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For the last 25 years or so, the method for creating artificial reverb (i.e., simulated ambience) has been to synthesize room characteristics such as early reflections, room size and shape, etc. But thanks to huge leaps in processor technology, today's consumer- grade computers are capable of serious number crunching - the kind of math that makes a different kind of reverb processing possible. It's no surprise, then, that plug-in developers have started capitalizing on this, resulting in a new type of reverb based on convolution.
Simply put, convolution reverb blends together an input signal with another signal called an impulse response. An impulse response (IR for short) is a recording, or "snapshot," of a real space or hardware processor. In the case of Waves' IR-1, an impressive collection of acoustic spaces and high-end hardware units were recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution, resulting in the single largest, most comprehensive commercially released IR library to date.
Tipping the scales at just over 1GB, IR-1's library includes top- flight recording studios, night clubs, concert halls, churches, and more from all around the globe, as well as a choice sampling of presets from what is likely a high-end "L"-brand reverb unit (I'm guessing here, but with names such as LX 48L Concert Hall, what else could it be?). But there's more to IR-1's story than its rich library, so let's get to it.
OVERVIEW
There are advantages and disadvantages to convolution reverb. Because it relies on samples of acoustic spaces, convolution sounds much more natural and convincing compared to synthesized 'verb. On the flip side, you can't change the characteristics of a sampled space the way you can with digital reverbs. Early reflections, density, size - it's all part of the IR recording. What Waves has done is combine the best of both worlds: IR-1 is a hybrid processor...