Ensoniq seem determined to break into the big‑league effects market with their highly specified 24‑bit DP Pro. Paul White investigates.Ensoniq's DP/4 effects unit surprised a lot of people with its clarity and finesse, but now the company have come up with a 1U 24‑bit effects unit that's very obviously targeted at the potential Lexicon PCM80 or TC Electronic M2000 Wizard purchaser.
Even the format of the machine is very familiar — there's a choice of analogue‑only inputs and outputs or a digital I/O option, up to two simultaneous effects (or hybrid effects combinations) with a choice of series and parallel routing options, a database search engine for finding effects by type or application, and real‑time MIDI parameter control. The analogue audio path goes via 20‑bit converters to give a 100dB dynamic range, though the digital I/O option can provide interfacing with up to 24‑bit word length.
As supplied, this sleek 1U machine has three banks of patches — two empty user banks of 128 patches each, and one factory preset bank of 128 patches. A further bank contains templates for the six signal‑routing options used to combine the effects algorithms; this contains just six patches, which can be copied to any location. Each of the two powerful on‑board processors can run any one of 38 effects algorithms at a time (some of which create two simultaneous effects), so the DP Pro is more than a one‑at‑a‑time effects machine, but it isn't designed to provide loads of effects running at the same time.
In addition to studio effects, the unit can handle certain types of dynamic processing, such as compression, gating and de‑essing, as well as stereo synthesis and stereo image manipulation. Especially worthy of note is the inclusion of a Mastering Limiter — another shot across TC's bows? This incorporates a lookahead system with elaborate peak detection to ensure no overshoot, but with the minimum of side effects. It also acts as a level maximiser, levelling out changes in amplitude between successive songs on an album. With the digital I/O fitted, this would be a very useful adjunct to a digital editing workstation.
User Interface
The first thing I want to do when I get hold of a new effects machine is to try out a few of the factory patches so I can get an idea of what kind of things the box can do, and how well it does them. In this case, the patches are arranged into banks of 128 in typical MIDI fashion. You select a new bank by either pressing the Select button to step around the available banks, or using the data wheel to scroll through the patches in the current bank and then the next one. Patches are loaded using the Enter button, though MIDI Bank and Program Change commands are also accepted. Disconcertingly, though, once a patch has been loaded, the display continues to flash, which I find off‑putting. (Apparently the logic for this is than anything in the window that can be changed using the data wheel will flash, and, in the case of patches, you can always use the wheel to select a new patch — hence the flashing.) If you simply want to cruise the presets, this is about all you need to know.
The review model came with blanking plates covering the digital I/O section socket cutouts — the digital interfacing (S/PDIF and AES/EBU), comes as an option rather than as standard. The analogue configuration is 2‑channel in, 2‑channel out, with combined jack/XLR connectors for the inputs and separate jacks and XLRs for the outputs. Both sets of connections are balanced, and a rear‑panel switch chooses between +4dBu and ‑10dBV operation. Both the inputs and outputs are converted at 20 bits with 128 times oversampling. The full set of MIDI In, Out and Thru connectors is fitted, along with a jack labelled Foot Switch 1&2. Mains power comes in via an IEC lead, and there's no external voltage selector.
The front‑panel layout is nicely uncluttered, with an almost total absence of dual‑function buttons. A rotary level control and stereo LED VU meters look after the input levels and the Meter Function switch swaps between input and output level monitoring. Three LEDs show the selected sample rate — the 48kHz LED was illuminated on this unit, but to me it would make more sense if all the sample rate LEDs stayed off until the digital option was fitted. Two more LEDs detect digital in and MIDI In activity, and a four‑digit numeric readout shows both the currently selected bank and patch number. A 24 x 2 character LCD window shows the type of effect, its routing and the patch name; in the edit modes, this window is used to provide parameter information. Data entry is via a single rotary encoder, and 20 buttons with integral status LEDs handle the rest.
Inside the DP Pro are two Ensoniq ESP2 VLSI signal processing chips, referred to in the manual as ESP A and ESP B. There's also a 16MHz, 16‑bit host processor to look after housekeeping. Each of the ESP chips can run one of a selection of effects algorithms, most of which provide either a single effect or a process, though there are a few dual‑effect configurations. When you're creating a new effects patch, there are six possible routing options for the two effects processors, two series (one with overall feedback), two parallel, dual mono (mono out) and dual mono (combined stereo mix out).
Effect Creation
To create a new effect, it's probably easiest to edit one of the factory patches, but if you want to start from scratch, the order in which to work is first to choose a routing option, then decide which algorithms to load into the ESP A and B processors. In fact this procedure is mimicked by the edit button layout, which starts with the routing button, then forks into A and B paths with buttons for Algorithm, Parameter, Mod and bypass. Once you've chosen your algorithms, there's the usual menu of user‑variable parameters which you can step through by pressing the Parameter button to call up the required parameter group (Tweak, Mixer and Algorithm parameters), then using the Previous and Next buttons to navigate through them. Value changes are made using the data wheel, and finished edits can be stored in any user location.
Up to four parameters may be modulated in real time via MIDI, external footswitches, two internal LFOs or the data entry knob's 'Tweak function', for both ESP A and B, and either processor can be bypassed if you only need to use one of them. Modulation parameters may be set so that the modulating source adds to or subtracts from the set parameter or, if you prefer, the set parameter can be overridden completely, leaving the mod source in full control.
Obviously, when you're paying the best part of a kilo‑quad for an effects box, you expect it to be just a little bit special.
Tweak is a neat feature that borrows from Lexicon's Soft Row concept, but works rather differently. When you're setting up the effects parameters, you can also designate up to eight parameters per ESP for quick access, so that instead of having to get into full Edit mode to change something, you simply keep pressing the Tweak button until the parameter you want to change comes up, then use the data entry knob to change it. The Tweak menu can contain as many or as few parameters as you like, up to the maximum of eight per ESP.
Delay‑ or LFO‑related effects can also be set up using the front‑panel Tap Tempo button, or they can be synchronised to external MIDI Clock so that effects‑timing parameters can respond to tempo changes in the material being effected. Each ESP includes parameters for adjusting both input and output level as well as the left/right balance of the incoming signal and the wet/dry level. Algorithms may also be copied or moved from one ESP chip to the other.
Using The DP Pro
Using the machine was slightly complicated by the fact that this early version of the manual doesn't include full descriptions of all the algorithm parameters, but it describes the operating system very clearly, and a revised manual is due imminently. In fact, the operating system is one of the best I've come across and, once you've figured out what some of the less obvious parameters do, programming and editing are a doddle. The individual ESP bypass buttons make it easy to turn off one effect while you're working on the other, the edit buttons proceed in a perfectly logical order, which matches the way you'd normally work, and the result of any parameter change is heard almost immediately. However, changing patches takes quite a long time — around a second, at a guess — which suggests that some of the algorithms are very sophisticated and processor‑intensive.
As supplied, the unit is set up for a stereo input and there's no normalising function to let the DP Pro know that only one jack is plugged in. For this reason, if you want to run with a single mono input, you have to let the software in on your intentions. Once you've got this far, it's all pretty simple — the combination of the Search system and the Tweak parameters makes it easy to find a suitable type of effect, then, in most cases, you can quickly customise it using the Tweak options rather than having to get involved with editing. If you do have cause to get into more serious editing, the process is both logical and painless, though the menus for some of the more involved algorithms' parameters are quite extensive.
Obviously, when you're paying the best part of a kilo‑quid for an effects box, you expect it to be just a little bit special. Though the DP Pro doesn't have too many wild tricks that can't be duplicated using competing products, the effects you do get are supremely good, both technically and artistically. The reverbs in particular have a well‑integrated quality about them, and while they might sound fairly ordinary in isolation, they work very well in the context of a mix. The decays are smooth and quiet, the reflections conveying the character of the type of room you're trying to emulate, and there's plenty of parameter adjustment for customising your own rooms, including the usual decay time, pre‑echoes, diffusion, frequency tailoring, damping and so forth.
Chorus effects are two a penny — any old effects box has a whole bank of the things — but, again, not all chori are born equal. In the DP Pro you can throw together a more obvious guitar chorus with the added richness of multi‑tapped algorithms, but when you combine the effect with multi‑voice pitch detuning, then work on the parameters, results can range all the way from a rotary speaker to an ensemble effect so subtle that you don't know it's there until you turn it off. The Symphony preset provides a clean and creditable alternative to Yamaha's famous Symphonic chorus, and there are other versions not dissimilar to Roland's extremely collectable Dimension D.
Being able to combine the two effects blocks in several different series and parallel ways provides a simple way of getting more variety, but it also enables the DP Pro to be used as a true dual‑effects processor with two mono inputs and a combined stereo output. Here each channel runs its own algorithm, so, unlike some multifunction effects units which offer limited dual‑input operation, the DP Pro has no restriction over what effect can be placed on each channel. It's also possible to run each channel as a mono in, mono out effect. Unfortunately, with any unit like this, you could make a career out of exploring the creative potential of the algorithms, and in the time available for a review, there's not much to spare for experimentation. Even so, it's quite obvious that this processor has an enormous amount of creative potential — and, thanks to the friendly operating system, getting results doesn't take as long as you might think.
Summary
From my time using it, it's pretty obvious that the DP Pro is a good machine to have on your side, but how does it differ from the competition — in fact, what is the competition? Obvious contenders are the more expensive Lexicon PCM80 and TC Electronic's M2000 Wizard, and though the lower‑priced Lexicon MPX1 is more of an overt multi‑effects unit, I guess it still shares the same arena. Come to think of it, the Alesis Q2 is also a very serious multi‑effects unit — a fact that many people have still not come to fully appreciate. Though the DP Pro is cheaper than both its main competitors, it doesn't have the advantage of an expansion card slot for adding more algorithms, additional effects storage or third‑party patches. However, Ensoniq tell me that there will be future user‑installable OS EPROM upgrades which will add new algorithms and additional banks of factory presets. In addition, software will become available for a number of popular computer‑based editor/librarian programs, including Opcode Galaxy and Emagic Sound Diver, to provide further access to third‑party presets.
The fact that the digital interface comes as an option, not as standard, is probably one reason that the DP Pro's basic price is so attractive; as the majority of people don't yet use digital interfacing on effects, this is one way of making a saving without cutting back on quality. Adding the mastering dynamics processing was also a clever move — with some companies' products, you have to buy one box for the effects and another for the mastering tools. The DP Pro's broad repertoire of serious studio effects, classy reverb algorithms, and friendly operating system make it a welcome addition to a relatively uncrowded section of the effects market.
The Effects
The sidebar 'Effects Algorithms' should give you some idea of what the unit is capable of, though it's interesting to note that, as well as the more obvious effects, there's a Tunable speaker option that could be useful for creating post‑pro 'futz' sounds, such as transistor radios and TV sets. There's also Chatter box — no in‑depth explanation is provided in the early version of the manual, but this seems to involve modulated formant filtering, which lends the effected sounds a slight vocal or 'chattery' quality.
The reverb algorithms supplied here are smooth, polished and versatile; in addition to the more obvious reverb parameters, there are several individually adjustable delays and a number of associated diffusion parameters. All the usual reverb types are available, including early reflections and small rooms, though there are two separate ambience algorithms and one 'Reflection Modeler' for adding space to a sound without clouding it with reverb.
Pitch shifting provides up to three voices per channel, with delay and filtered feedback. These may be controlled via MIDI or set manually, and there are multi‑voice detuning treatments. The detuning, rotary speaker and chorus options are very flexible, and compare favourably with other very serious effects processors. As usual, sounds shifted up or down by any significant amount take on a shimmery modulation, but, to be fair, the quality of shifting available here stands comparison with the shifting used in just about any multi‑effects processor, many of which are more costly than this one.
Also worthy of special mention is the Spatial Delay, a kind of multi‑tapped echo that seems to come from everywhere. The multitap delay algorithm can have up to 32 individual delay taps, with filtering and diffusion, and the compressor is as good as any I've tried on an all‑digital box.
Effects Algorithms
There are 39 effects algorithms available: | |
00 No effects | 20 Non‑Lin Reverb |
01 Mastering Limiter | 21 Non‑Lin Reverb 2 |
02 Compressor limiter | 22 Multi‑Pitch Shift |
03 Compressor | 23 Multi‑Chorus |
04 Expander | 24 Flanger |
05 Stereo Gate | 25 Phaser |
06 Dual Mono Gate | 26 Tremolo |
07 De‑Esser | 27 Panner |
08 Stereo Synthesizer | 28 Chatter Box |
09 Stereo Re‑imager | 29 Rotary Speaker |
10 Variable Tap Delay | 30 Tunable Speaker |
11 Spatial Delays | 31 Parametric EQ |
12 Ping‑Pong Delay | 32 Octave EQ |
13 Stereo Delay | 33 Delay+Chorus |
14 Loop Recorder | 34 Delay+Flanger |
15 Expert Reverb | 35 Delay+Phaser |
16 Expert Reverb 2 | 36 Distortion+Chorus |
17 Reflection Modeler | 37 Distortion+Flanger |
18 Small Ambience | 38 Distortion+Phaser |
19 Small Ambience 2 | 39 Signal Generator |
Pros
- Quiet, high‑quality effects.
- Optional digital I/O helps keeps the price of the basic model down.
- Very straightforward operating system.
- Friendly Tweak and Search functions.
- 256 user memories.
Cons
- Current manual too sparse.
- No expansion card slot.
Summary
One of the few truly professional effects units available for under £1500.