sheppola,

For eons I have struggled between trying to make my vocals sound BIGGER and being able to understand my lyrics while listening.  I tried your "reverb trick" on a song of mine & I think it helped my vocals significantly!  Thanks for the tip!!

I use it quite often.It appears like the vocals have no treatment when,"In-the-mix" and keeps them to the front but without that unnatural too dry effect.Another way to enhance them as well is to make a Sub-vocal track as well and route the vocals to it and use Parallel Compresiion some times known as New York compression.

http://www.mutantaudio.net/tutorials/parallel_compression_tutorial/parallel_compression_tutorial_ma.html

Although primarily used on drum tracks it can be used with added EQ on a Vocal track and then the sub mix is lifted under the main vocal.You can even delay the Submix by a few milliseconds to get a better effect.

    Another trick is to use a decent stereo Chorus like the Free,"Classic Chorus",

http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-chorus.php

with only a small amount of depth so it doesn't colour the sound but spreads and delays it.

All sound engineering is Deception.The sound only exists in out mind's perception and any trick will do to make it sound normal/good.