LX480 Essentials reverb plugin by Relab Development interface

LX480 Essentials: Four Lexicon 480L-Style Reverbs by Relab Development

Rated 4.7/5 on Plugin Boutique (1,487 ratings)

LX480 Essentials is a reverb plugin from Relab Development that recreates four algorithms of the Lexicon 480L hardware reverb. It runs as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX on Windows and macOS.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

LX480 Essentials gives producers four reverb sounds derived from the Lexicon 480L, a reverb processor that has been used on many commercial recordings since its introduction in 1986. The plugin's Plate, Ambience, Hall and Room algorithms are available natively inside your DAW. Relab Development built the plugin from a 480L unit it describes as a particularly good example of the hardware, and it adds built-in high and low cutoff filters to help keep reverb tails from cluttering a mix.

Best for

Vocal reverb
Drum room ambience
Plate reverb tails
Film and TV scoring
Adding space to dry tracks
Mix bus reverb

Developer: Relab Development
Category: Reverbs
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Four reverb algorithms modeled on the Lexicon 480L: Plate, Ambience, Hall and Room
Built-in high and low frequency cutoffs for cleaner reverb tails
Sample-accurate algorithms shared with the developer's dual-engine version
Simple key reverb settings for a fast workflow
Available as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX
64-bit only, for Windows 10 and macOS 10.15 and later

03In depth

Four Lexicon 480L Reverb Algorithms

The Fat Plate algorithm is based on the RHall algorithm and aims for bright, metallic plate tones that suit vocals and percussion. Medium Hall is a traditional hall reverb with a smooth, even decay that helps tracks sound like they share a space.

Small Ambience is designed to blend into the direct sound, adding distance to dry material and working well for short drum rooms. Large Wood Room produces a more colored space that is less obvious than a hall, useful for building a sense of room without an overt reverb effect.

Workflow and Filtering

LX480 Essentials includes built-in high and low frequency cutoffs, so you can trim the ends of the reverb signal without adding another EQ. The developer says the algorithms are the same sample-accurate ones used in its dual-engine version of the 480L emulation.

The plugin uses simple key reverb settings, which keeps the control set small for quick adjustments during a mix.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Relab Development
Type	Plugin
Category	Reverb
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What reverb algorithms does LX480 Essentials include?

It includes four algorithms modeled on the Lexicon 480L: Fat Plate, Medium Hall, Small Ambience and Large Wood Room.

Which formats and operating systems are supported?

LX480 Essentials is available as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX. It runs on Windows and macOS and is 64-bit only.

What do I need to run LX480 Essentials?

The developer lists Windows 10 or later, or macOS 10.15 or later, with 2GB of RAM. A compatible DAE host that supports VST3, VST2, AU or AAX is required, and the plugin is 64-bit only.