I have a new reverb and have been testing it under different circumstances.   I know how to set up a send with reverb on it, but I discovered some things that did not happen as I expected, if someone could explain/clarify :
 
I have a vocal on an audio track, and set a reverb as an insert on that track.  I got things sounding just right and the reverb had a mix of 41.5% dry/wet.
 
I wanted to get this exact same sound using the reverb as a send.    I insterted the reverb 100% wet on a bus.   On the vocal track (with its insert turned off) what send level should I need to set it to match the way it was on the insert?   At full level, 0db, it didn't sound right at all (too much).
 
I noticed also that if I routed a track via the reverb return with the reverb turn OFF (essentailly routing a track via a send with nothing on it) the tone still changed (even when there was no reverb there) - it just sounded a bit louder (although checking the master bus, there appeared to be no volume change).
 
Perhaps I just don't understand the basic way things happen when send are used ...... if there was nothing on the send, why would it sound different?
 
Probably did not explain this too well ... but appreciate any feedback.

I'll answer the second question first. The reason it sounded louder with the send on and going through an empty buss is that there is now two signals, albeit identical, hence it is louder.
 
Remember a send "sends" a copy of the original signal and then feeds that to the master buss or further down the signal chain. The original signal also exists unless the track fader is reduced. That's assuming the send is pre -fader of course. If the send is post-fader then the send level is affected by the track fader.
 
In answer to the first part, you should set the reverb on the buss to 100% wet and then adjust the effect level with the send level. In this instance the send should be "post-fader". That way you have the dry signal controlled by the track volume. The "wet" sound is controlled by the send level but once set at a level in relation to the dry track that you are happy with you don't have to keep changing it every time you adjust track (dry) level volume as the send is decreased or increased by the same relative amount.
 
In theory to achieve the same level as when the reverb is on the track you should set the track volume to 0dB, the send level to 41.5%, buss volume level to 0dB with reverb set to 100% wet. Once that is done make sure the send is "post fader" and the relative level is maintained as explained above.
 
HTH
 
 

Thanks Karl.
 
That is pretty much how I imagined it .. though I was not sure if I needed to set the send level to anything other than 0db, but obviously I need that to be at 41.5% also, as you say.
 
But, this send level isn't in %, its in db, so seems to be from 0db to -76db .... so take a level that is 41.5% between?
 
ie,    100%-41.5%m= 58.5%    So I need 58.5% of 76 = 44.46    so I set the level to be -44.46db   (if that math is correct :-))

Er..... School was a long time ago for me but yeah roughly although I'm not sure it's quite an exact science hence the words "In theory" at the start of my answer. I'm sure someone who knows better than me will be along with a more scientific answer on that.
 
The send control effectively becomes the wet/dry control of the reverb because although it is sending a dry signal to the buss the reverb is set to 100% so there is no dry signal at all coming from the buss just wet signal.
 
I'd say the best way to get the sound you want is to use your ears, the golden rule is.......if it sounds right it is right. 

Math is hard, as Barbie says.  But for reference, 6 dB makes a sound twice as loud, not 100 dB.  -44 dB wouldn't be heard on the send.  Your 40% setting wet is less than 1/2 reverb, 60% dry.  Try -8 dB or so to start with, then adjust by ear. 
 
@

Thanks AT, you are totally right of course --- that came from my maths whilst not being at my studio ;-)   So of course -44db isn't 41.5% at all ...
 
But, anyway, I tried around -8db as you suggested and various other levels ... but I just could NOT get it to sound the same as the insert.    The send version sounded BETTER, thicker/warmer, hard to describe, but the Insert version was certainly harsher.  I cannot think WHY that can be.   All reverb settings were identical (except the send version was 100% wet).    There are no other effects at all anywhere in Sonar.   
 
Logically the insert version and the send version should sound the same right (when the wet-dry balance is right)?   Any ideas why the send version in this case does not?
 
I'm using 2CAudio Aether, if that helps at all.

I use the graphic nature of the send volume to tel what is right. Where it is pointing to such as straight up means 50 %.  A quarter up means 25 % and so on. Its not exact but I use my ears mostly any way.  I also use the fader on the return, (aux) buss to help dial in just the right amount. 
 
Being too exact is a little unnecessary. Its OK to be exact but why? Its audio! Your ears are the best way to decide how it sounds.  

ULTRABRA
Thanks AT, you are totally right of course --- that came from my maths whilst not being at my studio ;-)   So of course -44db isn't 41.5% at all ...
 
But, anyway, I tried around -8db as you suggested and various other levels ... but I just could NOT get it to sound the same as the insert.    The send version sounded BETTER, thicker/warmer, hard to describe, but the Insert version was certainly harsher.  I cannot think WHY that can be.   All reverb settings were identical (except the send version was 100% wet).    There are no other effects at all anywhere in Sonar.   
 
Logically the insert version and the send version should sound the same right (when the wet-dry balance is right)?   Any ideas why the send version in this case does not?
 
I'm using 2CAudio Aether, if that helps at all.

Did you drag copy the reverb? Try this and report back:
 
1. Open the send reverb, and save its preset under a new name, like HarshnessTest.
2. Insert a fresh instance of the reverb into the track insert (e.g., drag from the browser or use the insert pop-up)
3. Load the HarshnessTest preset.
 
Is the sound still different? 

Thanks for the replies.
 
@John I hear you --- it was not the fact that I could not get it EXACTLY the same - the issue is that using reverb as an insert was resulting in a lower quality than same reverb via the send.    So, I could not get a result that was even close to being the same.
 
@Anderton :     I inserted a preset, that had a mix of 41.5%, and then on the send I put the same preset there (just that it was 100% wet).   I tried with Breverb and got exactly the same result:   the insert sounded kind of tinny, and the send version sounded much smoother and warmer.  So, I think I eliminated the reverb plugin itself as the cause, but why would I get this result comparing insert and send.   Could anyone else try?   I made a fresh song in Sonar, 2 audio tracks containing the same vocal sample.  On one track I added a reverb as an insert, and on the other I added reverb via a send which had the exact same reverb preset, just that it was 100% wet.   Is anyone else getting the same issue as I am?    Or is it something I'm doing wrong?
 
 

Can you describe your routing, distinguishing clearly between track output destinations and send destinations.