Remember when hardware reverbs were the sole effects available? I certainly do. In the mid-‘90s, when I began making records in Los Angeles, I would scan any unfamiliar studio for the presence of Eventide SP 2016 [Tape Op #129] reverbs and H3000/DSP4000/Orville Harmonizer units. With those hardware effects on hand, I knew I could quickly attain great sounds while tracking and mixing. The SP 2016 offered subtle and prominent vocal and drum reverbs, while the versatile Ultra-Harmonizers were capable of delivering delays, doublers, pitch shifters, reverbs, and even unconventional/otherworldly effects and textures.
Now that I’m working almost entirely in the box, surprisingly little has changed in terms of Eventide’s role in my workflow. The SP2016 reverb (plug-in) continues to be a key element in both my tracking and mixing templates, and Eventide's innovative SplitEQ [Tape Op #147] plug-in has become an integral part of my tool kit. When the Immersive Bundle was announced (that includes Blackhole and MicroPitch), I was eager to see what Eventide had developed. Choices for plug-ins that genuinely support immersive formats, such as Atmos and Sony 360, are limited, so I’ve been relying on multiple instances of plug-ins and various trickery, like delay offsets, EQ adjustments, and modulation effects to sufficiently disperse time-based effects into an immersive soundfield. Eventide Immersive plug-ins to the rescue!
Numerous plug-ins attempt to replicate the renowned MicroPitchShift preset from the original H3000, and I can say that only the Eventide MicroPitch Immersive truly nails it. The original hardware creates a depth and a subtle metallic texture that I hadn’t heard replicated until now. This plug-in immediately became a staple in my repertoire, even for stereo mixing. It supports output formats ranging from LCR up to 7.1.4, can be used as an insert or as a send/return effect, and provides high-quality upmixing results from mono and stereo sources. Eventide is working on a free update that allows mono all the way through 9.1.6 instantiations in an upcoming Q1 2024 release. I would recommend using at least a stereo (or dual mono) input signal for optimal results. MicroPitch Immersive offers essential parameters like wet/dry Mix, Input gain, Output gain, and channel faders for control over individual speaker channel levels. The Mix control includes a lock feature, enabling the auditioning of presets without the need to reset the Mix for each one. The Detune controls alter the spatial image in opposing Left/Right, Front/Rear, and Top/Main pairs. The morph fader facilitates user-controlled transitions between two sets of plug-in settings. Imagine creating one effect for the verse, and another for the chorus, seamlessly morphing from verse to chorus by automating only one slider.
The Detune range knobs and tilt faders collectively manage the thickening effect for each speaker zone. Once the pitch shift is applied, the signal passes through a Loop Delay, offering up to two seconds of manual or tempo-synced echoes. Simple yet effective controls add modulation to the depth of the pitch shifters. Further customization of the echoes and their distribution among the speakers is possible via the Crossfeed and Feedback controls. The Delay Pattern control controls if the delays remain stationary or rotate around the room. Have fun creating doppler-shifting spinning delay effects in your next Atmos mix (Tiësto, are you listening?).
A built-in, fully-featured three-band EQ allows independent adjustment of the front, top, or rear speaker groups. You can enhance the overheads with a sparkly high-frequency boost or remove the top end from the rear channels for a more subdued effect. Kill Dry and Kill Wet buttons enable muting of either the input signal or output tail. Muting the input effectively solos the wet signal, helping you dial in the effect, while the Kill Wet function clears the delay lines, fading out the delay effect or halting runaway feedback delays. All parameters can be automated in the DAW, enabling the creation of effects that morph, pulse, or dramatically build in intensity.
I tend to favor using delays over reverbs for creating depth and ambience in my mixes. In Atmos mixes these effects’ modulated, pitch-shifted delays contribute to more predictable binaural and spatial audio renders on stereo headphones. MicroPitch Immersive recreates not only the classic effects that I've been missing but also generates modern immersive soundfields and stunning effects, making it versatile for all styles of music and post-production mixing – especially for immersive sound design.
The Blackhole Immersive reverb plug-in and H9 pedal [Tape Op #107] have become essential tools for generating spatial, lingering, and resonant ambiences and soundscapes, catering to the needs of EDM producers, sound designers, and jazz guitarists alike. Eventide has revamped the Blackhole Immersive plug-in with immersive mixing in focus. Its reverb allows users to expand Blackhole reverbs into three dimensions and fine-tune its qualities in each region of the immersive soundfield. As with MicroPitch Immersive, this plug-in supports widths ranging from LCR to 7.1.4 and facilitates upmixing from mono to 7.1.4, and the updates noted above are coming soon.
Like MicroPitch, this plug-in provides individual speaker channel volumes, EQ options, and the wet/dry Mix and Mix Lock features. It’s Blackhole Immersive’s interactive parameters that set it apart from other reverbs. The Size control varies the tail length while influencing the buildup of pre-echoes and comb-filtering, thereby altering the spatial dimensions of the ambience. The resulting ambiences range from subtle early reflections to long resonant washes of immersive reverberations. The Gravity control impacts the direct-to-reverberant balance and decay time of the reverb. Gravity and Size interact to generate effects ranging from short and dense ambiences to eerie and expansive muted echoes. Interestingly, changing the Size knob introduces Doppler shifts and stretchy-sounding glitches, enabling the creation of novel otherworldly effects through automation.
The Feedback and Crossfeed parameters influence how the reverb feeds back into either a single speaker or all the speakers, affecting the length and dynamic feel of the ambience. Gravity, Feedback, and Size all offer Tilt controls that modify the weighting of the particular parameter towards the front or the rear of the room. For instance, you may want a subtle reverb in the front of the room and a longer tail with more feedback towards the back of the room.
There is a standard Predelay parameter, plus a Loop Delay control (manual or tempo-synced) that feeds the reverb's output back into itself. The Kill Wet button momentarily clears the reverb tail. This could, for instance, be automated to momentarily pause the reverb for specific phrases without resorting to complex send/return muting. Freeze produces an infinite decay time, which can be effective when triggered at just the right moment. And, yes, of course you can adjust the modulation of the reverb tail. The Morph slider allows the seamless transition from one plug-in setting to another while the reverb is playing. Blackhole Immersive includes excellent presets, serving as perfect starting points for custom-tailoring the long, transformative reverbs it is known for. While Blackhole Immersive excels in crafting otherworldly ambiences, I find its Realistic Spaces presets are well-suited for general immersive reverb duties, especially for small spaces. I particularly like how the Air Duct Hideaway preset works on percussion and handclaps. Blackhole Immersive certainly covers a wide range of reverb applications.
These Immersive plug-ins are valuable additions to any immersive mix, production, or sound design session. I've been using LCR instances of these plug-ins in my stereo mixes (with the center channel muted), which is especially handy when the stereo mixes transition into Atmos mixes. I strongly urge you to read through the manual to take advantage of the power of these deceptively simple-looking plug-ins. MicroPitch Immersive and Blackhole Immersive can be purchased as a bundle or as individual plug-ins.
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