The Yamaha SPX90 was like the Model T of digital multi-effects processors. It wasn't the first digital effects unit capable of doing more than one thing, but it had the most-used effects of all types, was priced well, and held up reasonably well against the rigors of constant use. It ultimately became a de facto standard, which Yamaha wisely chose to perpetuate rather than abandon. Successors such as the SPX90II, SPX900, SPX990, and SPX1000 added refinements and better audio quality as the technology improved.

The most recent offering from the SPX line is the SPX2000. Like its forbears, the SPX2000 is a 1U device with stereo input and output and all the standard effects programs: reverbs, delays, choruses, pitch shifters, compressors, noise gates, EQs, and more.

The SPX2000 features 24-bit, 96 kHz operation and a new set of high-quality reverb algorithms called Rev-X. It also includes a USB port for connecting to computers.

THE FACE OF THINGS

The SPX2000's front panel and software architecture stick closely to the classic SPX configuration, but they do deviate to accommodate some improvements. The front panel has a concentric input-level knob for the two inputs (see Fig. 1). It's occasionally pesky to use but offers welcome flexibility, especially if you use the inputs as two independent mono inputs feeding a single effect.

The familiar LED-ladder meters are just to the right of the input-level knob, and to their right are a group of status LEDs and two mode buttons. The buttons themselves are quite small but feel more solid than I expected.

The backlit LCD now includes a new feature. Its background color changes to show what type of effect program is running or to indicate a problem (such as losing the clock when slaving to an external input).

A two-character program-number display supplements the LCD, and two sets of four large buttons are used to select programs and edit parameters. The button area also includes smaller Undo and Compare buttons and three buttons labeled Parameter, Fine Param, and Utility. Parameter gives you access to the basic parameters, and Fine Param (a misleading name) provides additional parameters. With these two buttons, the SPX2000 offers a solid set of editing controls for each effect program.

The Utility button provides configuration settings for MIDI, input-source selection, display color, and program naming. The front panel also includes handy Bypass and Power buttons along with a footswitch jack and a button for use with the Tap Tempo feature.

BRINGING UP THE REAR

The rear panel features XLR and TRS jacks and a +4/-10 level switch for inputs and outputs (see Fig. 2). Curiously, Yamaha references both levels to 0.775V (both are dBu), though most audio devices reference 1V (dBV) for a -;10 dB nominal input or output level. The SPX2000's -10 dBu output is actually -12.2 dBV, and therefore enters a -10 dBV (nominal input level) destination device with 2.2 dB less level than if both devices used the same voltage reference for a -10 dB signal. That creates a noticeable, if not critical, level difference.

The rear panel's other connectors include XLR connectors for AES/EBU digital audio input and output with a maximum sampling rate of 96 kHz. A BNC word-clock input resides next to the aforementioned USB port, which is provided for use with the editor-librarian software that should be available from Yamaha's Web site by the time you read this review. The SPX2000 also has MIDI In and Out/Thru connectors; most effects parameters can be controlled dynamically by MIDI. I find combination Out/Thru jacks inconvenient when I have several processors in a single rack and want to daisy-chain Thru to In while reserving Out for editing from the computer. However, for most applications, it's a tolerable setup.

On the far left of the rear panel next to the IEC power jack is a grounding screw. This last item is a thoughtful recognition of how often SPX-family devices are used in rooms with less than optimal AC wiring.

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

The SPX2000's hardware design incorporates several thoughtful features, such as the front-panel mono/stereo switch and switchable input/output metering. Combining the mono/stereo switch with the choice of a one-in/two-out or two-in/two-out effects program yields any combination of mono or stereo processing. You can even mix the two inputs to mono using the front panel level controls.

Like other SPX units, the SPX2000 has a single processing engine. It has no chains of modules and no separate programs for the left and right channels. Yamaha has apparently decided to emphasize fidelity rather than fancy features, which is not surprising — the SPX series has never been about flash and megatweaking, it's been about bread-and-butter utility and a broad range of applications.

The effects programs are organized into three banks. The biggest of the three, the User bank, stores up to 99 custom programs. Unfortunately, this bank ships empty, which is a missed opportunity; it could have been used to deliver a larger preset library. The Preset bank contains 97 programs, of which 17 are the new Rev-X reverb. The other 80 are mostly new versions of the standard array of effects, but there are a few new entries, including a multiband dynamics processor and a multifilter.

The Classic bank contains 25 “best of SPX” programs. It is worth noting that each of the Classic programs, and quite a few of the Preset programs, are the only programs using their respective algorithms.

The SPX2000 is a breeze to use, and it takes very little effort to figure out. Far be it from me to suggest that you skip reading the manual, but this is one device where you could probably get away with it. The only usability problem I found vexing was that the fast parameter scrolling is extremely fast. It moves from one end of the range to the other before you know it. You can go nuts zipping back and forth, or you can give up and do it slowly.

REVERB REVELATION

I tried the SPX2000 on a number of sources (primarily vocals, guitars, drums, vibes, percussion, and synthesizers) during overdubbing and mixing. I also compared the SPX2000's reverb against several others. The most interesting comparisons were with a Lexicon PCM80 and Audio Ease's Altiverb plug-in.

The SPX2000 sounds quite good in a wide range of applications. The audio quality of the processing is better than average for a product at this price, thanks to the analog-to-digital converters, internal processing power and resolution, and the effects algorithms. Yamaha has been making reverbs and effects for a long time, and its refined algorithms show it.

The new Rev-X algorithm is the jewel in the crown. It is very dense and has less coloration than older Yamaha reverbs (such as the first- and second-generation REV series). It also has a healthy number of adjustable parameters. Rev-X reverb isn't as versatile as the PCM80's or as dense as Altiverb's. However, I spent some time matching algorithms and parameters as closely as possible, and I was able to get the SPX2000 sounding so much like those other reverbs that you couldn't hear the difference in a mix.

When soloed, the SPX2000 still held up well in direct comparisons, but its limitations did show, primarily as some graininess in the high frequencies. That would only occasionally be a problem for me; most of my applications that require high frequencies in the reverb are for small spaces with decays short enough to hide the graininess. I generally got the best results setting the SPX2000's high-frequency decay time much shorter than the low-frequency decay time. The bottom line, though, is that the Rev-X reverb is a great choice for many uses.

Possibly the most demanding and revealing pair of sources I compared was solo vibes and vocals. A somewhat spacious, though not cavernous, reverb was needed, and the Rev-X Hall algorithm did a great job of producing an airy, shimmering sound. I tried all of the Rev-X presets, but for that application, the Hall preset was it.

NEW AND OLD

After exploring the Rev-X, I worked my way through nearly all of the other presets. As I mentioned, many presets are the only ones for a particular algorithm, so the total number of algorithms available is large. For vibes and vocals, I liked the phasers, flangers, and choruses, including the trademark Symphonic chorus, in addition to the Rev-X.

The SPX2000's results were not quite as spectacular on drums. I was not wild about the plate programs on any source material. (In fairness, I have yet to find any digital plate program that I really like, so I'm hard to please on that point.) Likewise, the SPX's chamber program didn't impress me on drums; it was a bit boxy and not smooth enough.

My usual choice for drums would be a room program, and there I met with some success. Almost all of the presets had decay times that were too long for drums, but some yielded good sounds with a little tweaking. The SPX2000 was adequate for drums, which ought to be fine for the many users who will buy this box for the vast array of things that it can do. It wouldn't be my first choice for drums, however, if I had the PCM80 or Altiverb available (just to name two that I had on hand).

Most notable among the other new programs in the SPX2000 are the dynamics algorithms, which process audio based on input level or MIDI input. Also noteworthy are the dynamic multiband compressor, triggered filter, and multifilter. This last program consists of three filter sections, each of which can be set as a lowpass, bandpass, or highpass filter.

I tried all of those along with other effects, including the ring modulator and the rotary-speaker emulation (which features separate rate settings for the high and low spin speeds). All were at least usable, and some were a lot of fun and capable of very cool sounds. There are way too many algorithms in the SPX2000 to give individual report cards, but I can report that the embarrassingly warbly pitch shifting of the original SPX90 is a thing of the past.

NOBLE HERITAGE

All in all, the SPX2000 is exactly what it should be: a device that maintains its heritage while moving it forward. Like all SPX units, it does a great many things, with varying degrees of success. It may not be the most exotic, flexible, powerful, or best-sounding kid on the block (though the Rev-X reverbs compete well). It does, however, offer a lot at a reasonable price, and the current model's performance is clearly an improvement over earlier generations.

While the SPX line has remained consistent in its approach, the market around it has changed. Today, there are multi-effects processors galore in the $200 to $500 price range, although truly excellent fidelity still typically costs $1,500 or more. That leaves the SPX2000 curiously alone at its price point. The closest competitors are a few hundred dollars on either side, and that could give this device a nice niche as the entry point into the world of upscale audio processing.

The SPX2000 sounds good, sometimes excellent, and fulfills all of the basic needs for a studio or live rig. It's also easy to use and has some nice bells and whistles, such as its 24-bit, 96 kHz digital I/O. (You could even use it as a 96 kHz A/D converter.) The SPX2000 is a very solid performer that will meet many needs just as its predecessors did, only this multi-effects processor does it better. The Model T is now a latter-day Mustang. Hop in and take a ride.

Larry the O has yet to encounter a singing folk vibist other than himself, but there must be another one somewhere.

PRODUCT SUMMARY

Yamaha

SPX2000
multi-effects processor
$1,249

PROS: Large number of algorithms. Very good Rev-X reverb. Operates at 24-bit, 96 kHz. Digital I/O. Consistent with earlier SPX models. Many thoughtful touches.

CONS: Programs vary in quality. Combination MIDI Out/Thru port.

Manufacturer

Yamaha Corporation of America
tel. (714) 522-9011
e-mail infostation@yamaha.com
Web www.yamaha.com/proaudio