Hardware effects units: messing with settings during use

J

James Tree

New member
I am looking to add a hardware effects unit to my recording setup, possibly a lexicon mpx500 or tc electronics m300. Is it possible to modify the effects while a signal is going thru them? Thinking of some scuzzy delay feedback or saturating certain parts of vocal tracks with reverb while mixing down. Or does modifying the parameters 'live' sound mechanical and artificial? Ps I use a portastudio and mix down to daw, so a lot of what I am doing uses turning knobs while mixing down.

Can I turn knobs on either of these devices while using them and have natural sounding results?

Thanks!
 
James Tree said:
Can I turn knobs on either of these devices while using them and have natural sounding results?
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My rack units can assign the knobs to multiple midi CC pedals to control the assigned parameters 'on the fly'. Yes, very natural. How else you going to PAD with your guitar strum?
 
It depends on what parameter you are changing. If you are adjusting the number of repeats on a delay or the decay time on a reverb, you're good. If you are switching between a reverb and a flanger, the transition won't be smooth.

From what you seem to be describing, you want to hit certain works with an effect. The best way to do that would be to leave the effect alone and adjust the effects send on the mixer to put the effect where you want it.
 
Farview said:
It depends on what parameter you are changing. If you are adjusting the number of repeats on a delay or the decay time on a reverb, you're good. If you are switching between a reverb and a flanger, the transition won't be smooth.
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Strangely, the PCM80 can assign a CC to the delay time, and stretch the flanger into a reverb by reducing the time.

The rack effects are nice. The biggest sound challenge was getting the -10 instrument to +4 for the full line level effects sound. Then once at +4 how is it amplified? On 1 on the tube amp as it gets loud fast?
 
True for a pcm80, but not the mpx500 or the m300 he is talking about. If I remember correctly, the mix has a rotory switch to go between effects...
 
Yeah everything after like 1994 is garbarge. I wouldn't know..Its cool, The PCM can set for +4 in and back to -10 out for the tube amps. My nice preamps output at +4 anyways so I don't need to do a dance with the mixer.
 
Farview said:
If I remember correctly, the mix has a rotory switch to go between effects...
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The MPX500 looks R1 compatible. That huge floor thing. Has a CC in the midi. It looks possible. 24bit Lexichip performance too.

Screenshot 2021-11-17 150043.jpg

Any function that is controlled by the 4 front knobs can be assigned. Unless they limit the midi in the 500. The 550 does midi parameters. Im like 60/40 on this.
 
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The reason the knobs are there is for fiddling. Each device has it's foibles - when we used them live, I would put red tape on the top of knobs that should not be turned live - as said, changing large delay types, can sound very odd - but many parameters need to be adjusted live.
 
Wow, thanks for all the thoughtful and informative replies! I am leaning towards the lexicon mpx500 and it's good to know I can fiddle with it while being used! I'll also experiment with the aux sends on my mixers, but it's good to know it'll do what I am expecting it to do.
 
Rack effects worth looking at you might not know cause of time.

Yamaha D-5000 ($300) 6 lines of delay
Lexicon PCM 70/80/81 ($1000+) 6 lines of delay
Korg 8000's, DL8000R and AM8000R ( Korg is awesome) ($600) 8 lines of delay
Korg A series (less than $100 now on ebay/ 6 post-preamp distortions, 42 effects incl. some of the best pitch shifting ever) 3 + 3 lines of delay
Any Eventide really , but the 2 rack space ones are amazingly beautiful 3000/4000/8000HSE ($2000+) 8 lines of delay

.
 
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James Tree said:
I am leaning towards the lexicon mpx500
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Lexicon is a solid brand for effects. To get that much for so little is really a blessing. Lexicon MPX 24 bit processing today only uses 2 delay lines. The 24 bit noise floor algorithm thickens the effect instead.
 
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