signal processors: Quadaverb, ART SGE, other?
webster....@xerox.com
Folx,
I'm looking for a general purpose signal processor for live use.
- simultaneous multi-effects (the basics -- reverb, phase, flange, delay,
etc)
- other effects like leslie, distortion, pitch shift, would be nice
- some degree of programmibility (i.e. not preset, but don't need
control over every individual reflection of the reverb)
- real-time control of parameters (so Metlay doesn't chew me out -- absence
from the future Mrs. Metlay must really be getting to him. An Xpander
is warm, but not soft...)
- good user interface
- full band width (20 - 20K Hz)
- 1U rack mount
The two that come to mind are Quadaverb (4 effects at once) and the ART SGE
(9 effects at once???). The QuadVerb fits most of that (though no leslie
or dististortion?) and I've heard it has a very nice user interface. I
don't know too much about the SGE (though I think it meets all the above),
but I used to have an ART ProVerb and wasn't too impressed. Of course,
that was awhile ago and the ProVerb was only $200. How does the SGE
compare to the QuadVerb? Are there others I should consider?
How about prices? I have noted down from past postings
Alesis Quadraverb $375 no location giving
ART SGE $500 Nadine's (LA area?)
Anybody got better?
marc webster
David Tristram
In article <900404-133014-8050@Xerox> webster....@XEROX.COM writes:
Folx,
I'm looking for a general purpose signal processor for live use.
marc webster
Well, I bought an ART SGE mach II, the new version of the SGE, and
while I thought it did a good job of getting a lot of effects into a
little box, I have two major problems with it:
1. "True" stereo. the box is stereo in/out, but the effects path
sums the inputs before processing. (at least on the delay and reverb
effects, I don't know about the gain processing). This isn't too bad,
but I run my main synth with stereo outs, and the image goes away as
you add in more effect.
2. The chorusing is too noisy. probably fine for guitar, but I had
nice clean synth patches that had little in the way of overtones, and
the chorus created all kinds of IM distortion. Also, even with the
gain processing off the is alot of compansion going on in this thing,
so you can hear it breathe.
Bottom line:
I took it back.
So, does anyone know of a nice clean sounding dsp that gives you two
separate effects chains, or at least where the reverb algorithms take
the input stereo image into account?
BTW, I paid $620 at K&K Music, SF.
--
David Tristram
tris...@sgi.com Any two things may be confused.
David Blevins
to program by far, 2) less @#$%** power supply boxes to deal with) and
am very pleased with it. I run it in the fx loop of a Boogie Studio Preamp
followed by the trusty ol' Dimension D, so I generally turn off the Qv's
chorus. A MAJOR ADVANTAGE of the Qv over most other rack mt stuff is
programmable level out. I've always had a problem with this when switching
from clean to distortion on my amp - the delay level MUST be adjusted to
keep the delayed sound from overwhelming the original signal (due to increased
gain in distortion mode).
The Qv has a fairly convincing Leslie simulator on board as one of its several
signal chain choices. It simulates the motor spin up/spin down nicely; you
can go from fast to slow via MIDI by programming up two patches, one fast and
one slow, and then sending it a prgm change. My only complaint here is that
the rotor speeds are not adjustable - I was wanting to get that Stevie Ray
"Cold Shot" Vibrolux sound and the Qv's "fast" is, well, too fast.
Depending on the signal chain choice, you might have 3 or 5 band parametric
EQ or a graphic EQ (I forget the # of bands).
It has the program mapping feature for ease of setup as a MIDI-controlled
preset effect - very nice. You can recall any factory program into any
memory location; I wish they'd included a lookup sheet of the presets.
Now if the power supply was built in rather than using one of the dang
external boxes I'd be like a pig in sh*t...
Disadvantages
No pitch shift, other than detuning stuff. The signal chain choices are
somewhat limited, although this has not been a problem for me so far.
Not a true stereo unit; but most all of the competition isn't either.
That's about all I can think of... Be seeing you.
dB hplabs!hpccc!blevins
dB hplabs!hpccc!blevins
Georg Feil
>The Qv has a fairly convincing Leslie simulator on board as one of its several
>signal chain choices. It simulates the motor spin up/spin down nicely; you
>can go from fast to slow via MIDI by programming up two patches, one fast and
>one slow, and then sending it a prgm change. My only complaint here is that
>the rotor speeds are not adjustable - I was wanting to get that Stevie Ray
>"Cold Shot" Vibrolux sound and the Qv's "fast" is, well, too fast.
Here's my idea to set an arbitrary leslie speed on the QuadraVerb:
1) Set the leslie so that the hi/low speed switch is connected to your
favorite MIDI continuous controller.
2) Set up your sequencer so that it turns the switch on and off at a rate
of 2 or 3 Hz.
3) Vary the duty cyle to select arbitrary leslie speeds somewhere between
the QV's maximum and minimum.
I haven't tried this, but it sounds like it should work. If you have a really
good sequencer, you should be able to tie the duty cycle of the switching
sequence to your mod wheel or something.
Georg.
--
Georg Feil Internet: ghf...@white.toronto.edu
-or- : ge...@sgl.ists.ca
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--
Georg Feil Internet: ghf...@white.toronto.edu
-or- : ge...@sgl.ists.ca
..if all else fails, try:
{uunet,pyramid,watmath,utzoo}!utcsri!white!ghfeil (UUCP)
ghfeil%white.to...@relay.cs.net (ARPA)