Latest User Reviews

This is still a reverb you will find in many studios, but it is not because it is so pristine and great, but because it sits in mixes well and has some mojo compared to many others from the period. I would not make it my only reverb, but would have one for that something different.

I’m going to start by saying how much I enjoy reading reviews and information on this website. I also have to admit, that over the years I’ve become a self-confessed reverb-aholic and while some of my reverbs I’ve bought from new and had for many years, others are new additions that have finally found a place in my studio after being on the wish list for many years!

I think the Lexicon 224 was the one I’d heard so much about over the years, but I’d never had the opportunity to use and was top of my list to try out and see just how good these really were? Up until recently, rarely did people let them go and I found that most 224’s that come up now, usually have a long history and some sort of provenance to go with them.

Today, they have become a bit of a cult classic and along with the 480L, become affordable to some, but not all ! So, that’s my story and I’ve been after one of these for many years to complement my other high-end Lexicons and AMSs I now have at my disposal. Of course I’m going to only make reference to the model I have, which is the last revision of 224, and was model introduced with the same LARC as the 480L, and not the original 224 that Vangelis used on Chariots of Fire.

I’ve now had this unit in my possession over the last month, and as you can imagine I’ve used it quite extensively and done multiple comparisons. The first thing I can say with hand on heart, is the hype about this thing is NOT hype ! This reverb is utterly amazing.. in a recent interview I read by producer Chris Porter, he clearly states that George Michael’s vocal on Faith and earlier recordings, were predominantly Lexicon 224xl.

In comparison with my 480L (with the classic cart) I can hear enough difference to warrant using the 224 albeit the 480L on classic cart presets, are equally stunning in their own right. In general, the 224xl and 480L always seem to be compared to one another, when in reality they are completely different in design, with different algorithms, sound and the 480L being a multi-effects unit and not just a straight reverb.

I’m not going to be drawn into a definitive which one is better, or which one I prefer, but what I will say, is that if you have one without the other, you will certainly survive, and survive well ! Perhaps in time, I’ll have the opportunity to compare the original 224 with the 224XL and write about what differences that to have? In the meantime, I will conclude by just saying that this machine is quite simply breathtaking on vocals, strings and its warm character it gives in any application.

An excellent vintage piece very well suited for drums. Tons of mojo and very fast in the creative process. Find the right space in about 20-30 seconds. Extremely well built. Only drawbacks are a mono input. The room sounds are great for drum sounds. The plates are cleaner, brighter and shorter by comparison. A great companion to a PCM80/90/91 or an Eventide H3000 for sound design/mixing Broadcast material.

This is a lovely reverb that sounds amazing. A bit noisy, but those rich and lush tails really shine. But the best thing about it is the intuitive and easy to use user interface.

They don’t make them like this any more – two delay lines, sounds amazing, can do standard delay to amazingly weird. The only problem is getting them fixed if they break as it is a specialist area, but certainly possible. I have two!

I fix these – not simple at all!

Recognized many albums released in the 80’s and 90’s had this PCM 42 sound and is still in use after 40 years! One of the great delay system of all time. Sound and the delay quality is just superb, second to none.

Great sounding machine that has served me well since I first bought it in the 70’s. Recently rebuilt the power supply and did some component updates. The Lexicon 224 has it’s own sound and works well with my Lexicon 480L and my Lexicon 300L. Just too bad Lexicon sold out to Harmon!