Eventide DSP4500 (1998)
The Eventide DSP4500 is the flagship of the DSP4000 family. It was introduced in the late 1990s as the successor to the TEC Award-winning DSP4000. It's a 2U rack-mount digital signal processor built around Eventide's proprietary Ultra-Harmonic engine, with triple DSP chips, 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion and 48-bit internal precision. Eventide positioned it against the Lexicon 480L and TC Electronic M5000, and aimed it at mastering, post-production, and live performance work.
The unit has 250 programs and stereo in/stereo out audio I/O on both XLR and 1/4" TRS, plus digital I/O (AES/EBU and S/PDIF). It runs natively at 44.1 and 48 kHz, with sample rate conversion onboard. The operating manual lists a bandwidth of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, dynamic range greater than 120 dB, THD under 0.002% at 1 kHz (+20 dBu), a maximum output level of +26 dBu, and 50 kΩ balanced input impedance. The front panel has a 2x20 alphanumeric backlit LCD, three user-configurable rotary encoders, and a bypass switch. The panel is removable for rack access. It originally sold for around $4,500 USD in 1999.
Sound on Sound (November 1998, p.118) covered the DSP4500 as the ultimate multi-effects processor. It noted the unit followed in the footsteps of the H3000 and the classic H910/H949 pitch-shifters. The same review (p.120) confirmed the unit handles all common sampling rates and measured THD at 0.005 percent.
The DSP4500 sits above the DSP4000 and below the DSP7000 in Eventide's DSP series. Eventide no longer services the unit directly - the company stated in 2020 that it is discontinued and unsupported. Known failure points are the backlit LCD going dim (aftermarket replacements require soldering), power supply capacitor failure after 15+ years, and wobbly front-panel encoders. A CR2032 battery also has to be replaced to retain patches when power is off. Typical used prices run $1,000 to $1,500 on Reverb (2023).
Owners consistently describe a split personality. The sound is superb, with lush reverbs and Ultra-Harmonic algorithms worth the price alone. The learning curve is steep, and the menu-dive-heavy programming compares poorly to the TC M5000. As one forum user put it, the front panel programming is a nightmare - most owners end up working via MIDI.
Known Specs
- 250 programs / presets
- 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion, 48-bit internal processing
- Triple DSP (Ultra-Harmonic engine)
- Sample rates: 44.1 / 48 kHz with onboard SRC
- Bandwidth: 20 Hz–20 kHz; Dynamic range: >120 dB
- THD: <0.002% @ 1kHz, +20 dBu
- I/O: Stereo analog (XLR + 1/4" TRS), AES/EBU, S/PDIF
- 2U rack-mount, removable front panel
- Original price: ~$4,500 USD (1999)
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