Lexicon reverb unit or ITB plugins?

pikingrin

what is this?
Sweetwater has a rebate thing going on through the end of March on their Lexicon units; I'm halfway considering THIS one. My thought is to use it to save CPU usage and using this instead of a convolution reverb plug that I have been using that's pretty CPU intensive.

Main usage would be on the mix as a whole, not on each track individually. The unit says it's got USB connectivity and a plugin interface which would make it handy to incorporate; I've got other routing options if the USB doesn't cover all the signal transferring like I think it would.

Anyone have any experience with these? Is hardware integration worth a little extra CPU headroom or would this be a complete waste of money?
 
I've done a little hardware routing in my little home studio. I have a compressor that I like to use on bass tracks, it's worth the effort for me in this instance. I only fiddled with a reverb long enough to get it to work and haven't used it since. My outboard reverb unit isn't that great, and I grabbed Lexicon's entry-level reverb plugin that does a great job. I have the CPU overhead available so I don't need to worry about getting overburdened with reverb plugs.

If you're really strapped for CPU and reverb plugins are weighing you down, then it might be worth the trouble. It definitely adds a layer of complexity when it comes to rendering a project. You'll have to render in real-time, which adds quite a bit of time to the rendering process.

Reaper makes the routing part pretty easy with ReaInsert, a nifty little plugin that lets you treat your outboard effects like VST effects. And of course you'll need 2 spare outputs and 2 spare inputs on your interface to use as stereo send/return.
 
Lexicon reverbs has a signature sound, which isn't the type of realism that you would get from a convolution. I generally use lexicon sounding verbs on drums and vocals.

With a plugin verb, you can use as many instances as your CPU can handle. With this box, you only get two instances.

As mentioned, rendering files will take a lot longer with the Lexicon.

The lexicon is a good unit, if you need a hardware reverb. The plugin part of it is just a nifty feature, it is still intended to be a hardware verb.

I was looking into getting one of these, when i still had the studio. I was going to use it for giving singers verb in their headphone mixes through my mixer. If someone fell in love with that verb, I could easily insert it in the mix without having to route the vocals out to a unit via analog and record the results. I decided it wasn't worth it.
 
Thanks for the input; I'll check out that valhalla verb and pass on the hardware unit. I didn't think about it adding to the render time but it makes more sense not to bother with it.
 
I also noticed that lexicons native plugin bundle is $300 more than that piece of hardware. Chances are, you aren't getting their best reverbs in the $150 hardware unit.
 
I currently flip between 2CAudio Aether and Waves IR-1 reverbs for most of my stuff; Aether is great but sometimes the IR-1 is better suited. I think my biggest draw to the hardware unit was simply the low cost (plus the rebate) - I guess I didn't count on a lexicon unit, even being less expensive, to be lower quality.
 
Man with Aether- I love it, it's just a task to get into, but you can just about cover anything right there.
 
Man with Aether- I love it, it's just a task to get into, but you can just about cover anything right there.
There is definitely a learning curve with Aether - I still haven't gotten it completely figured out and I've been using it for almost a year now. But, yeah, it has the potential to do just about anything.
 
There is definitely a learning curve with Aether - I still haven't gotten it completely figured out and I've been using it for almost a year now. But, yeah, it has the potential to do just about anything.
I'm actually a bit intimidated with it -the GUI for one, and so many options.. I tend go to others, the Lex native and UAD250 a new fave grins..
Don't know if you're aware but before you drop $$$ on the Lex plugs, they do have a whole set of patches for Aether that model the Lexicons.
 
I'm actually a bit intimidated with it -the GUI for one, and so many options.. I tend go to others, the Lex native and UAD250 a new fave grins..
Don't know if you're aware but before you drop $$$ on the Lex plugs, they do have a whole set of patches for Aether that model the Lexicons.
Options, options, options for sure - there's more than enough knobs to tweak. It's intimidating until about halfway through the 2nd beer. :)

I was just on their site the other day looking at the patches; that's probably an easier option at this point.
 
I have the total Lexicon bundle and it is really nice - pretty expensive but I got it during one of their half price sales. It uses an ilok.
 
The question is a bit general? Which Lexicon box?
I will tell you my thoughts.
I have been using pro tools since 2000 and have used d verb and Eventide reverb once in a while. Usually mix with a pcm 70 hooked to my mixes. Once in a while I will use a pcm 80 or 90 or a Roland 880, v verb,roland 330,sony r7 hardware boxes. The lexicon pcm 70 is good for me.
 
The question is a bit general? Which Lexicon box?
I will tell you my thoughts.
I have been using pro tools since 2000 and have used d verb and Eventide reverb once in a while. Usually mix with a pcm 70 hooked to my mixes. Once in a while I will use a pcm 80 or 90 or a Roland 880, v verb,roland 330,sony r7 hardware boxes. The lexicon pcm 70 is good for me.
His link was the MX200, a cheap lexicon with a USB connection that makes the unit appear as a plugin inside the DAW. Of course, you only get two instances.
 
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