Rack effects

[FURAX Eric]

My new endeavor is to go for the rack. When I get enough money, I'm gonna ditch my dinky foot pedal and get the real stuff.

I ordered myself a Joe Meek MQ3, so I have the pre-amp/compressor aspects of things filled. So in the next few months I plan to purchase myself a rack unit to complete the upgrade.

I use some reverbs, delays, doubler, chorus, and perhaps for some experimentation a little flange/distortion.

The problem I'm having when it comes to deciding on which one to buy, I see all of these ones with these dynamic effects and preamps. I spent $200 on a comp/preamp, so I figure that I have that pretty much covered. I think that getting to get some of the same options I already have is a bit redundant.

Are there any like straight effects units that presume that the user has already bought themselves a decent pre/comp? I just don't want to spend money on something that I already have. I'd rather that the money went into manufacturing and engineering the effects that I would actually utilize from the unit.

So are there any ideas here? Am I just being too picky? Help me out here. I'd say that my budget was a max 400-500.

[Phyl]

Are you looking for a unit to replace some of your foot pedals? If so, take a look at Lexicon and TC Electronic units. They both offer units in your price range that include the effects you mentioned (reverbs, delays, doubler, chorus, flange).

There are plenty of opinions on the board about these two manufacturers.

[FURAX Eric]

Hmm, the TC Electronics M-One XL looks pretty good. I would eventually need an expander and a de-esser. It doesn't come with a compressor or a pre-amp, so that seems pretty nice to me.

Um, does anyone have anything to say about the M-One? I'm gonna check out the archives now, but if you have anything to say about it, give it a shout! =)

[Robert D]

Fantastic unit for the money. IMHO it is way better sounding than the lower end Lexicons. I always swore by Lexi, till I a/b'd the MPX 500 and the M-One. I felt there was no contest, and bought the M-One in a heartbeat.
My 2c, RD