Relab Q82 Essentials

Q82 Essentials brings you the acclaimed sound of our flagship reverb in a sleek, user-friendly package

Q82 Essentials is a streamlined version of our premium re-creation of a beloved 80’s German hardware reverb, revered for its highly realistic ambience and long reverb times.

This legendary resonance reverb, once the cornerstone of many world-class studios, has been meticulously re-created so you can:

• Feel the authenticity in every tweak: Relab’s advanced machine learning captures every nuance, giving you the sound AND feel of the legendary hardware, quirks included.
• Shape your sound with ease: Relab’s intuitive interface simplifies complex reverb controls for easy operation. Allows quick access to essential parameters for efficient workflow.
• Adapts seamlessly to various genres & production styles: Capable of creating a wide range of reverb effects, from intimate spaces to grand halls. Dial in natural-sounding rooms with high accuracy.

The Quantec QRS vs Q82 by Relab

Most reverb emulations use static models that often ignore the hardware’s dynamic character. Building on the success of our popular LX480, and using a next-generation advanced AI-powered framework and extensive analysis of millions of data points, we’re proudly setting new standards by capturing the true dynamic essence of the hardware with unmatched accuracy.

Q82 Essentials exceeds typical hardware emulations by meticulously re-creating not only the sound, but the ever-changing character of vintage gear, offering a living, and ever-evolving authentic quality.

Experience the True Essence of a Long-Adored 80's Classic Reverb

With Q82 Essentials, you’re not just acquiring another reverb emulation plug-in; you’re stepping into a realm of unparalleled hardware re-creation so you can:

• Discover the highly realistic natural resonance ambience of a beloved 80’s hardware unit, so you can bring a revered, classic sound to your modern productions.
• Feel the authenticity in every tweak so you can experience the sound AND true feel of the legendary hardware, complete with its unique quirks.
• Enjoy ease of use without sacrificing creativity because your creativity shouldn’t be held back by complexity.

Q82 Essentials allows you to create a distinctive sonic signature, defined by clarity, quality, and confidence, helping your mixes stand out and capture the listener’s attention.

Embracing Time's Imperfections in Plug-in Form

At Relab, their goal has always been to go beyond mere emulation. They constantly strive to digitally recreate iconic hardware, by both capturing the sound as well as the unique journey of a unit’s imperfections.

For the Q82, they meticulously chose three exceptional units from the US, Japan, and Germany. The German one, noted for its rich sound and minimal noise, stood apart from the other two and set the standard for our emulation.

Over 12 months, they engaged in painstakingly detailed reverse engineering, collaborating with veteran engineers to restore the unit to its original 1980s specifications. They also custom-built interfaces to allow for MIDI control of every original unit.

This precision was crucial for their machine learning algorithms to conduct months of extensive tests, capturing every nuance and imperfection that defined the vintage units’ character.

Specifically, any heat-induced behavior changes, including clock fluctuations due to temperature variations, had to be taken into account. With a ±3% stability factor, these fluctuations significantly impacted reverb coefficients, which was vital to recreating the true feel of the original.

Preserving the Legacy of an Icon

The monumental task of replicating the sound and unpredictable behavior of hardware requires more than just brain power and great ears; it requires serious science and technology. So, they turned to the power of advanced machine learning.

Using a next-generation advanced AI-powered framework and extensive research, they embarked on a 12-month journey to digitally recreate the essence of these vintage units. These systems meticulously gathered millions of data points, analyzing the hardware’s response in every conceivable setting scenario.

They conducted an average of 10,000 iterations for each setting and combination, extending this rigorous process across three distinct hardware units using seven computers. This dedication to authenticity, a hallmark of their approach at Relab, would have been virtually impossible using traditional emulation methods.