What’s a good single space rack multi-effect…

I'm using a Rocktron Intellifex and an Alesis Q20 and they are both pretty good but I have no experience with others. I wanted analog dry-through so that's why I picked the Intellifex. But I forgot I had the Alesis from a previous band PA and I tried it and it sounds great. Also analog dry-through.

The Intellifex just stays set on the Van Halen #33 setting for an always-on base (it's mostly a delayed-reverb with a hint of chorus). Then the Alesis has custom settings I made like 'Memory Man' and 'Memory Man + Pitch' for echo and beyond.
 
Last edited:
Honestly, with the VP4 in 4CM in use with my X88-IR, I have never been happier. I know it isn't a rack unit but I would need a foot switch anyways to change things so it serves both purposes for me.

I've used it live a bunch of times now and it all works fantastic!
 
PBGas said:
Honestly, with the VP4 in 4CM in use with my X88-IR, I have never been happier. I know it isn't a rack unit but I would need a foot switch anyways to change things so it serves both purposes for me.

I've used it live a bunch of times now and it all works fantastic!
Click to expand...

I use floor these days: Helix, HX-Effects FM9 MkII Turbo, Boss GX-100 and ISP Theta Pro Michael Sweet.

Not missing rack; the floor boards and computer software rigs work great for me.
 
Last edited:
rsm said:
I use floor these days: Helix, HX-Effects FM9 MkII Turbo, Boss GX-100 and ISP Theta Pro Michael Sweet.

Not missing rack; the floor boards and computer software rigs work great for me.
Click to expand...
You may be the only one I know that night a Theta…

Does it sound better in person than the demos? I like floor for sure. I have the QC and HX Stomp XL. I’m sure the VP4 would probably be perfect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rsm
In my personal experience I still think that the lexicon mpx-g2 is an amazing piece of gear. The current prices make it almost an instant buy as a first rack piece.

Another unit that comes for very cheap but has very great effects is the old boss se-70. You can't combine all the effects freely but there are some patches with a lot of effects in it.

A big classic is the yamaha spx-90 but a bit limited in patch construction. But it comes for cheap.

In terms of overlooked ones Roland rsp-550 and the Korg AM-8000 are some very nice beasts.

I would say that all of them suffer of quite dated converters so a line mixer is highly recommended, otherwise your dry will suffer grately. For this reason maybe a modern machine would be better without a mixer (e.g. h90 or axe fx2)

A final comment they really shine in stereo set-up. They sound fine in mono of course, but when heard in stereo all the magic happen.
1000018875.jpg
 
JerEvil said:
Yeah seeing a few around $1200 with “make an offer”

Only 2 effects at a time? Is that right? Do I couldn’t do chorus, delay and reverb all at the same time?

Or detune and also delay? I thought I saw detune required both blocks?
Click to expand...

That is my issue with the MPX-1. I think it is probably the best sounding of the older units, but it is more limited. You can't do Chorus and Detune at the same time. I think it has a good Detune, but the Chorus is kinda weak. The G Major 2 has better Chorus, but weaker Reverb.
 
JerEvil said:
You may be the only one I know that night a Theta…

Does it sound better in person than the demos? I like floor for sure. I have the QC and HX Stomp XL. I’m sure the VP4 would probably be perfect.
Click to expand...
If you dont mind floor, you could always just grab a few choice pedals. That is kind of where I am. I have and love all these older units, but since I only really use 1 or 2 sounds, the limitations and extra gear to make them work (mixer, switching, etc...) just starts making me question... "why". Just starts becoming overly complex and expensive for no benefits. I have considered selling some of my rack units because of that reason. I have considered the VP4 and a mixer, but it is sort of the same concept, just smaller.

I recently grabbed the 2290p and SDE-3000D pedals, which are both excellent programmable delays, and can do modulation, and don't mess with the analog dry through. I am considering grabbing a good Reverb, like the UA Golden Reverb, and just calling it a day.
 
JerEvil said:
You may be the only one I know that night a Theta…

Does it sound better in person than the demos? I like floor for sure. I have the QC and HX Stomp XL. I’m sure the VP4 would probably be perfect.
Click to expand...
ISP Theta Pro Michael Sweet is the '80s in a box; it can do much more, and the pre- post-EQ reminds me of my ADA MP-2. I think it sounds great, not sure if it can do modern high gain since I'm not chasing those tones. Thrash, hair, classic metal, hard rock...are in there.

It's like having an ADA MP-2 preamp + effects in a floorboard format, it's not a modeler.

Dislikes: don't like that to upgrade you have to replace a board, if you have the right version of the board that is.; and the user interface is very tedious, like the ADA MP-1 / MP-2...but it sounds good to me. Into PA, into a Mesa compact 2x12 with V30s using an ISP Stealth solid state amp, and even better with my Engl E850/100 power amo into a pair of Engl PRO 2x12 with V30s.

Here I'm just going direct to a powered PA:


ISP Theta Pro DSP MS.png



@McLeanAB is the master of the ISP Theta Pro here. He has a few vids on YT. Another is Ethan Brosh.





 
You could combine the Boss SE70 and a Lexicon LXP1 in 1U. Had them both, great little units, but ultimately sold them both last year, as they weren't getting much use (next to the Eclipse, PCM70 v2.0 and TC Reverb 4000, I'm pretty set for rack effects)
 
Man, they are so old but Quadraverb, Intellifex still hold up.

I owned about everything "multi" back in the day and I always came back to those two units. Ran the Quad for delays only and used the Rocktron for chorus and what little verb I used. I've got an old patch in the Quad, that's a mix of delay and verb that using the volume knob on the guitar sounded like a violin. Never been able to recreate that with any other unit I've owned to this day.

I'd have a Quad die, get another cheap and data dump the settings from one to the next. Still have my last Quad, fired it up a year ago and still sounds great.

Like others said I'd go those two or the G-Major 2. I had the first gen G-Major, loved the layout and sounds but it didn't' work with my main amps loop at the time. The G2 they fixed the loop issue and for whatever reason I never go that one a go. Meant to.
 
If you aren't prepared for some MIDI programming to make things seamless with this old rack gear (MPX1, G2, PCM/70/80/81, Eclipse, SPX90 and so on), then don't even consider them. You'll have drop outs when you play if you try to switch patches during jamming. There are ways around it by living on an algorithm the entire time and using MIDI or SysEx to turn on/off certain portions of the algo, but it's going to require you doing a deep dive on how the algorithms work. These units sound vastly superior to the ones I will list below, but it's the main tradeoff you're gonna need to deal with.

My recommendations since I didn't see any budget, and I'm assuming you don't want to become an algo expert:
* Rocktron Intellifex/Intelliverb/Intellipitch - Analog dry-thru when HUSH is out, decent overall FX, AnalogKid85 has some cool patches. Around $150 to $300. Add more for the verb/pitch models
* TC Electronic G-Major 2 - Probably the most versatile of them all for the price and form factor. Has basically all the FX you could want, easy to use, can channel switch with a TRS jack, intelligent pitch shift, etc. Around $300. Don't pay too much more than this
* TC Electronic G-Force - Nearly the same as the G-Major 2 but with a better build quality and vastly more FX flexibility. This is what the original AxeFX was based off of with its grid layout. Don't pay more than $450 for this. Make sure it's Version 2.04. No TRS channel switching, but does have SPDIF. You'll probably want a line mixer and set it to killdry, though.
* Old AxeFx Ultra, AxeFX II. Price varies. This is a 2u solution, though

Do not get the G-Major 1. Their encoder wheels break off like crazy.

Note that all old gear also comes with the price of it possibly breaking and there being no parts available to fix it. Biggest thing that happens is encoder wheels dying, power supplies dying, and screens dying. Some parts simply aren't available anymore.
 
Last edited:
Speeddemon said:
You could combine the Boss SE70 and a Lexicon LXP1 in 1U. Had them both, great little units, but ultimately sold them both last year, as they weren't getting much use (next to the Eclipse, PCM70 v2.0 and TC Reverb 4000, I'm pretty set for rack effects)
Click to expand...
Never tried the lxp5, any opinions on that one? I only mentioned these units to stay on topic as the op stated to not break the bank.
 
Single space? I had a rocktron unit that was pretty good for the price. Expression maybe 🤔 cant remember what it was called….
 
Exo-metal said:
Never tried the lxp5, any opinions on that one? I only mentioned these units to stay on topic as the op stated to not break the bank.
Click to expand...
Lxp 5 was good for what it did. Half rack. That did Chorus, Pitch. etc. Lxp 1 did verbs. Value wise they are a good deal. If you're only gonna use it sparingly an even better value is the Alex. That was like $80 and could hold its own if ya werent going balls out. I will never part with my Pcm70 but now yer talking real money though.
 
JER, If you do go for an Eclipse, you will need a mixer though. That unit is very slow to run in series. I love mine, but would not want it to be my only unit if running in series. Cant beat the sounds though. Although the H90 isnt that far off depending on your main sounds. Hell, An original Intellifex is a workhorse and much cheaper. They have pretty good chorus' and great delays. Just food for thought. I used that for years without a hiccup.
 
Don't sleep on the Rocktron Replifex. I liked it just as much as an Intellifex, even more because you can just dial to your presets and it will load up instantly. The Intellifex you had to scroll to the tone and manually hit "recall" every time. Slightly annoying if you're dialing in tones or configuring a lot at a time.

 
I had positive experience with the G Major and G Major 2 after figuring out how to use them. They sound great imo and they were reliable on stage as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top