All plugins
RJ-Spaces · Manual

RJ-Spaces: Manual

Version 1.0Updated 2026-07-05

RJ-Spaces is the reverb I always wanted: one you see before you hear it. Instead of a rigid grid of knobs you get a living time-axis where the decay actually breathes. Underneath it sit the tools to shape, colour and glue that decay right at the output. Not a reverb you paste on top of a mix, but one you work with.

Overview

RJ-Spaces pairs four spaces (Room, Chamber, Hall, Plate) with a few things you rarely find this directly in a reverb. Saturation inside the reverb loops. A decay EQ that shapes frequency-dependent decay time. An output glue stage that seats the reverb in the mix instead of merely sitting in front of it. Add drawable shapes for swells, gates and reverse effects, and you have a reverb that always shows you what it's doing.

The Interface

The heart of RJ-Spaces is the decay display with a sqrt time axis from 0 to 16 s and a level axis from 0 to −60 dB. Three RT60 curves run across it, for low, mid and high. A shaded decay-spread wedge between them shows at a glance how far low and high frequencies drift apart in time. Vertical stems mark the early reflections at their real tap times. Travelling energy motes run down the tail so you feel the flow of the space.

At the top you switch between two tabs:

  • REVERB – the time axis with all decay parameters.
  • EQ – an RJ-EQ-style band graph for the decay EQ.

On the right sits a stereo output meter showing level and balance after the glue stage.

Controls & Parameters

Voicing

Voicing picks the core character: Room / Chamber / Hall / Plate. The switch crossfades click-free, so you can audition on the fly without a pop.

Main controls (left & right knob columns)

  • Pre-Delay (0–200 ms) – gap between the dry signal and the first reflections.
  • DECAY – a concentric dual knob: outer ring is RT60 (0.1–30 s), inner ring is ER Decay (0–100%) for how the early reflections fade.
  • Size – room dimension and mode density.
  • Damping – high-frequency absorption over time.
  • Bass (FDN voicings only) – low-end tail energy.
  • Diffuse – density and smoothness of the reflections.
  • Early/Late (FDN only) – balance between early reflections and tail.
  • Width (FDN only) – stereo width of the reverb.
  • Mod Depth / Mod Rate – modulation to break up metallic ringing.
  • Mix (0–100%) – dry/wet balance.
  • In/Out (±24 dB) – input and output level.

Tip: When a reverb starts to swim in the mix, don't reach for the Mix knob first. Raise the Pre-Delay. 20–40 ms gives a vocal air before the space kicks in. The reverb stays just as big but sits further back.

SAT (saturation in the loop)

The SAT pop-out saturates inside the reverb loops. The tail grows warmer with every pass, not just once at the input.

  • Placement – Pre / In / Post.
  • Mode – Warm / Colour.
  • Character – 7 flavours: Soft, Air, Crunch, Round, Tube, Triode, Iron.
  • Drive (0–12 dB) and Amount (0–100%).

SHAPE (drawable envelopes)

  • Type – Swell / Gate / Reverse.
  • Build-Up (0.01–2 s) – rise time.
  • Density (0–100%) – density of the shaped response.
  • Trigger (−60…0 dB) – threshold at which the shape fires.

DYNAMICS (output glue)

Not a plain limiter but a glue stage on the output: Threshold, Ratio, Knee, Attack, Release, Budget, Makeup, Mix, SC-HPF, keyed either Internal or via Sidechain. This seats the reverb into the mix instead of letting it float on top. In dense arrangements it earns its keep.

The Decay EQ

The key point first: the decay EQ shapes frequency-dependent decay time. It is not an in-loop boost. Where you cut, the reverb decays faster. Where you lift, it lingers longer. The EQ tab offers 6 bands with Pre/Decay/Post routing, M/S per band and dynamic behaviour. In practice: pull the upper mids out of the decay so sibilance doesn't hang in the tail, while the body rings out in full.

Practical Tips

  • Vocals: Plate, Pre-Delay 20–30 ms, decay EQ cutting above 6 kHz. Shine without hiss.
  • Drums: Room, short RT60, Gate shape for a tight snare space.
  • Pads/cinematic: Hall, long RT60, Reverse shape with SAT on "Air" for a breathing swell.
  • Glue instead of louder: If the reverb feels forward, reach for the DYNAMICS stage (gentle ratio, slow release) before pulling the Mix down.

Installation & Activation

RJ-Spaces runs as VST3, AU and AAX on macOS and Windows. After installing you get a 30-day full trial with every feature and no limits. When it ends, unlock the plugin permanently with your license key: enter the key, confirm, done. One key covers both Mac and Windows.