Effects Processors for a home studio (?)

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Gear_Junky

Gear_Junky

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I'm thinking of getting rid of my nanoverb and getting a good rack unit (and trying not to spend a fortune). My cassette 8-track (Tascam 488 mkII arriving in the mail tomorrow) is supposed to have 2 fx loops so I guess I'll need 2 units. Any suggestions? Preferably something with internal powersupply (no wall warts). Thanx in advance.
 
I would recommend getting effects in the following order:

1. A good compressor. dbx make are nice ones, and FMR's RNC look very good. (See also 4, below).

2. A reverb. Take a listen yourself. I'm not very impressed by the low-end Lexicons, for example... I think depends a lot on taste.

3. A delay. I prefer delay on vocals, it doens't make it as muddy. Favourite delay: A Roland RE-201 Space Echo. If your reverb box can make delays too, thats enough if you are happy with adding the delay when recording. But a separate one is better.

4. A Clavia Micro Modular. Costs $509 at zzounds, and can do any type of sound effects you can think of, except reverbs and delays, and it can combine them in anyway you want. Theres for example a patch for a three band stereo compressor downloadable from the Clavia homepage, to which I added filters to make it a mastering processor! It has filters and compressors and distortion and vocoders and oh yeah, it's a modular synthesizer too! (You'll need a PC or Mac to use it, though).
 
Thanks guys, I guess I should've been more specific. I opened a separate topic for compressors and honestly I have my eyes on that Behringer Quad.

I just meant multi-fx (reverb, delay, etc.)
Hopefully under $200 for a dual-engine unit, just trying to see what to stay away from, etc.

Isn't POD mostly for guitar?
 
Just looked at http://www.allprosound.com and they have GREAT prices on Behringers! Just $108 for the Virtualizer Pro! Under $150 for the quad comp!

Is Virtualizer Pro a good unit? I'm mostly interested in nice warm reverbs, good chorus for drums and vocals.
 
I have a Behringer Virtualizer Pro I use with a Tascam 424 MKII. It's stereo or dual mono so you can use it for both of your aux sends. Really like it. My son has claimed the Behringer for the time being to plug his Fender Tele into. The house is a little quiter for now since he plugs in the headphones instead of running it thru the amp. Makes a difference when he's learning new songs on the TAB sites on internet at midnight. Bought it at http://www.allprosound.com for $108 US. Had it in my hands in 2 days. Good folks.

[This message has been edited by DigitalDon (edited 07-27-2000).]
 
I have both the Lexicon MPX 100 and the Zoom RFX300. As you might guess, the Lexicon blows the Zoom unit away. The Zoom is noisy and it certainly can color your music with it's 'flavor'. Whether you like the flavor is a personal preference, but Zoom products are usually cheap for a reason.

The Lexicon does give crystal clear sound, but it's sounds weren't as impressive as I had anticipated (I know, you get what you pay for) Still, they were far more usable than from the Zoom. (To hear the Lexicon in action, www.mp3.com/crowmusic... all the tracks were recorded using the Lexicon)

It sounds like you're trying to get away from Alesis, but for under $200, you might want to consider the Microverb 4.. just my opinion.
 
I agree with ranchfield.
zoom adds color but has great tools for rec.
I like it, BUT....

you get what you pay for.
 
Well, I got some interesting deals at SamAsh yesterday...

Bought a Virtualizer Pro for $95 (they're discontinuing Behringer, so it's just what's in the store. I would've got the Multicom Pro if they had it).

Got AKG C1000S for $179, couple of ART Levalars for $58.

The Virtualizer Pro was the last item and they didn't have a manual. Wonder where I could find one?
 
GJ,

I'll probably go with the RNC or Composer Pro when the time comes, but I'm curious what $58 buys you. Could you post your impression of the Levelars after you play with them a little while?
 
First off, everyone's right in that you do get what you pay for, but...
Maybe it's the RFX300, I don't know (probably), 'cause I have the RFX2000 and I don't have enough good things to say about it. The reverbs are nice and clean (though not as rich as even the MPX100, which you should look at), and there are enough great SFX to suit anyone, including a very good vocoder. It's definitely something to look into.
 
Hi. Actually, after talking to a friend at SamAsh I'm returning (or selling) all of my ART stuff. I was setting up just one MP and one Levelar to test them and the wires, adapters, etc. were a mess on the floor! I got overwhelmed by all that jungle, so my mind is set on building a rack. For my first compressor I'll just get the Behringer Multicom Pro (the 4-in-1) for under $150 and then I'll work from there. I already have the Virtualizer Pro for FX and I'm thinking of the Presonus Blue Tube preamps (a couple).

I'll try to test the Levelar some more before returning it, but I don't have that big of an experience with comps to have an ear for 'em yet or to be able to compare to anything. All I've had so far was the Alesis Nanocomp (selling the nano-gear too). When I tested 'em Friday, my new Tube MP wouldn't indicate clipping, so I didn't have much attention paid to the Levelar. I tried a little bit of acoustic guitar and a little bit of slap bass and to me it seems to be doing the job. It's not something very noticeable, just like they should be. I also heard that these don't pump (I've yet to hear a compressor pump, sorry, no experience). I record on my Tascam 414 4-track, so "let the reader use discernment"!
 
Some more tests with ART Levelar...

Ok, this time I ran my acoustic through Tech 21 SansAmp Acoustic DI into the Levelar into the 4-track. I did try it w/o the Levelar first. First I'd like to say that the SansAmp is MUCH better than the Tube MP. Tube MP is slightly, but noticeably "sweeter" than the 4-track's "trim" preamps, but like I said it distorts slightly.

The Levelar doesn't seem to distort like the Tube MP. It's easy to get working, but like you might've guessed, there's no "magic" happening, it's just a comp. I guess if you can get it for $58 it could be a keeper. I just can't stand anymore crazy boxes with wall warts, etc. Except my Sans Amps, I got 3 - Bass, Acoustic and GT2 (guitar).
 
GJ,

I just got an email from Sam Ash. They now have the AutoComm compressor for $110 (in stock and demos). If
you want, I can forward that email to you.

They also have the Composer, which I was considering, for $139. I wasn't planning on buying right now but that looks almost too good to pass up.
 
DaveO.I also just rec'd 3 emails from Sam Ash
for the Composer,AutoCom and Virtualizer.
I have all 3, but I could use another compressor.
So's me thinks I will go and p/u another Behringer.
 
Something must be wacky on Sam Ash's system because I got three emails too.

Actually, I was only planning on buying a compressor but now I'm thinking of the Virtualizer for $100 - depends on how much trouble I want to get in for buying more toys. I expected to do most effects in software (except for compression and my guitar effects pedal) but for that price maybe it's worth buying one?

Since you have the AutoComm AND the Composer, what's your opinion on the quantity/quality tradeoffs between them? I'm guessing either would probably be fine for my purposes, but I thought I'd ask for opinions. I guess I could just buy TWO Composers and get 4 channels for about $250, or two RNC's for about $350. What the hell, it's only money!!!
 
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