Rack vs pedals

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It's been a while since I had any rack gear and too long ago for any real mental comparison.

I am wondering however, how does something like a Lexicon MPX1 stack up against an Eventide H9 or say a G-Major to an El Capistan/DIG etc?

is rack still best? Has it been surpassed?
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  • I've just gone to Rack, love it. 
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    edited February 2017
    Comparing old prosumer rack gear (like the MPX1 or G major) against modern, high quality pedal- the pedals will generally sound better.

    Compare something like an Eventide H8000 to those pedals and the rack gear will sound at least on par or better.
    It depends on what you are trying to do- but the H8000 or an Axe FX 2 XL can do vastly more than what you can do with a few pedals, but they cost significantly more as well and you need to control them.

    I use rack gear in the studio and pedals or the Fractal FX8 live.
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  • Speaking as someone who generally prefers the sound of older digital gear, I prefer the rack stuff. I still haven't heard a pedal that gets the density of an old Lex reverb. Sure, the new pedals may sound more realistic, but that doesn't always sound *better*. The graininess of the lower resolution digital stuff can add to the "glue" that makes thugs sit better in the mix. It's all personal taste though. There's plenty of crazy people who don't like lexicon reverbs, the weirdos! ;-)

     The other advantages of rack gear is that it's often cheaper, and it's almost certainly more programmable.

     Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Strymon Dig, but for the price of that, I could probably buy three decent rack delays.
    My wife asked me to stop singing Wonderwall.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    edited February 2017
    Speaking as someone who generally prefers the sound of older digital gear, I prefer the rack stuff. I still haven't heard a pedal that gets the density of an old Lex reverb. Sure, the new pedals may sound more realistic, but that doesn't always sound *better*. The graininess of the lower resolution digital stuff can add to the "glue" that makes thugs sit better in the mix. It's all personal taste though. There's plenty of crazy people who don't like lexicon reverbs, the weirdos! ;-)

     The other advantages of rack gear is that it's often cheaper, and it's almost certainly more programmable.

     Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Strymon Dig, but for the price of that, I could probably buy three decent rack delays.
    What do you mean by 'Lex' though?
    There is a world of difference between a PCM60/70/80 and the more prosumer offerings (MPX1, Alex etc).
    When I think of old Lexicon reverbs and delays I am definitely thinking PCM- they have something that sits in a mix better than anything else.

    I think they are largely wasted on live guitars though.
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  • So for £150 is there better fx than a Lexicon MPX1 out there or Ian it a no brainier?

    are the Strymons algo's truely leaps and bounds ahead?
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  • normula1normula1 Frets: 639
    I use a couple of GMajor 2s for post loop modulation, delay and reverb, and rack mounted pedals in a loop switcher for the front end. I just find it neater and easier to tweak the pedal controls if they're off the floor :)
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    So for £150 is there better fx than a Lexicon MPX1 out there or Ian it a no brainier?

    are the Strymons algo's truely leaps and bounds ahead?
    An MPX1 to a Strymon?
    No comparison.
    Not even close.
    Strymon absolutely smokes them.
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