Inexpensive Effects Processor ???

jkowtko

Well-Known Member
I am on the lookout for an inexpensive effects processor. Something that will give me the basic effects with good sound quality, and preferably two channels that can be separated for independent operation (unless it's dirt cheap in which case a single channel would be fine)

I'd like to spend as little money as possible, preferably under $100. Something like the Digitech S100 looks good on paper and I can get pretty cheap on eBay.

Any suggestions? Any comments on the Digitech S100?

Thanks. John
 
I'd go for two Alesis NanoVerb units from ebay. Nice, small, easy to use.
 
I second that - two Alesis NanoVerbs would work nicely.

Two guidelines I always share with people looking at equipment...
1. You get what you pay for
2. Try it before you buy it
 
Do the Alesis produce good quality sound?

Also, a buddy of mine at work recommended Lexicon MPX-100 (or 110 or 200) as a low-cost good professional grade unit. Any thoughts on Lexicon?

Thanks. John
 
Lexicon is great, but I'd go for the Alesis gear to get two completely independent channels. The Alesis stuff is good quality, we have one of them here and it's clean, and gives the nice basic effects without much effort at all.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. If I could pickup an Alesis Nanoverb or Picoverb cheap (like $50) I would probably grab one. But right now they seem to going for a little more money, such that they're approaching the price of a Lexicon mpx110 or mpx200, which I could get for $100.

Another effect I would like to have is pitch-shift(?) that can produce a low growling god-like voice or a high Chipmunks voice from some speaking into a mike.

Our music director brought in an Eventide Harmonizer H3000 for our production of Big, which we used for Zoltar, and it sounded great. While I don't have $1500 to spend on an effects processor right now, if one of these budget units can produce something similar I'd be very interested to know.

Thanks. John
 
Okay, I found a Lexicon mx110 about ten days ago from a local seller (high school), fired it up in time for tech, and it worked pretty well. Unfortunately after the first weekend our director decided the live miked voice wasn't working out, so we're going to pre-recorded and edited sound tracks.

I really like the Lexicon though -- nice effects. I see what you mean about the channels being linked though ... so my choice for upgrade will be the MX200, which has completely separate channel control (or daisy-chained), and also has a USB to allow programming via computer.
 
Thanks for the heads up Sharon ... the TC also looks like a nice unit. However it looks like it doesn't have pitch bend, which I find pretty useful to make "munchkin" or "god" voices.

In looking at the mx200 again, it looks like neither unit will actually allow you to operate two completely independent effects ... there are restrictions. For example, if I want to use pitch bend on two different actors to raise or lower their voices to different levels, I am going to have to use two separate effects processors?
 
Simply put, yes. With all of the processors in your price range that do pitch bend, it's gonna be two processors.

Thanks for the TC links, Sharyn. I may look in to getting one of those. They're going for 125 buy it now on ebay right now, and I need a good dual FX processor.
 
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