Ebony 1.5
by Acustica Audio · Channel Strip · Vintage console strip with plate reverb
Not rated yet
Ebony 1.5 is an Acustica Audio channel strip based on 1960s and 1970s German and Dutch console gear, with EQ, preamps, compressor/expander and a plate reverb.
It is listed at €199 (about $226).
Best for: Vocals, Drums, Guitars, Keys & Synths. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: plate, vintage, vocals, hardware emulation, 60s, 70s, classic, downward expansion, drums, electric guitar, hybrid topology, synths, 50s, drag-and-drop routing, heavy, mixing, parallel processing, piano, standalone app, upward compression.
What it does
Ebony is Acustica Audio's vintage channel strip with a built-in plate reverb. It emulates consoles and processors built in the 1960s and 70s by German and Dutch pro audio companies, plus the first plate reverb unit, designed in 1957 by Wilhelm Franz.
- EQ: three equaliser models split into two selectable modules (HF/HMF and LMF/LF), so bands from different models can be combined, with high- and low-pass filters.
- Preamps: based on six hardware units, emulating the phase, frequency response and harmonic distortion of each circuit.
- Dynamics: a compressor and expander section; StrongMocha's review describes four compressor types plus an upward expander.
- Plate reverb: a recreation of the classic early plate, with pre-delay, early/late balance, decay, drive and quality controls.
- Strip and routing: a full channel strip with filters and a routing matrix, built around parallel wet and dry paths.
- Separate plugins: the suite also includes the preamp, EQ and reverb as individual plugins; the standalone reverb has no dry/wet control, unlike the strip.
KVR lists version 2.3.5.
Source: Acustica Audio product page
When to use it
Ebony takes a different route from the rated channel strips, such as Scheps Omni Channel, Native Channel Strip 2 and bx_console SSL 4000 E, which model British or modern consoles, run light and have no reverb: it pairs sampled German and Dutch vintage tone and a plate reverb in one strip, at a much higher CPU cost. Reviewers rate its plate highly, so many buy it for the reverb first and the strip second. Pick it for vintage colour on vocals and acoustic sources when you can print tracks as you go.
- Best for: vintage European console colour and a classic plate on vocals, guitars, drums, piano and synths.
- Genres: any; suits pop vocals, retro and acoustic styles.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a modern or SSL-style console with low CPU use; Native Channel Strip 2 or Scheps Omni Channel fit better.
- Tip: reviewers suggest sharing one reverb across grouped tracks and printing tracks to keep the CPU load down.
What producers say
Reviewers single out the plate reverb as among the best emulations available, with CPU load the main drawback.
- DJBooth gave it 9.5/10, calling it "the best plate reverb we've heard to date" and praising an EQ that handles heavy reshaping without sounding brittle.
- StrongMocha gave it 5 out of 5, calling it one of the best-sounding EMT 140 plate emulations and praising the EQ for shaping the reverb.
- Criticisms: both reviews found it CPU-heavy; DJBooth also noted a slight lag between moving a control and hearing the change.
Where to buy
- Acustica Audio: $225.96 (€199 converted to USD (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026); price as listed on KVR)
Tutorials and reviews
- Acustica Audio FX Special Demo - Lemon Delay & Ebony Reverb [Mixing Vocals]]
- Vocal Reverb - Ebony Vs Ultramarine
- ACUSTICA AUDIO - EBONY - making big ballad drums T-RECords studio (на русском)
- Acustica Audio's Ebony E277 Expander on Drums
- Acustica Audio's Ebony CPU Test
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