RE: multi-effects

["Rainer Thelonius Balthasar Straschill" <rs@moinlabs.de>]

Kevin,

did you take a look at TC's Fireworx? To perform a requirements analysis:

>Digital In/Out

Yes. You get AES/EBU (XLR jacks), SPDIF (RCA and optical jacks) and
ADAT/TOS. Formats include (if I remember correctly) everything you will 
most
probably need, except for 96kHz.

>Flexible Programability, but not too complicated (I want to be able to 
>edit
without a computer attached)

Flexible? Yes, absolutely. Especially compared to what I remember from the
expensive Lexicon's manuals, you have the freedom to arrange your effect
blocks in a grid with parallel/serial architecture, feedback loops and even
an external insert to your liking. The flexibility is only limited by the
processor's power (which may already seem a little weak given today's DSP
standards, but I'd call it sufficient for a stereo in/out device).

I did all of my editing without a computer, and every function is 
accessible
without a computer. There is a very powerful implementation of what TC 
calls
the "modifier matrix", i.e. assignment of control sources and destinations,
which is (in conjunction with the lots of possible sources and 
destinations)
one of the most impressive features of the Fireworx.

>Good Midi implementation

What do you want to do with MIDI? The Fireworx has all the usual features
(i.e. patch selection via MIDI and sysex dump), plus the possibilty to
assign up to eight external controller sources on different channels to
control stuff (-> sources for the modifier matrix). And you can edit the
transfer characteristics of these controllers (linear, exp, or whatever).
And sync to MIDI clock works great, even with unstable clocks (a la
repeater).

>Good reverb

The algorithms are based on the TC M5000. Some people do not seem to like
them. For me, they are good enough.

> >Rack Mounted (this will live in my studio most if not all the time)

Yes.

>Reasonably priced (sorry, can't affored Eventide or Kyma)

Define "resonable". It's going ~1700-1800 if I remember correctly, so it's
cheaper than an Eventide.

The Fireworx is really cool for lots of crazy things, based on 1) the
modifier matrix, 2) the choice of algorithms. You get all the usual stuff
(reverbs, delays, modulated delays and filters (chorus, flanger, phaser
(4-12 stage),...), multi-voice resonant and formant filters, the best
digital distortion I know, a fine vocoder/ring modulator, pitch shifter and
a synth. Using the modifier matrix, you can create self-tracking vocoders
(your mic signal goes into the Fireworx and feeds the Vocoder's analyze
input. The pitch of the signal is detected and feeds a synth block, which
goes into the Vocoder's carrier). And you can do dynamic distortion, and
a-la-tape-delay effects, and...

If it's in your price range, get it. You will not understand how you were
able to live with your Quadraverb for so long.

        Rainer

Rainer Straschill
Moinlabs GFX and Soundworks - www.moinlabs.de
The Straschill Family Group - www.straschill.de
digital penis expert group - www.dpeg.de
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