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SPIRIT REVERB USER MANUAL

Overview

Spirit Reverb simulates vintage spring reverbs and can push the boundaries into exaggerated and unusual effects. It is a highly adjustable system, but one that requires some key concepts to understand fully. Going into the advanced customization options isn't required, you can get many sounds right out of the box. You should start any preset by selecting the desired template from the menu and adjusting from there, saving you the hassle of finding the right parameters for a particular reverb type.

Templates: All Settings (Template Menu)

Picking one of these will select a reverb type and set the suggested parameters, so big spring will give you the tone of a long spring reverb unit, and the longer reverb timing that comes with it. Setting the Reverb Type without selecting a template is fine, but it does not effect the timing or any other settings.

Type (Reverb Type Menu)

As stated, selecting a reverb type changes the Classic Spring, Bright Spring, Exaggerated, and Low Exaggerated are all different spring reverb types, each is good for different things. Echoing, Cosmic, and Digital are special reverb effects that can use the same controls the spring reverb to make some unique effects. They all use the same knobs except Digital, see below in the reverb control section for the digital only controls.

Reverb, EQ, and Preamp

The switches that say Reverb Active, EQ Active, and Preamp Active, will completely enable or disable those controls and effects, so you can get pure tube preamp simulation for example without needing reverb or EQ to be affecting the sound.

Reverb Controls

Feedback

To adjust how long a reverb lasts, adjust the feedback control, but not too high, spring reverbs are best when not at extreme settings.

Pre-Delay

Spring reverb types have a natural pre-delay built in, so it is default to set the Pre-Delay knob to 0. Otherwise it will add to the existing pre delay.

HF-Damping (High Frequency Damping)

This knob lowers the high frequencies when combined with feedback. Setting it to very low levels is normal.

Depth

Some spring reverbs are more airy or "reverby", and that effect can be adjusted with this knob, half way is a good balance.

Stereo Width

You can adjust a multi-spring reverb from mono to a stereo sound, see the mono/stereo section below to understand the stereo effects.

Digital Reverb Controls

These controls only show when you have selected a digital reverb type.

Modulation

How much digital modulation is applied, setting it in the middle is recommended.

Reverb Length

This adjusts how long the reverb tail is, but in a different way than Feedback. For digital reverb, Feedback will be more echoing than Reverb Length, so setting Feedback to 0 is normal.

Audio Mono / Stereo Controls

The menu has 3 settings, Mono, Stereo, and Mono to Stereo. Mono and Stereo pass a mono or stereo signal normally. In the mode Mono to Stereo, spring 1 is sent to the left channel, spring 2 is sent to the right channel, and spring 3 is mixed into both as the center channel. The Stereo Width knob can adjust the stereo spread amount. Even if Stereo Width is set to 0 it will still pass a stereo signal.

About Spring Reverb

A spring reverb device, whether part of an amplifier or a stand alone unit, has a spring reverb tank as it's core component. Leaving aside the details, the reverb tank is a metal box with springs inside. The device will vibrate one end of the spring, then pick up the vibrations on the other end. The effect often seems like a combination of delay and reverb. The frequency effects it causes, often called drip or chirp, are the thing that makes spring reverb so unique. Let's imagine a tank with 3 springs in it. The springs will visibly be a little different, because they have different time values, different speeds at which vibrations get all the way across. These delay times are shown in the interface under springs / Spring Time.

Spring Controls

Spring Time

There are 3 boxes corresponding to the 3 springs. They represent the echo length of each spring in milliseconds. Click a box to highlight it and enter the amount you desire. You can also drag on the arrows next to the box to raise or lower the number.

Templates: Spring Time

There are a few standard timings, and almost all spring reverbs use on of them, you can choose one from this menu to quickly set the spring timing.

Spring Active

You can set it to to use 1, 2, or 3, springs with these switches. Note that with 2 springs you probably want to use the outer two, and with one spring the center one.

Preamp Controls

Amp Gain

This will drive the tubes harder, distortion depends on the gain and the volume coming into the preamp.

Volume

You can adjust the volume independently from the gain, it will not affect the distortion.

Tone

Turning tone up will result in a brighter sound and turning it down will increase the bass response.

Tone Bypass

The tone circuit never produces a flat response so to get a more flat and even tone curve bypass it with this switch.

Amp Bias

This will adjust the tube simulation to add some offset to the signal so it distorts against one of it's bounds more than the other. You may not hear much difference in the output.

Equalizer Controls

Gain

Turn gain to the right for boost and the left for cut.

Frequency

This is the most important EQ setting. In the middle is about 3000 hz, which is a common treble frequency. If you want to adjust a bass frequency set it to the left, if you want to adjust some presence or ultra high frequencies, set it farther to the right.

Width

The width of the parametric EQ band you are adjusting, only takes affect if it is in band pass mode.

Equalizer Mode

You can set the equalizer to shelf or band mode. Band creates a peak or dip in the frequency, shelf adjusts everything above or below frequency, both controlled by the frequency and gain knobs.

Input/Output

The incoming and final volumes.

Reverb Wet/Dry

The wet spring sound of the reverb is mixed with the non-reverbed signal, you can set the level of each.

Routing / MIDI Chart

MIDI CC #	Name	Range
1	In (Level)	0-127 / On/Off at min or max
2	Out
3	Dry
4	Wet
5	Pre-Delay
6	Feedback
7	Reverb HF Damp
8	Reverb Depth
9	Reverb Length
10	Stereo Width
11	EQ 1 Gain
12	EQ 1 Frequency
13	EQ 1 Width
14	EQ 1 type
15	EQ 2 Gain
16	EQ 2 Frequency
17	EQ 2 Width
18	EQ 2 Type
19	Spring 1 (On/Off)
20	Spring 2 (On/Off)
21	Spring 3 (On/Off)
22	Spring 1 Delay
23	Spring 2 Delay
24	Spring 3 Delay
25	Reverb Type
26	EQ Routing
27	Reverb Active
28	Eq Active
29	Amp Active
30	Amp Drive
31	Tone Bypas
32	Tone
33	Amp Bias
34	Amp Output