Pricey outboard effects and digital sync questions

[plaid_emu]

I've got a couple questions about outboard effects and digital clocking, but first a little background so you'll know where I'm coming from:

Lately I've been selling excess low end gear (MOTU UltraLite, Alesis Micron, Lexicon MX400 etc). I'm trying to upgrade my overall sound and have less gear in hopes of being more productive and getting a better outcome.

This includes selling my entire live rig which is on Ebay right now. I'm hoping to buy a REAL effects unit and maybe a digital master clock with the money.

The Eventide Eclipse or Lexicon PCM 96 have my interest right now. From what I've read, the Eventide is more of an expressive tool, where the Lexicon is more about natural sounds.

The experimental and daring side of me says:

"Go for the Eventide! It's trippy as hell and weird...just the way you like it. It'll take your work to a whole new level!"

The logical side says:

"You want those awesome Lexicon reverbs. You've already got some great tools for wackiness (Virus TI, Reaktor, Evolver, Blofeld, Absynth). The Eclipse is rock solid at version 3.5, but probably due for a hardware revision soon anyway."

What do the voices in your head say about this?

Now on to the digital clock question:

If I'm using an RME Fireface 400, a Focusrite Trakmaster (w/ AD card) and something like an Eventide or Lexicon.....will I notice an improvement in my sound if they're all synchronized with a digital clock like the Lucid GENx192 or Black Lion Microclock? Would I have to spend more than $700-$1000 on a clock to notice a difference or would it be better to just forget the clock and get on with it? Also, do your BNC cables all have to be the same length?

[austin_tacious]

EVENTIDE! While word association might lead you to harmonizer it does reverbs well. It's certainly unique with the bandpass delays, harmonizers, etc. Since you just sold an MX400 that's reason 2, don't get something remotely similar to what you just ditched. Lexicon is lush and cool for pop records and loads of stuff, but I tell you, I'd love to have an Eventide!

As for clocks, you need one if there are more than two clocks in a digital system. Per your description it seems everything is feeding the RME and you could probably slave everything to that. To notice any sonic difference from a clock you'd have to get a really nice clock like the Antelope Audio ones. They can even slave to the Atomic Clock!
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCX/

I have a BigBen and didn't notice much of a difference immediately. After it had been tirelessly working for months my 2yr old decided to tweak out and push all buttons associated with a light in my rig. Well, I'm working away on a current project and just kept thinking that there were scabs all over my audio, old crusty ones. What is wrong?! Well, the DM24 was back on it's own internal clock and it was not good. A good clock, in my experience, may not make an immediate difference, but you 'll know it when it's gone!

[plaid_emu]

Thanks. I decided to get the Eclipse last spring. So far I'm really enjoying it. The reverbs are excellent and the pitch shifting and modulation stuff makes for some super freaky vocal madness. It's pricey for sure but worth it if you can obtain one. The build quality and connection features are top notch.