Synchron Stage Reverb - New Release from VSL

[Linos]

Vienna Symphonic Library has released a new reverb based on IR's from their Synchron Stage. A free 30 days demo is available. Here is the ad text:





A true one-click solution! Add this reverb as insert to your dry source, select the position on stage, done!
Of course, we included additional features so you can fine-tune the sound to your liking.
Based on Decca Tree impulses recorded at Vienna Synchron Stage in Stage A, you can transform your dry recordings or samples to authentic sounding wet recordings - perfect to add space and depth to small studio or bedroom recordings.
Also, currently this reverb supports upmixing mono/stereo up to 5.1 surround!

While the positions are labled for easy orientation, you actually can add any source to any place you like!
And due to our performant in-house developed IR engine you can easily run 100+ instances on a modern system.
During QA I had over 200 instances running on my AMD Ryzen 5950x.

Get it here for just € 99 (after intro sale: € 149), also a free 30 days demo is available:
https://www.vsl.co.at/products/software ... age-reverb

[RobS]

This one’s for Piet!

(just joking, if it wasn't clear)

[Linos]

This is the simple reverb for people for whom MIR is too complicated I guess. I have enough reverbs so I can't be bothered to download the demo. It's in direct competition with the Berlin Studio reverb, and if I had to choose between the two, Berlin Studio would easily be my choice. For one thing, I trust the recording engineers at Teldex more than those at Synchron Stage. The sonic signature of the Orchestral Tools libraries appeals to me more than the Synchron libraries. Also, the plug-in layout of Berlin Studio is ideal for me. It gives you the same setup you would have for a live recording, with multiple 'microphone sets' as audio returns. It's ideal if you want to integrate dry libraries into the same workflow as wet multi-mic libraries.

[Daryl]

I suppose that, as one of the few people here who have conducted at Synchron, I should try to find time to check this out at some point.

[Tanuj Tiku]

This is the simple reverb for people for whom MIR is too complicated I guess. I have enough reverbs so I can't be bothered to download the demo. It's in direct competition with the Berlin Studio reverb, and if I had to choose between the two, Berlin Studio would easily be my choice. For one thing, I trust the recording engineers at Teldex more than those at Synchron Stage. The sonic signature of the Orchestral Tools libraries appeals to me more than the Synchron libraries. Also, the plug-in layout of Berlin Studio is ideal for me. It gives you the same setup you would have for a live recording, with multiple 'microphone sets' as audio returns. It's ideal if you want to integrate dry libraries into the same workflow as wet multi-mic libraries.

I think that the VSL libraries did not sound better with this new reverb. They sound just as they do with others except they do seem to have a lot of depth. The Synchron stage is quite massive after all. The song however sounded very nice with the reverb and it radically changed the sound in terms of spatializaiton without making it sound worse in quality.

I would not judge the engineers of Synchron based on their sample libraries. Music recorded there sounds really good as I have directly worked with music recorded at Synchron twice. One was on an album Daryl recorded over there and the brass sounded fabulous!

On another occasion, I worked on a film where I had written some cues which were recorded at Synchron and again they sound wonderful.

Why the old VSL libraries sound the way they do is a mystery to me and I have not really paid close attention to the new line up.

That being said, the use case is limited for users of modern sample libraries and on face value this plugin is not for them as most libraries are 'ambient' in one way or another. I think this is probably very useful for people who record real instruments and want to drop them into a large space.

[RobS]

I suppose that, as one of the few people here who have conducted at Synchron, I should try to find time to check this out at some point.

congratulations Daryl, if I may ask, what were you conducting?

[Thomas Mavian]

Well, I really enjoyed the sound of LA Scoring Strings 3 at the Synchron Stage

I think this is brilliant, on more so many levels. I have a few Synchron libraries and with this it will be easier to get my other libs onto the Synchron Stage than to get the Synchron Stage to my other libs.

Trying out the demo and I award 5 stars out of 5 for the GUI. You simply can't go wrong with this one.

Then there is the question if you like the stage or not. Different question and quite subjective.

I've come to really enjoy using the Elite Strings (full) and to get my other libs into the same sounding "universe" semms like a no brainer. Since it didn't cost an arm and a leg I think I'll get it. Will demo it thoroughly first though.

EDIT: And I must add that it is really easy on the CPU. Studio One reports less than 1% per instance.

[Daryl]

I suppose that, as one of the few people here who have conducted at Synchron, I should try to find time to check this out at some point.

congratulations Daryl, if I may ask, what were you conducting?

As a house conductor, too many things to list.

[Linos]

I would not judge the engineers of Synchron based on their sample libraries. Music recorded there sounds really good as I have directly worked with music recorded at Synchron twice. One was on an album Daryl recorded over there and the brass sounded fabulous!

I do. The Synchron products all have a sound that I don't like. It's the way they're recorded and mixed. They all sound bright and top-heavy, designed to cut through a mix. The Orchestral Tools libraries, on the other hand, have a more transparent and rounded sound signature. I am not saying that one is right and the other is wrong. They have different uses. For my music, the transparent signature is what I want. The sound of the Synchron libraries signature is more modern. It reminds me of modern film music and trailers.

It's strange that VSL libraries are recommended for people who want to use them to mockup concert hall music. To me, the libraries from Orchestral Tools have the right sound for that. Synchron libraries don't. If you look at the projects recorded in both venues, Teldex has a lot of classical music projects in addition to film music. Synchron lists film music exclusively, no classical music projects at all. For me, this is also audible in the sound signatures of the sample libraries.

This is not to say that the recordings on Synchron necessarily need to have the VSL samples sound. I am sure that the sound of the libraries is a deliberate choice. If a film score or library music needs a different sound signature, I am sure the engineers at Synchron are well capable of doing that.

Very cool that you had your music recorded at Synchron Stage Tanuj. Can you link us to the tracks? I would love to hear them.

[Tanuj Tiku]

Linos, I see what you mean. Like I said it has been years since I have paid serious attention to the modern VSL libraries so I can’t pass a knowledgable comment on it.

I like OT and use it very often in my projects. I totally understand what you mean about its appeal towards a more classical sound. But the same people have also created the ARK series in the same room.

I find your comment about trust of synchron engineers interesting. Why would you have a trust issue with the engineers? This is a reverb product and in general they are not designed to have too much baked in colour (even if the aesthetic of synchron engineers, as you say is to make things sound like trailer music). MIR and other such products need to have minimal colour so as to allow different use cases.

There is plenty of different styles of music recorded over there (including high end library) and not everything is of one colour, except the basic signature of the hall of course. Perhaps, you have an issue with the room.

The sheen on most recordings and productions is added after recording during the mixing and mastering process.

I worked on a film called Brahmastra (2022) and provided additional music along side other composers. A large part of the score was recorded at synchron. However, the score has not released officially so I can’t point you to any tracks. Having said that I will see if I have any of the recordings in a back up somewhere!

PS: I forgot to add the most important part of the sound - the musicians and their instruments.