PS Quartz Reverb Pro Edition: Max for Live reverb device with independent low and high damping controls for Ableton Live

PS Quartz Reverb Pro interface showing dual damping, decay controls, and spectrum analysis in an Ableton Live session

Shape Reverb Tails with Dual Damping | Quartz for Ableton

Max For Live Audio Device

Ableton's stock Reverb device gives you a single high-frequency damping control. Hybrid Reverb uses the same quartz algorithm as this device, but spreads its parameters across a complex multi-panel interface, you can't see the full damping picture at once, and setting up automation across panels takes longer than it should.

Quartz Reverb puts independent low and high damping controls, decay, diffusion, size, and modulation on a single surface, built natively in Max for Live so every parameter maps straight into Ableton's automation system without plugin bridging.

£4.99 GBP

£4.99 GBP

Want to try before you buy? The Standard edition is free on maxforlive.com

Free version

Professional Max for Live Design

All devices built with optimised CPU performance, bulletproof stability, and intuitive interfaces tested by working producers for reliable session performance.

Seamless Ableton Integration

Every device integrates natively into Ableton Live with full automation support, preset management, and zero plugin-bridging latency for frictionless workflow.

Clear Commercial Licensing

All Max for Live devices supplied with straightforward commercial licenses. Use in your productions with complete confidence.

What Quartz Reverb Does

Quartz Reverb runs on Max 9's abl.dsp.quartz~ object, the same algorithmic engine that powers the quartz mode inside Ableton's Hybrid Reverb, with the full parameter set exposed through a single clean interface.

The key controls are the dual damping circuit: independent low and high damping working through a diffusion algorithm, letting you set how quickly the low-frequency tail decays relative to the highs, and how dense the reflections become.

This matters because a reverb that sounds right on a pad can sound clouded on a bass element, and vice versa, the dual circuit gives you surgical control over where the tail sits without reaching for a separate EQ. Decay runs from 0.1 seconds to a full freeze. The Pro edition adds real-time spectrum analysis, an interactive three-band EQ with draggable control points, and integrated stereo width, all post-reverb, all in one device.

Why This Matters

Every Max for Live device we make follows one principle:

Remove friction, don't add features.

This tool works the way Ableton would have done it if they'd thought of it.

No flashy graphics.
No subscription.
Just a problem solved.

Quartz Reverb | Use Cases

Adding room ambience to individual drum elements (snare, clap, hi-hat) where you need tight low-end damping so the tail doesn't smear the groove
Creating subtle depth on synth leads in tech house and house without the reverb tail sitting visibly above the mix
Return channel reverb on a vocal bus where the high-frequency shimmer needs to sustain but the chest resonance needs to clear quickly
Building pad textures in deep house where you want a long decay but controlled low-end so the tail sits under rather than on top of the bass
Live performance use where you need stable, predictable reverb behaviour across tempo changes with full automation recall baked into the set

Compatibility, Ableton Live & Max for Live

Max for Live 9.0.9
macOS 10.13 or higher / Windows 10 or higher
Compatible with any audio, instrument, or return track in Ableton Live
Ableton Live 12.0.5 or higher (Suite, or Standard with Max for Live purchased separately)

Quartz Reverb | Frequently Asked Questions

Is Quartz Reverb the same as the quartz mode in Ableton's Hybrid Reverb?

It uses the same abl.dsp.quartz~ DSP object, so the core algorithm is identical. The difference is control access and workflow. Hybrid Reverb's interface spans multiple panels and requires switching between views to set damping alongside size, modulation, and mix simultaneously.

Quartz Reverb puts all of that on one surface with the dual damping controls front and centre, full Ableton-native automation on every parameter, and no panel switching. If you've ever found Hybrid Reverb's interface slow to navigate whilst making creative decisions, that's the specific workflow Quartz Reverb removes.

How is dual damping different from using a single HF damping control?

Ableton's standard Reverb device gives you one damping knob that rolls off the high frequencies in the tail. Quartz Reverb's dual circuit controls low and high damping independently through the diffusion algorithm, the low damping setting determines how quickly bass frequencies decay relative to the main tail, and the high damping determines how the highs roll off.

You can set a tail that stays warm and full at the top while the low end clears quickly, or the inverse. A single HF damping control can't shape the low-frequency behaviour at all, so any control over bass in the tail requires a post-reverb EQ in the chain.

Which version of Ableton Live do I need to run Quartz Reverb?

Quartz Reverb requires Ableton Live 12.0.5 or higher with Max for Live 9.0.9. Live Suite includes Max for Live. If you're on Live Standard, the Max for Live add-on is available separately from Ableton.

The device runs on macOS 10.13 or later and Windows 10 or later, installs directly into your Live browser, and saves inside your project file with no external activation required.

The Standard edition is available free on maxforlive.com if you want to try the core algorithm before purchasing Pro.

Can't I just use Valhalla Room or another third-party reverb instead?

Third-party reverbs are a different conversation. Valhalla Room is an excellent plugin, but it introduces plugin bridging in Ableton, its parameters don't appear natively in Ableton's automation lane the same way a Max for Live device does, and it doesn't embed in your project file with the same portability.

Quartz Reverb behaves exactly like an Ableton built-in: automation appears immediately, presets travel with the set, and there's no latency from a plugin bridge. If you already own Valhalla you don't need to replace it, but if you want reverb that feels native to Ableton rather than running inside it, they're solving different problems.

Shape Reverb Tails with Dual Damping | Quartz for Ableton

What Quartz Reverb Does

Quartz Reverb | Use Cases

Compatibility, Ableton Live & Max for Live

Quartz Reverb | Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews

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