new to racks and rack hardware... need some help

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n8tron

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Hey folks,

Been perusing the forum for some time and thought I'd join up, ask some questions and answer ones where I can.

First off, I'm mainly a writer, but I do some minor recording and want to sort of beef up what I have. Just to give you and idea of where I'm at now... I use Digital Performer and Pro tools with an 828 and a digi 002 respectively. I also have a pod pro xt rack unit and a patchbay. I have a keyboard and use some software synth/samplers, and also some waves plugins. I have a mackie control as well.

Now for the questions... I've been wanting to get more into rack effects, like reverb in particular. But I don't know how to properly use them. I'm anchored firmly to the computer right now, and have little experience with this sort of thing. If i were to buy a reverb rack unit, how can I use it and how would it benefit me? How can I use the reverb unit to apply varying amounts of reverb to only some of my tracks in dp or pro tools? sorry if this is a stupid question, like I said i'm new to the hardware world..I'm more of a computer guy and a writer not recording engineer.
 
Basically you set up an aux send and reverb return tracks in the software as you would with a hardware mixer. The main difference being that you will be tying up at least one of your D/A's (or digital outs) for the send to the box. and a pair of A/D (or digi-ins) to get the effect back into the DAW.
Once you get over that set-up hump it works out really well. You might have to compensate a bit for a bit of round trip delay (not a big deal on most efx -just dial the times in a bit if it's even noticeable). But recording and saving the effects to tracks in the project is a fairly nice feature -remix, automate etc later.. one box does multiple jobs..
Hope that helps. ;)
Wayne
 
Take a look at the Lexicon 200. It has a USB port and the ability to function as a minimal-CPU consumption VST plugin. In my opinion it's cheap at twice the price. It would be a nice way for you to get some reverb into your mixes, stay in the computer domain and learn something about rack gear all in one handy unit...

And welcome to the board, even though you HAVE been lurking for a while... :D
 
rock! I understand now.

I was thinking about it to after I posted and I thought that would do it... I've got room on my rack, in my audio interface and in my patchbay to get more gear. And from what I've heard rack gear can sound a lot better than plug-ins... and of course it won't bog down my poor little computer.

as far as the lexicon mx200 goes.. I have been looking at that recently. It does seem like a steal. The only question I have is how many effects can it do at once. It says it has 2 processors, does that mean you can have a reverb and a delay going simultaneously?

And also, the quality of the effect is more important to me than being able to control the unit via a plugin window. In fact, part of the reason I want to go to hardware is cause I think playing with knobs on a machine is easier than virtual knobs.
 
n8tron said:
And also, the quality of the effect is more important to me than being able to control the unit via a plugin window. In fact, part of the reason I want to go to hardware is cause I think playing with knobs on a machine is easier than virtual knobs.
Click to expand...

What's your budget?
 
budget... hard to say. around or under 600 though. Basically: cheaper=sooner i can get it.
 
I agree with the Kurzweil Rumour recommendation, you really can't do better at that price point.
 
I'm in a similar place. I also use 002, and I've been using reverb from a variety of cheap sources, some of which are not too bad, particularly TC Electronics M300. I've begun looking at upgrading the FX. I built the studio to track an album, but outsourced mixing and mastering, so I cut corners on FX, and tracked bone dry.
Of course I have plug ins in Pro Tools, and I often use the FX card in a Roland VS 18424CD. The convertors in the M300 aren't too bad, so you *don't* have to use up a bunch of A-D and D-A conversion. You can send S/PDIF out from the 002 , and get S/PDIF back, staying in the digital domain throughout. The M300 will clock off the 002. Usually, I don't track vocals really dry. I put an almost subliminal amount of ambience on them going in. I know a lot of guys will track them dry, and feed reverb to the headphone mix. I guess I'm just old fashioned, and will try to get it to sound good going in, and do lots less post production processing. I often just run the mic pre into FX and then to the 002.
If you fuck it up, you can't get it back. It'll give you that instant "analog" feeling.-Richie
 
you think the kurzweil sounds better than the lexicon mx200... or 550. And also the tc helicon units at that price?

I'm new to these products.. what else is there?


btw: thanks, this is really helping
 
n8tron said:
you think the kurzweil sounds better than the lexicon mx200... or 550. And also the tc helicon units at that price?

I'm new to these products.. what else is there?


btw: thanks, this is really helping
Click to expand...

can't speak for the TC Helion, but I can for the others - the Kurzweil is in a different class.
 
Better than the 550 in my opinion, but I haven't heard the MX200 yet. The MX200 would have to be *really* good to beat the Rumour though. As far as the TC Helicon units, I've only been able to compare the Rumour to the TC M2000 and M-One, and while they are good I preferred the Rumour.
 
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