TC Electronic MegaReverb User manual

MegaReverb for PowerCore Manual English
Manual
MegaReverb for PowerCore

SUPPORT AND CONTACT DETAILS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
DSP USAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
HIGH CUT FILTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
SPACE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
SHAPE AND SIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
WALL DIFFUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
TIME EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
PRESET HANDLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3
SUPPORT AND CONTACT DETAILS
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The TC Support Interactive website www.tcsupport.tc is designed as an online support
and information center. At the site you can find answers to specific questions regarding
TC software and hardware. All known issues are stored in a database searchable by
product, category, keywords, or phrases. Under the section "My Stuff" you can login to
check the status of your questions, download materials such as product manuals,
software updates and new presets.
This site has been specifically designed to meet the needs of our users. We constantly
update the database and you will find the site to be a huge resource of information.
Browse through Q&A's and discover new aspects of your TC product.
If you can't find an answer online, you have the option of submitting a question to our
technical support staff who will then reply to you by e-mail. The TC Support Team is on
constant alert to help you in any way they can.
Contact Details:
Alternatively, you may contact the TC Electronic distributor in your area, or write to:
www.tcelectronic.com
© BY TC ELECTRONIC A/S 2007. ALL PRODUCT AND COMPANY NAMES ARE TRADEMARKS OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. VST IS A TRADEMARK OF STEINBERG AG, AUDIO UNITS IS A
TRADEMARK OF APPLE COMPUTER, INC.
ALL SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TC Electronic is a TC Group company.
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The unique algorithms are based on years of ongoing research and the core technology
of the TC Electronic M5000 hi-end studio processor. With even better diffusion, denser
tails and more realistic room impressions than ever before, MegaReverb provides the
ultimate plug-in reverb solution for PowerCore.
INTRODUCTION
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To group the controls (e. g. Decay Time in the Reverb) press the [Shift] key and move
the mouse up/down.
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To reset a control to its default value hold the [Option] key and click on the control.
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To use the Fine Trim Mode hold the [Command] key while moving the mouse.
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All the displays are active. That means you can click/hold with the mouse on the display
and move the mouse left/right or up/down to change a parameter.
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Double-click on a control to enter a numerical value.
Confirm your input by pressing [Return].
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Click on the PPM Meters to
get your peak hold options.
The “CLIP” text will turn red if
Internal DSP Overload has
occurred.
Click on the clip indication to
get your “hold” options.
GENERAL INFORMATION
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If you are using a host application that supports this feature, all parameters support
scrolling on both Windows XP and Mac OS X. Simply place the mouse over a parameter
value field and use the Scroll Wheel to increment/decrement the associated parameter-
value.
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In most host applications, Plug-Ins support keyboard commands for certain functions.
The following key commands are available for all Plug-In parameters.
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Reset To Default = [Alt] Reset To Default = [Shift] & [Control]
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mono 8%
stereo 14%
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mono 9%
stereo 15%
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mono 17%
stereo 28%
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mono 19%
stereo 31%
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For each open instance of the MegaReverb on PowerCore devices (X8, FireWire, Compact,
Express, mkII, Unplugged), the following DSP usage applies:
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The MIX parameter sets the balance between the source signal
and the processed signal. At 0%, you will only hear the source,
while at 100% you will only hear the processed signal.
When you are using MegaReverb in a send/return configuration, you will usually
want to select the “MIX = 100%” mode to bypass the Mix parameter and set it to
100% to bypass the dry signal.
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When Crossfeed is enabled, the left and right channels intermix their early
reflections to increase the reverb density. When disabled, the two channels are
processed separately, which is useful when for example mixing in Dolby Surround.
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Sets the I/O levels to and from the MegaReverb Plug-In.
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L/R Balance: With this fader you can set the left/right balance
of the initial Reflections.
Tail Balance: With this fader you can set the left/right balance of
the Reverb Tail.
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Stereo Width determines how “wide” the reverb should be: 0%
is the same as mono, just as 100% is stereo. When Crossfeed is
disabled, setting Stereo Width to 100% produces true stereo
reverb.
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The MegaReverb algorithm mainly consists of these functional blocks:
MEGAREVERB MEGAREVERB
6 7
High Cut Filter
Space Editor
Size
Meters
Decay/Frequency
Levels and Mix
Time Editor
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The MEGAREVERB algorithm is a very comprehensive and high-quality reverb algorithm.
At first glance, you might feel you have to re-learn the reverb-design process. Just keep
in mind that the intuitive nature of MEGAREVERB actually makes it much easier to use
than „normal“ oldfashioned reverbs.

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The input to MegaReverb algorithm is processed with a low pass filter which allows you
to “roll off” the high frequencies of your reverb effect. In general, you will want to make
your reverb effect a bit darker than the source signal, as it might otherwise sound
unnatural or even unpleasant.
MEGAREVERB MEGAREVERB
8 9
There are two frequency values indicated
above the display: The “S” value is the start
frequency of the high cut filter, which is the
lowest frequency influenced by the filter. The
“E” value is the end value. This frequency is
where you have reached the determined
attenuation.
Defines how much the input to MegaReverb is
damped in the high-frequency area. The scale
of the filter is 6dB/octave.
Sets the cut-off frequency for the algorithm’s
input filters. Use this to band-limit the early
reflection and decay characteristics of the effect.
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The Space Editor defines the basic structure of the room.
In natural reverberation, the early reflection happens within the first second of the
response. This is where the sound is very clearly reflected by the walls and floors, and
you can “feel” which type of room you are in. The second stage is the reverb process.
Here the original sound is almost “lost” within millions of chain reflections – so that
even two very different rooms often sound much alike. The early reflection is actually the
part of the reverberation process that defines the room characteristics.
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By clicking on the “Shape” label
above the display you will get a
pop-up window where you can
choose the shape directly.
Click the two arrowheads or click,
hold and drag in left/right directions
on the graph to select scaling factor
for the room size. Scaling factor 1. 0
is the original room factor.
Shape defines the basic room type
and early reflection pattern.
Selects readout in feet or meters.
Size sets the size of the room by
scaling the early reflection pattern.
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Simulates the early reflection measured in the Boston Symphony Hall.
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Incorporates some ideas from the design of the Musikvereinssaal in Austria.
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Has a pattern based on the conceptual “golden ratio” shoe box hall.
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Is based on the basic structure of the La Scala Concert Hall.
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Is based on a regular small club room.
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Simulates a small domestic room.
Always adjust the predelay according to the basic shape you have chosen. Small rooms with
a long predelay, for example, sound very unusual.
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Wall Diffusion determines how much coloration the walls
add to the sound. This parameter is used to increase the
reverb decay’s density. A Diffusion of 0% determines a
value related to the original sound character of the room
settings (including decay). You can change the Diffusion
with an offset of up to +/-50%.

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The reverb decay is a long tail of reverberation that happens after the initial burst.
The Decay block receives its input from the early reflection.The decay time can be edited
distinctly in 3 frequency ranges.The frequency-ranges can also be modified.
Sets the 2 crossover-points between
the 3 frequency-ranges.
When designing your reverb, keep in mind that room acoustics lose their high frequency
energy more easily over time. Setting the High Decay to a large amount of time will
usually make the room sound more artificial.
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The predelays determine the starting point for the actual reverb effect will begin.
Low and High band also display
the difference factor in relation
to the Center band.
For each band you can set the
decay time between 0.25 and 64
seconds. Use the Shift key to
ungroup the decay times.
MEGAREVERB
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Sets the level of
the early
reflections.
Delays the early reflection
starting point.The maximum
delay is 160 ms.
Sets the level of the
reverb’s decay curve.
Delays the reverb’s decay curve starting point.
Use this parameter to make the reverb more
impressive. This can be set no later than 100 ms
from the first predelay.
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We recommend using the dedicated PowerCore file handling system that, apart from
recall; store and compare facilities, allows for easy exchange of entire preset folders with
other users, between Windows/Mac platforms and also between different host
applications.
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Click “File” to open the File menu.
Load Preset: Select to load presets from the default preset location.
Save Preset: Select to save the preset in My Presets folder.
My Presets: Via “My Presets” you are able to load you own presets.
If you chose to store presets in other locations than the “My Preset” folder, these
presets will not appear in the “My Preset” drop down menu. However, you can still
navigate to, and load these presets via the Load Preset function.
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This is the name of the preset.
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The [Up]/[Down] arrow keys can be used to browse through all presets.
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With the A/B compare function you can easily compare different parameter settings when
working with the plug-in.
When you start working with your preset, the A/B button is grayed out. This state
indicates that the settings in both memory locations A and B are identical - so there is
actually nothing to compare.
PRESET HANDLING

12
As soon as you touch one of the parameters, the memory location “A” will be active. All
parameter changes will be applied to memory location “A”. If you switch to memory
location “B”, you go back to the starting point, and all further changes will now be
applied to memory location “B”.
Every time you press the A/B button, you will toggle between these two memory
locations.
The A/B memory locations are temporary settings only! Saving a preset, will save the currently
selected memory location only. The setting of the other (hidden) memory location will not be
saved!
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Press “Reset” to clear memories A/B and return to the originally recalled preset.
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The following locations will describe where you can find the presets, which are stored in
a folder unique to each plug-in:
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Factory presets:
<Macintosh HD>/Library/Application Support/TC Electronic/<plug-in name>/Presets/
User presets:
/Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/TC Electronic/<plug-in name>/Presets/
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Factory presets:
C:\Program Files\TC Electronic\<plug-in name>\Presets
User presets:
C:\Documents and Settings\<your user name>\My Documents\TC Electronic\<plug-in
name>\Presets
• To delete a preset file, simply move it to the “Trash” or “Recycle bin”.
• To create a new sub-folder that appears in the plug-in menu, simply create a new fold-
er in the plug-in folder that resides in the PRESETS folder of the plug-ins default
preset location.
A folder will not appear in the Preset File menu unless it has at least one preset inside!
PRESET HANDLING