverb VST plugins.
Finishing Up
To recap, these are our picks for the 10 best free reverb vst plugins:
- Valhalla Supermassive
- TAL-Reverb 4
- Voxengo Oldskoolverb
- u-He Protoverb
- ACON DIGITAL REVERB SOLO
- CloudSeed
- Dragonfly Reverbs
- OrilRiver by Denis Tihanov
- Smart Electronix Ambience
- Variety of Sound Epicverb
Whether you're looking for tight room space, or gigantic, cosmic delayed reverbs, there's plenty of choice in the free reverb VST world.
From early and late reflections to experimental algorithms and detailed controls, you can get the most out of your music without spending any money. So download the free reverb plugin of your choice, or get all of them, you won't regret downloading any of them!
Toms is a music producer & DJ, born and raised in Post Soviet Latvia. Currently based in Brighton, Toms has had over 6 years of experience with all things production and in that time, he's done a tonne of cool stuff! He's played multiple festivals, had experience in the field with mixing & mastering and even become a freelance journalist in the music industry.
Toms currently creates music under the alias Sovereign. Producing music that's intimate and subtle, while full of edge and energy, the young producer combines the artistic sounds of Trip Hop artists like Massive Attack, with the energy and youthfulness of producers like Flume, Jamie XX and Yaeji. You can check his stuff on Soundcloud.
