5.4 Soundtoys SuperPlate

Electromechanical Plate Reverb

Introducing Soundtoys SuperPlate, the solution that allows you to bring five iconic electromechanical plate reverbs into your studio. With SuperPlate, you can now achieve the same tonal character and realism without the need for huge investment or back-breaking weight. Thanks to its advanced algorithms, this incredible plugin delivers unmatched authenticity and versatility, raising the bar for what a reverb plugin can do. Say goodbye to the hassle and hello to SuperPlate – your new secret weapon for professional sound.

At the core of SuperPlate are meticulous models of the EMT 140, EMT 240, Audicon, Stocktronics RX4000, and EcoPlate III reverb units. Its three different flavors of analog coloration – Tube, Solid-State and Clean – can be used in combination with any of SuperPlate’s styles. Its wide range of modern digital features includes infinite decay time, built-in predelay, expanded modulation controls, full-featured EQ for detailed tonal shaping, and a unique decay ducking option that adjusts decay time to reduce overlap or build-up.

Soundtoys SuperPlate overview

SuperPlate accurately reproduces the tonal characteristics and unique sonic signatures of each of its five plate styles. Inside one plug-in we’ve packed a collective 1450 pounds (659 kg) and 330 cubic feet (9.4 m3) of plate reverb evolution.

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Based on the EMT 240 (1970) the successor to the EMT 140. The EMT 240 was technically not a plate at all and was designed to create a more compact and portable reverb. Instead of a steel plate, it used a thin foil of 24-karat gold to create its distinctive darker, and tighter sound.

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Based on the Stocktronics RX4000 (1978). The RX4000 is the only Swedish plate we know of, and it uses a steel alloy plate with “low internal crystallic damping characteristics” [1] which give it a very distinctive extended high-frequency response. In other words, this plate has zing!

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1. Angus Robertson and Noel Bell, “AES 64th Convention, New York – A Report,” Studio Sound and Broadcast Engineering Magazine, vol. 2 no. 1, p. 50, January 1980.

Based on the EcoPlate III (c. 1982). The EcoPlate III was the third and smallest version of the EcoPlate series. All three EcoPlate versions were designed by Jim Cunningham. The EcoPlate series uses a stainless steel alloy to create its reverberation and all three versions have an exceptionally bright and spacious sound.

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CLASSIC 140

Based on the EMT 140 (1957), the most well-known and the first commercially successful plate reverb. It was made by hanging a plate of cold-rolled steel in a metal frame, and as legend has it, the steel came from one specific Welsh ore mine. The EMT 140 was a studio standard for many years and is what most people reference when they talk about plate reverb.

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Superplate Examples

Pick Your Preamp

All plate reverbs use a pre-amplifier to drive the “voice coil” that turns electrical sound waves into the physical vibrations of a plate reverb device. Soundtoys included two different preamp models in SuperPlate, Tube, and Solid-State, along with a Clean mode. Use them in combination with any of SuperPlate’s styles. Modeled on the original EMT V54 preamp used in the earliest EMT 140 plates, use the Tube Model to add a little (or a lot) of harmonic spice to your sound before it hits the reverb.

The Solid-State mode, modeled on the EMT 162 preamp used in later versions of the EMT 140, includes a built-in compressor. Use it to help control and tame transients on their way into the reverb. SuperPlate’s Clean mode strips out all preamp modeling and preserves the pure sound of the various plate models without any additional harmonic distortion or dynamics.

Let It Breathe

SuperPlate’s unique Auto-Decay feature shortens the decay time to a desired “target” setting when the input signal is above the adjustable threshold. This feature crucially keeps the sound clear. In addition, it prevents excessive reverb tails from overpowering punchy transients. Combined with the recovery speed control, you can make your reverb breathe with the pacing of your music.

Tame Your Tail

SuperPlate’s built-in 4-band EQ makes it easy to sculpt the reverb to fit your mix. The low-cut filter is essential to prevent excessive low-frequency energy from building up, and the high-cut filter can be used to help the reverb to blend in naturally with the original sound. The two parametric bands are super flexible and can be used to help tame mid-range resonances or add high-frequency sheen.