If you aspire to pro Lexicon effects such as the PCM80, but don't have deep enough pockets, the MPX1 could be just up your street. Paul White gets a sneak preview.
Lexicon's recent product releases have been moving steadily upmarket (the PCM80 multi‑effects unit, reviewed SOS December 1994, and the PCM90 reverb, reviewed SOS May 1996), but now the company have turned their gaze to the middle market, with the announcement of the MPX1 multi‑effects processor. Destined to arrive in the UK in time for Christmas, the MPX1 might be seen as a replacement for the elderly LXP15, but technically has more in common with the PCM80.
Overview
Like the PCM80, the MPX1 uses one Lexicon LEXI Chip 2 for reverb processing and a separate DSP (Digital Signal Processor) for multi‑effects, but its styling is quite new, and its operating system is, in many ways, simpler than some previous Lexicon products.
On the face of it, the MPX1 looks like a fairly conventional multi‑effects unit, with six effect blocks which may be connected in any order, utilising various series/parallel routing options. Each block may be edited independently. Because available processing power has to be shared between the non‑reverb effects, the number of simultaneous effects on offer depends on the specific effects chosen, though you can usually have at least three or four going at a time, and some patches use all six effects blocks.
Though the above appears conventional, the MPX1 has some unusual aspects, not least the matrix‑style modulation normally associated with more up‑market Lexicon processors. Using this system, various effect parameters can be modulated via on‑board LFOs, input envelopes, pedals, MIDI, and so on, to create very dynamic effects. Furthermore, several morphing options are offered, which may be used to recreate real‑life effects, such as Leslie speakers varying in speed from fast to slow. Abstract treatments may be created by morphing between less likely pairs of effects; the morphing process actually modifies the parameters of one effect until it becomes the other effect, so there's more to it than simple crossfading.
The quality of even the everyday effects is superb, with reverbs coming very close to what you'd expect from a PCM80, and Lexicon's legendary ambience algorithm also putting in an appearance. On the minus side, with delays you don't get so many taps as on a PCM80, and the MPX1 has no resonant chord programs.
Looking beyond the traditional chorus, flange, delay, phase, pitch‑shift, and reverb effects, the MPX1 is also able to produce remarkably convincing analogue filter treatments, and using the modulation capabilities of the machine, these can be made to sweep according to input envelope, on‑board ADSRs, MIDI note triggers, and so on. To my ear, a number of the preset effects seem to have been optimised for guitar, and because there's an EQ block on board, there's plenty of scope for timbral tailoring in this application. Furthermore, as with many well‑designed effect algorithms, creative effect combination often produces results which are more spectacular than the sum of the parts, and is further enhanced by good ordering and routing options.
Using The MPX1
To make accessing the 250 on‑board memory locations (200 presets, 50 user patches) easier, a database‑style tagging system has been implemented on the MPX1, so you can search for effects by number, by sound source type, by effect type, or by a combination of source and effect type. Tap‑tempo facilities are included for real‑time delay or rate settings, and so‑called 'soft' controls can be created for fast access to frequently‑adjusted parameters of each patch, without having to go into edit mode.
Unlike previous Lexicon units, the MPX1 has both an alpha‑numeric display window and a large numeric indicator. The user creates patches by calling up a preset and then modifying it, rather than by starting from scratch. Once loaded, effects blocks may be turned on or off, their order and routing may be changed, and effect parameters altered. Though there are only six effects blocks, the sub‑divisions of effects within each block mean that there's a huge repertoire of treatments to choose from. Usefully, the Chorus block (chorus, flanging, phasing, and so on), is separate from the Mod block, which is dedicated to panning, tremolo and overdrive effects.
As we've come to expect from Lexicon, the MIDI implementation is comprehensive to the point of overkill, and up to three MIDI patch maps may be created and stored. Digital I/O is also provided as standard.
Watch This Space...
The MPX1 promises to be a flexible machine that can be approached on a number of levels: the factory presets provide instant gratification, simple editing will provide enough variation to satisfy many users, yet the sound designer will find the flexible routing and modulation options provide plenty of scope for creativity. I've only played with the MPX1 for a day so far, but I'm already impressed. Expect an in‑depth review very soon!