Denise Audio
Denise Audio Perfect Room 2: The Reverb Plugin Mixing Engineers Have Been Waiting For
Denise Audio has just launched the second edition of its best-selling reverb plugin, Perfect Room. Perfect Room 2 is priced at $79 MSRP with an introductory sale price of $39.
With numerous reverb plugins saturating the market, many are wondering how Perfect Room 2 distinguishes itself from other options. Denise Audio introduced something new called the Dynamic Room Response Engine. It differs from conventional reverb algorithms by creating a mathematically ideal acoustic response, meaning it eliminates resonances, harshness, and unnecessary coloration. This engine is a sequel to TXVerb technology developed by Denise Audio to remove harsh resonances from reverbs. While coloration may be desired in some use cases, Perfect Room 2 excels where transparency, detail, and fidelity are paramount. It likely represents the cleanest way to add reverb. Although coloration might sound appealing when heard in isolation, it can cause significant problems during mixing.
User Interface & Features
Similar to Denise Audio’s and BABY Audio’s(Denise Audio’s parent company) plugins, Perfect Room 2 aims to maintain a simple, playful, and intuitive user interface. If you’ve used any reverb plugin before, you’ll quickly become comfortable with this one. The UI has undergone a massive transformation compared to the previous version, now appearing more playful and user-friendly. Like most reverb plugins, it includes a 5-band EQ to control the frequencies where the effect is applied.
Let’s take a look at the features and what they do:
| Attack, Decay and Reverse | Perfect Room 2 can process up to 10 seconds of decay time, but it can also influence the onset of the room response with the attack control. You also get the option to reverse the wet signal. |
| Flexible Stereo Width | Perfect Room 2’s width control introduces mono-compatible variation between the left and right channels in the simulated room. |
| Frequency and Decay Profile | You can transition from dark, hollow reverbs to bright, scattering reflections with these 2 knobs. |
| Tempo sync | Perfect Room 2’s time-based parameters can be synced to the host tempo for precise bar/beat divisions of pre-delay, attack and decay. |
| Ducker | Engage a compressor on the reverb tail with the dry signal feeding its sidechain input. Use it to retain clarity so the wet signal never overwhelms the dry. |
| Pitch Mod | Introduce mono-compatible modulation on the reverb tail for a lush, enveloping ambience, that never causes phase issues. |
| Halo | Isolate the high or low frequencies of the reverb tail and extend their decay beyond the set reverb length. Creates a spectral halo that lingers after the reverb. |
Thoughts
The plugin offers all basic controls, including pre-delay, attack, length, and width. A notable addition is the Pitch Mod feature, which enables interesting pitch modulations to the wet signal. Unlike most reverb plugins, Perfect Room 2 doesn’t rely on browsing through reverb models. Instead, it allows direct interaction with the internal room simulation to create infinite variations of clean ambience. This approach is unique, as most reverb plugins heavily depend on impulse response (IR) files. Given its current price point, it leaves little room for criticism.
Controlling reverb to prevent mixdown issues is a common challenge for music producers. Features like the enhanced Dynamic Room Response Engine, Ducker, Frequency, and Decay profile provide precisely the tools needed to manage the wet signal effectively. Examining the controls, it’s clear that Perfect Room 2 could be a worthy competitor to elite plugins like FabFilter Pro-R 2.
Price
Priced at $79 MSRP with an introductory sale price of $39, it’s certainly an option music producers and engineers should consider.
