Fruity Reeverb 2 in FL Studio: Build Space Without Mud

Fruity Reeverb 2 is the stock FL Studio reverb and ships with every edition, so there is nothing separate to download. Put it on a send track with DRY at 0% and WET at 100%, set DELAY first, then pair SIZE with a matching DEC. Raise L.CUT so bass stays out of the room, and add DIFF with a little MOD when the tail rings metallic.

On an insert, balance DRY, ER and WET inside the plugin. On a dedicated send track, set DRY to 0% and WET to 100%, then control the amount with the Mixer send level. Splitting the jobs this way keeps the plugin blend and the send level from fighting each other.

The sections below map every control, give starting relationships for vocals, drums and leads, compare Reeverb 2 with Fruity Convolver and LuxeVerb, and fix the four failures that matter most: mud, metallic ringing, smeared transients and a tail that feels cut off from its source.

What Fruity Reeverb 2 does

Fruity Reeverb 2 simulates an acoustic space by building early reflections and a decaying tail around the input. The manual rates it the most sophisticated reverb in the FL Studio lineup and lists tails of up to 20 seconds, but that ceiling is a capacity, not a target. Most mix problems come from giving the reverb more duration and more spectrum than the source needs.

The official Fruity Reeverb 2 manual warns that reverb is easy to overdo, leaving a busy mix washed out and muddy. It says reverb works best on isolated or solo instruments and suggests light delay once a track gets busy. I put Reeverb 2 on a send rather than on the Master, because the manual warns that reverb on the Master muddies the whole mix, and one send lets every track take its own amount of the same room.

Fruity Reeverb 2 is one of the FL Studio stock effects covered in our stock-plugin guide, and the editions comparison lists it as included in all editions. There is no separate Fruity Reeverb 2 VST to download for use inside FL Studio.

Read the interface as six control groups

The interface looks compact because timing, tone and blend controls share one panel. Read it from left to right:

1. Input mode and filters: MID or SIDE picks which part of the stereo signal enters the reverb, L.CUT trims lows before the reverb engine, and H.CUT removes highs from the reverb.
2. Room onset: DELAY sets predelay, and TEMPO switches that delay to beat-related values.
3. Room shape: SIZE changes the apparent room size and DIFF changes reflection density.
4. Tail movement and low-frequency behavior: MOD and SPEED animate the reverb time, while BASS and CROSS change low-frequency decay below the crossover.
5. Tail duration and brightness: DEC controls overall decay and DAMP changes how quickly high frequencies die away.
6. Output blend and width: DRY, ER and WET set the three output components, and SEP changes only the wet stereo signal.

That grouping stops you from fixing the wrong stage. If the tail is muddy, lowering WET hides the symptom, while L.CUT or a shorter DEC deals with the cause. If the source loses its attack, reach for DELAY and WET before DIFF.

Build the space with predelay, size and decay

DELAY sets the time between the direct sound and the first reflection, and the TEMPO switch turns it into tempo-based predelay. The manual keeps predelay modest for small rooms, raises it with room size, and warns that predelay creates a slap-back echo that can add atmosphere or muffle the signal. I set DELAY before SIZE and DEC, because predelay decides whether the source stays in front of the room, and that decision changes how long a tail the mix can carry.

Two mixing references give predelay ranges by source. iZotope's pre-delay guide puts vocals at 20 to 80 ms, guitars at 40 to 100 ms and drums at 5 to 50 ms, with a 29 ms example on drums. The Gearnews pre-delay techniques article groups the time itself: 0 to 10 ms tight, 10 to 40 ms natural, 40 to 120 ms rhythmic and 120 ms and up for cinematic sound design. The table combines both.

Treat these as starting ranges, not presets. The iZotope author declines to name one number per genre, and tempo, source envelope and DEC all change the result. Tempo gives a second route: at 120 BPM a 1/16 note is 125 ms, and iZotope reverb mixing tips set predelay to a 1/64 note (52 ms at 71 BPM) and the decay to a half note (1.69 s). For other tempos, the FL Studio delay and reverb calculator does the math, and the TEMPO switch handles predelay inside the plugin.

SIZE changes the apparent scale of the virtual room, and DEC sets how long the reverb takes to fall by 60 dB, to 1/1000 of its maximum amplitude. The manual pairs them: small rooms sound better with a short decay, large rooms with a longer one. Low decay times fatten drums in a small room, and long ones give halls and church effects. Breaking that pairing works as a creative choice when it sounds intended.

Set them in this order: pick the source separation with DELAY, pick the apparent scale with SIZE, then shorten DEC until the tail clears before the next important phrase or hit. Lengthening first leaves a big tail that buries the timing decision.

Use diffusion and modulation for texture

DIFF controls reflection density. A low setting makes reflections distinct and sparse, like closely spaced echoes, and a high setting packs them so close that the tail sounds like a constant decaying noise. Vocals and sustained leads sit well in a denser tail, while percussion keeps its rhythm with more definition.

MOD modulates the reverb time to break up the metallic ringing of artificial reverb, and SPEED sets how fast that sine-wave modulation moves. Small MOD values make the tail smoother, and extreme values add a detuned sound. Use modulation as a texture fix first, and as an audible effect only when the arrangement has room for it.

I raise DIFF before I add MOD, because a sparse, echo-like tail needs density first, and MOD pushed too far adds a detuned sound. In practice:

1. Raise DIFF until isolated echoes stop distracting you.
2. If a narrow metallic tone remains, add a small amount of MOD.
3. Adjust SPEED only after the movement is audible enough to judge.
4. Recheck pitch-focused material such as vocals, piano and sustained synth leads.

Shape the tail before turning it down

L.CUT removes low frequencies from the reverberations, and the manual places it before the reverb engine: on a drum track it cuts the rumble and muddiness of the bass drum before they become part of the room. H.CUT removes high frequencies from the reverb and makes the room sound duller.

• Raise L.CUT when kick, low toms, bass notes or vocal plosives make the room cloud the low mids.
• Lower H.CUT when cymbals, sibilance or bright synth harmonics produce a sharp tail that sits in front of the source.

DAMP solves a different problem. It sets the rate at which high frequencies decay, so the tail turns gradually muffled and warmer as it fades. At the maximum setting, high damping is bypassed and the display reads OFF. H.CUT darkens the whole reverb, while DAMP lets the highs in and makes them fade faster.

BASS changes the decay behavior of frequencies below the CROSS point. It is not a bass volume knob. If the room needs warmth without low-frequency overhang, first remove sub-bass with L.CUT, then use CROSS and BASS to shape how the remaining low end decays.

If the mix is muddy, start with L.CUT and DEC. If the tail is harsh, start with H.CUT and DAMP. I cut lows with L.CUT and shorten DEC before I touch WET, because a quieter muddy tail is still a muddy tail.

The manual gives no slope for L.CUT, so check the return with an analyzer placed after Reeverb 2. If low end below the L.CUT setting still shows, put Fruity Parametric EQ 2 ahead of Reeverb 2 on the send. The same iZotope tips say an EQ cut before the reverb gives a smoother sound, with EQ after the reverb kept for taming resonances. I put Fruity Parametric EQ 2 ahead of Reeverb 2 on the send when L.CUT leaves low end, because cutting before the reverb gives a smoother tail than cutting after it.

Set DRY, ER and WET on an insert

On an insert, the plugin receives the source directly, so the three level controls build the final blend:

• DRY: unprocessed input that passes to the output.
• ER: the first reflections, which provide proximity and room boundary cues.
• WET: the later reverberant tail.

Keep DRY steady while you learn the other two. Raise ER until the source picks up a sense of nearby space, then raise WET until the tail becomes audible, and pull it back until the source is in focus again. More ER with less WET can suggest a small, present room. Less ER with more WET can feel deeper and less immediate.

Leave the Mixer effect-slot mix knob alone so it does not compete with the plugin blend. Image-Line's effect-plugin documentation says to leave the slot mix at 100% in normal use and set wet and dry inside the plugin.

Use DRY 0% and WET 100% on a send

A dedicated send track returns effect only. The manual sets Reeverb 2 on a send to DRY 0% and WET 100%, and the iZotope tips run their return reverb 100% wet too. The send setup:

• DRY: 0%
• WET: 100%
• ER: set for the room character you want

The original Mixer track keeps supplying the dry sound, and the send-level knob decides how much signal goes into the shared reverb. Every source gets one amount control, and the return takes EQ or dynamics as a single channel.

For the complete routing procedure, naming pattern and send-level workflow, use our reverb and delay sends guide. The sections here stay with the Reeverb 2 controls inside that routing.

Image-Line's mixing advice gives lead vocals a longer reverb and drums a shorter one, and suggests automating the reverb amount: down in the busy parts, up for the solo. The FL Studio automation guide covers automation clips. I automate the send level instead of one fixed amount, because a level that suits a sparse verse floods a dense chorus.

Starting decisions for vocals, drums and leads

These are starting relationships, not presets. Set the relationship first, then adjust by ear in the arrangement.

Vocals: protect diction first

I start a vocal at 20 ms of predelay, because both published vocal ranges include it and Gearnews names it as the start. From there, raise DELAY until the vocal jumps forward in the mix, and keep the decay within the 1.5 to 2.5 s Gearnews pairs with it. Image-Line gives lead vocals a longer reverb than drums, so shorten DEC within that span until one phrase stops clouding the next. Raise L.CUT so the reverb skips plosives and chest resonance, and use H.CUT and DAMP to push the tail behind the sibilance. The full dry chain belongs in the FL Studio vocal-mixing guide, and the reverb supports that chain without replacing its cleanup.

Drums: preserve the groove

Short DEC suits drums: the manual pairs low decay times with small rooms that fatten drum sounds, and iZotope keeps drum predelay between 5 and 50 ms. Moderate ER adds room without smearing into the next hit. Raise L.CUT until the kick stops filling the return with rumble. Lower DIFF for audible room texture, and raise it when scattered reflections distract from the groove. If the pattern itself lacks movement, fix the notes and accents first, and our drum-pattern guide covers that stage.

Leads and pads: decide whether the tail is background or part of the hook

For a lead that stays forward, use predelay and a darker, shorter tail. Gearnews puts a 1/8-note predelay on vocals and a dotted 1/4 note on a synth stab. For a pad, a longer DEC and higher DIFF become part of the sustained texture. Keep MOD low on pitch-focused sounds, since extreme values add a detuned sound to the tail.

Use MID, SIDE and SEP with a clear purpose

The default MID mode processes the summed mono signal, left plus right. SIDE processes stereo side information and has no effect until the input carries stereo differences. Instruments panned close to center stay unaffected in SIDE mode, which is why the manual suggests it on a complete mix: space and reverberation without washing out the details.

SEP changes the stereo separation of the wet reverb only, leaving the dry signal alone. That helps when the source feels fine but the tail is too wide or too narrow. Judge the result in mono as well as stereo, especially when the reverb carries bright or rhythmically important material.

Reeverb 2, Fruity Convolver or LuxeVerb

The manual lists Fruity Reeverb, Fruity Convolver and LuxeVerb as the alternatives. The editions comparison includes Reeverb 2 and Convolver in all editions and keeps LuxeVerb to the All Plugins Edition, and the FL Studio editions guide explains that tier.

The Fruity Convolver manual describes a convolution plugin that applies an impulse response, a recording of an impulse sound bouncing around a room or off equipment, and it also works as a linear phase equalizer. The LuxeVerb manual describes an advanced algorithmic reverb with pitch shifting and automatic dynamics control. The old Fruity Reeverb is a legacy plugin, and its legacy plugin page recommends Reeverb 2 instead.

I keep Reeverb 2 as the default room and load Fruity Convolver only for one specific captured space, because Reeverb 2 puts every room control on one panel, while Convolver builds its room from an impulse response. LuxeVerb fits when the edition includes it and the part calls for pitch-shifted or otherworldly tails.

Fix Fruity Reeverb 2 by symptom

The mix turns muddy

Raise L.CUT, shorten DEC, and check whether BASS below CROSS stretches the low end. If several sources feed one send, mute the sends one at a time to find the source that fills the return. Lowering H.CUT leaves the mud in place, because a darker tail still holds low-mid time. When the arrangement is busy, the manual suggests light delay on instruments in place of more reverb.

The tail rings or sounds metallic

Raise DIFF enough to make the reflections denser, then add a little MOD and adjust SPEED once you can hear movement. If one bright band keeps ringing on hi-hats or cymbals, lower H.CUT or increase DAMP so the highs fade faster.

Transients feel washed out

Increase DELAY, lower WET or shorten DEC. On a send, lower that source's send amount and leave the shared return alone when other tracks already sit well. For drums, check whether ER is too high and wraps every hit in room straight away.

The reverb sounds detached

Reduce DELAY, bring ER up a little, or pick a smaller SIZE. A long predelay followed by a big bright tail turns into a slap-back echo, the effect the manual warns about. TEMPO mode helps when the gap is audible but does not lock to the phrase.

The return is wide but the source loses focus

Move SEP toward a narrower wet image, compare MID and SIDE modes, and check mono. Remember that SEP changes only the wet signal, so if the dry source itself has a stereo problem, fix that upstream.

Fruity Reeverb 2 checklist

• Choose insert or send before setting DRY and WET.
• On a send, use DRY 0% and WET 100%.
• Set DELAY first, starting at 20 ms on vocals.
• Pair SIZE with a matching DEC time.
• Raise DIFF for density and add small MOD values for metallic ringing.
• Raise L.CUT to keep lows out of the room, and use H.CUT to darken the reverb.
• Increase DAMP to make high frequencies decay faster.
• Treat BASS and CROSS as low-frequency decay controls, not a bass boost.
• Use ER for proximity and WET for the later tail.
• Remember that SIDE needs stereo information and SEP affects only the wet reverb.
• Automate the send level and judge the result in the full arrangement.

Fruity Reeverb 2 FAQ

Does Fruity Reeverb 2 need a separate download?

No. Image-Line lists Fruity Reeverb 2 as included in all FL Studio editions, so there is no separate VST to download.

What predelay should a vocal start with?

Start at 20 ms. iZotope gives vocals 20 to 80 ms and Gearnews 20 to 40 ms, and Gearnews starts at 20 ms with a 1.5 to 2.5 s decay. Raise DELAY until the vocal jumps forward in the mix.

Why do hi-hats sound metallic through Reeverb 2?

The reflections are too sparse or one bright band keeps ringing. Raise DIFF first, add a little MOD, then lower H.CUT or increase DAMP if the ring remains.

Why set DRY to 0% on a send?

The source track already supplies the dry sound. With DRY at 0% and WET at 100%, the send returns effect only, and the send level on each track sets how much reverb it gets.

Which FL Studio editions include Reeverb 2, Convolver and LuxeVerb?

Fruity Reeverb 2 and Fruity Convolver come with all editions. LuxeVerb is listed for the All Plugins Edition only.

Fruity Reeverb or Fruity Reeverb 2?

Fruity Reeverb 2. The original Fruity Reeverb is a legacy plugin, and Image-Line recommends Reeverb 2 in its place.

Eric Norris Nashville-based FL Studio producer and editor focused on practical workflow, mixer routing, troubleshooting, sampling and native Image-Line tools.