Anybody know a good fx unit?

[trak rekkid]

Hey everyone,

I know it sounds a little ridiculous but...

Does anybody know of a good external fx unit that can be controlled by USB, has 2*jack in and 2*jack out (say, for running a virus patch into the processor and rerouting it into the ext in ports in a multi setup), and is, erm, cheap?

I know, I know, it's kind of a stupid question, maybe a little over specific, like asking for a place that makes pizzas with marshmellows that are crispy but not TOO overcooked (ninja turtles reference)... I mean, I don't think I've ever even seen a USB controllable fx unit. But it'd be a dead handy way of controlling an fx box for a pc setup that has a midi daisy chain choking under a burden of sys ex, a supposedly near-top-notch 3ghz ht p4 processor maxed out by badly programmed vst plugins and a cheapass steinberg MI4 audio breakout box with only 4 lousy inputs... specific eh?

I don't know, I know I should probably accept failings of aforementioned setup and by a better audio interface, but my MI4 looks cool, is german (so matches virus) and has to be connected to my pc no matter what coz it acts as the friggin' copy protect dongle to my copy of cubase sl2.0. So, fx units?

cheers, t.

[Hollowcell]

Do you have a mixer at all? My sound card has only 1 stereo in and out, but using the desk I can route any sound/sounds off the desk into the VC.

As far as a USB controllable box - don't really know of one honestly (but I haven't been looking lately). If you really want to buy something just for routing sound back into the Virus, I'd go for a mixing desk if I were you.

Also, did you know you can re-route sounds inside the Virus itself? - although I haven't really got into it much myself. It's easier to route sounds into the analogue inputs from my desk instead. It's possible to route sounds internaly in the VC though.

[saba]

Originally Posted by trak rekkid

Does anybody know of a good external fx unit that can be controlled by USB, has 2*jack in and 2*jack out (say, for running a virus patch into the processor and rerouting it into the ext in ports in a multi setup), and is, erm, cheap?

TC Electronic M300
________
The Cigar Boss

[Hollowcell]

Originally Posted by saba

TC Electronic M300

You sure that has USB Saba?

I still say, if you want something to route sounds into the Virus as the main point grab a mixer.

[saba]

Originally Posted by Hollowcell

You sure that has USB Saba?

Oops.

Oh well. There are basically no FX units that have USB, and I'm restricting my viewpoint to TC Electronic/Lexicon here.
________
Homeade vaporizer

[trak rekkid]

Thanks guys.

I already have a behringer mixer. The thing is, it doesn't really do much. I've been using the internal routing a lot lately, and one of the things I like about it is that it doesn't require any messing around when i change between multis, just change the multi and you're set... unfortunately the same cannot be said for my mixer, which requires everything to be reset/mixed etc when i change between projects (digital mixer or old school analog mixer with fly faders are a bit beyond my budget).

My only external gear ATM is the virus, and the ext ins aren't being used at all, so if I got an fx unit it'd make just as much sense simply to run it straight back into the virus after compressing my patches (which is why I need the effect unit). I use out1 on the virus for my pads and "tinkly fx noises" (new patch genre?), and out2 for basslines (goes into the second stereo input of my MI4, for compression in cubase (run it into a non-recording audiio channel with monitoring turned on, compressor/limiter insert fx etc). Because of the MI4 only having 4 inputs, i've got no way of compressing/effecting the outs from out 3 (need it for my patented "snyth-that-sounds-like-a-dj-scratching patches).

I guess I'll just have to plump for a standard, midi
d up fx unit, or buy a new soundcard/breakout box. Like i said in the first post, i use a lot of midi automation from cubase (even with midi filtering up in cubase it chokes a bit) so messages to an fx unit would prolly have a few problems if the unit was integrated into the daisy chain. A USB controllable fx unit would have been nice, but oh well.

[Hollowcell]

After doing a quick google I found an FX box that has USB. Yamaha SPX2000. I'm not sure about it though - plus I don't know the price.

Does your mixing desk have any aux sends? If you have a mixer, but nothing going into the Virus ext ins, then mayeb you should look into doing that from the desk. Running a signal dirrectly thru an FX unti into the Virus will minimize your pre/post fader options as everything will be effectively pre-fader.

Good luck with the hunt though mate.

[Tomer=Trance]

get a small desk and a good effect unit.

[AvS]

Originally Posted by saba

TC Electronic M300

But thats NOT a good fx processor! I got really disapointed when I first tried it. Damn those reverbs stink! TC M-one XL is alot better. At least the reverbs. If it has to be cheap i think that a Lexicon MPX-110 would be alot better than the M300.

[jasedee]

Originally Posted by AvS

If it has to be cheap i think that a Lexicon MPX-110 would be alot better than the M300.

I have both and they are about the same standard.......same features, similar mulit FX and reverbs, and similar price, only one has a more well known brand name. In my opinion, the M300 is better, as it comes with a small screen to load presets, which the MPX-110 doesnt. Also, there is more editing controls on the M300.

Realistically, they are probably exactly the same. The are very cheap units, and borrow from the algorithms of their more upmarket products. I use them as an alternative to software based plug-ins, I go digitally out from my soundcard, into the FX unit, then digitally back in. No loss from conversion, and I can audition and edit in real time, AND, they sound a hell of alot better than my native based TC reverbs.......

In short, for the price you pay, they are both great little machines, and do not differ significantly from each other.

Cool!