Vintage Digital

Lexicon

Classic Recording Studio Equipment

Lexicon is a company that has been at the forefront of digital audio technology since the 1970s. The company is known for developing some of the most innovative and high-quality digital reverbs and effects processors, which have been used in studios and live sound applications around the world.

The history of Lexicon reverbs can be traced back to the release of the Lexicon 224 Digital Reverberator in 1978. This was the first digital reverb processor to use a microprocessor, and it quickly became a standard in professional studios. The Lexicon 224 used a proprietary algorithm called “the Lexicon sound”, which was known for its smooth decay and lush, dense reverb tails.

In the 1980s, Lexicon continued to innovate with the release of the PCM 60 and PCM 70 reverbs. These were the first reverb processors to offer fully programmable parameters, which allowed users to create their own custom reverb presets. The PCM 70 also introduced the concept of “dual-engine” processing, which allowed users to two different reverb algorithms for more complex and unique sounds.

The 1990s saw the release of the Lexicon 480L, which quickly became a studio standard and is still highly regarded today. The 480L was the first reverb to use Lexicon’s new “LARC” (Lexicon Alphanumeric Remote Control) system, which provided a more intuitive way to navigate the unit’s many parameters. The 480L also introduced a new reverb algorithm called “Random Space”, which was known for its spacious, non-linear reverb tails.

In the 2000s, Lexicon continued to innovate with the release of the PCM96 and PCM92 reverbs. These units offered a wide range of reverb algorithms, including emulations of classic Lexicon processors like the 224 and 480L. They also introduced new features like “surround” processing, which allowed users to create immersive 5.1 and 7.1 reverb effects.

Today, Lexicon continues to be a leader in the world of digital reverb and effects processing. The company’s reverbs are used by musicians, engineers, and producers in a wide range of applications, from professional studios to live sound and broadcast. The Lexicon sound is still highly regarded for its smooth, natural decay and dense, lush reverb tails, and the company’s reverbs continue to be a staple in the world of digital audio processing.

The Lexicon 224 digital reverb announced in 1978 is the kind of stuff legends are made of. It is without a doubt the most admired and desirable reverb of the Lexicon line-up. It may be 45 years old now, but the Lexicon 224 is still in use today at many studios regardless of it’s limited bandwidth, and is loved by so many engineers, that they will only replace it when it dies. If it dies…
The Lexicon PCM 41 was a huge success for Lexicon when it was released back in 1980 and even today you will still find them in use in major recording studios everywhere. The Lexicon PCM 41 was eventually replaced by the Lexicon PCM 42 which featured longer delay times, but retained the sonic characteristics of the Lexicon PCM 41.
The Lexicon PCM42 improved on the PCM41 and became a studio staple, even today you will find this nearly 40 year old digital delay in use aorund the world. The Lexicon PCM42 combines Lexicon’s reliability with features for musician. Unique in concept and execution, the Lexicon PCM-42 performs all of the functions you would of a high quality digital delay line, while the door to realms of musical expression that were only a dream now.
The Lexicon Model 97 “Super Prime Time” is a major advancement in digital audio equipment. With it you can create, store and recall an unlimited variety of effects which you have programmed, in any sequence you like. The standard unit offers a maximum delay time of 480 milliseconds, and memory extension options let you increase that to either 960 milliseconds or 1.92 seconds – all at full 20kHz bandwidth.
The Lexicon Model 200 was introduced as a more affordable reverb after the success of the Lexicon 224 had enjoyed, but it did not find favour with larger studios as the 224 did. The Lexicon Model 200 Digital Reverberator is an economical, general purpose digital reverberation device designed for recording studios, musicians, film/video production houses, and broadcasters.
The Lexicon PCM 60 was the first in a long line of PCM named digital reverbs and it offered an affordable entry into the world of Lexicon digital reverbs. The Lexicon PCM 60 was a good digital reverb however it never enjoyed the same sales or current legendary status as the later model Lexicon PCM 70 would enjoy upon it’s release.
The Lexicon 224X Digital Reverberator provides high-quality simulation of the acoustics of a variety of architectural spaces and a wide variety of special effects. The Lexicon 224X is an advanced two-in, four-out, all-electronic digital reverberation system. Its clean, natural-sounding reverberation is the result of blending digital audio hardware and software disciplines.
The Lexicon PCM 70 has become something of a legend of late, with good examples selling for the same money or more, than what they sold for when new. It is ironic really…when the Lexicon PCM 70 was released everyone said it was not a ‘real’ Lexicon. While it may not be a 224X, released the same year, it does offer a taste of the Lexicon sound.
New creative worlds of musical adventure can be discovered through the magic of Lexicon Prime Time II, the successor to the most popular digital delay ever.
For many engineers, the Lexicon 480L is the pinnacle of digital reverbs and has never been bettered, not by Lexicon or any one else. The Lexicon 480L came along in 1988 and has remained in place at most studio around the world as it simply can not be replaced by a plugin according to those who own them, and love them.
The Lexicon 300 not only contains the finest sounds, as you’ve come to expect from Lexicon, it incorporates new functions that satisfy the needs of today’s audio production. For both analog and digital use the Lexicon 300 takes full advantage of recent advances in converter technology and combines them with flexible digital interfacing.
The Lexicon LXP-15 offers a rich and distinctive palette of special effects, including 128 preset effects programs to get you started. Each program has up to five display pages of variable parameters that you can adjust for subtle or dramatic changes in the program’s sound, and you can store as many as 128 customized programs in user memory.
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