I currently rely extensively on the effects built in to my Core2/MP100 soundcard, which is essentially the same set found in the MPX-100 effects unit. But now with the potential move to OS-X, lack of further support on the Core2, and a series of frustrating technical problems, I am looking to replace my Core2/MP100. Replacing the audio channels will be easy, but I'm concerned about replacing the effects unit, as the reverb and delay effects are superior to anything native that I have tried. So I'm looking for recommendations. Here are my options as I see them: 1. Find another interface that has built-in effects that are as good as lexicon's. However, no one seems to be including effects on their audio interfaces anymore. There are DSP chips, but they seem to serve only to facilitate routing of digital audio streams. Are there any decent options out there? 2. Get some great native (soft) effects plugins that are as good as the Lexicon. Are there any that are remotely affordable and don't devour all my cpu? 3. Route my audio out from LAM through my audio interface to an outboard effects unit (probably a Lexicon MPX-110 box). This seems the most economical and guaranteed to sound most like my current set-up. But I've never tried this. I currently do quite nicely with no noticeable latency in my system, and am worried about introducing latency by going back out to a hardware box and back in to Logic. I would be primarily using this in a send-return config, and don't know if that makes a difference or not. I would appreciate it if some people could weigh in with opinions on my options (DSP card, native plugins, or external send-return box) and some recommendations. Thanks, Gregory

On Monday, September 2, 2002, at 11:37 AM, Gregory Anderson wrote: > I would appreciate it if some people could weigh in with opinions on my > options (DSP card, native plugins, or external send-return box) and > some > recommendations. Well you could use Logic on OS 9, as there is no real benefits to switching right now, other than the cool factor. There is no increase in speed, and you can't use VST plugins, Rex files aren't supported right now, and I'm sure there are other things about a new version of any software that is really a V1.0 Logic 5.3 = Logic OSX 1.0 -- Peace, George III -- My home : http://tazmusic.com "Reet too tee too tee too tee too tee too teeeeeee" Frank Zappa "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney (1901-1966) "Don't hurry, don't worry. You're only here for a short visit. So be sure to stop and smell the flowers." - Walter C. Hagen, American golfer (1892-1969)

> On Monday, September 2, 2002, at 11:37 AM, Gregory Anderson wrote: > >> I would appreciate it if some people could weigh in with opinions on my >> options (DSP card, native plugins, or external send-return box) and >> some >> recommendations. > > Well you could use Logic on OS 9, as there is no real benefits to > switching right now, other than the cool factor. There is no increase > in speed, and you can't use VST plugins, Rex files aren't supported > right now, and I'm sure there are other things about a new version of > any software that is really a V1.0 Logic 5.3 = Logic OSX 1.0 This is all true, and I'm not planning on switching immediately. But, if my card keeps decreasing in stability, I may have to buy a new audio interface soon just to keep working in OS 9. So I'm still very interested in people's input on my questions. Gregory

--- In logic-users@y..., Gregory Anderson <ggaslp@p...> wrote: > 3. Route my audio out from LAM through my audio interface to > an outboard effects unit (probably a Lexicon MPX-110 box). Works well for me, using RME multiface with buffer at 64 samples, send & return to MPX100. The MPX100 doesn't have S/PDIF input which is a bugger, but I believe the 110 does? There's obviously still a little bit of latency in the round trip, but I suspect there's a little bit in your Core2 setup as well, since the audio from Logic _must_ be going through the ASIO buffers anyway. The new I/O plugin on a bus object is a great way to handle the above. John Pitcairn

> --- In logic-users@y..., Gregory Anderson <ggaslp@p...> wrote: >> 3. Route my audio out from LAM through my audio interface to >> an outboard effects unit (probably a Lexicon MPX-110 box). > > Works well for me, using RME multiface with buffer at 64 > samples, send & return to MPX100. The MPX100 doesn't have > S/PDIF input which is a bugger, but I believe the 110 does? Thanks, John, for the input. The 110 does not have SPDIF in. For that I would need to move up $50 to the MPX200. I always think of digital pathways as being more prone to latency issues than analog pathways, but it sounds like you think I would be better off patching in the effects unit using SPDIF. Is that just to prevent degradation of the signal from too many a/d and d/a conversions? > There's obviously still a little bit of latency in the round trip, but I > suspect there's a little bit in your Core2 setup as well, since the > audio from Logic _must_ be going through the ASIO buffers > anyway. I guess that is the case. The core2 treats the ins and outs of the MP100 card like it does any other input and output, so it seems that going out to a different box is not much different at all, except that it won't physically reside in the computer. And if my current latency, whatever it may be, isn't bothering me, then it seems that wouldn't be a bad solution at all. Now I just need to look at getting enough inputs on my new interface. > The new I/O plugin on a bus object is a great way to handle the > above. Good. Now I'll have an excuse to read up on that particular new item. Thanks, Gregory

--- In logic-users@y..., Gregory Anderson <ggaslp@p...> wrote: > The 110 does not have SPDIF in. For that I > would need to move up $50 to the MPX200. I always think of > digital pathways as being more prone to latency issues than > analog pathways, but it sounds like you think I would be better > off patching in the effects unit using SPDIF. Is that just to > prevent degradation of the signal from too many a/d and d/a > conversions? Additional A/D/A conversions will degrade the sound a little, though very good converters could conceivably make it sound better in a few cases, especially if the existing digital path has clocking/jitter problems. As well as that, the A/D and D/A converters themselves will add some latency, which can be on the order of 1-2ms per conversion, another reason to stay digital whenever possible. I'd definitely stump up the extra $50 for the digital input on the MPX200. > Now I just need to look at getting enough inputs on my new > interface. I _really_ recommend the RME digiface/multiface, but maybe that's not enough i/o for you? John Pitcairn