SDE3000 or PCM70??

[reverymike]

If you had to use ONE of these for your only effects unit in your rig, which would it be and why?

The PCM70 is stereo and does a great delay OR reverb. . .but not both.

The SDE3000 is mono and has great modulated delay.

Which would win in a shootout for a 'set and forget' on-all-the-time effect?

 

[lyres requiem]

well I have 3 of the SDE3000's and have had great results with them, but I can not really say how well it compares to the PCM70 as I've yet to own one... but that may change soon

 

[Anonymous]

If you had to use ONE of these for your only effects unit in your rig, which would it be and why?

The PCM70 is stereo and does a great delay OR reverb. . .but not both.

The SDE3000 is mono and has great modulated delay.

Which would win in a shootout for a 'set and forget' on-all-the-time effect?

For me, I'm a big SDE-3000 fan since I owned my first one in the 80s. As far as the stereo thing, I just use two in my rig:

Steve

 

[reverymike]

Yeah, Steve - I need to pick up a second SDE3000. I have the one, as well as the PCM70. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use them. Ideally, I'd like to have the option of going W/D or even W/D/W, but I also need the ability to run just a simple mono, one 4x12 rig.

 

[srommes]

A lot of guys over on http://www.hugeracksinc.com use both. Might want to post a thread over there if you don't get the answers you're looking for here.

 

[metalmaniac93]

I am a huge fan of the SDE3000s for their warm delay and I own three of them!!!! Only use one though for W/D.

 

[reverymike]

Steve, could I use the PCM70 the same way you're using the SE70? Basically to just split the signal to stereo, and then run into a couple of delays? If I put a hair of stereo reverb on from the PCM70 would it mess with the delays in a bad way?

 

[Anonymous]

Steve, could I use the PCM70 the same way you're using the SE70? Basically to just split the signal to stereo, and then run into a couple of delays? If I put a hair of stereo reverb on from the PCM70 would it mess with the delays in a bad way?

Yes, you could definitely do that. As far as how the verb from the PCM70 would effect the delays, I dunno, but I think it would be fine. I tired some chorus patches from the SE70 into the two SDE3000s and it sounded fine. Try it and report back immediately!

Steve

 

[Zachman]

If I had to only choose 1, it'd be the Lexicon because you can't really do the reverbs of the Lexicon w/ the Roland, but you can do delays w/ the Lexicon. That said, I'd suggest the PCM81 over the 70, for a few reasons. As I understand it, Lexicon still supports the PCM81, and not the 70 or 80, and... You can do reverb and delay patches simultaneously w/ the PCM81, and you can back up your patches w/ the 81, on a flash card (AND load Italo's presets in your machine for some ULTRA sweet tones-- check them out here http://www.italodeangelis.com/it/FX_processors_libraries/), finally w/ the PCM81, you have some REALLY REALLY cool stuff you can do w/ expression pedals, on given parameters.

 

[Anonymous]

If I had to only choose 1, it'd be the Lexicon because you can't really do the reverbs of the Lexicon w/ the Roland, but you can do delays w/ the Lexicon. That said, I'd suggest the PCM81 over the 70, for a few reasons. As I understand it, Lexicon still supports the PCM81, and not the 70 or 80, and... You can do reverb and delay patches simultaneously w/ the PCM81, and you can back up your patches w/ the 81, on a flash card (AND load Italo's presets in your machine for some ULTRA sweet tones-- check them out here http://www.italodeangelis.com/it/FX_processors_libraries/), finally w/ the PCM81, you have some REALLY REALLY cool stuff you can do w/ expression pedals, on given parameters.

While I'm sure the Lexicon is "better" 'cause it's stereo and does reverbs, I have absolutely no use for reverb in a live setting (can add much better reverb plugins for recording) and I just love the subtle modulation (my setting anyway) and warmth of the SDE-3000 delay. It was like saying hello to an old friend when I got these... Perhaps it's just nostalgia, seems kinda silly to have to have two when one unit will do it all now... I dunno... I just know I'm very happy with these units... Also, I'm a "set and forget" guy with effects - I have no interest in expression pedals on parameters, etc. No offense to people who can get into that stuff, I just can't get my head around it...

Steve

 

[Zachman]

If I had to only choose 1, it'd be the Lexicon because you can't really do the reverbs of the Lexicon w/ the Roland, but you can do delays w/ the Lexicon. That said, I'd suggest the PCM81 over the 70, for a few reasons. As I understand it, Lexicon still supports the PCM81, and not the 70 or 80, and... You can do reverb and delay patches simultaneously w/ the PCM81, and you can back up your patches w/ the 81, on a flash card (AND load Italo's presets in your machine for some ULTRA sweet tones-- check them out here http://www.italodeangelis.com/it/FX_processors_libraries/), finally w/ the PCM81, you have some REALLY REALLY cool stuff you can do w/ expression pedals, on given parameters.

While I'm sure the Lexicon is "better" 'cause it's stereo and does reverbs, I have absolutely no use for reverb in a live setting (can add much better reverb plugins for recording) and I just love the subtle modulation (my setting anyway) and warmth of the SDE-3000 delay. It was like saying hello to an old friend when I got these... Perhaps it's just nostalgia, seems kinda silly to have to have two when one unit will do it all now... I dunno... I just know I'm very happy with these units... Also, I'm a "set and forget" guy with effects - I have no interest in expression pedals on parameters, etc. No offense to people who can get into that stuff, I just can't get my head around it...

Steve

I LOVE the SDE3000's, and meant no disrespect.

I'd run them in series to one another, as opposed to Parallel like some might-- having the 2 SDE 3000's set to different times simultaneously, and or panned, and/or set the same to get an effect like this:

Side note: I forgot to add the Dual FX cards, and Pitch Cards available w/ the Lexicons which just make them more versatile

 

[scottywompas]

Being that for years I used an SDE1000 as my only effect unit in my rack I would definitely go with the SDE3000

It does have a great modulation. I don't need much reverb other than what's on the amps so the Lexicon's ability to do verb wouldnt matter to me.

Either one is a great unit though so it's a win/win.

Scott

 

[reverymike]

If I had to only choose 1, it'd be the Lexicon because you can't really do the reverbs of the Lexicon w/ the Roland, but you can do delays w/ the Lexicon. That said, I'd suggest the PCM81 over the 70, for a few reasons. As I understand it, Lexicon still supports the PCM81, and not the 70 or 80, and... You can do reverb and delay patches simultaneously w/ the PCM81, and you can back up your patches w/ the 81, on a flash card (AND load Italo's presets in your machine for some ULTRA sweet tones-- check them out here http://www.italodeangelis.com/it/FX_processors_libraries/), finally w/ the PCM81, you have some REALLY REALLY cool stuff you can do w/ expression pedals, on given parameters.

While I'm sure the Lexicon is "better" 'cause it's stereo and does reverbs, I have absolutely no use for reverb in a live setting (can add much better reverb plugins for recording) and I just love the subtle modulation (my setting anyway) and warmth of the SDE-3000 delay. It was like saying hello to an old friend when I got these... Perhaps it's just nostalgia, seems kinda silly to have to have two when one unit will do it all now... I dunno... I just know I'm very happy with these units... Also, I'm a "set and forget" guy with effects - I have no interest in expression pedals on parameters, etc. No offense to people who can get into that stuff, I just can't get my head around it...

Steve

I'm a 'set and forget' guy too. That's exactly what I'm looking to do with these. Steve, what's your modulation setting on your SDEs? I typically set mine for a longer, ambient delay, but as far as modulation I've just kinda been pressing buttons to experiment. I think I really need to pick up one more SDE3000 and some kind of little mixer to run them in parallel.

I'm gonna try the PCM70 with the SDEs this weekend. . .3 of my 4x12s are on loan to a friend, and that leaves me with only one to work with until he brings the others back.