Older Lexicon (MPX-G2) -vs- PODHD500?

[zaubertuba]

I've been gassing for a Lexicon box for quite some time, really. I had a POD XT Live for awhile, and it was a nice unit, but I sold it because the pro-sumer output levels didn't play nicely with my power amp, and it had some reliability issues that only seemed to surface in live gigs . I held off on the HD series since it seemed it was designed more for guitar and from my prior experience with the POD XTL.

My situation's unique in that I need to be able to have two separate effects paths, one for guitar and one for bass. On the guitar side I occasionally need overdrive, and separately a pat Metheny-esque chorus-style effect, among other things. For the bass side, I need to be able to do bass-specific chorus & reverb and tone-shaping.

The trio I play in does Jazz-rock/Fusion. I'm trying to simplify my rig as much as possible, so I really would like a single dual-path box to handle the processing for my stereo instrument.

Asking this because I just realized the pricing between these two units will actually be similar (once you factor in a foot pedal for the MPX-G2). Am I crazy for wanting to go several generations back for a used Lexicon unit? Should I give Line6 a second chance?

Oh, the tail-end of my rig is a Crown XLS202 Power Amp and a fEarful 12/6/1. Looking to add a second cab for a stereo rig down the road.

EDIT: Fixed the Lexi model number.

[bassgod0dmw]

What are you using as a preamp? Whichever unit you get?

IIRC, the Lexicon MPX1 is just effects. I had one a long time ago along with the MPX-R1 foot controller. It was pretty nice, but editing patches weren't the easiest.

[zaubertuba]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

What are you using as a preamp? Whichever unit you get?

I'm "rolling my own" rackmount preamp to handle buffering, effects blending and di functions.

IIRC, the Lexicon MPX1 is just effects. I had one a long time ago along with the MPX-R1 foot controller. It was pretty nice, but editing patches weren't the easiest.

Oops! My bad! I meant the MPX-G2. Though I'm starting to wonder if I might be better off with the MPX1 and doing distortion separately (if I go the Lexicon route, that is).

[edwinhurwitz]

I have a G2, which I love, but it has issues which can't be fixed. The over drives are fine, the only drawbacks are 1) no spillover of delays and verbs unless you do some trickery, 2) the TRS and XLR outs are the same which can lead to noise if you use both and 3) lack of current support. It's the best sounding and most complete and versatile FX unit I've used. I now have an M13 but don't use it that much.

[zaubertuba]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

...The over drives are fine...

Helpful to hear--I was uncertain about this.

...the only drawbacks are 1) no spillover of delays and verbs unless you do some trickery,

Do you mean spillover during patch-changes?

....2) the TRS and XLR outs are the same which can lead to noise if you use both...

I read about this...definitely worth noting. Interestingly enough, apparently you *can* use the headphone out as a separate output because it's buffered separately.

...and 3) lack of current support.

Yeah, I kinda figured that comes with the territory for an older unit like this.

It's the best sounding and most complete and versatile FX unit I've used. I now have an M13 but don't use it that much.

So would you say then you actually prefer the G2 to your M13? That would be very telling, since IIRC, the POD HD effects were lifted/built from the M-series effects models.

One more question (sorry I'm full of them today). I was thinking of running the high side of my instrument into the pre-gain path, and using the other direct in (can't remember which isn't for mono mode) with the bass side of the instrument in the post-gain path, then combining the two. Does that sound like it would work?

[edwinhurwitz]

Originally Posted by zaubertuba

Helpful to hear--I was uncertain about this.



Do you mean spillover during patch-changes?



I read about this...definitely worth noting. Interestingly enough, apparently you *can* use the headphone out as a separate output because it's buffered separately.



Yeah, I kinda figured that comes with the territory for an older unit like this.



So would you say then you actually prefer the G2 to your M13? That would be very telling, since IIRC, the POD HD effects were lifted/built from the M-series effects models.

One more question (sorry I'm full of them today). I was thinking of running the high side of my instrument into the pre-gain path, and using the other direct in (can't remember which isn't for mono mode) with the bass side of the instrument in the post-gain path, then combining the two. Does that sound like it would work?

I do prefer the sounds from the Lexicon. Part of that is the superior analog circuitry in the G2. I think the M13 effects are pretty good, but the overall tonality is not as clear as the G2. I'm going to send my M13 for analog mods, so I'll see if that helps.

I think that the plan you have for running two signal paths concurrently would probably work. Just use the instrument in for the high side and the FX return for the low side and then you can configure the chain of effects inside the unit to send each where you want. Having a series/parallel option is great!

By spillover, I mean during patch changes as well as when turning effects off in the chain. In order to do with spillover, you need to set up a parallel effects chain and then mute to the input of the delay/reverb effect. Not so cool.

BTW, How do you do this multi-quote thing?

[zaubertuba]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

I do prefer the sounds from the Lexicon. Part of that is the superior analog circuitry in the G2. I think the M13 effects are pretty good, but the overall tonality is not as clear as the G2. I'm going to send my M13 for analog mods, so I'll see if that helps.

I think that the plan you have for running two signal paths concurrently would probably work. Just use the instrument in for the high side and the FX return for the low side and then you can configure the chain of effects inside the unit to send each where you want. Having a series/parallel option is great!

By spillover, I mean during patch changes as well as when turning effects off in the chain. In order to do with spillover, you need to set up a parallel effects chain and then mute to the input of the delay/reverb effect. Not so cool.

BTW, How do you do this multi-quote thing?

Thanks so much for the helpful reply! Sounds like the G2 may indeed be what I'm looking for. I'll have to experiment to see if the lack of spillover will be a problem or not...I don't tend to change patches or toggle off effects that often mid-tune. Well..maybe overdrive/distortion.


To multi-quote a single user, just break the comments up how you want them, highlight each part you want quoted, and click the little speech balloon button in the reply interface (it's to the right of the insert image button).


You can also just type in the tags around the phrases you want to quote--like this:

{quote}....here's a quoted phrase...{/quote}

When you use the "[" bracket instead of "{" (I used the "{" bracket just to demonstrate) ... it looks like:

...here's a quoted phrase...

[zaubertuba]

Just an update - I scored an MPX G2 with the firmware upgrade on eBay. All I can say is--WOW! I've barely scratched the surface but the tone quality is stellar.

Took awhile of playing around, but finally got the internal routing so I'm processing the two sides of the NS separately, then merging them at the reverb block or right on the final output.

I'm in "tasty effects heaven!"