19" Effect Unit

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Mark Williams
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19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:44 pm

Looking to replace my aging 2nd hand Lexicon MX200, which was battered when I bought it a few years ago, to incorporate into my Ableton setup.

Budget is £400

Been looking at TC Electronincs M-One XL or the Lexicon MX300, anything else I should look at?
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

Richie Witch
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Richie Witch » Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:50 pm

FWIW, I have the MX300 and absolutely love it. :D
"Watching the Sky" ~ A 4-track EP of piano, strings, and Native American flute

Mark Williams
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:46 pm

Richie Witch wrote:FWIW, I have the MX300 and absolutely love it. :D
Do you find it ok to program, or just use presets? As the biggest bugbear to me programming my MX200 is have no idea, where you are as no screen to help out.

Shame Lexicon havent updated the VST plugin to 64bit...
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

rtroost
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by rtroost » Tue Nov 21, 2017 10:45 pm

I have m-one xl. Reverbs are nice. Modulation decent. Other stuff hit and miss, but its there. I use it for live but not for recording. Honestly, valhalla plugin verb is probably better. You might consider an h9 though you'd have to add an impedance matching box. H9 is a really great set of stereo performance effects with ipad interface, can also control via midi

Mark Williams
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:19 pm

rtroost wrote:I have m-one xl. Reverbs are nice. Modulation decent. Other stuff hit and miss, but its there. I use it for live but not for recording. Honestly, valhalla plugin verb is probably better. You might consider an h9 though you'd have to add an impedance matching box. H9 is a really great set of stereo performance effects with ipad interface, can also control via midi
Dont want another pedal, hence the H9 not on my radar, as really needs to be a 19" rack unit, want to move away from VST effects, I have Mooer Ocean Machine for the mad & shimmery reverb/delay effects, which is great on synths and instruments, but not so good on vocals :)

I have read good things on the TC M-one xl...
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

miyaru
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by miyaru » Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:38 pm

I love Lexicons, I have a MPX1. So U would suggest a MX 300.....
Greetings from Miyaru.
Prodaw i7-7700, 16Gb Ram, Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd gen, ESI M4U eX, Reason 12, Live Suit 10, Push2, Presonus Eris E8 and Monitor Station V2, Lexicon MPX1,
Korg N1, Yamaha RM1x :mrgreen:

Richie Witch
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Richie Witch » Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:49 pm

Yeah, the screen makes the MX300 easy to program. The labels underneath each encoder are context sensitive, and you also have a numerical readout so you know how much delay, reflection, feedback, etc. you're dialing in.

I especially like the ability to change the internal routing from stereo, dual channel, mono in/stereo out, or one channel in/two out. On my mixer, I'm running a mono send to the input, but with the last configuration, I can program two different types of FX on each channel of the stereo return. The screen displays a map the FX routing, so you know how the effects are routed (parallel, serial, split in, or split out).

The vst plugin doesn't get along well with Live anyway (or maybe it's just a Windows issue), because the two of them fight over control of the virtual USB MIDI port. I've had it working a couple times, but never for very long. However, if you connect the unit to MIDI via 5-pin DIN, you can control it with MIDI CC, so automation is still easy.

I use it mostly for the large hall reverb on electric piano, some of the plates on techno tracks, and the drum room preset for my drum machine. Very convincing sound to my ear. And of course, there are a lot of fun presets, like Space Echo and trippy delays, etc.
"Watching the Sky" ~ A 4-track EP of piano, strings, and Native American flute

rtroost
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by rtroost » Wed Nov 22, 2017 1:58 am

Mark Williams wrote:I have read good things on the TC M-one xl...
Its great value in the second hand market. One thing to note is that its digital only 44.1 or 48 ... i run at 96k so i integrate it in the analogue domain.

Mark Williams
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:30 am

rtroost wrote:
Mark Williams wrote:I have read good things on the TC M-one xl...
Its great value in the second hand market. One thing to note is that its digital only 44.1 or 48 ... i run at 96k so i integrate it in the analogue domain.
Yes I see that a lot in these effects units only running at that rate, , I run at 48k so its good for me :)
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

Sional
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Sional » Wed Nov 22, 2017 9:54 am

I would recommend the MX400 over the MX300.
It doesn't cost much more but is equivalent to having two MX300s

Mark Williams
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Wed Nov 22, 2017 5:46 pm

Sional wrote:I would recommend the MX400 over the MX300.
It doesn't cost much more but is equivalent to having two MX300s
Havent looked at the MX400, as never needed the dual connections, as only use 1 Spdif connection to my Scarlett 18i20, is it that much better?
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

Sional
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Sional » Thu Nov 23, 2017 3:35 pm

As well as being able to apply FX to two separate pairs of inputs (i.e. equal to having two MX300s) the MX400 also has a mode whereby two full size FX can be used in series. The full size FX gives you 9 - 12 parameters per FX as opposed to the usual 4 parameters per FX, plus this mode has its own set of 99 user patches.
In addition, you could connect the first pair of outputs to the second pair of inputs and this would allow you to have 4 normal FX or two normal and one large FX.
The price difference between the MX400 and the MX300 is so small (£206 versus £247 at Thomann) that buying the MX400 is really a no brainer.
As well as the MX400 I have an Eventide H9 and the MX400 is way, way better value for money (though I am not a guitarist).

Mark Williams
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Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Thu Nov 23, 2017 6:12 pm

Ordered the TC Electronics M-one XL, managed to grab a new one for £349, so Im happy. Gets delivered tomorrow :)
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

Mark Williams
Posts: 898
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2014 2:43 pm
Location: Kent

Re: 19" Effect Unit

Post by Mark Williams » Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:03 pm

Had time to setup the TC M-one XL, those reverbs & delays are fantastic, knocks spots of my old Lexicon mx200, am a very happy bunny. Love the way you can lock the routing so easily.
Live 11, M1 Mac Mini, Push 2, Scarlett 18i20 & ADA8200, Softube Console 1 Mk2, Deepmind12, Hydrasynth, Cobalt 8M, Moog Subsequent 25, IK Uno Synth Pro, Plethora X3, Nord Drum 3P

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