Recording Forum

[mc CoBra]

Hi,

I'm looking for a relatively cheap effects unit. I mainly make hiphop music, and I need it for a number of things, but mainly :

- process vocals to make them sound more professional
- record my guitar and my bass guitar
- make the sounds from my PK-6 sound phatter, because they usually sound too clean for the type of hiphop I make
- process samples from my mpc

I am especially interested in the Zoom RFX1000 because it has a lofi effect which would be usefull for processing PK-6 sounds to make them more "vinyl-like", but also the Fostex DE-10 which supposedly has good amp sims/mic sims. I couldn't find any reviews on this unit though. But both are very reasonably priced.

I already have a Behringer Composer (compressor/limiter) and Tube Ultrafex (enhancer/exciter), and my other equipment is : pk6, mpc2000, ea-1, qy-70, dps12.

Can anyone give me some advice which of these units I should buy?

Thanks a lot for your help!
CoBra

[mc CoBra]

Hmm, I just discovered the Behringer Virtualiser Pro (DSP2024P or something) which is a little bit more expensive but has a lot more fx, amongst which vinylator and lofi effects, and is MIDI enabled. Is this a good choice?

So I can just plug a guitar or a bass straight in any of these boxes? Or do I need something else, like a DI box?

Thanks for your advice!

[hethaerto4]

I have the Zoom unit, and have owned the Fostex in the past. I would say the Fostex has nice reverbs, and is not terribly noisey. The Zoom has good usable sounds, (the lo-fi sounds pretty cool), but is very noisey. Most of these cheap effects units I would say are most useful for live playing versus recording considering how much noise cheap stuff makes. I would recommend checking out TC Electronics M-One XL. I've heard great things about that box, and costs $400.
If you're determined to use cheap junk, run your effects output through an EQ and chop off the hiss. Of course, that's more money you'll spend, and more time you'll spend getting a usable clean sound.
Allen

[mc CoBra]

Hi,

Many thanks for your advice. But I can't afford to spend $400 on an effects unit. Is the noise that bad? My compressor has some kind of hiss reduction function, would this help in removing the noise? Or using high quality cables?

[hethaerto4]

Originally posted by mc CoBra
Hi,

Many thanks for your advice. But I can't afford to spend $400 on an effects unit. Is the noise that bad? My compressor has some kind of hiss reduction function, would this help in removing the noise? Or using high quality cables?

If I'm correct, noise reduction only works when the signal level drops off, and the unit senses this, thus slowly mutes the output to hide the noise in between real signals. It's better to buy a unit that doesn't generate so much noise. If you must choose between the two units listed, go for the Fostex if you're concerned with noise. If you must have effects like hi-fi, etc., go for the Zoom. In fact, I can probably sell you my Zoom for much less than you'd pay for it new.
hethaerto@hotmail.com
Allen

[mc CoBra]

Well, I live in Belgium and don't want to take the risk to order something from wherever it is you are located. Sorry.
I don't have to choose between those two, I'm also considering a Behringer Virtualizer Pro (DSP2024P or something like that), which also has lofi and vinyl effects.

Can anyone tell me if I can just plug in a guitar into these effects units and record it (I realize the amp sims won't sound exactly like actual amps, but as long as it sounds decent it's good enough for me), or do I need buy something extra like a preamp or DI box?

[langeveld]

I happen to be looking for an inexpensive multi-effects unit too. I have so far found the Fostex DE-10, the Nady SDP-20, the Behringer Virtualizer Pro 2024P and the Alto BetaVerb. The former three can be had for about $129 and the latter for $145. I have more or less read each one's manual, and it seems the only one that allows you to plug in a guitar or mic directly is the Fostex (this to answer the original question). All the others require line level inputs. The only one for which I have seen reviews is the Behringer. The Alto unit looks pretty cool, with its 2 by 20 character display, but I wonder how easy to use it is on stage, I bet the characters are pretty small. I suppose you'd set up all your effects ahead of time and store them, you wouldn't want to putz with them on stage, so perhaps this isn't so much of a problem. On the other hand I wonder if something with actual knobs isn't easier to play with.

All I know is that I'm hopelessly confused. These units all seem to have their own pro's and cons, and I'm not sure which one I want....

Willy.