Re: OT: Laptop loopers, what do you do with your favorite rack gear?

[Bill Fox <billyfox@soundscapes.us>]

mark sottilaro wrote:

>My move away from dedicated gear to the land of a G5
>and a toshiba laptop is pretty much complete, but
>there's one piece of gear that's still in question:
>A Lexicon MPX1 multieffects processor.
>
>Now, I love this thing, even though it's interface
>isn't the best.  Sounds rich, clean and can do lots of
>interesting stuff.  The problem?  It doesn't seem to
>have a place in my world any longer.  So much of what
>I'm doing is being generated by software.
>
>I guess my question would be, does it make sense to
>keep it and use it in some sort of effects loop of my
>MOTU 828?  Has anyone tried this?  Is latency too much
>of an issue?
>
>Does it make more sense to sell it and go for some
>sort of software package.  Maybe one of the hybred
>hardware/software ones like the UAD-1?  Will I get
>better performance/sound/flexibility this way?
>  
>
Hi Mark,

It all depends upon why you like the MPX-1.  I've seen people use the 
SPDIF I/O ports on their audio interfaces to connect their Lexicon 
PCM70/80/90 or whatever because they feel that the device has such a 
unique quality or a sound they love and can't do without.  Using the 
SPDIF route, the entire thing is maintained in the digital domain, i.e. 
no extra D/A and A/D conversions just to use a rack effect.  If you 
can't live without the MPX-1, then integrate it happily into your 
computer system.  Otherwise, use plugins if they give you the results 
you desire.  It's all about results.  Damn the tools.

Cheers,

Bill