Just ordered a 12U rack, my first step into the rack world.

[JTyson]

Get a Yamaha SPX90.

Hey that Marshall power amp in that rack is the same one I got from you over a decade ago, it’s still got the same SED winged C’s in it after all this time and they are still matched up tight to this day! (Well at least a bit over a year ago when I last tested them) That amp is a frikking beast pushed with that Langner DCP1 preamp.

It makes me so happy

 

[JTyson]

It officially begins. I snagged a used GCX off eBay for a good price. The power conditioner and the drawer for the RL and the pedals will be next.

I've started using the Fractal through my DSL's power amp and it is just so good. I've been using the Soldano X88 model for my main sound, but lately I've been looking at the JMP-1 as a possible purchase, so today I started digging into the Fractal's model of it. Using the JMP's manual as a guide I've been dialing in various factory presets and "LA Crunch" is the winner so far, it's that exact hot rodded sound I love. Going through a real Marshall power amp instead of a (very good) emulation just adds so much to the feel. The 5150 models also feel way better with the Marshall power amp, finally losing that stiffness I felt with the real deal, but the JMP-1 with the SD-1 in front is blowing me away.

Now I've gotta start figuring out all the ins and outs and figuring out what the I/O is gonna look like.

Those JMP1’s were great preamps. I should have kept the one I had…

 

[psychodave]

Hey that Marshall power amp in that rack is the same one I got from you over a decade ago, it’s still got the same SED winged C’s in it after all this time and they are still matched up tight to this day! (Well at least a bit over a year ago when I last tested them) That amp is a frikking beast pushed with that Langner DCP1 preamp.

It makes me so happy

I bet its closer to 20 years. Time flies.

Its a great power amp.

 

[mentoneman]

I think I see one in Mentoneman’s rack! (One of them)
Love those old REV7’s too!

spx 900 for micropitch and symphonic duties.

although i’ve been considering replacing it with something more interesting lately.

 

[srommes]

My WDW rack. Needless to say, it stays put.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Finally made some progress.

I got held up for a long time over some dumb shit. For starters, realizing the GCX could only accept CC messages while the Fractal can only send 8 MIDI messages per patch/scene change. I didn't realize the only way to setup patches with the GCX was with the Ground Control. So I waffled a while trying to figure out what MIDI device I could use that could be programmed to receive PC messages and send CC messages. Total headache.

Then, realizing the pedal drawer I bought is wobbly unless mounted in the front and rear, while the rack I bought only has front rails. So I bought a set of rails, started doing the geometry to figure out where exactly to drill holes and what spacers to use to make sure everything lines up. Total headache.

In the end, I just said fuck it and did the easy thing. I bought a Voodoo Labs HEX to replace the GCX. The HEX only has six loops, but patches can be programmed, and two of them can fit side-by-side in one rack unit if I want to expand and get the full 12 loops. I also bought the (over fucking priced) mounting bracket so it's racked up proper. I also bought a 2U cantilevered drawer, which should be more stable without needing to modify the cabinet itself. Once that comes in I'll finally get my pedals mounted. I have a Radial power conditioner in place, so once I get the pedals in and everything wired up Phase 1 will be complete.

 

[ChurchHill]

Nice! As others have said, welcome to the club! I've been playing through a rack since '90 or so. When I put together my current "big" rack, there were a TON of people here who helped me make the most of it.

Whatcha got planned for Phase 2??

 

[Racerxrated]

My lil rack. Still a blast to play through....SD3000s and an MPX1. Can't find any HH power amps anymore. The mixer though is such a great addition...crazy how much better it sounds when you're able to mix in the dry signal this way. I just looked at what these things are going for these days...not a cheap proposition to build one like this.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

i HAD 20 SPACE RACK AT ONE POINT, NOW I HAVE 6. THE END

Im down to a 3 space rack bag & my back is loving that.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Nice! As others have said, welcome to the club! I've been playing through a rack since '90 or so. When I put together my current "big" rack, there were a TON of people here who helped me make the most of it.

Whatcha got planned for Phase 2??

Phase 1: Interconnecting my FM9, my pedals, and my DSL.

Phase 2: Adding a Syn-2, and something in the SPX family

 

[ChurchHill]

Phase 1: Interconnecting my FM9, my pedals, and my DSL.

Phase 2: Adding a Syn-2, and something in the SPX family

Nice! If you're looking at an SPX, I haven't found anything that will do Symphonic better. I think the FM9 will come close, I've got an AFX3 that will, check out Leon Todd's preset on the Fractal forum's exchange. I've got an SPX90, SPX90-II, SPX990, and SPX2000. They all sound great and will get you there, as will the FX500, FX900, and the REV500 is no slouch, either. The SPXs are a little more than a one-trick pony, their early reflections and reverse reverbs are actually good, the hall reverbs aren't bad, either, and Pitch Change C on the earlier ones is really special. The REV500 has many really nice reverbs, not like a Lexicon, but better than most '90s/2000's rack units and definitely more than just passable.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Nice! If you're looking at an SPX, I haven't found anything that will do Symphonic better. I think the FM9 will come close, I've got an AFX3 that will, check out Leon Todd's preset on the Fractal forum's exchange. I've got an SPX90, SPX90-II, SPX990, and SPX2000. They all sound great and will get you there, as will the FX500, FX900, and the REV500 is no slouch, either. The SPXs are a little more than a one-trick pony, their early reflections and reverse reverbs are actually good, the hall reverbs aren't bad, either, and Pitch Change C on the earlier ones is really special. The REV500 has many really nice reverbs, not like a Lexicon, but better than most '90s/2000's rack units and definitely more than just passable.

Yea right now I'm copping the Symphonic on my FM9 with the Leon Todd preset, but it soaks up a massive amount of horsepower. Between Symphonic and Pitch Change C my two go-to flavors of grease are totally covered by a Yamaha.

 

[LanBaul]

That’s sick. really smart approach stacking everything in a rack, and I love the FM9 setup with the DSL/Ceriatone combo

 

[GreatRedDragon]

From where I started to where I am now, I think I have a much clearer sense of what to get.

With the Power 2, HEX, pedal drawer and I/O panel I have seven spaces left to play with.

I think top priority is a Yamaha effects unit. Next in line after that, a Synergy SYN-2.

This is where it gets interesting.

I'm really happy with my FM9, but if I'm using analog pedals, analog preamps, an analog power amp, and an outboard FX unit, what horsepower do I need from the Fractal? Wah, additional pre-amp effects, auxiliary preamps, IR loader, and additional post-amp FX. In that sense, the FM9 is largely providing backup support. But by being on my board, the cable routing on my pedal board is fairly excessive: Guitar input, USB out, MIDI out, headphone out, monitor outs, mono FX loop and stereo FX loop. That's 11 connections!

So between the lessened role of the FM9 and the amount of cabling on the floor, a Helix rack and floor controller is becoming very appealing. It's an older unit and I imagine it's starting to show its age, but I feel like it has enough horsepower to provide what I need, while having ample I/O (four mono FX loops) for incoporating other gear, and it connects to its controller with a single cable. The whole system could be had for close to what I could get for my FM9 I reckon.

I've also become very curious about Roland/Boss MIDI guitars, and I'm getting tempted to build a Strat with only a GK pickup to use with the VG-800 and GM-800. So that's a toy on my mind as well.

 

[ChurchHill]

Just gonna throw a few suggestions out. While I don't have a Helix, it would be an option, as long as you like how it sounds, what it brings to the table, and how it works in your rig.

If I'm counting right, after you add the Yamaha, and a SYN-2, you'll have 5 spaces left. A Helix is 3, if I'm not mistaken. So would be an AxeFX3, more power than your FM9. Either way, you'd still have two open spaces.

If you don't mind older gear, you could look at a Lexicon MPX-1, which is a great box especially for not much money, or an Eventide Eclipse which is stellar. Either is fine without a mixer and I think these two can be digitally interconnected, so you only have to go through converters once. Of course, there are TONS of other options.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Just gonna throw a few suggestions out. While I don't have a Helix, it would be an option, as long as you like how it sounds, what it brings to the table, and how it works in your rig.

If I'm counting right, after you add the Yamaha, and a SYN-2, you'll have 5 spaces left. A Helix is 3, if I'm not mistaken. So would be an AxeFX3, more power than your FM9. Either way, you'd still have two open spaces.

If you don't mind older gear, you could look at a Lexicon MPX-1, which is a great box especially for not much money, or an Eventide Eclipse which is stellar. Either is fine without a mixer and I think these two can be digitally interconnected, so you only have to go through converters once. Of course, there are TONS of other options.

MPX-1 has definitely been on my radar. There is a part of me that just wants to say fuck the Axe-FX/Helix and just use the real deal rack stuff.

The Friedman IR-Load is actually giving me some pause too. Cause if I can use it to load down my tube heads, provide power amp emulation for my preamps AND load IRs, that takes a chunk out right there.

 

[ChurchHill]

Just my opinion, but the last generation of rack gear like the MPX-1, Eclipse, TC M3000, stuff like that, is still miles ahead of anything that a modeler can produce, yet. I believe this is because they have similar processing power but, not only is it dedicated solely to effects processing, the effects themselves are built on the resulting algorithms of decades of development. They are machines dedicated to great reverbs or great delays or just great effects whereas modelers are great machines dedicated to reproducing a lot of different things.

Now don't get me wrong, what the Axe-FX can do is amazing and its effects are VERY good. But think about what it would be like if the team that came up with that has spent twice as long developing a reverb, for instance. That's basically what Lexicon did. Obviously, a Lex can do a lot more than reverb, but everything it does has the Lexicon sound, you can tell it's a Lex. Same is true for Eventide, TC, Yamaha, Roland, and others.

I also get the flexibility and portability of modelers. And these days, they do sound phenomenal and definitely have their place. But IMO, there is still no replacement for the real deal. Nothing sounds like an H3000 or 2290 or PCM and probably never will for many reasons.

Having said that, the Friedman IR-Load does look interesting and I get the appeal. I love my Axe-FX and enjoy it just as much as anything else. So maybe for me it just comes down to how much time and money do I want to expend chasing down a very specific sound and, maybe more importantly for me at least, is the journey along the way worth it. For me, it absolutely has been, but it's been a long enjoyable road.

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

I'll tell my story about getting into rack FX, not only becuase I love telling stories, it's actually kind of ironic how I ended up a rack processor user. Way back in 1978, I was an 18 year old kid who had the support of a small local record lable that sent me and the band into the studio. It was just a studio in someones basement in Philly but it was like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise to me back then.
After we cut all the tracks the engineers started mixing for the final product and I was completely blown away at the sounds they got on my guitars using walls of rackmount processors they had. Once it was all done I asked the lable execs . . . . . "OK, How do I got out and play this stuff and make it sound like it does in the studio"???
No problem! The studio folks started pulling FX off the wall and built me a small rack and charged it to the lable!!!!!! They showed me how you set the Chorus, Reverb, flanger, doubler and delays they used on the recordings and set it up to a MIDI footswitch. I had been using pedals for years proir to this (EH Electric Mistress, EH Clone Theory, Mestro Phaser, MXR Phase 90 and and old Vox Super Fuzz for distortion) and the sound they got from the 2 rack units they gave me sounded just as good through my amp as they did in the studio mix - Minus the noise, buzz and hiss I got from the pedals.
From that point on I could never go back to pedals. Yes, pedals have come a long, long way but I am now accustomed to the richness and depth that rack units bring and can't see spending the kind of money these new pedals cost to set up and operate like my rack gear just to try them out.
I was lucky that I saved all the rack units I have aquired over the years and not only used them for my guitar rigs, I also used in my home recording studios. No matter what, I always seem to fall back on what I learned in the 70's. You can't beat the sound of a good quality rack unit.

 

[ChurchHill]

OK, curiosity has gotten the best of me... @HellraiserJohnny what was in that rack from the studio? I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe this is kind of on topic?

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

OK, curiosity has gotten the best of me... @HellraiserJohnny what was in that rack from the studio? I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe this is kind of on topic?

One was a Lexicon and the other an Eventide and they were big $$$$ units. I remeber they were big 2-3U units but they sounded fantastic. I learned the hard way that there were desgned as studio units as being in racks that got thrown into cars and vans killed them. Lucky in the early 80's the rack explosion was just picking up steam so I was able to replace them with (reletively) cheaper units.