A little help from my friends......

[Mick Wade]

I've always been into processing my drum modules through effects to get all kinds of unusual sounds. I just ditched the DigiTech Studio Quad V2 I was using for this purpose (unbalanced outs really suck), and now I'm in the market for a new effects processor.

Well, after doing no small amount of research into what the various manufacturers are currently offering, I've noticed a bit of an insidious trend developing.....

What the hell is the deal with all these companies building effects processors that have anywhere from a 1- to 3-second load time between programs?!

Don't they realize that people use these things live? Obviously, it's very common for performers to switch effects patches during a given tune, oftentimes more than once. My patch changes are all done by sequencer, so I'm afraid I can't let myself swing in the breeze while the effects unit is clocking. It could be worse, I suppose---thank God I'm not a guitar player having to deal with this!

Can anyone please recommend a good-quality effects processor that doesn't do this? I've already had to shoot down the Lexicon MPX-1 and MPX-500 and tc electronic M-One and FireWorx because they all had the same load time problem. I've heard about the Eventide Orville and Eclipse units, but they're way out of my price range ($6000 and $1600 respectively).

All I'm looking for is something with balanced outs, an LCD display, a good supply of quality sounds, at least 64 user slots, MIDI functionality, and no load time delay whether through Program Change commands or manually. Help!!

Thanks in advance......

[This message has been edited by Mick Wade (edited April 26, 2001).]

[MPCman]

How bout just using two effects units?

When you need a different effect, select that one on the 2nd one and at the time it should be used, change the volumes via midi.

[Mick Wade]

Hey, MPCman:

Thanks for the reply, but I'm a little confused. Why would I want two effects units when I'm having trouble just finding one that will do what I want it to?

See, the only reason I'm dumping my DigiTech is because it has unbalanced outs, and I can't stand noisy effects units. It performed exactly as it should (for my purposes) in all other respects.

I'm not sure I understand how your solution works: "When you need a different effect, select that one on the 2nd one and at the time it should be used, change the volumes via midi." Select it how? Remember, when I'm playing live, I don't ever touch my effects processor---all the program changes are made by sequencer. I can't very well pause in the middle of thrashing my drums to grab a knob and dial up the next patch. My system is totally hands-off, and I'm damn sure not going to reprogram my sequences just because Lexicon or tc electronic or whoever doesn't have their **** together. I'm unclear as to the purpose of changing the volume(s) via MIDI. If you're talking about dynamic control via the TD-8, how would one unit be distinguished from the other? I'm not too crazy about the idea about getting into technique issues just to, once again, compensate for an effects processor's poor design. Besides, I tweak my patches in advance as opposed to relying on real-time control from the mixing board (our mixer acts as a submixer to the FOH board).

Perhaps a little clarification is in order?

Thanks again......

[MPCman]

Hi Mick,

what I meant was to have two effects processors but only really use one at the same time. You can program MIDI volumes (or other data which switch the effect processor'ssound off ) to determine what effects unit will be used when.

So you're in the middle of a song and unit one is doing the reverb, but in 10 seconds you want to switch to a delay effect. 5 seconds before you need the delay switch unit 2 to the delay effect and when the delay is needed set the volume of unit one to zero and unit two's volume to 100 or 127 or whatever.

hope this helps

greetings,
Pieter

[Lee]

How long were your runs out of the DigiTech? If under 15 feet or so and not running parallel up next to power cords - odds are the noise had nothing to do with unbalanced output.

I assume you are feeding the Quad from an aux send (well okay, four aux sends) and returning it (them) to the submixer?

Make sure you match the -10/+4 level too... mismatch is likely to crank up the built-in StereoChorus/Flanged/PitchShifted Hoover Vaccuum cleaner effect.

[BINARY]

75 posts?

Did you re-register or something?

BINARY

[PGann]

Is this the old Lee we know and love? Can it be possible???

[Lee]

>> Did you re-register or something?

Last year my account did a chernobyl. I *know* I have at least 80 posts!

>> Is this the old Lee?

Older by the minute and certainly no wiser... and yes, I'm still dippin' the gong.

[BINARY]

Originally posted by Lee:


Last year my account did a chernobyl. I *know* I have at least 80 posts!

You've had more than 80 in one thread as I recall.



BINARY