Function Buttons

The Function Buttons allow you to access additional global settings.

There are 4 function buttons

1. Setup
2. Help
3. Engine 1
4. Engine 2

Once you’ve selected a specific function, you can use the tabs to switch from screen to screen to adjust preferences and other settings that aren't normally visible.

Setup

Clicking the Setup button gives you access to 4 tabs of settings.

1. I/O
2. Config
3. Mapping
4. Display

I/O Tab

The Setup I/O Tab is where you’ll find controls that emulate the original hardware's different inputs, outputs, noise profiles, as well as overall level trims.

I/O Mode

In the I/O Mode section, you can switch between several emulations of the different input/output stages of the hardware unit:

1. Digital - this is an emulation of the original 18-bit digital I/O
2. Main - this is an emulation of the original main analog outputs
3. Aux - this is an emulation of the original secondary outputs

The original hardware used a combination of 6-bit and 16/18-bit processing, which inevitably introduced “grit,” “dirt,” and “artifacts” into the calculation of the reverberation (most noticeable with heavy modulation settings).

This is a large part of the legendary sound of the original hardware and works very well on rock/vintage pop productions etc.

However, such artifacts may be considered undesirable in classical productions or other situations where you want a “modern” ultra-clean timbre.

The LX480 provides the option to remove the inherent analogue hiss by choosing a mode without “Noise”, using the checkbox to the right of the mode selection buttons.

Additional distortion and noise can be removed using the “18-bit” and “mod truncation” checkboxes on the Setup->Config tab.

Levels

The I/O Levels section allows you trim the input and output stages of the plug-in.

The Left and Right side of the stereo field is controlled independently.

Use the checkbox above each pair of trims to link the controls. Any disparity between L-R is maintained when the stereo-link is checked.

Config Tab

The Setup Config Tab allows you to change the dual engine routing, as well as toggle various emulation characteristics ON and OFF.

Dual Engine Configuration

The configuration section controls the routing of the dual sound engines in the LX480.

There are FOUR routing options:

1. Single: This is the default mode. Only one engine is active at any one time, and acts on the stereo input. To choose which engine is active, use the E1 and E2 buttons.
2. Cascade: This mode chains the two engines in series. It passes the output of Engine 1 into Engine 2.
3. Mono split: In this mode, the left input signal is processed by Engine 1 and the right by Engine 2. The resulting signals are then summed at the output. This can be especially useful when creating a unique and sometimes unnaturally wide stereo field.
4. Stereo split: This mode routes the stereo signal to both engines and combines the output from both. This routing option adds a massive amount of flexibility to the LX480.

Note

Because Cascade mode is in a series configuration, the mix parameter of Engine 2 will be a blend between the effected signal of Engine 2 (wet) and the output signal of Engine 1 (dry). In other words, the signal that Engine 2 receives is not the dry input signal. Therefore, a mix blend on Engine 2 will not add the unaffected dry signal back into the signal path.

Emulation

The emulation section enables you to turn various aspects of the emulation ON or OFF.

• 18-bit: This switches between the original hardware bit-depth of 18-bit and a 32-bit float. However, when the 18-bit mode is turned off, it doesn’t get truncated as it used on the original hardware. Although the change in overall distortion level is subtle when switching from 18-bit to the 32-bit float, the reverb time is impacted. And just like on the original hardware, the reverb time is significantly shortened when using 18-bit.
• Saturation: This turns a hard-clipping saturation ON or OFF. This saturation occurs due to the integer precision of the original hardware, producing distortion inside the algorithm, thus resulting in a more gritty/edgy/present reverb sound. The LEV parameter must be above 160 before saturation is introduced. In the original hardware, only Random Hall Ambience contained the LEV parameter, making it the only algorithm with that type of saturation. In LX480, we have introduced the LEV parameter to the Hall and Plate/Room algorithms as well (and therefore the resulting saturation effect too). To get the original sound from the hardware, set LEV to 160 (default) for those algorithms.
• RH Bug: This turns a particular bug found in the RHall algorithm of the original hardware ON or OFF. This bug is occurs when Spin (SPN) and Wander (WAN) are set to zero, and the size is changed, resulting in a metallic sound.
• Mod. Truncation: This switches between the bit-depth of the modulation section of the algorithm and the 32-bit float. The original hardware’s modulation section was only 8-bit. Therefore, when the modulation truncation setting is enabled, the result is a grittier reverb with a richer top-end. This was one of the most unique and familiar characteristics of the original hardware unit.

Tip: By turning off the 18-bit Saturation and Mod. Truncation settings, you get a cleaner, more modern reverb sound. But please keep in mind that in doing so, you sacrifice the edgy artifacts that gave the original hardware its unique “forward” sound.

Mapping Tab

On the Setup Mapping Tab, there are two main sections:

1. Tempo Sync - This changes whether the reverb time, pre-delay and the delays on the Twin Delay algorithm are synced to a sub-division of the host DAWs tempo.
2. Quick Page Mapping - This allows you to customize which parameters are displayed on the quick page.

Note

Tempo Sync settings affect both Engine 1 and Engine 2.

Tempo Sync

The Tempo Sync checkboxes are used to base the associated sliders' time on a sub-division of the host DAW's session tempo.

The range for each of these sliders is between 1/64 triplet and 1 bar dotted.

Quick Page Mapping

Quick Page Mapping allows you customize what is displayed on all six faders on the quick page.

Note: Quick page customization is only available in Advanced Mode.

In Hardware Mode, the parameters are locked to the same order as the original hardware.

Display Tab

The Setup Display Tab allows you to change the display size of the plug-in. This is incredibly helpful when working with different size screens, from laptops to large 6k screens.

The LX480 supports three sizes:

Size	Dimension	Designed For
Small	416 × 720	Laptops
Medium	624 × 1080	iMacs or other large 4k screens
Large	832 × 1440	Large 6k screens

Note

If the size of the plug-in exceeds the available screen resolution, unusable size options will not be accessible for selection.

For instance, on many laptops, the small size is the only available option.

Help

This button links to a quick start guide which contains links to the help center, the learning center and more.

Dual Engine Buttons

At the heart of the LX480 is the versatile and powerful dual engine.

The dual engine allows you to chain two different effects together in new and exciting ways, helping you create a unique senses of spaciousness and envelopment.

To find the current engine configuration, simply press the Setup Button and click on the Config Tab.

You can quickly switch between each engine's settings using the E1 and E2 buttons.

By default, the LX480 is set to a single configuration, giving you a simple starting point.

This means the audio will only be routed through the currently selected engine, with only that one engine being active.

Detailed information on all of the different engine modes is in the Operation -> Setup -> Config section.

Note: Presets in the LX480 save the configuration of both engines and any global setup parameters affecting the audio. This means that your favourite effects chains can be saved for recall later.