Lexicon program names

Peter Ostry

Administrator
Staff member
Below is a screenshot of some program names of a Lexicon MPX500. There are only 12 characters to display the name. I am going to MIDI-control this device and would like to have better names:
20100814-gn13ub5n84sybdesaku83jir7c.jpg

What is meant, Tap or always Tape?
Should it then read Tape Predelay and 140 ms Tape Predelay or how?
 
Tap would presumably refer to delay devices which allow the delayvalue to be entered by tapping on a key. Tape would then refer to an emulation of old, tape based delay devices such as Roland's Space Echo.

I doubt thought that calling a tap delay preset a tape delay preset will have much effect on how it sounds 😉

kind regards

Mark
 
Tap would presumably refer to delay devices which allow the delayvalue to be entered by tapping on a key.
I can tap on a key and the delay time changes. But I suspect that Lexicon doesn't mean that. A "140ms Tap Predelay" would then mean "140ms or whatever you tap predelay". I believe Lexicon means it specific but am not familiar with their names.

I doubt thought that calling a tap delay preset a tape delay preset will have much effect on how it sounds 😉
So you want to discourage an Austrian from striving towards German precision? 🙂
 
But I suspect that Lexicon doesn't mean that. A "140ms Tap Predelay" would then mean "140ms or whatever you tap predelay". I believe Lexicon means it specific but am not familiar with their names.

Good point - in that case, Tape might be the correct term.

So you want to discourage an Austrian from striving towards German precision? 🙂

Only when using an American digital emulation of a Japanese analogue device 😀
 
Peter, I find it remarkable that you do so well with English, I assume your native language is Deutsch. The following relates to an explanation of the "Tap Delay"

There are 6 delay voices, 3 for Left and 3 for Right. When a preset uses Tap for delay, the usual arrangement is for Tap to control voice 1 on each side, with the level for those voices turned up. The levels of the 4 remaining non-Tap voices are usually turned down to "Off", and their delay times are set to 0 msec. The user usually has the option to dial in any desired non-Tap delay time and turn its level up, but must be aware that the result could conflict with the Tap-delay if the tempo is changed.

Consequently, tap has a different meaning than tape. It relates to a tempo controlled delay. I have an ancient Lexicon Core2 interface with the MP-100 internal option card. The reverbs in that and the MPX500 are similar. The software interface for the MP-100 has a "Tap" button.

You state:
I can tap on a key and the delay time changes. But I suspect that Lexicon doesn't mean that. A "140ms Tap Predelay" would then mean "140ms or whatever you tap predelay". I believe Lexicon means it specific but am not familiar with their names.

The function of the "Tap" key on the unit is so you can set the pre-delay to be in sync with your tempo. That is shown on the attached thumbnail. The presets get you close, with 1/7th to 1/2 second of pre-delay.

The manual for the MPX500 can be found here:

http://www.lexiconpro.com/product_downloads/126/manuals/MPX500_User_Guide_Rev0.pdf
 

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Peter, I find it remarkable that you do so well with English, I assume your native language is Deutsch.
Yes my language is Deutsch. My English writing is ok I think but speaking is not nearly as good. You would hardly understand me.


The following relates to an explanation of the "Tap Delay"...
I think my question was not clear. I know the tap function and know what tape delay means. I am building an interface for the MPX500 and do not want the crippled names as shown on the device and in the manual but the real names. And I was not sure what Lexicon actually means because the "tap/tape" thing appears in reverb programs. Now I am pretty sure that they mean a tape delay before the reverb. Maybe I should listen instead of guessing what the names mean ...


I have an ancient Lexicon Core2 interface with the MP-100 internal option card. The reverbs in that and the MPX500 are similar.
And which names do your device and editor show for reverb programs like "140ms TapDel"? The same like mine or do you see longer names?


The manual for the MPX500 can be found here: ...
Thanks, I got it already before I bought the device. The screen shots in my first post were taken from this manual.
 
I guess I concur with MarkDVC that what you choose to linguistically differentiate between tape delays and tap pre-delays is less important than knowing which does what and selecting the appropriate preset. As you seem to be clear on their function, I would not argue with MarkDVC.

However, Lexicon's intent seems to link the terminology of the preset with its function. So, by eliminating "Tap" from the nomenclature, you remove the clue that you can sync the preset to tempo by tapping the handy button on the unit's front panel.

The MP-100's manual is still online, and has similar tables on usage. The columns dealing with the table you loaded into this thread are under the section for "Gate" -- which might suit your thinking better: Gate Pre-delay, 140ms. But there are also explanations explaining that Elvis frequently recorded with a 100ms slap-back echo, and I found no presets named "Elvis." I may re-name my presets the next time I fire up my Cubase 32 VST/Core2 rig running under the unsupported, orphaned, 2.12 ASIO driver on top of Windows Millenium edition...

The MPX500 unit looks like a nice unit. I like that it has balanced jacks.
 
I guess I concur with MarkDVC that what you choose to linguistically differentiate between tape delays and tap pre-delays is less important than knowing which does what and selecting the appropriate preset.
Yes but my interface looks better with complete names:
20100815-b7icaekk8k4wt28r2cjm4371q8.jpg

I would not argue with MarkDVC.
I like to argue with Mark. He has the ideal combination of beeing rigid and overly polite.
:hippy:
 
I like to argue with Mark. He has the ideal combination of beeing rigid and overly polite.
:hippy:

😀 :thmbup: that would be due to being Irish (overly polite) but living for a long time in Germany ("be(e)ing rigid" = stubborn = stur, unbeweglich?)

BTT - your list does indeed look very well, Peter. A good indication of a Sunday being put to constructive use?

Mark
 
... but living for a long time in Germany ("be(e)ing rigid" = stubborn = stur, unbeweglich?)
But in a good meaning. Rigid ("stur") isn't necessarily a bad thing in the Austrian flavour of German. It can also mean that one just wants to go a particular way. Others may express their other thoughts, they count, but cannot change the direction. For example, noone can be a good conductor without beeing "stur".

BTT - your list does indeed look very well, Peter. A good indication of a Sunday being put to constructive use?
I am doing it in Max/MSP. But it becomes too big, currently I have only the reverbs. Have to think about splitting into effects types which requires some programming.
 
The MPX500 unit looks like a nice unit. I like that it has balanced jacks.
I had a MX 200 a while ago, the MPX 500 is new to me. Didn't check the audio output because I have no audio I/O left on my interface and use the Lexicon via SPDIF.

I don't like the routing very much, it is not freely selectable as on the newer models. And unfortunately I don't get MIDI feedback from the knobs which makes it tedious to set default values in my Max/MSB interface. And although the manual claims it, tap tempo is not mapable to CC, I have to use program change.

The other things seem to be ok. Hopefully it sounds good 😉
 
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