Cheap sounding reverb

[robussc]

Not sure how to explain it, but some of my mixes seem to come out sounding like they were recorded in a bathroom, despite using colossal verb setting on RV-7000.

What might be the cause?

[selig]

Audio examples would probably be helpful, but in general most reverb interfaces the mimic physical spaces are divided into two aspects of the space; the early reflections, and the ‘late’ reverb tail. It’s the early reflections that are most likely to sound like a bathroom.
I’d start there and check the amount/level of the early reflections in your reverb presets. Beyond that, i’d be sure my sources didn’t contribute to the effect I was hearing, which could be more of an issue if you use samples and compress the sound (bringing up the background ‘room’ sound of the recorded samples). Hope this helps!

[robussc]

Audio examples would probably be helpful, but in general most reverb interfaces the mimic physical spaces are divided into two aspects of the space; the early reflections, and the ‘late’ reverb tail. It’s the early reflections that are most likely to sound like a bathroom.
I’d start there and check the amount/level of the early reflections in your reverb presets. Beyond that, i’d be sure my sources didn’t contribute to the effect I was hearing, which could be more of an issue if you use samples and compress the sound (bringing up the background ‘room’ sound of the recorded samples). Hope this helps!

Thanks, that helps a lot as I was thinking it might be some unhappy combination of sounds and reverb settings.

[RobC]

I usually just created reverb settings that sounded nice and smooth for each sound.

Bass frequencies don't sound too pleasing.

Polyphonic synths ~ if the vibrato is too rapid, the reverb will have a weird sound.

One thing to do, is to turn the reverb all wet, then re-design the sound that you feed into it. Once it sounds perfect for your taste, just mix it in with your original dry sound.
Again, a mild vibrato can help a metallic sounding reverb sound nice. And you can apply it to anything.