Aux Bus or unused Channel

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Jack Hammer

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I am not sure of the best way to work the reverb situation I have. I have a Mackie 24/8 mixer and a Lexicon PCM 81. Aux send one to channel one of the Lexicon and aux two to channel two. The returns are to the Aux returns.

Though the foregoing seems like a logical setup and works quite well, there does not seem to be m uch separation between the two channels such that I can pan hard one way or the other and apply reverb without losing my pan position for a particular instrument.

Of course, this may simply be that I have to use the PCM 81 more effectively (pardon the pun). I have tried it with the dual prgrams or dual algorythms as it were but I remain a bit baffled by the results.

So, the main question is, would I do any better on this account if I took the returns of the Lexicon back into two unused channels. Or, is this a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other and the culprit is he Lexicon itslelf and the real solution is that I will therefore need to absorb a bit more of the Lexcon operating manual.

Lots of questions, alwasy lots of questions.
 
I'm not familiar with the Lexi. Is that a dedicated stereo processor, or can you separate the channels into two mono's?
 
If you are bringing it back into mono effects returns then you will lose any stereo seperation. You have to bring it back into a stereo return or 2 channels and pan them hard L/R for stereo.

You may not have to use both inputs on the Lex depending on what you are sending it and how the Lex handles the inputs. Some units automatically sum everything on the inputs and others run them seperately to the processors then the outputs. As Senn mentioned finding out how the Lex is operating is the first step.
 
the Lexi is mono? I'm quite sure the 24*8 returns are stereo, I know my 32*8 is.

Good to see you around camn:)

H2H
 
Tanks for the replies. The first two aux returns on the Mackie are stereo, the rest are mono. There are six altogether, however the last two are brought in by switching the controls on the second two both of which pairs are mono.

The Lexicon is the culprit I would imagine becuase it can be either dual processing in series or parallel where the two channels are summed. It can alos be used in a true stereo processing mode. It depends on the choice of algorhythm. I checked the manual and there are diagrams that show this. That means that I would have to find the programs that use the stereo algorhythms and then make sure that the settings will allow true stereo operation.

The other soultion is to get nother reverb to make life easier in mixdown. Between the two outboard boxes and a couple of plug-in reverbs, I should have enough since I do not like over abundant reverb, just a tastefull dib and dab here unless you are going for a specific effect.
 
Yep. That's the problem.

I have to watch that on the MidiVerb IV that I use. Not all programs are stereo and I have to make sure I select the correct mode for what I'm doing.
 
crapmaster! they are stereo, arent they!

Too many drinks, not enuf time.

xoxo

ps nice to see you, too, h2h!
 
Jack Hammer said:
Though the foregoing seems like a logical setup and works quite well, there does not seem to be m uch separation between the two channels such that I can pan hard one way or the other and apply reverb without losing my pan position for a particular instrument.
Click to expand...

Hi Jack.
Are you refering to the mixer chanel pan? Could be that you have some un-effected dry signal mixing back in mono with your reverb return? Even with the stereo patches that require a left and right send, just sending to one side wouldn't have all the verb on that sides return.
That box sure has a ton of routing options. (maybe too many.:D )
I have the 80 and 90 on four aux sends, most of the time one or the other is in split/dual mode. Sometimes it gets confusing real fast.
If you have the option to use a pair of chanels for returns, you should try that. Sometimes having eq and the paning and extra routing options is a plus.

Wayne
 
One thing that may be confusing the issue is that reverb will really obscure your stereo image. That is the natural effect of reverb.

The stereo effect should be very noticeable on delays but on reverb it is much more subtle.
 
PCM 81 is stereo times 2, the only way to use it and retain imaging is with the auxes with stereo returns. The lex should have a 2 mono inputs and 2 outputs l/r per mono input. 1 in, 2 out or 4 total outputs... Ok its a dual stereo processor...




Using a mono processor for exf is pretty useless in my opinion.

Its late...I wanna go home!


SoMm
 
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