Review: Lexicon PCM96

Anyone vaguely familiar with studio paraphernalia will usually know a couple of bits of kit they can mention in passing, to give the impression they’re ‘in the know’. Years ago it was the Aphex Aural Exciter that took on the role of ‘default audio product’ – it sounded exciting enough, even though it really wasn’t all that flash. More recently it’s been the ubiquitous AutoTune that’s taken over this name-dropping mantle; a space-age piece of software that can re-pitch the bummest of notes to sound perfectly in tune (and vice-versa) – “It’s just amazing!” Similarly, when you mention reverb, most people – studio dweebs and lay-folk alike – reach for the only word in their lexicon that readily springs to mind: Lexicon.

REVERED REVERB

For decades, Lexicon has been one of the world’s premier digital reverb manufacturers. Since the release of the 224 in 1978, it’s been the ultimate choice for professional digital reverb simulation. The original 224 was a hefty unit that took up four rack spaces and offered either two or four programs; depending on which model you bought. It sounded great and quickly established a benchmark for others to follow. But it’s the Lexicon 480L – first manufactured in 1986 – that’s arguably Lexicon’s most famous reverb unit of all. Still supported by the company today, the 480L remains one of the kings of digital reverberation.

Building on this fine lineage is Lexicon’s latest offering, the PCM96. A single rack-unit device, the PCM96 melds the Lexicon sound with the modern amenity of software plug-in access. Apart from its normal standalone operation, the PCM96 can also be driven via a plug-in window within your chosen DAW platform. Lexicon first tested the waters of this format with its MX series processors – these units could be edited and controlled via a plug-in and USB link to the DAW host computer. The PCM96, however, is Lexicon’s latest step along its well-trodden PCM series path, and is therefore a far more upmarket device than the project studio MX range.

The PCM96 brings something extra to the connectivity scenario: control-only connection via cat-5 ethernet, or control and audio streaming via Firewire 400, or 800 using an adaptor. The control software installs as either an AU or VST plug-in, with RTAS support possible via the FX-Pansion VST wrapper. Ethernet communication caters to control only, with Firewire required for the audio streaming side of things. Operating systems supported include PPC and Intel Macs running 10.4.9 through to 10.4.11 (with a G5 1.8GHz processor cited as the minimum machine spec). Windows users don’t receive a Guernsey yet, unfortunately – although according to Lexicon, it’s ‘just around the corner’ apparently. For what it’s worth, I did run the software happily on a G4 dual-1.25GHz Mac, running 10.4.9, and my Mac Book 2.4GHz running 10.5.4. (Although there was the odd hiccup on the Leopard system, I must say). I also drove it using Logic Pro 8, ProTools LE 7.3.1 and ProTools HD 7.3.

BACK TO FRONT CONNECTIONS

As far as I/O is concerned, the PCM96 provides standard balanced XLR inputs and outputs (stereo) along with AES/EBU digital I/O. Wordclock In and the typical MIDI trio make an appearance, with the departure from the typical PCM lineage being the omission of coax S/PDIF I/O. In its place are two cat-5 ethernet ports and two Firewire 400 ports. The reasoning behind two of each is that multiple PCM96s can be daisy chained for control over all units. Power is via a standard IEC cable and Lexicon is kind enough (or is it the Australian distributor) to supply a short IEC mains cable with a piggyback connector – other processor manufacturers please take note.

Across the front panel are Lexicon’s usual array of three editing knobs and a larger program selection knob. The three edit controls affect whichever three parameters are displayed. To their right are a dedicated tap tempo button and a compact flash (Type I) memory card slot. Visual feedback on the PCM96 comes courtesy of a monochrome OLED display: I’m beginning to like these displays; they’re readable from a much broader range of angles than backlit LCD or fluorescent designs.

FOUR BY FOUR

The DSP under the bonnet of the PSM96 can be configured in a number of ways. The four blocks can be arranged as either one monster ‘super stereo’ processor, through various permutations of cascading and mono-to-stereo, all the way down to four discrete mono processors. I/O is, however, restricted to two Ins and Outs, with the full quotient of four mono (96k) streams only available via Firewire and the plug-ins. I’m baffled as to why this isn’t possible using the unit alone and running the digital and analogue I/O concurrently. The proprietary processors take a very large leap from predecessors such as the PCM81 and 91, most notably with the increase in sampling rate from 48k to a maximum of 96k. Both the older units processed audio at a much lower 24-bit and 20-bit respectively, whereas the PCM96 utilises 32/64-bit floating-point mathematics. Audio quality has also been greatly increased, with around 12dB added to the dynamic range of all digital conversion processes, along with a vastly expanded frequency response – out to a supersonic 40kHz. Crosstalk specs have increased from 55dB in the older models to a 21st century 90dB. In theory, however, many of these specifications are redundant when using the PCM96 via Firewire, and the specifications of your DAW system come into play.