Can the Ventris sound as lush as the Specular Reverb / Tempus?

This is a quick comparison between the GFI System Specular Tempus and Source Audio Ventris. I bought the Ventris to see if it could replace my Specular Reverb V2, but I also wanted to compare it to the Specular Tempus. The Tempus has all the reverb algorithms of the Specular Reverb plus some extra ones, and it also has 10+ delay algorithms.

This video is by no means an extensive review of the features of each of the pedals, there are plenty of videos on YouTube which offer just that. I thought it would be nice to hear the two side-by-side, so I tried to recreate the default algorithm on the Specular Reverb V2 (called "Spatium" on the Tempus) with the Ventris, using the "E-dome" setting. Here's what's in the demo:

00:00 - 01:45 : Volca Bass + Specular Tempus
01:45 - 03:50 : Volca Bass + Ventris
03:50 - 05:10 : Volca FM + Specular Tempus
05:10 - 06:30 : Volca FM + Ventris

I could have gone into much more detail to recreate the sound of the Specular - the Ventris offers a wide range of parameters that can be tweaked. Overall the Ventris can sound much brighter (depending on the "Treble" setting) and its tone decays slower than the Specular. I think the modulation of the Specular gives it a more natural sound, but that's something that can be tweaked in more detail on the Ventris - diffusion, modulation depth and rate, not all of which are available on the Specular Tempus - if I wanted to get closer.

I decided to try the Specular Tempus after I saw this video:    • The Specular Tempus: Almost Too Good ...  

I wasn't too impressed with the extra things the Specular Tempus has to offer compared to the Specular Reverb V2 that I've owned for a year now. The additional reverb types are good, but in the end I just want that one huge ambient sound, and that's already available on the Specular Reverb. The delay algorithms to me all sound rather 'synthetic' - I'd rather get a delay pedal that sounds more natural. So I will return the Tempus, but I will not get rid of the Specular Reverb just yet. :)

As you may have seen on this channel, we also use the Strymon Big Sky. To clear that up: we're two guys, and I (Abel, I made this video) own the Specular Reverb V2, and now the Ventris as well. Joep, the other guy, owns the Big Sky. So you're probably wondering - which would I pick? For me that's easy: the Big Sky. Nothing beats the Clouds mode, and the realistic reverb settings (room, hall, plate, etc.) all sound very natural. With the Ventris I tend to think the realistic reverbs sound a bit metallic, or too clean, but from using them in jams I think that can add something very interesting to the overall sound.

Video recorded with iPhone 7. Audio recorded with UFX1204 in "standalone" mode, recording directly to USB HDD.
If you have questions about how everything (Volcas, effects, controllers) is connected (power, audio, MIDI), check out this video:    • Our Volca Setup: How Is Everything Co...  
This Volca FM patch is by Oscillator Sink:    / oscillatorsink  

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