I suspect you are right when it comes to analog circuits, but they are definitely LTI in a typical digital implementation. I checked this by adding reverb+delay and delay+reverb to two copies of a track in REAPER. I inverted the phase of one, played them together, and they cancelled out.
Re:Ask HN: Teach me something new
by reom_tobit on Sunday May 01, 2022 @12:42PM
(#31226438)
I would be very surprised at that! I have no time currently but I can put together a example for you to illustrate what I mean if you’d like.
Delay and reverb may be LTI in your definition, but they very much do matter what order they are in, every time.
Delay before reverb is going to give a more staccato sound, whereas the reverb before delay is probably just going to wash the whole thing out if you’re not careful on your settings.
Great comment otherwise!