Re: Akira or Virtualizer?

[a k butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>]

>i'm looking for something to replace my Vortex in the loop of my
>Echoplex

Repeater :-)

>and i've been having a look at the Akira and the Behringer
>Virtualizer Pro
>
>anybody got any good or bad things to say about these units?

haven't played about with the Akira.
...and no good info on the Alesis site
the Akira doesn't look anywhere as easy to use as the Ineko

but I have a Virtualizer.
the sounds are very passable for the price, and it seems to cover most of 
what the Akira does.
reverbs are kind of pea soup

the 5 second stereo delay with up to 100% feedback is great

there's some useful EQs, which would be perfect in the feedback loop of 
the 
Repeater

Chorus+Reverb together, but of course the reverb won't be as good as the 
single reverb patch.


there's an alphanumeric display which more or less tells you which 
parameter you're tweaking

there's 4 real time controller  knobs,+ wet/dry and midi control

Most FX have 6 tweakable parameters.

oh, and I reviewed it before:-

http://www.loopers-delight.com/LDarchive/200203/msg00731.html

>
>i'd definitely like to be able to run dual fx sometimes (chorus +
>reverb, for example), which i don't think the Akira can do, but i like
>the real time "tweakability" of the Akira...

from the website, it looks like you'd have to be holding the manual to 
know 
what those 3 controls were connected to.

>
>help - can't decide!

You need to try them out, if one immediately sounds better, then go for 
that.
The Virtualizer seems to be more versatile.

andy butler