Lexicon MPX-200
Lexicon's bid to put a slice of its reverb reputation on a project-studio desk - one sample rate, no menu, and a converter section that punches above the price.
Overview
Lexicon built its name on reverb, and the MPX-200 is the company's attempt to put a piece of that reputation on a project-studio desk for a few hundred dollars. It arrived at $399, with the simpler MPX 110 following at $329, and Mix (2002, p.48) noted that up to four program and compression parameters can be controlled from the front panel adjust knob. The pitch was Lexicon raising the bar while lowering the price, as EQ (June 2001, p.106) put it.
The conversion spec is a 44.1kHz AKM AK4528 converter running at 24-bit, feeding a Lexichip3 DSP. That is the whole sample-rate story. No 48kHz option, no 96kHz, no sample-rate menu. You get one rate. For a box aimed at project studios cutting to CD or feeding a DAW at 44.1, that is a defensible decision, and it keeps the clocking simple.
The MPX-200 is a 24-bit true stereo dual-channel processor with analog and digital audio I/O, S/PDIF in and out at 44.1 kHz, MIDI in and out, and a footswitch input. The analog side is more interesting than a budget box usually gets, because Lexicon put real effort into the input stage. The unit also carries extensive diagnostic capabilities and detailed service notes, which helps anyone keeping one alive decades later.
Key Features
44.1kHz AKM AK4528 Converter with Lexichip3 DSP
The converter is an AKM AK4528 running at 24-bit, and the processing engine is Lexicon's Lexichip3. That pairing is why the MPX-200 sounds like a Lexicon and not a generic budget multi-effect. The 44.1kHz ceiling is fixed in hardware. S/PDIF in and out both run at that rate, and there is no sample-rate menu. Users who work at 44.1 get a single-rate signal path with nothing to misconfigure.
240 Presets and 64 User Memories
Lexicon shipped the MPX-200 with 240 reverb and multi-effects presets and 64 user memories, according to available documentation. A conflicting figure of 450 preset programs and 100 user slots appears in some listings. That discrepancy is unresolved, so treat the lower, more commonly cited numbers as the safer reference until a unit is checked against its own manual. Either way, the preset count is generous for this price, and 64 user slots is enough to build a working set of go-to sounds.
15 Algorithms — 5 Stereo and 10 Dual Reverb
The algorithm set totals 15: five stereo and ten dual reverb configurations. The emphasis on dual reverb is the MPX-200's real character. It is a reverb box first, with the multi-effects capability layered around it. Four dual-effect routing configurations let the user decide how those engines are arranged instead of forcing one fixed topology.
Digital Compressor Alongside the Effects
A digital compressor can operate alongside the selected effects, which is unusual in this class. Instead of printing compression to tape or patching an outboard unit, the MPX-200 runs the compressor in the same box as the reverb or delay. Combined with the four front-panel-adjustable program and compression parameters that Mix (July 2002, p.48) called out, it works as a channel-strip-style processor, not just an effects send.
Analog, S/PDIF, MIDI, and Footswitch I/O
The rear panel has analog and digital audio I/O, S/PDIF in and out at 44.1 kHz, MIDI in and out, and a footswitch input. The footswitch jack makes hands-free program changes possible for guitarists and performers, and the MIDI I/O lets it sit in a rack alongside sequencers and controllers.
Diagnostics and Service Documentation
Lexicon built extensive diagnostic capabilities into the MPX-200 and backed it with detailed service notes. The service manual and schematics are available for anyone willing to hunt them down, which is more than can be said for a lot of budget gear from the same period.
Historical Context
Lexicon's reputation was built on high-end digital reverb, and the MPX-200 was the company's attempt to bring that reputation downmarket. EQ (June 2001, p.106) framed it as Lexicon raising the bar while lowering the price. The MPX-200 arrived at $399, and the simpler MPX 110 followed at $329, per Mix (July 2002, p.48). No production years are documented in available sources, so dating individual units means checking serial numbers against Lexicon's records.
Collectibility & Value
The MPX-200 sits at the affordable end of the used market. Prices seen include $120.00 from Equipboard and a reported $70 pickup at Sam Ash in very good condition, per a Gearspace thread. At those numbers it is a low-risk way into Lexicon processing, even if the box is not a PCM 70 or a 480L.
The known failure point is the encoder. One refurbisher noted replacing a faulty encoder and described the part as the very last original encoder in Lexicon's spares bin. That means replacement encoders are effectively gone from the manufacturer, and any future repair will depend on aftermarket parts or cannibalized units. Test the encoder thoroughly before buying, since a failing one makes navigation miserable. A Gearspace thread titled "Horrendous Tremolo?" suggests at least one owner hit a modulation-related fault, though the details of that complaint are not documented in available sources.
The internal power supply is serviceable. One refurbisher reported rebuilding it alongside the encoder replacement, and units that have passed a full functional test are worth seeking out. The service manual and schematics are available, which makes DIY repair realistic for anyone comfortable with a soldering iron. Prices this low mean the MPX-200 is unlikely to appreciate dramatically.
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