Iconic Instruments have steadily built up a small range of cost-effective virtual instruments, and their latest release becomes the first processing plug-in to join their line-up. As its name suggests, SP140 Plate Reverb offers a modern take on the classic EMT 140, offering five different model options along with some built in saturation, filtering and more.
A set of five Plate Selection buttons at the top of the GUI allow users to choose between a selection of modelling options, each based on famous examples of the iconic hardware. The GUI is then divided into two sections, the first of which houses the send controls, with the second taking care of the return signal. A Pre-Delay control is joined by a Send Width parameter that makes it possible to adjust the stereo width of the input signal before it hits the reverb processing, and is followed by high-pass, node and low-pass filters.
The first control in the lower section, Density, is a new addition rather than a replication of an original feature, and can be used to determine the character of the reverb, which can range from a “light, transparent wash” to “full, lush plate sounds”. Tail lengths from 20ms up to six seconds can then be set using a sliding meter (allowing for much shorter times than a hardware plate unit), and along with the continuous adjustment, a pair of plus and minus buttons offer convenient half-second steps in either direction.
Next up is a Drive knob, which can be used to introduce some valve-style distortion that can be placed either pre- or post-reverb; there are also a pair of dedicated high- and low-pass filters that can be used to narrow the frequency range affected by the effect. Reverb Width and Reverb Pan controls follow, with the former employing a specially designed technique that promises to deliver a more authentic-sounding result than simply summing the left and right channels. Finally, a Mix control offers a wet/dry blend and comes paired with a Solo switch that can be used to isolate the reverb signal.
Compatibility
SP140 is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or higher, and Macs running macOS 10.15 and above. VST and AU plug-in versions are available, although there is no AAX version, meaning that Pro Tools is not supported.
Pricing & Availability
SP140 is available now, and is currently (13 March 2024) being offered for an introductory price of $£39, reduced from its full cost of $£59 including VAT.
