#Digitech mv 5 midi vocalist reviews series

The Workstation contains 50 factory presets and a further 50 blank locations into which you can store your tweaked and edited patches. Luckily, with the Workstation's onboard faders, this is a simple enough procedure, and once I'd set up these levels, I found the unit to be extremely quiet and well behaved. Just as with any other processor, setting up the input and output levels is crucial to the performance of the module. The Workstation has 18вЂ‘bit A/D converters, and has a frequency response of 15HzвЂ‘20kHz, resulting in impressive sound quality. How It WorksДЄt the heart of the Vocalist Workstation (as with all recent Vocalist products) is a harmony processing chip from IVL Technologies in Canada (see IVL interview in SOS August '96), and Digitech certainly use this technology to its fullest potential. Certainly while I was carrying out this review, things got a little crowded, cableвЂ‘wise. This smaller, more lightweight construction does have its advantages, and has obviously contributed to keeping the price down, but you do get the feeling that the whole unit might be just a bit too compact at just 267x167mm, especially when you consider that under normal operating conditions you are likely to have at least five cables going into the back panel. Be warned, though - unlike the Studio Vocalist, the Vocalist Workstation does not provide phantom power, and is powered at the unusual voltage of 9.75V DC from a shortвЂ‘cabled 'wall wart' that will almost certainly be impossible to replace if it goes wrong! In favour of portability, the unit weighs only 0.7kg. Audio signals can be sent to the unit via the mono line in, or you can plug a mic straight into the single, balanced XLR input. There is a footswitch and headphone socket, as well as the usual MIDI In, Out and Thru sockets. The multiple XLR and line output options of the Studio Vocalist have been ditched in favour of a simpler set of stereo line outs. What's more, there would have been enough physical space on the front panel to accommodate a slightly larger display. The LCD is clear enough and backlit, but you can't help feeling that both this and the LEDs are just a little too small - in a dark and crowded live venue, you could acquire a pronounced squint trying to see what is going on.

Up near the 4x20вЂ‘character liquid crystal display, there are eight soft keys (arranged in two rows of four), four input monitor LEDs that range from вЂ‘30 to 0dB, a MIDI Active LED, an overload warning LED, and two others that indicate when the pitch detection circuitry has recognised the incoming note. There is a fingerвЂ‘friendly data wheel on the top right, and a simple oneвЂ‘octave 'keyboard' for inputting chord changes and other pitch information. Five sensiblyвЂ‘proportioned faders nestle on the drum machineвЂ‘sized top panel, and these control input, output and reverb levels, as well as the original signal (or 'Lead', as it is referred to) and harmony levels. Physically, the Vocalist Workstation is very reminiscent of the original Digitech VHM5 design. However, the inclusion of the builtвЂ‘in reverbs and onboard faders could win it quite a few friends. With a price tag of around the ВЈ750 mark, the unit is cheaper than the Studio Vocalist, but more expensive than the MIDI Vocalist, and is therefore unlikely to be classed as an entryвЂ‘level piece of gear.

After several more wellвЂ‘received incarnations, including the fullyвЂ‘featured rackmount Studio Vocalist and the cheaper, easyвЂ‘toвЂ‘use MIDI Vocalist (see SOS August '95 and July '96 respectively), Digitech have now redesigned this multiвЂ‘talented module once again, coming up with the Vocalist Workstation reviewed here. The ability to pitchвЂ‘shift live or recorded vocals and thereby create accurate harmonies (or correct dodgy singing) seemed almost too good to be true, and with MIDI control thrown in, the Vocalist's success in the hiвЂ‘tech market was assured.

#Digitech mv 5 midi vocalist reviews series

When Digitech released the first in their Vocalist series of 'intelligent harmonisers', the VHM5 (see SOS October 1991), it caused something of a minor revolution.

The newest member of Digitech's Vocalist family of intelligent pitchвЂ‘shifters boasts some slimmedвЂ‘down features from previous models and a'handsвЂ‘on' user interface.Paul Farrer warms up with some scales, adjusts his bow tie and takes this powerful module right through to the standing ovation and bouquets.

Digitech mv-5 midi vocalist reviews