Help Choosing Correct Hardware - Vocal Processor Addition

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Doza

New member
I'm trying to figure out which of the following Vocal Processors would work best with the equipment I have. I mainly want this for hard vocal effects. I am also wondering if you can have multiple effects running at the same time with these? I couldn't find much info or answers to my questions on a google search.

I'm considering one of these used Effects Processor (budget purchase)
- DIGITECH VOCAL 300 VOCAL EFFECTS PROCESSOR
- VOCOPRO VSPM1 DSP (idk if this does effects)
- BEHRINGER ULTRVOICE PRO VX2000 (idk if this does effects)

My recording Hardware (maschine and other production hardware not included)
- Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 FireWire Interface
- PreSonus HP4 Discrete 4-Channel Headphone Amp
- PRESONUS STUDIO CHANNELTUBE PRE
- Blue Bluebird Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
- OS: Windows 7
Heres a link of how my studio looks minus the recent changes in the past year.. I can't add a URL since i'm new.. search youtube for "Hyperbolic Music - Doza Da MC Studio Tour" if your interested in seeing the setup. Isn't the best but its okay IMO..
 
I'm not up on those but what is it you need -out of going hardware for one- recording with effects or..?
Might as well get into what kind of effects too?
 
mixsit said:
I'm not up on those but what is it you need -out of going hardware for one- recording with effects or..?
Might as well get into what kind of effects too?
Click to expand...

I just want use the basic effects you use on vocals, flanger, chorus, reverb, delay, idk I probably missed some but yeah. I'd also be hoping to layer the effects on the device.
 
I am also wondering if you can have multiple effects running at the same time with these? I couldn't find much info or answers to my questions on a google search.
Click to expand...
Not trying to talk you out of hardware if that's the way to go for ya, but this part is a bit odd too.
If a box does and has a bunch of features- 'x amount of tricks at the same time is one of the things they'll flaunt in the specs.
 
I have a TC helicon voiceworks plus rack unit, with the vast number of factory and user presets I don't think I'll outgrow it, it has so many user adjustable parameters it can do pretty much anything you could imagine. Certainly worth checking out.

Tim
 
mixsit said:
Not trying to talk you out of hardware if that's the way to go for ya, but this part is a bit odd too.
If a box does and has a bunch of features- 'x amount of tricks at the same time is one of the things they'll flaunt in the specs.
Click to expand...

From my what I've been told and I don't have much experience in this area but I've been told is that you get a cleaner sound from hard fx than you do from soft fx. Also, that its good to have options for your vocals. To my understanding they don't sound the same and you can tell the difference. I was also informed you want to get a rack that will work good for your interface and preamp.
 
Phrasemaker said:
I have a TC helicon voiceworks plus rack unit, with the vast number of factory and user presets I don't think I'll outgrow it, it has so many user adjustable parameters it can do pretty much anything you could imagine. Certainly worth checking out.

Tim
Click to expand...

Tim, I found a used "TC HELICON VOICEWORKS 8.5". Do you think this will work good with my current setup? Its in my budget..
 
Doza said:
From my what I've been told and I don't have much experience in this area but I've been told is that you get a cleaner sound from hard fx than you do from soft fx. Also, that its good to have options for your vocals. To my understanding they don't sound the same and you can tell the difference. I was also informed you want to get a rack that will work good for your interface and preamp.
Click to expand...
Well there's hardware -superb hardware, and there's work flow style and method reasons to use hardware instead of software.
So lets inject a little more in here. You can't (so I read ;) do this Bricasti Design Model 7 | Sweetwater.com with software. But then Lexicon now has a $700 PCM Total Bundle that fills in rather well in some ways (presumably, I only have the PCM 80 and 90 and the Bundle') where the 480 left off, and approximately equal to their current PCM92 Lexicon PCM92 | Sweetwater.com

But, doing that at $200ish is like on par for a 'live fx/guitar processors.

And the other question still remains- back to work flow/style-- Do you intend to record, then send a dry out and record the fx onto a new track or what?
When I think of my work methods I'd see 'verb, delays and/or other fx as carefully considered separate things to be dialed in- and each often as the mix progressed.. re-adjusted and tweaked.
 
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Tim, I found a used "TC HELICON VOICEWORKS 8.5". Do you think this will work good with my current setup? Its in my budget..
Click to expand...

I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work with your set up, it has right and left balanced outputs plus a digital out. It's also worth considering along the way adding an inexpensive midi keyboard to the set up which inputs to the unit making it even more useful. The major effects on the unit are good options but personally I've found it's the subtle stuff which is fantastically useful. I've moved on from just recording myself to having other vocalists recording through my set up for their own material, and being able to have a few named presets stored on the unit for each vocalist is very handy for when they return on other days to record. It means I can completely disregard having to think about having anything else set up for individuals and simply get the music tracks loaded and work. I prefer getting vocals and any other tracks as near to right from the outset as possible to save having to try and make a silk purse out of a pigs ear further along the mixing process. With the Helicon, I can get a vocal sitting well in a mix before I record thew actual takes and I still then have many options to treat it further if need be, which to be honest is usually very minimal. Yes different tracks with the same artist singing vary in respect of how the vocal sits in the track but being in the right area with a few stored presets with variations that have previously been set up to suit a vocalist does make life easier. Plus an already stored preset that gets tweaked for subsequent use can be stored as an additional option and so on. Once those projects are done with, the presets can be overwritten or kept for future reference if need be. I'm not going to be working with a massive volume of singers so the number of available user presets available is more than ample for the number of folk I'm likely to be involved with at any given time.

But like anything else that has to be paid for, find some demos on youtube and the like and see if it looks like the kit for you.

All the best

Tim
 
Thanks Tim.. I like the sound of that. I have multiple friends who are artist in different genre. So at the price it would be good.

Mixsit, the price of the hardware you listed is out of reach at this time. We are still building and upgrading. Ill consider your recommendations when our budget increases.
 
As an Update I have already received my Voiceworks. I'm amazed at the sound and a bit thrown off because I'd like to keep the 100 presets but would also like to be able to save 20 addition settings of my own with out loosing the presets. I guess I'm going to delete the ones I know I'll never or hardly use... Other than that, its awesome. Thanks again everyone for your input..
 
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