Lexicon MPX 500 V2 - UPGRADE, MPX 500 Installation Instructions Manual

Installation Instructions & Release Notes

© 2001 Lexicon, Inc. Bedford, MA USA All rights reserved

This document should not be construed as a commitment on the part of Lexicon, Inc.
The information it contains is subject to change without notice. Lexicon, Inc. assumes no
responsibility for errors that may appear within this publication.

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Installation Intructions

To preserve System Parameter settings and User Bank programs,

WARNING

WARNING

Dangerous voltages capable of causing death are

present in this instrument. Use extreme caution

when handling, testing, and adjusting.

Lexicon, Inc.

SAFETY SUMMARY

DO NOT SERVICE OR ADJUST ALONE

Do not attempt internal service or adjustment unless another person
capable of rendering first aid and resuscitation is present.

DO NOT SUBSTITUTE PARTS OR MODIFY INSTRUMENT

Because of the danger of introducing additional hazards, do not install
substitute parts or perform any unauthorized modification to the
instrument.

DANGEROUS PROCEDURE WARNINGS

Warnings such as the example below precede potentially
dangerous procedures throughout this manual. Instructions contained in
the warnings must be followed.

Denotes important information. It calls
attention to a procedure, practice,
condition, or the like which is essential to
highlight.

MPX 500 Version 2 Software Installation Intructions

5

CAUTION

Note:

ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD) PRECAUTIONS

The following practices minimize possible damage to EPROMs resulting
from electrostatic discharge or improper insertion:

• Keep parts in original containers until ready for use.

• Avoid having plastic, vinyl, or styrofoam in the work area.

• Wear an anti-static wrist strap.

• Discharge personal static before handling devices.

• Remove and insert boards with care.

• When removing boards, handle only by non-conductive surfaces
and never touch open-edge connectors except at a static-free
workstation.*

• Minimize handling of EPROMs.

• Handle each EPROM by its body.

• Do not slide EPROMs or boards over any sur face.

• Insert EPROMs with the proper orientation, and watch for bent pins on
EPROMs.

• Use anti-static containers for handling and transport.

* To make a plastic-laminated workbench anti-static, wash with a

solution of Lux liquid detergent, and allow to dry without rinsing.

Instructions

Perfor ming this upgrade is an easy process. But to avoid
problems, please follow these instructions carefully. Pay
particular attention to the precautions listed in the safety
summary, and those that appear throughout these
instructions. Any damage caused during installation is not
covered under warranty.

STEP 1 - OPEN THE UNIT

1. Using a size 1 Phillips head screwdriver, remove
the screws (Lexicon Part No. 640-02812) on the
top and bottom of the unit (three on top, three on
bottom).

Lexicon, Inc.

WARNING

TURN OFF AND DISCONNECT ALL POWER TO THE UNIT

PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE.

Top View of Unit

Front

Back

3. Remove the screw (Lexicon Part No. 640-02812)

and nut (Lexicon Part No. 643-01732) closest to
the AC receptacle. This is the only screw with a
nut attached.

4. Remove the nine larger screws (Lexicon Part No.

641-11466) on the back panel.

5. Using a size 0 Phillips head screwdriver, remove

the four smaller screws (Lexicon Part No. 641-

12759) near the MIDI IN & OUT/THRU ports.

MPX 500 Version 2 Software Installation Intructions

7

Screw & Nut

inside unit

9 Larger Screws

4 Smaller Screws

Lexicon, Inc.

STEP TWO - INSTALL THE EPROM

1. Refer to the illustration below to locate the
EPROM on the MPX 500 main board (location U9).

2. Check the EPROM provided with the upgrade kit.
Because the manufacturing process leaves the
pins angled out slightly from the body of the
EPROM, the pins must be straightened before
insertion. Use the following procedure to
straighten the pins:

A. Place the EPROM on its side on a static-free,

flat surface.

Pin 1

Note:

To reassemble the unit, follow instructions 1-7
under the heading “Step 1 - Open the Unit”
(pages 6-8) in reverse order.

MPX 500 Version 2 Software Installation Intructions

9

CAUTION

EPROMs inserted backwards will
be destroyed. Incorrect insertion
of EPROMs is also likely to cause
damage to the board.

Notch

Pin 1

Lexicon, Inc.

THE COMPRESSOR

The new software contains a compressor that is available
with all presets. It sits in the Wet component of the signal
path in front of the effect(s) for the current preset. It is
controlled with four new parameters: Compression Ratio,
Threshold, Attack Time, and Release Time, which are
available on a new Edit page in each preset.

Available ratio values are: 1:1 (Off), 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, and
10:1. Threshold values range from 0dB to -32dB and are
relative to 0dBFS (meaning digital saturation). The
compressor is disabled (turned off) if either the Ratio is set
to 1:1 or the Threshold is set high enough to prevent the
incoming signal from crossing the compression threshold.

Attack and Release Times are approximate indicators of
how quickly the compressor responds, within 3dB of the
final output level dictated by the incoming signal. For
most music material, Release should be about four times
longer than Attack. Both must be long enough to
accommodate the bass content of the music. If the
compressor is set to react faster than the waveform of the
music itself, the resulting changes in output level will
re-shape the waveform enough to generate undesirable
audio effects. For example, 80Hz has a period of 12ms. If
this is a dominant component in the music material, set
both Attack and Release to be at least 12ms, even longer
for better results.

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

As with other Edit parameters, the four Compressor
parameters can be controlled via MIDI commands. The
default MIDI patchings for these parameters are
Continuous Controllers 19, 20, 21, and 22.

THE LEVEL METERS

The input-level meters on the left side of the LCD display
now show calibrated values, with 0dB indicating digital
saturation. Markings on the open portion of each meter
show -6, -18, and -32dB. The meters also have single-pixel
precision in which each pixel represents 2dB. As the signal
level rises to cover these markings, the lower portion of
each meter shows marks at 6dB intervals.

Gain reduction from the compressor is indicated by a
descending bar situated between the two input-level
meters. Like the input-level meters, it is calibrated in 2dB
increments per pixel.

NEW BANKS AND PRESETS

The MPX 500 Version 2 has 15 new presets in 2 new banks:
Comprssr holds presets 240-249 and Live-FOH (Live Front
Of House) holds presets 250-255.

Lexicon, Inc.

In all of these presets, the Adjust knob (knob 1, Edit page

2) controls "gain make-up" within a range of 0dB (none) to

9.5dB. This can be used to match volumes between the
Dry bypassed level and the compressed output level
obtained with typical music material.

With these presets, Mix should normally be set fully Wet
(100%) so the compressed Dly signal is the only output
signal present. Of course, the user can experiment with
Mix settings less than 100%. For example, if Mix is set to
75%, about 1/4 of the signal power will bypass the
compressor. Thus as the signal crosses the threshold, only
part of it will be compressed, resulting in an effective
compression ratio somewhat less than the indicated ratio.
However, when the gain-reduction increases to about
6dB, the compressed Wet portion drops relative to the Dry
component and the compressor becomes less significant.
This creates a subtle expansion effect until the final output
returns to a normal 1:1 ratio.

The six Compressor/Reverb presets are constructed to
offer both a reverb component and a zero-delay Dry
component, with the compressor acting on both. Mix
should be kept fully Wet and effective mix should be
adjusted via the Efx/Bal control (knob 3, Edit page 2).

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

alternate Edit pages

longer echoes/delays) and one that can be set
manually with a knob labelled Delay (generally
used to create a "slap" of perhaps 60-135ms). The
Tap/Dly knob provides an equal-power tradeoff of
the delay levels. The default incorporates equal
levels of each. Note that although the Tap delay is
ideally suited for longer rhythm-sensitive effects and
the manually-controlled delay is better for shorter
times, both delays are capable of delivering a full
range of delay times and can be cross fed into each
other for more extreme effects.

• Some of the non-essential parameters (i.e. Efx/Bal
and HF Rlloff) have been removed from the Edit
pages. Because most live engineers control these with
the return channels of the system mixer, their
presence on the MPX 500 Edit pages was considered
distracting.

• The most commonly used dual mono combination
is Delay and Reverb, so there is a preset (#255) with
an alternative knob mapping for this combination. Its
first two Edit pages are arranged with delay
parameters on the left (knobs 1 and 2) and reverb
parameters on the right (knobs 3 and 4). This
arrangement splits the effects’ controls left to right
rather than by page.

Lexicon, Inc.

Installation of the MPX 500 Version 2 Software Upgrade
will reset the system configuration to factory-default
settings.

To preserve System Parameter settings and User

Bank programs, perfor m the following steps:

1. Dump the System Parameters or User Bank into an
external MIDI device before installing the upgrade.
(These are two separate dumps.)

2. Install the Version 2 software upgrade.

3. Send the previously saved System Parameter or User
Bank dump back to the MPX 500.

Note:

Some of the Plate, Chamber, and Room presets
have been changed slightly, and the Ambience
presets have been improved. The characters of
all the presets have been preserved in Version 2,
with minor exceptions. If the User Bank contains
programs that were based on these, they may
not sound exactly the same. This is especially true
if significant edits were made via the Adjust
parameter.

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

Errata Notes

• On page 19, the MPX 500 User Guide incorrectly states

that Memory Protect Mode prevents changes to the
User Bank or the System Parameters. When enabled,
Memory Protect Mode does prevent changes to the
User Bank. But it does not prevent changes to the
System Parameters, nor does it prevent restoration of
the MPX 500 factory-default settings. This means that
Factory Init will erase any stored programs in the User
Bank.

• Paragraph four of the original Release Notes for the

MPX 500 contained a list of presets from which the
Tempo patch was removed after the original User
Guide was prepared. That list had a few omissions.
Following is a correct version: 3, 5, 6, 7, 63, 64, 170, 171,
172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 210, 215, 236, 237,

238.

• A Tempo patch was added to preset #12.

Parameter Descriptions

The tables on pages 16-22 provide a comprehensive list of
the MPX 500 parameters. Brief descriptions of each are
also included.

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes

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MPX 500 Version 2 Software Release Notes