Vortex Applications Notes

[pycraft@elec.gla.ac.uk (Dr )]

Jon said:
>As you can see, this box has so much it's hard to imagine people not 
>getting
>it.
>And I distinctly remember the first time we trotted it out to the LA/NY 
>sales
>guys. We had to clean their seats after our demo. "This is the home run 
>box!"
>"This one's gonna break us in MI". Well, kids, what happened?

I don't have one, and have never tried one (there aren't any in Scotland 
afaik),
but you need to look at the market it was competing in.  It has no 
distortion.
I'm guessing, but the big sellers at that price point are DigiTech and
Boss, do-everything packages.  For the low-end user, kids just want a box
that turns them into this week's hero.  The mid-range-price guys, with MIDI
preamps should have gone for it, but I gather it's not MIDI.  If not, why??
 It _depends_ on working with a preamp for the reason named above.  When
the Alex came out over here (that is the non-Midi rvb, innit?), that was
the single big gripe in the reviews.  Then there are the big money guys,
and they'll buy high-end Lex and Eventide stuff, 'cos they can.

As far as I can see, the only group who would choose the Vortex above a
Digitech etc are the experimentalists, like us.  I mean, how many other
people actually _program_ their FX?

>BTW: The GC blow-out deal makes Lexicon $0 per unit. GC bought them at 
>Lex's
>cost to remove them from inventory. GC makes about $20/unit. Good profit, 
>huh?
>By 'em while you can, gang, 'cuz you'll never see anything like it again. 
>From
>anyone. (I can still hear the dirisive laughter from my friends at 
>Digidreck.)
>Then, 20 years from now, you'll be able to sell it for $1200 as a classic,
>vintage, whatever...

Try telling that to your UK distributor (Turnkey/Soho Soundhouse, am I 
right?).
They're still £250 ($400) over here.  :(

So, could someone go through this "non-midi" thing one more time?  How do
you control the beast?  If it only accepts footpedals (eg the supplied
Jamman set)
then it doesn't work well with the Jamman (which needs midi for the fade
section).  Incidentally, why (oh why) doesn't JM accept Midi volume....
And does it really have two amp-switching feed-outs? Now that *is* cool!!


(Sorry, rant mode off)

Michael

Dr Michael Pycraft Hughes      Bioelectronic Research Centre, Rankine Bldg,
Tel: (+44) 141 330 5979        University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
        "Everything in moderation, including moderation" (Zen Proverb)