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moosers
Published on 03/18/09 at 11:00
The Yamaha SPX900 is a multi effects processor in the form of a rack mountable single rack space piece of outboard gear. The processor is a digital unit and it has XLR connections in the back. It also has 1/4 inch inputs in the front for a foot switch or another type of external controller.
UTILIZATION
The configuration of the SPX900 takes a bit of getting used to. Like a lot of these early digital effects processors, there are a lot of digital windows to maneuver through, and this can take a bit to get used to. However, once you understand the basics of the unit, it is easy to get the sounds you want from it. It has a lot of different sounds and capabilities, which is the only reason there is somewhat of a learning curve. I don't have a manual for this, so I can't speak to how helpful it is or not, but it is probably useful when learning how to use the SPX 900.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound quality of the Yamaha SPX 900 digital multi effects processor is about average. While it has all different types of effects, including reverbs, delays, modulation effects, and others, none of the effects stand out or blow me away. This being said, they are all usable and well suited for a number of different applications. I have used the Yamaha SPX 900 on all types of instruments, including electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, electric keyboards, and drums. I like the reverb effects best, but all are adequate and usable.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using the Yamaha SPX 900 for about a year and have come to trust it as a handy piece of outboard gear. However, I found myself using plug-ins more and more for effects like this because of the drastic change in ease of use and its comparable sound quality. I believe I can get just as good or better sounds within some plug-ins over the SPX 900, but this doesn't mean that the SPX 900 is useless. The price of these isn't too expensive used, which still makes it a viable option. For those who love the feel of outboard gear and want an all effects in one processor, this is definitely worth a look into.
UTILIZATION
The configuration of the SPX900 takes a bit of getting used to. Like a lot of these early digital effects processors, there are a lot of digital windows to maneuver through, and this can take a bit to get used to. However, once you understand the basics of the unit, it is easy to get the sounds you want from it. It has a lot of different sounds and capabilities, which is the only reason there is somewhat of a learning curve. I don't have a manual for this, so I can't speak to how helpful it is or not, but it is probably useful when learning how to use the SPX 900.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound quality of the Yamaha SPX 900 digital multi effects processor is about average. While it has all different types of effects, including reverbs, delays, modulation effects, and others, none of the effects stand out or blow me away. This being said, they are all usable and well suited for a number of different applications. I have used the Yamaha SPX 900 on all types of instruments, including electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, electric keyboards, and drums. I like the reverb effects best, but all are adequate and usable.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using the Yamaha SPX 900 for about a year and have come to trust it as a handy piece of outboard gear. However, I found myself using plug-ins more and more for effects like this because of the drastic change in ease of use and its comparable sound quality. I believe I can get just as good or better sounds within some plug-ins over the SPX 900, but this doesn't mean that the SPX 900 is useless. The price of these isn't too expensive used, which still makes it a viable option. For those who love the feel of outboard gear and want an all effects in one processor, this is definitely worth a look into.