Hello Composers! =)
Mike here, and today I am reviewing Spaces 2 by EastWest Sound. It is a 24 bit true stereo convolution reverb plugin with over 1000 spaces to choose from. Watch my Sound Demo Video here, and then let’s dive in! =)
SOUND & FEATURES
First and most importantly, the sound quality is top notch. I tried it on pianos, strings, woodwinds, brass, vocals….It seems to work especially well for acoustic instruments like these.
It comes with over 1000 spaces to choose from, and even though I personally mainly use the scoring stages and orchestral halls, you can find strange places like catacombs, train stations and warehouses in here too.
A neat feature is that they have made presets for different instrument categories as well, which can help you mix the sound stage of your virtual orchestra if you wish.
What was surprising to me, was the modest CPU usage from this plugin. I had expected it to need much more CPU power to run, but in the tests I made it was in fact incredibly efficient considering the amazing sound quality of this reverb.
THE INTERFACE
The interface in itself is very straightforward with a minimal design that looks amazing. There are big knobs for the main aspects of the reverb: pre-delay, dry level and wet level, as well as an input gain knob.
This makes it not only quick and easy to work with, but I personally find it very inspiring. Especially the big image in the middle that shows the space of the selected preset.
The only thing I personally miss is a way to increase the size of the GUI, because I am on a high resolution screen.
MY 3 FAVORITE THINGS
- The Sound Quality
Seriously, with reverb plugins it is of course the sound quality and character that matters more than anything. And Spaces 2 simply sounds amazing. - The Structure of Reverb Impulses (Presets)
They are neatly divided into categories of spaces, with sub-folders, and even the presets themselves are named in a structured way. - The Interface
Beautiful, straightforward, easy and quick to use. And they even show you an image of the recorded space which is an extra bonus.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
I can honestly say that this has now become my favorite go-to reverb for orchestral music and cinematic music. It has such a rich, deep and open sound that can make any instrument lush and beautiful.
LEARN MORE
Watch my Sound Demo Video here. Learn more about Spaces 2 here. Get a full overview and specifications, listen to audio demos etc.