Effects Units - What's the Best Today?

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 22 Jan 2002 7:27 am

My personal preference is a simple stomp box ..like Boss DD-3 or RV-3...I prefer a little delay to dress up the sound of my steel rather than a complicated rack of electronic gizmos than can completely alter the tone of the guitar.This is what I like ..but to each his own!!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 22 Jan 2002 7:37 am

Boss now makes a delay unit called the DD5
It is similar to the DD3 but has a tap in feature so you can coordinate the delay with the tempo of your tune.

Erv

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 22 Jan 2002 8:49 am

The Rocktron Intellifex is a top quality multi-effect processor for reverb and time-based effects. It's not a pre-amp, just effects, and is designed to be run in the effects loop of your amp (but it has a line/inst level switch). Be careful using stomp boxes because many of them dull the sound of the guitar even when switched off. Even running the volume pedal (Goodrich pot pedal) in the 'pre-loop' of the Session 400 LTD makes a difference and keeps the sound of the guitar nice and clear.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 22 Jan 2002 9:28 am

I have several multi-effects units, but in my opinion, none of them beat the sound of a Boss DD5 for a slight delay, into a Fender Twin with a 15" JBL, and using the amp reverb. Oh those old Fender reverbs, no one has matched them yet as far as I'm concerned.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 22 Jan 2002 10:51 am

Howdy Pedalsteel!

Hope all is goin' well up your way.

My suggestion for a replacement to the Alesis is the Lexicon MPX100. This is the unit I'm using. When I was shopping around I found the Alesis Quadraverb GT and the Lexicon MPX100 to be quite similar in application and price. I bought the Lexicon because a received a really good price on a new unit. I could have gone to Alesis just as easily.

The MPX100 features 24-bit processing with Lexicon's proprietary chip, 20-bit A/D-D/A conversion, 240 factory presets plus 16 programmable presets. I use it mainly for reverb/delay as my Evans rack-mount preamp has none. The unit is also very good for delays up to 5.7 seconds (I set mine typically at about 370ms). It's not unreasonable to find a new MPX100 selling in the $200 range (that's about what I paid). However, occasionally used ones appear on the "Buy & Sell" page which might be priced even more competitively. I believe Lexicon is getting ready to to market the next generation of the MPX100. It'll be designated the MPX110. Specs. look very similar. check them both out at: http://www.lexicon.com/mpx100/index.html http://www.lexicon.com/mpx110/index.html

Good to see you postin'! Take care and...

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 26 Jan 2002 5:40 am

One of the many superb features of the Intellifex is the 'ducker'. It's a programmable feature that allows you to set a threshold over which the delay or reverb or both are suppressed or 'ducked'. This gives you less delay when playing louder and/or faster passages. But the effect is there when you hold a note or chop a note. It's really very cool.

Robert Rogers · Post by **Robert Rogers** » 4 Feb 2002 12:34 am

I used to have an alesis quadreverb not a gt or a 2 but just a plain quad.But I sold it and got a peavey pro-ex II and let me tell you man that thing sounds great.I especially like the chorus because it reminds me of the old doubling effect.Try the pro-fex II I belive you'll like it.

Robert

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 14 Feb 2002 10:54 am

My vote is for a Roland GP-100. I bought one about a year ago and really like it. It has a preamp and effects in a one rack space unit. As a matter of fact I sold everything else I had except for a couple of Music Man tube amps. There are a few others on the forum which like them as well.

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 14 Feb 2002 12:55 pm

If you're looking for good reverb, it's worth noting that just about the only thing you'll find in upper end recording studios is Lexicon. Their smoothness and realism is almost legendary. I've worked with their gear for over 20 years. So I'd recommend almost any Lexicon unit for reverb. For other effects such as echo 'n' such, the playing field gets more level. I did have a Digitech unit once.... I returned it because it sounded harsh and I got a Lexicon LXP-5 instead. (I have no affiliation with Lexicon, just a lot of respect for their gear.)

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Bill (steel not out of the woodshed) | MSA Classic U12 | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?
[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 14 February 2002 at 12:57 PM.]

Chuck Norris · Post by **Chuck Norris** » 16 Feb 2002 10:17 pm

I have a affiliation with Lexicon, we proudly sell the best REVERB AND DELAY in the business
ask the studio`s, ask Buddy Emmon`s, John Hughey, Herb Steiner Lexi rules!!! MPX 100,110 500, or if you dare, the MPX 1. We will have them in our Norris Family Music booth on the 21st of March in Dallas at the Texas Steel Guitar Association convention,Come and hear for yourself.
Chuck Norris NFM

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 17 Feb 2002 10:05 am

I really like my Lexicon MPX-100. I use it for delay, reverb, phase shift and rotating speaker effects. The "Tap" button is a great feature.

The price is right, too.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 17 Feb 2002 11:54 am

I lke my profex II. It is a nice compromise since I also play the telecaster. I have the J. Newman patches loaded...however if you play through a combo amp (verses dry power amp) you may find that you need to delete all the EQ patches as they fight the combos' EQ. I figured this out one day while trying to isolate a hum problem--it was in the programed EQ. Funny thing was after axing the profex EQ, I had to fine tune the effects setings because they almost doubled in depth.

Tom Jordan