Plate reverbs have been an essential part of recorded music since their introduction over fifty years ago. Prominently used in the 1960s and 1970s by influential bands like the Beatles and Pink Floyd, the original Abbey Road Studios reverb plates were installed in 1957 to enhance the studio’s echo chambers. These EMT 140 units offered a variable reverb time of up to six seconds and were refined by Abbey Road’s engineers to deliver a warm, rich sound. Unique hybrid solid-state drive amplifiers were developed for three of the plates to minimize noise, while the fourth plate featured fully valve-powered stages, allowing a range of sonic textures from warm and dark to lush and smooth.

The distinctive stereo reverb effect of these plates is generated by suspending a large metal sheet with tensioned springs at each corner. An audio signal is introduced into the metal via a transducer, and two contact microphones capture the resulting vibrations. Reverb time can be adjusted through an internal damper, all housed within a large wooden frame. This mechanical design produces a rich, natural reverb that has been a signature sound on countless pop, rock, classical, and film recordings, maintaining its appeal in modern audio production.

The Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates plugin offers meticulously crafted digital models of these legendary EMT 140 units, replicating their unique sonic characteristics with high accuracy. Users can adjust the harmonic distortion of both the drive and output amplifiers, control analog noise and hum, and select from original bass cut settings. Additionally, the plugin features stereo input crosstalk to recreate the natural stereo leakage of the plates. This plugin brings the iconic Abbey Road plate reverb sound into the digital domain, providing producers and engineers with a classic, lush reverb effect that enriches any mix.