Crystalline is a new reverb plugin with original ways to exert fresh, creative control over the sound of reverb. I like its ability to synchronize the start (using pre-delay) as well as the reverb's tail length to your song's tempo. Of course, you may set those timings conventionally in milliseconds. Interestingly, the reverb's Size is not connected to the decay time setting so impossible reverb sounds are possible; you could have a huge space but with a very short decay time.
The Sparkle control accentuates the high frequencies of the reverb algorithm while the Width control changes this stereo reverb from mono to wider than stereo—the reverberation seems to come from beyond your left and right speakers!
I used the Depth section controls extensively for a treatment of an electric piano in a ballad. I increased the pitch Modulation of the reverb's tail for a super lush and dreamy effect. I liked the section called Clean Up with the Gate control offering instant '80s gated reverb. Damping and Sides are EQ and filters for the reverb's tail that worked great to get rid of muddiness in the low mid-range of keyboard tracks.
Crystalline finishes with the Shape section for even further customizing the reverb. Tone is a tilt style Hi/Lo EQ, Smoothing and Transients' take care of ugly resonances and attacks that would noticeably splash.
The Output section's Ducker lowers the reverb while the track you send to it is playing. Put a long reverb on a vocal and hear it diminish only when your singer is present; add pre-delay and it has a live concert, pumping feeling. I liked Freeze for recording infinite reverbs on certain notes to build big pads.
Baby Audio's Crystalline reverb sells for $99 as download.
