Lexicon MX400 User Manual
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Lexicon MX400 User Manual

Dual stereo/surround reverb effects processor
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  • Page 1 MX400 User Guide...
  • Page 2 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS...
  • Page 3 Directive 93/68/EEC. Vice-President of Engineering-MI 8760 S. Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070, USA Date: May 15, 2006 European Contact: Your local Lexicon Sales and Service Office or Harman Music Group 8760 South Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070 USA Ph: (801) 566-8800...
  • Page 4 The company shall not be liable for any consequential damage as a result of the product’s use in any circuit or assembly. 4. Lexicon Professional reserves the right to make changes in design or make addi- tions to or improvements upon this product without incurring any obligation to install the same additions or improvements on products previously manufactured.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Balanced Analog Line Output Pairs ..............7 Balanced Analog Line Input Pairs ................ 7 aBout.the.mX400..............8 connectIng.the.mX400............8 Surround Configuration Connections ..............8 Stereo Configuration Connections ................ 9 Dual Stereo Configuration Connections ............... 9 the.mX400.and.dIgItal.I/o............10 usIng.the.mX400..............12 Selecting and Loading Programs (Surround, Stereo Configurations) ....12...
  • Page 6 Storing a Program ....................41 Archiving ........................ 41 usIng.the.mX400.as.a.hardWare.Plug-In......42 Installing the MX-Edit VST Hardware Plug-In ............ 42 Connecting the MX400 ..................42 Software Configuration ..................43 Using the MX400 Plug-In Window ............... 44 Controls ........................44 mIdI.ImPlementatIon.chart...........45 mIdI.cc.maPs................46 Program.lIsts.................50 sPecIFIcatIons.................53...

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Use the MX400 live or in the studio, connect and control it via your PC or Mac, or use it as a hardware plug-in. The possibilities are virtually endless! InCluded ITems •...

  • Page 8: Quick.start

    5. Turn up the Aux Send levels on the channel corresponding to the Post-fader send (Aux 1 and Aux 2 in this example) that the MX400 is connected to until the red input LEDs light only occasionally. If the red Input LEDs stay lit, too much signal is being sent to the MX400;...

  • Page 9: Select And Load A Program

    Program/Load knob Program Number Display Note that the MX400 comes with 99 Factory programs and 99 User programs. Factory and User LED's to the left of the Program Number Display window indicate whether the displayed program is a Factory or User program. For more information...

  • Page 10: The.front.panel

    14 15 11 12 13 1. Gain LEDs Each pair of Gain LEDs indicate input signal strength of each of the MX400’s input pairs. Range is from -24dB, -12dB, -6dB, and 0dB. 2. Input Knobs A & B Each Input Knob controls input gain of one stereo input pair.

  • Page 11: System

    13. Program Number Display Displays the number of the selected program. 14. Program / Load Selects factory and user programs. Pressing this knob loads the program manually if program Auto Load is disabled. 15. Power Switch Turns the MX400 on and off.

  • Page 12: The.rear.panel

    (such as 96kHz). Doing so can cause unpredictable performance. Make sure the device you are connecting to the MX400’s S/PDIF In is set as the Clock Master (if that option is available) and transmitting at a sample rate of 44.1kHz or 48kHz only. As with any...

  • Page 13: Balanced Analog Line Output Pairs

    The Rear Panel MX400 6. Balanced Analog Line Output Pairs Dual RF-filtered 1/4" balanced/unbalanced TRS or balanced XLR line outputs are servo-balanced, so no signal loss is incurred when using unbalanced connections (1/4" inputs only). If only a single plug is connected to the Left output, both Left and Right signals can be summed to mono by selecting Mono Left for analog output A or B in the System Menu.

  • Page 14: About.the.mx400

    ConneCTIng The mX400 The MX400 has four inputs and four outputs grouped in pairs A - Front (Stereo) and B - Rear. There are also two S/PDIF input/output connectors (A and B) that are the digital equivalent of these analog input and output pairs.

  • Page 15: Stereo Configuration Connections

    A only (analog and S/PDIF). Input/output pair B is disabled when the Stereo configuration is selected. S/PDIF output A mirrors analog output pair A but input pair A can only be analog or digital (selectable in the MX400’s System menu). Connection Diagram: Dual Mono In/Dual Mono Out, Dual Mono In/Ste-...

  • Page 16: The.mx400.And.digital.i/O

    While in the System Menu, use Knobs A, B, and C to change values. As with all equipment that receives digital audio streams, when setting either Input Source A or B to Digital, the MX400 can no longer use its own internal clock source for the audio...
  • Page 17 T 200mA L, 250V 100V - 120V ~ 50/60Hz 16W MAX If only S/PDIF B input is to be used, the MX400 still needs the external clock source to be connected to S/PDIF A. Master Clock Source External Processor or...

  • Page 18: Using.the.mx400

    Program Display until loaded. The name of the pro- gram also appears in the MX400’s Main Display. The Factory or User LED next to the Program Display lights to indicate whether a Factory or User pro- gram is selected.

  • Page 19: Editing A Program

    Using the MX400 MX400 3. When naming is complete, press the Store button again. Turn the Page/Select or Program/Load knob to select the new user program memory location to store 4. Press the Store button again to complete the store procedure.

  • Page 20: Changing An Effect

    Using the MX400 2. Turn Edit Knob A, B, or C Edit to modify a parameter setting. When finished, store the changes to the program if you would like them to be recalled. From the Program Edit Menus 1. While on the Program Screen, turn the Page/Select knob to highlight the effect you want to edit.

  • Page 21: Changing Knob Assignments

    When finished, store the changes to the program if you would like them to be recalled. eFFect.mIX/routIng Each of the MX400 programs offers programmable effect routing and a wet/dry mix parameter for each effect. These different routings and mix controls give you many options for your effect signal path and precise control over balance between the two effects.

  • Page 22: Stereo And Dual Stereo Configurations

    Using the MX400 stereo.and.dual.stereo.conFIguratIons 1. Dual Mono 2. Cascade Effect 1/3 Effect 2/4 Effect 1/3 Effect 2/4 3. Parallel 4. Mono Split Effect 1/3 Effect 1/3 Effect 2/4 Effect 2/4 5. Stereo Effect 1/3 1. Dual Mono This routing option sends the Left and Right input signals through Effect 1/3 and Effect 2/4 respectively.

  • Page 23: Surround Configurations

    The Left/Right rear outputs are always 100% wet processed. 2. Surround In/Out This routing option takes a surround input source connected to all of the MX400 inputs, processes through the Surround reverb, and sends it to all four outputs.

  • Page 24: Tempo Button

    A Parallel Processor is connected by sending a copy of a signal (such as from an Aux Send of a mixer channel) to an effects device (such as the MX400), and the effected (or wet) signal is returned to the mixer or amp. It is then blended together with the original unaffected (dry) signal.

  • Page 25: Reverbs

    The MX400 proudly offers a true Surround Hall reverb, the first in its class. The Sur- round Hall uses all of the MX400’s DSP horsepower to provide an immensely lush, en- veloping reverb that offers two routing options: stereo in/surround out and surround in/ surround out.
  • Page 26 The Plates in the MX400 model the sound of metal plates with high initial diffusion and a relatively bright, colored sound. Plate reverbs are designed to be heard as part of the music, mellowing and thickening the initial sound.
  • Page 27 Effects Descriptions MX400 Studio Reverb - Stereo Much like Room reverb, Studio produces an excellent simulation of smaller, well-controlled acoustic spaces, characteristic of the main performance areas in recording studios. Studio is also useful with dialog and voiceover applications as well as individual instrument and electric guitar tracks.
  • Page 28 Effects Descriptions up more slowly and sustains for the time set by Spread. With Shape in the middle, the build-up and sustain of the reverberation envelope emulates a large concert hall (assuming that Spread is at least halfway up, and that Size is 30 meters or larger). Low Spread settings result in a rapid onset of reverberation at the beginning of the envelope, with little or no sustain.

  • Page 29: Delays

    Effects Descriptions MX400 Boing This is a unique parameter to the Spring reverb, designed to increase or decrease the amount of spring rattle that is a physical characteristic of spring tank reverbs. delays Delays repeat a sound a short time after it first occurs. Delay becomes echo when the output is fed back into the input (feedback).
  • Page 30 Ducker Threshold MX400’s Studio and Digital delays offer a “ducking” feature, which causes the delay repeats to attenuate (or get softer) by –6dB when live (or input) signal is present. This allows the delay to remain as an effect, and not clash with the original signal. The higher this value is set, the louder an input signal must be for the ducking to take place.

  • Page 31: Dbx ® Dynamics

    To better use the Compressor in the MX400, a bit of understanding about compression is helpful. Note that the Compressor does not pass dry audio.
  • Page 32 Effects Descriptions Because the resulting output is less than the original signal, a third control, Makeup Gain compensates for this loss of level, but with less dynamic range, or the difference between the softest and loudest parts of the signal. Note: The De-Esser and Compressor effects are Mono In Dual Stereo configuration programs.

  • Page 33: Modulated Effects

    Effects Descriptions MX400 Release Release allows adjustment of the release time constant, determining how quickly the compressor responds to decreasing input level. This should normally be set long. Short release times may cause an effect similar to “pumping” in an analog compressor.
  • Page 34 - from subtle detunes to full interval shifts up or down a two octave range. The MX400’s Pitch Shift effect is a chromatic shifter, meaning all notes of the scale are shifted by the same interval. Pitch Shift is very useful with guitar tracks, monophonic synth lines, or where special vocal effects are needed.
  • Page 35 Effects Descriptions MX400 Depth Scales the intensity of the effect. This control affects the output of the LFO only. It has no effect on the outputs of the individual waveforms. Voices Controls the number of additional Chorus voices. Regen Controls the amount of modulated signal being fed back into the input, creating feed- back.

  • Page 36: Mx400.System.menus

    System Menus. Configuration This menu is where you select what kind of processor you want the MX400 to run as (Surround, Stereo, or as a Dual Stereo processor). Use Knob A to change the MX400's configuration. See page 8 ("About the MX400") for more information on configurations.
  • Page 37 MX400. When set to 44.1kHz, the MX400 utilizes an inter- nal clock with a 44.1kHz sample rate. When set to 48kHz, the MX400 uti- lizes an internal clock with a 48kHz sample rate. When set to Digital, the unit utilizes the S/PDIF input clock source, even if an analog audio source is used.
  • Page 38 This is useful when you want to record a dry performance digitally, but also hear effects processing while you are recording. To send unpro- cessed audio out the MX400 digital outputs, set the Digital Out A and Digital Out B options to Dry. Turn Knob A to change Digital Out A, and Knob B to change Digital Out B.
  • Page 39 Channel B. MIDI channel A is the channel used by all MX400 Configurations: Surround, Stereo, and Dual Stereo. Any program change or CC messages sent to the MX400 on MIDI Channel A will be processed by the active program. Channels can be set from 1-16, All channels, or Off. Use Knob A to change MIDI Channel A settings.
  • Page 40 The MIDI CC receive option lets you enable or disable the MX400 from receiving MIDI CC messages. When MIDI Program Receive is set to off, it filters all MIDI CC messages so that the MX400 will not respond them in any configuration (Surround, Stereo, or Dual Stereo). MIDI program change messages are still received even when this option is disabled.

  • Page 41: The.mx-Edit Tm .Editor/Librarian.-.Windows ®. .And.mac Tm

    MX400 powered on and connected via a standard USB cable. Important: If you plug your MX400 into a USB port other than the one used during the installation of MX-Edit software and drivers, you may need to run the USB driver installer again.

  • Page 42: Installing The Mx-Edit Editor/Librarian Software - Mac

    QuICk sTarT When you first open MX-Edit, you will see the MX-Edit Library on the left side of the MX-Edit window, with the MX400 icon at the top of the Library. An editor panel for the current program is also open.

  • Page 43: The Mx-Edit Library

    Factory and User programs stored in MX400’s physical memory. To view programs in the Library window, click the MX400 tab in the upper left corner, then double-click the Factory or User icon to expand the Library and see the Factory or User program lists.

  • Page 44: The Mx-Edit Program Editor

    All changes that you make in the active Program Editor window are reflected in real- time on the MX400. MX-Edit and the MX400 are fully interactive, so any changes made on the MX400’s front panel are reflected in real-time in the MX-Edit Program Editor window as well.
  • Page 45 To change a reverb or effect in Processor 1 or Processor 2, left click on the Reverb/ Effect Select button in Effect 1 or Effect 2 control area. A list of the MX400’s reverbs and effects appears, with a check mark next to the currently selected reverb or effect.

  • Page 46: Saving A Program

    To change the tempo value, simply place the mouse cursor over the Tempo button, and left-click twice to tap the tempo, just as you would on the MX400 front panel. The Tempo buttons on the MX400 and in the Program Editor window now flash at the new tempo.

  • Page 47: Storing A Program

    MX-Edit Library and the MX400 itself. Click Save to store to the selected User pro- gram location. To cancel the operation, click Cancel, or close the Store to Device dialog box.

  • Page 48: Using.the.mx400.As.a.hardware.plug-In

    Make sure the MX400 is powered up and connected to your computer with a standard USB cable. (For Windows XP users, make sure the MX400 is plugged into the same USB port as when the software was loaded.) audIo.connectIons...

  • Page 49: Software Configuration

    For lower latencies and the best audio performance, it is recommended that you con- nect the MX400 to your computer’s audio I/O device using the S/PDIF Inputs and out- puts. If your I/O device does not have a S/PDIF connection, or if it already connected to another device, you may use the analog connections from your computer’s I/O device...

  • Page 50: Using The Mx400 Plug-In Window

    (per physical device) of the plug-in window. If you attempt to open more than one plug-in window, the message shown below will appear. This message will also appear if the MX400's MIDI ports are being used by the DAW or another application.

  • Page 51: Midi.implementation.chart

    MX400 mIdI ImPlemenTaTIon CharT...

  • Page 52: Midi.cc.maps

    mIdI CC maP - Dual StereO effectS...
  • Page 53 MX400 mIdI CC maP - rOutIng 5 Dual StereO effectS, StereO effectS...
  • Page 54 mIdI CC maP- rOutIng 5 Dual StereO effectS, StereO effectS...
  • Page 55 MX400 mIdI CC maP - SurrOunD hall effectS...

  • Page 56: Program.lists

    Programs - Dual StereO...
  • Page 57 MX400 Programs - StereO...
  • Page 58 Programs - SurrOunD...

  • Page 59: Specifications

    MX400 sPeCIfICaTIons Analog Audio Inputs Connectors four ¼" TRS balanced or unbalanced Impedance 50k Ohms bal., 25k Ohms unbal. Input Level +4 dBu nominal, +24 dBu maximum A/D Conversion 24-bit, 48kHz or 44.1kHz, 128 x oversampling Analog Audio Outputs Connectors four ¼"...
  • Page 60 Phone: (801)-568-7660 | Fax: (801)-568-7662 Harman Music Group MX400 8760 South Sandy Parkway | Sandy, Utah 84070 Questions or comments? U.S.A. Email us at: customer@lexiconpro.com Copyright 2006 Lexicon Part Number: 18-0446-A...

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