Lexicon MPX550 vs. Virus KC effects

[KC-Owner]

What do you think, has Lexicon MPX550 better effects than Virus KC? I would like to buy MPX550 but if Virus effects quality are same (or better!) than MPX550 has I don't like to buy that anymore :)

[Drammy]

Personally I much prefer the effects on my MPX500 than my Virus XL.

I think the Lexicon effects compliment the virus perfectly.

I tell you what I'll do - if you give me an audio clip from the virus without FX and I'll run it through the Lexicon on a few settings and stick it on the web for you to hear for yourself.


Martyn

[Drammy]

Or better still send me a patch and I'll pop it into my Virus XL, turn the FX off and record it...

[KC-Owner]

Two patchs:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/markusko/roina/Sound1.MID
http://www.kolumbus.fi/markusko/roina/Sound2.MID

[Drammy]

What kind of effects are you wanting samples of - the more specific you can be the better...

Reverb obviously...what else?

[KC-Owner]

1. reverb
2. delay
3. phaser
4. chorus
5. distortion
too much?

edit: Are there phaser or distortion anyway :?:

[Drammy]

There is no distortion, yes to the others.

Thing is I am not going to get chance to do this until Thursday night.

I will definately do it - thing is today Stylus RMX arrived and nothing is going to get in the way of me and RMX spending some quality time together!

Thursday evening I will have some recordings on some Webspace somewhere - I promise you!

Martyn Reid

[jasedee]

A dedicated FX/reverb unit like the MPX550 is always going to be better than FX/Reverb included within a synth.

[Juho L]

A dedicated FX/reverb unit like the MPX550 is always going to be better than FX/Reverb included within a synth.

Wrong. A cheap FX unit is crap. Virus has really quality effects (especially phaser) that are actually better than the low price FX processors.

Remember kids, when you want something cheap and good you buy two products: One cheap and one good.

Edit: But I think that Lexicon has better reverb and delays + some other various FX, but it wont beat the phaser.

[jasedee]

Wrong. A cheap FX unit is crap. Virus has really quality effects (especially phaser) that are actually better than the low price FX processors.

Yes, which is why I said "A dedicated FX/reverb unit like the MPX550 is always going to be better than FX/Reverb included within a synth"

Cheap FX are probably similar or worse than Virus FX....

:wink:

Edit: But you already mentioned that in your edit :)

[Juho L]

Yes, which is why I said "A dedicated FX/reverb unit like the MPX550 is always going to be better than FX/Reverb included within a synth"

I'd interpret that as generalisation of all FX/units. Same as for example "Virtual analogs like Virus can produce good leads"... This is niggling.

[jasedee]

... This is niggling.
Yes...but we are good at it here :)

[Panopticon]

Ok, I have an MPX-550. It's NOT that great. Better than what's onboard the Virus, but it's still not that great. For the same price, check out the TC-Electronic M-ONE XL. Much better sounding algorithms...

[blay]

id save some more $$$ and get the next lexicon up - the MPX-1.
dual dsp processing allows for one chip dedicated to reverb (and lexicon can do reverb) and the other chip dedicated to delay and modulation fx.

[Hollowcell]

... This is niggling.
Yes...but we are good at it here :)

Hehehe, just had to pop in and say tooshay. I should also add, I have no idea how to spell tooshay.

Now a little on topic....

I do like the Virus verb, but in places that I wouldn't use a dedicated reverb unit. For example the bass in my track "Ugliop" is the Virus. The tail sound in that bass is a delayed Virus reverb controled with a knob.

Dedicated verb units shine with sweet reverb to create space over a whole part, but I really like using the Virus reverb in a creative way more than anything.

[blay]

Dedicated verb units shine with sweet reverb to create space over a whole part, but I really like using the Virus reverb in a creative way more than anything.

i totally agree that the virus verb can be used creatively, with some interesting outcomes.
but dedicated lexicon reverb.... a whole other ball game with scope for even more interesting outcomes :wink:

[/quote]

[jasedee]

I think its spelt touche'. Derived from French, and used in fencing terms.

[blay]

'cept the little dash thingy goes over the top of the last e - just to be anal :wink:

[Drammy]

KC Owner,

Apologies for being a day late - that RMX really is incredible!

Anyway you can find some recordings of the sounds you provided me with here (http://www.kushdee.force9.co.uk/LexiconMPX500examples/Lexicon%20MPX%20500%20Examples.zip)

They are mp3 recordings at 192 KHz. I used the key arrangement from Airwave - Rank1 for Sound 1 and the pad arrangement from the same track for Sound 2.

I removed all FX from the sounds first as there was chorus and distortion on the ones you gave me.

I then recorded through the Lexicon, first dry and then on 5 different default effects. I did not alter the effects, not even the wet / dryness so they are factory defaults.

I didn't have enough webspace to put the 48KHz wav recordings but if you want any particular recording in Wav format let me know.

Hope this helps you make your decision...


Martyn

[KC-Owner]

Thank you very much! Hmmm... I think I agree what Panopticon said. Good but not that great :wink:

[Panopticon]

I don't know if you use PC or Mac, but if you happen to be on a Mac the reverb to have is definitely Altiverb, it outshines all but the highest end ($15k) units, and it's even better than those on some material (e.g. drums).

edit- but that's just reverb, not too good of a choice if you need other effects. Yeah, I'd check out the M-ONE XL by T.C. if I were you...

[jasedee]

I have both a TC Works M300 and a Lexicon MPX110, as well as the Native bundle plug-ins from TC Works.

The 2 hardware units are pretty similar, although the M300 has S/PDIF Ins and Outs, the MPX110 only has outs. This means with the M300 I can use it like I would a normal plugin, and then record the wet sound to my sequencer, saving me processing for other duties...

This is the thing with hard Vs. soft........A hardware processor wont take up precious processing power with hungry reverbs, a plug-in will however, unless it is a dedicated DSP style PCI/Firewire unit.

So a plug-in might well take its reverb from top of the line units costing $16k, but it will eat the shit out of your CPU......

All the hardware budget reverbs you are looking at will sound pretty much the same, I would recommend something like a Powercore with reverb (and you could get virus too!) or if you think you might need dynamics processing too, get the UAD-1

Good luck!

[Drammy]

I am actually in the process of selling off a load of kit so if anyone wants any of the following let me know

Virus C XL - sold.
Lexicon MPX500 - ?160
TC Electronic Triple C - ?140
Soundcraft S200 B - ?360
Remote 25 - ?120

Martyn


PS.
If anyone wants me to run the same sounds through the Powercore to hear the Classicverb in action let me know...

[blay]

[quote]The 2 hardware units are pretty similar, although the M300 has S/PDIF Ins and Outs, the MPX110 only has outs. This means with the M300 I can use it like I would a normal plugin, and then record the wet sound to my sequencer, saving me processing for other duties...
[/quote

the m300 is quite cheap at the moment....
id be interested to hear any sort of review on this unit you can give jasedee :wink:
how do you think it stacks up against plugin bundles such as the waves collection?

[jasedee]

The M300 is dirt cheap! I picked it up off eBay for around $250 AUD incl. shipping....brand new, in the box, and probably saved at least $300

I cant compare it to the waves bundle, having never tried it.

It is a largely preset based FX unit, although it does have some control over decay, pre delay, and 'colour'. Also, the main benefit is that it will not eat up your CPU, as most plugin based reverbs are very processor hungry. Also, having S/PDIF I/O means I can send a signal digitally to the M300, and then digitally back, so there is no AD/DA stage. Very cool. It takes its reverb algorithyms from the high-end TC Electronics reverb engines, and they are nice. And then it also includes some other FX/compression/de-esser etc

If you have a fast and capable computer, then the plugin reverbs are just as good, if not better. And if you have something like the Powercore compact (http://www.tcelectronic.com/PowerCoreCompact), or UAD-1, then you would definately be better off with this rather than the M300

Personally, I quite like having outboard gear. And it goes well when I mix through my old analogue console.....

[blay]

Also, having S/PDIF I/O means I can send a signal digitally to the M300, and then digitally back, so there is no AD/DA stage.

i like the idea of that. loving the fact the new virus TI has s/pdif in/out :wink:



Personally, I quite like having outboard gear.

me also. when i get around to buying outboard fx i think i might save my dollars and get the lexicon mpx-1 (dual dsp mmm)

[blay]

btw jasedee - thanks for your info :D

(i can be quite rude at times :( )

[saba]

i like the idea of that. loving the fact the new virus TI has s/pdif in/out :wink:

Indeed; you can do your work entirely in the digital domain. Utterly lovely.
________
Wiki vaporizer (http://vaporizerwiki.com)

[blay]

brilliant! just...brilliant :D