# Nonlinear scaling of the Reverb and Delay sends

**URL:** <https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552>\
**Category:** Archive\
**Tags:** play-plus, effects, declined, play\
**Created:** [August 8, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552 "2024-08-08T19:29:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![katzi](https://backstage.polyend.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@katzi](https://backstage.polyend.com/u/katzi)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552/1 "2024-08-08T19:29:18Z")

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### What is the problem?

Currently the Delay and Reverb send parameters work in a linear fashion. That means setting Reverb send to 50% just halves send level (-6db). But humans perceive loudness very differently i.e. logarithmically.

As a result, there is no big difference between 50% of reverb and 100% of reverb. Both settings practically mean ‘much reverb’, the former is just a tiny bit less of reverb. Even 25% is quite much of reverb.

Personally I always end up using either 100% for sounds that I want to be reverbish and 0%-25% for anything else. This makes it quite hard to finetune reverb amounts. The same applies to Delay as well.

Also, there is the Space randomization which sets Reverb/Delay sends randomly on steps. Since it spreads values uniformly and because sends work linearly there is often no big difference across randomized steps in terms of perceived loudness of reverb and delay. The suggested change would make the Space randomization much more useful.

Obviously, this change would not be compatible with existing projects so it should be introduced as an option for new projects.

### What should this feature achieve?

More natural behaviour of the Reverb and Delay send knobs.  
Better control over reverb/delay send levels.  
More effective usage of the Space randomization.

### Are there any workarounds?

No.

### Any links to related discussions?

No.

### Any references to other products?

Every DAW I’ve used provide logarithmic scaling for send controls. I suspect harware mixers work the same way.

 ![image](https://backstage.polyend.com/uploads/default/original/2X/b/bb5c5f46c4e836c70b8dc7fdd9fbb612a9d08923.png)  
In the Play it’d be around -3dB

 ![image](https://backstage.polyend.com/uploads/default/original/2X/3/34756506240e28d03b6a38f4df244ca80ecb8de4.png)  
In the Play it’d be around -6dB

 ![image](https://backstage.polyend.com/uploads/default/original/2X/7/731ecaccae7f3cca33e8fa36fc8417a4dbe2e4d0.png)  
In the Play it’d be around -12dB

 ![image](https://backstage.polyend.com/uploads/default/original/2X/8/8b6d769f15d31140035e299fa94e07333a3366bf.jpeg)  
I’ve set reverb and delay sends on my Tracker to the mid point and it’s -18dB not -6B like on the Play.

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**Author:** ![Dann](https://backstage.polyend.com/user_avatar/backstage.polyend.com/dann/32/2287_2.png) [@Dann](https://backstage.polyend.com/u/Dann)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552/3 "2024-08-09T02:18:35Z")

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Thanks for the wish @katzi 🙂

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**Author:** ![borsuk](https://backstage.polyend.com/user_avatar/backstage.polyend.com/borsuk/32/582_2.png) [@borsuk](https://backstage.polyend.com/u/borsuk)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 10:27am UTC](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552/5 "2024-08-30T10:27:59Z")

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@katzi Thanks for your contribution. Unfortunately, it’s a bug. It was already reported here: [Reverb sounds the same regardless of the reverb send value on the synths](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/reverb-sounds-the-same-regardless-of-the-reverb-send-value-on-the-synths/13555)  
We will do our best to fix it asap.  
Let’s move the discussion there.

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**Author:** ![borsuk](https://backstage.polyend.com/user_avatar/backstage.polyend.com/borsuk/32/582_2.png) [@borsuk](https://backstage.polyend.com/u/borsuk)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2024, 11:28am UTC](https://backstage.polyend.com/t/nonlinear-scaling-of-the-reverb-and-delay-sends/13552/7 "2024-09-06T11:28:30Z")

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