I've found damn few 'verb in the box' patches I though were much good. The EMT 250 is a nice unit, but frankly, before I drop $12k-ish on a reverb, I'm going to get an early 90's FXRS [it's a motorcycle]. I liked the 'constant density plates' in the 224X [pre XL with the blue metal controller], but thought that Lexicon fucked up the patch in the subsequent 224XL and 480L machines.

I'm a big fan of plates and chambers, I'm also a "one reverb, one or two delays" per song kind of guy...I'm really not into a whole lot of effects. I also record a pretty fair amount of room sound, which means I can often vary my "instrument reverbs" with a tad of compression.

I guess my 3 favorite reverbs that I've ever used are: the 'chamber/stairwell' at Avatar [formerly known as the Power Station], Plate #3 at Electric Lady [or at least that's which plate they told me I was using], and the hall way next to my oldest daughter's room on the way to the second floor bathroom.

It's a narrow hall with a really weird 'ping' to it that is just one of the most bitchin' effects I've ever heard. I've used it on more than one occassion, and lemme tell you it's a bitch. First I have to be able to play the sound back, and record it at the same time...with striped 'time code' so it'll lock to the song. Then I have to get the family the hell out of the house, and hope one of my neighbors doesn't decide that this will be an opportune moment to cut their lawn [etc]...then decide just how much to open the bathroom door at the end of the hall, or worse, do several passes with varying degrees of "open door".

But it's a really cool sound that I've never heard anywhere else. It could definitely be considered an 'acoustically challenged' area, but in a cool way. If you're stuck with a 'boxy' sounding room, you're stuck with a 'boxy' sounding room. There isn't a whole lot any kind of 'reverb' will do except attempt to 'mask' the problem...which often turns into it's very own little ball of shit.

Sometimes the best thing to do with an 'acoustically challenged' area is to either bail and record elsewhere, or embrace the fucked up environment and make it part of the music. Dropping back and punting is always an option.

Best of luck with your search...it's usually pretty endless, but fun to catalog all the places you hear a reverb and think "if I could only use this space for __________, I'd really have something cool".

I guess I need to run some mics upstairs to my two bathrooms (both odd shaped w/9-14 ft. vaulted ceilings). Some tile, some glass, some wood, some carpet, etc...

This way I can KEEP my '93 FLST-F "Fat Boy" bored out .005 over, S&S Super-E w/Yost power tube, Torrington full race bearing, etc...(85hp as of most recent Dyno test)...if only I were closer to Boston.

I don't mind savin' up for gear that I'll keep, but this sounds like I should just work with what I've got some more. (The rooms AND the bike I suppose)

Keep the shiny side up.

...hmmmm....bike....or gear......bike....or gear......???

I have been getting great results out of Lexicons for years...guess it is all in the talent of the engineer ultimately...

Nathan Eldred
Atlas Pro Audio, Inc.
http://www.atlasproaudio.com

Or the taste of the engineer.

As MMazurek kinda pointed out with the scooter stuff, there are a whole lot of things that make the world go round.

He's on a '93 FLST-F "Fat Boy", and I've never been much of a 'Soft tail' fan. In the world of 'big twins' I greatly prefer the early 90's FX frames [FXRS being a real favorite].

My main ride is a '78 Ironhead that's out to 80 cui. Also running a 'shorty E', but with 'overstock' cam and valves, Andrews gears in the transmission, forward controls, 6" overstock tubes with 'baby apehangers', 21" narrow front wheel with a 16" fat rear wheel, custom "+1 awg. overstock" wiring harness, FXR front fender, Quick Bob rear fender with a 'king sporty' tank. About the only thing that's stock on the damn thing is the frame and the motor casings.

Whether it's 'customizing' scooters, or mixing records, it's all about the taste of the individual.

There are a whole lot of people that have had wonderful sucess working with Lexicon reverbs, they're a good company with a good product. I just don't happen to care for it.
I don't like "sport bikes" either, though BMW and MotoGuzzi (to name but two) make excellent machines...they're just not for me. No big deal.

Quantec for dig.
250 for the real deal.
not a fan of Lexi either, never have, never will.

I like real rooms with mics in em.

The best digital verbs I've ever heard came out of the sony DRE-S777.