Hi me again

I am also in the market for an effects device. I am looking at the Pioneer EFX 500.

is this the best bang for my buck, or are there others that I should consider?

I have a vestax pvc 275 mixer... does anyone know if the EFX500 is compatable with it?

all your help is madly appreciated.

thanks again

I've never used the EFX-500, but I reckon it should easily be compatible with your mixer. The important thing is the PCV-275 has an effects send you would use to connect the EFX-500 to. Before buying I'd check the EFX-500 could operate as a send, otherwise it would probably work by putting the EFX-500 between your mixer and the amp.

hey thanks for the help

i bought that mixer with hooking up an effects box in mind. I hope if works out well for me.

I would rather go for the Kaoss pad 2. That effector is much easier to use, more powerful, cleaner sounding. It blows the Pio away in my opinion. And it can operate in two ways, as a send/return effector, or in a direct mode (like putting it on the master out for example). Definately check it out.

I would go with one of three suggestions:

The Korg Kaoss Pad 2
http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?A_PROD_NO=KP2

This unit is very good and offers quite a lot of effect to choose from. I've used one a couple of times, and the only thing that I don't like about it in particular is that it almost has TOO many effects! You won't use most of them and will have a hard time remembering which ones you like etc. Another problem with these types of analog controlled effects is that you will have a bitch of a time reproducing effects that you make because the effect is directly controled by the (x,y) position of your finger and the speed and direction in which you drag your finger. If this is something that you like or can live with, then this is a very good effects processor.

Alesis Air-FX and Air-Synth

http://www.alesis.com/products/airfx/index.html
http://www.alesis.com/products/airsynth/index.htm

They are inexpensive enough ($150 each) so that you could buy both if you wanted, and you can look at the different effects and see which is more appropriate for your needs. These still have all of the issues as the Korg Kaoss Pad does, so on to the last one...

Pioneer EFX 500

I personally think that this is your best choice. You have just enough effects as to be satisfied and not want for more. It is the only one of the effects processors that has a BPM counter and can therefore beatsynch the effects to the track. This is really really important if you want your effects to sound professional--at least if you are going to record your mixes and effect to a CD. Spinning live is different because most people will never notice, but when you listen to a cd, mixtakes will become much more noticable.

Anyway, I should have done this before I wrote the review on these products, but you mixer will accept inputs from an external effects processor (http://www.vestax.com/products/pcv275.htm). Look at the specifications. I know for sure that the efx500 uses 1/4" stereo phono jacks as the send/return cables, I'm not sure about the others though, you'll have to look for that if you are interested in them.

As always, see if you can go to a music shop first and play around with them. Bothe the Korg and Pioneer models should be common enough that you won't have to look too hard to find them in a store.

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When you dance, the DJ takes you on a journey, but he or she is usually not the focus of your experience at a club or festival or wherever you hear the music. Dancing is. Music is.

Hmm, KP2 also has BPM syncable effects (autodetect and manual tap, cmon do you really believe they would have forgot that feature! They even have 8 beatpatterns to make it even more tasty sounding). You can record your movements on the XY pad also to program some killer effects (the reason why the XY pad is there is to make it even more versatile. You have much more control moving your finger live on the pad than tweak some buttons). Can be controlled by MIDI if you have such gear and can serve itself as a midicontroller (so if you want to produce it can even be useful in the studio). And last but not least, it can double as a short sampler (2 times 6 seconds at 44.1 kHz, full reroutable through the effects engine). Yeah it has a lots of effects, but all of them are worth using.

I'd forget about the AirFX, effect don't sound as good (less dynamic, not as clean) and the box in itself isn't so sturdy. I've seen a lot of them come back after a few months.

Don't get me wrong, the EFX-500 is a good effector, but the KP2 just has all those little features that make it have an edge over the EFX. And the fact that in most shops the KP2 is cheaper, you can't use that argument either.

But again, and this time I agree with Flesch, go to the shop and test them. YOU must feel comfortable with it...

my cousin is thinking about buying an effects box also

does the efx500 have a sampler also? if so how many seconds can it record?

anyone know?
thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Flesch when you listen to a cd, mixtakes will become much more noticable.

LOL! did you just invent a new word Flesch?

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I have the same mixer as you with the pioneer efx 500.... Works perfectly together.... especially with the send and return.

There is no sampler on the pioneer.

I would get the pioneer over the kaos pad, but that's a personal opinion... I would try both out and see what one you like better.

As for ease of use... The pioneer is probably the easiest to learn piece of equipment... There really isn't anything to learn. Just start pushing buttons and the thing will sound good...

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SINsation Sound

quote:

Originally posted by JohnSmith LOL! did you just invent a new word Flesch?

haha, I think that I did! I of course didn't do that on purpose, but now I'm glad that I did. That is pretty funny!

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When you dance, the DJ takes you on a journey, but he or she is usually not the focus of your experience at a club or festival or wherever you hear the music. Dancing is. Music is.

Looking @ getting the KP2. Have just spoken to a mate who basically told me NOT to get it due to poor reliability. Reading around I can't find any bad reviews on the KP2. The KP1, was really bad for basically everyone on harmonycentral, but KP2 looks ok.

DO any of you actually own this??? (IF so, does/has it stuffed up)

--djway

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I'll get my Pioneer EFX500 for my Vestax PCV275 tomorrow

I'll write a review then if you like