Lexicon MPX1

[braxton906]

I was listening to Michael Landau's latest CD a few weeks ago and was really blown away by his reverb; I then read in an interview that he uses the MPX-1 for his reverb and delays. Well, oddly enough, a store here in town had one that had recently been purchased but returned; the first buyer had thrown away the box and had mangled the manual so it was priced to sell...
So I buy it yesterday - (now I'm a pretty smart guy, although I will admit that I'd rather just twist some knobs and step on an on/off button to get the sound I'm after) - and apparently not only do you actually need to be a rocket scientist to figure this thing out, you also need the patience of death. It took me 20 minutes just to get a peep out of it (hmmm, maybe I'm not really all that bright)
Here's the deal though: I'm using it like a pedal (mono input and output) and all my pedals apparently didn't approve of the non-analog addition to the family...it was like everything was bathed in rays of treble; not at all like Landau.
I know that everything in the MPX-1 could be edited and tailored to eliminate that and then I could revel in those many beautiful reverbs. Which brings me to...the...manual. Or, as I call it, the great torturer. It was obviously written by a sadist; so I just sat there and watched all the pretty lights on the display for awhile...nice colors.
So I have two weeks to make friends with this beast or back it goes for a full refund. Does anybody out there have one? Any tips for running it like I am (pedal-like)? A name of a good therapist? Thanks...!

[Aruntang]

Hi Braxton, I am pretty sure that the MPX-1 was designed to sound it's best in an effects loop rather than being used in line with your pedals. If you have an effects loop on your amp try using it in there and see if the sound improves.

[braxton906]

Originally Posted by Aruntang

Hi Braxton, I am pretty sure that the MPX-1 was designed to sound it's best in an effects loop rather than being used in line with your pedals. If you have an effects loop on your amp try using it in there and see if the sound improves.

Thanks Aruntang; yea, I knew that when I bought it but my amp is a '73 Marshall Super Lead 100 so I don't have that option. I actually have a Kendrick reverb tank which sounds great but what I was really hoping to get out of it is all the long ambient reverbs because I like to do alot of mellow volume-swell type things. And then there's still that so-called manual to deal with!

[rotren]

Hey, just get an old Lexicon LXP-1 and you're set! I got one of those recently and it is a very sweet reverb, just like Landau's sound his Live album. Around a hundred bucks on eBay. See my site for video clip.

[Aruntang]

You could try an effects loop pedal like the Xotic X-Blender. It would cost more money but you will be able to mix in the MPX-1 with your dry signal.

http://www.prosoundcommunications.co...der/index.html

There are some videos on there too. It might help your situation.

[braxton906]

Aruntang and Rotren: both great suggestions, thanks guys. I'll look into both of those possibilities-

[KennyM]

Landau doesn't use the MPX1 within his effects chain. He mics a cab and sends the output from the mic pre into the MPX1, which is then fed to a Marshall stereo amp and two speakers.

I also agree that the MPX1 is really dificult to program and I have other Lexicon gear to compare it with. I got rid off mine for that reason.

The reverb sound you're hearing is very Lexicon and I don't think you would be far off using any Lexicon box to get it.

[Aruntang]

From Mr. Landau:
" also use a Lexicon MXP-1 Processor in the effects loop of the amp for reverb and delay.
Or I mike my cabinet and send it to the Lexicon MPX-1 which then goes to a pair of "wet" cabinets (2 Custom Audio 2x10 cabs with Celestion Vintage 10 speakers) "

[wahfreak]

I don't think it was meant to be used as a pedal either. It takes some time for it to load a program so you will get dead spots while switching. I have mine in the loop of my Fuchs and it sounds great. Like a woman, you do have to spend some time with it to understand what the hell it's supposed to do. Granted you get laid once in a wiole from a woman, but most women don't sound as good as a great reverb either. Once you know how it's set up it'll be easier. Unless you really don't hate it, I would say don't part with. There are great things inside. Take the time to learn it and it will pay off.

[LouRossi]

Originally Posted by rotren

Hey, just get an old Lexicon LXP-1 and you're set! I got one of those recently and it is a very sweet reverb, just like Landau's sound his Live album. Around a hundred bucks on eBay. See my site for video clip.

+1 & the LXP's sound better then the MPX as well...

[Oddos]

Yeah. Beautiful sounding unit. Reverb and delay anyway. I like the pitch, too. The rest I`m not so impressed with.

It`s a bitch to program, though. Not very intuitive. I still struggle with the delay times.