TC Electronic M3000 Studio Reverb Processor

by J. Arif Verner

TC Electronic is well-known in professional audio circles as a manufacturer of preeminent digital signal processors, so when this Danish company puts out a new piece of gear, people take notice. The case in point is the M3000 studio reverb processor ($2,499).

Strategically positioned between the company’s high-end M5000 and the more affordable M2000, this unit borrows features from both while adding new functions of its own. The M3000 is a true stereo processor, utilizing 24-bit resolution in the A-D/D-A conversion process. Like its predecessors, this multi-effects unit features a dual stereo DSP engine. In essence, it is like two separate effects machines connected by a flexible routing system.

Features

Navigating the chic front panel is immediately intuitive. Anyone who has worked with an effects processor should have no problems. On the front panel is a crisp, clean yellow LCD display and a pair of LED level meters. To the right are five control sections each comprised of four edit buttons. On the right-hand side is a rotary knob for adjusting parameter values. To the far left is an S-RAM Type 1 PCMCIA card slot.

There are balanced XLR I/Os, digital I/O connectors (AES/EBU, S/PDIF, ADAT and TOS optical), wordclock RCA in, standard MIDI ports, an external control input source and a power switch and connector on the back of the box. TC Electronic should be commended for having a healthy selection of digital I/Os. In fact, all digital outputs are available simultaneously. Also interesting, the M3000 can be used as an interface for bouncing any two ADAT tracks to and from other digital sources. Very convenient indeed.

The M3000 ships with 300 ROM presets made up of 250 single and 50 combined programs. Each combined program is made from two single programs, one from each engine. In addition, TC Electronic provides the same amount of memory locations for user-defined RAM presets. If this is not enough space, presets may also be stored on an external card (up to 2 MB).

Although the bulk of effects are reverbs, the M3000 also includes chorus, flange, phaser, equalization, compression, expansion, limiting, gating, tremolo, panner, pitch shifting, de-esser and delays. Reverb presets contain a variety of plates, halls, rooms, springs, gates and ambient sound fields. Interestingly, some of these reverbs are taken directly from the M2000 and M5000.

But what sets the M3000 apart from its predecessors are the new virtual space simulator (VSS) reverbs. According to TC Electronic, the key element in these algorithms is the relationship between the early reflections and the reverb tail. By using a large number of reflections (40 to 100 directional taps), the M3000 can simulate a variety of room characteristics. It is these early reflections that determine the personality of the VSS reverbs.

Unique to TC Electronic processors are the routing systems, which determine how the two DSP engines interact. Six choices include serial, parallel, dual input, dual mono, linked and preset glide. For example, in serial mode, a chorus effect in Engine 1 could be fed into a reverb effect in Engine 2. With parallel routing, both stereo engines function independently, however, their outputs are mixed as a single stereo signal.

Dual mono mode allows each input to have its own effect. This would be ideal for two vocal tracks that need different reverbs. With preset glide, one program crossfades into another. Of course both engines may be linked together for true stereo. There are a lot of creative possibilities to be explored.

The M3000 has a dynamic morphing function. With this feature, the level of the input signal determines which of the two DSP effects are heard. Imagine a vocal track that changes reverb presets as the song’s verse goes into the chorus. This is accomplished by setting a threshold level that triggers the change between the two effects. Dynamic morphing functions may be saved as part of a combined preset.

The M3000 includes several other interesting amenities. For accessing favorite presets, there are four snapshot keys that let the user instantly switch between specific presets or combined presets with the push of a button. Also, on the front panel is a tap tempo button. Simply tap the button to the rhythm of the music and the M3000 processes delay lines matching the beat. Finally, the Reverb Wizard searches the M3000 and suggests factory presets based on selection criteria.

In use

The M3000 would be comfortable in any recording studio, post production house or live sound rig. Presets like Ballad Vocal Hall, Master De-esser, Vox Compressor, and Wide Chorus provide bread-and-butter programs that get the job done. I auditioned the unit with a variety of material. Dry tracks included acoustic instruments, percussion, electronic synths and vocals.

Reverbs are the forte in the M3000 and they sound beautiful. The chorus effects are also excellent — sweet and delicate. Flanges and phasers are fine, but don’t expect them to bend the sound inside and out. The six-voice pitch shifter transposes audio to a maximum range of an octave (up or down). This program, however, works best for simple detunings and doubling of sounds.

The equalizer provides three-band parametric EQ with separate high and low shelving bands. The total range of the EQ is 20 Hz to 20 kHz and it sounds very good. The dynamic processors are all quite useful, with the soft compression being particularly effective. Lastly, the delay presets can have a maximum of 1,350 ms delays. This is long enough for most utilitarian chores.

Editing with the M3000 is a breeze. Simply hit the edit button for either DSP engine or the combined presets. The screen then displays a column of parameters. By hitting the cursor buttons on the front panel, different parameter fields may be chosen. To change a specific setting, turn the rotary knob to the new value — easy enough. To keep life simple, TC Electronic groups the most common parameters into a user mode. Accessing these settings is quick and easy. For those who want all of the parameter options, there is an expanded expert mode.

The M3000 also provides a global setup section. Controls in this area include I/O, routing, levels, MIDI and other utilities. Speaking of MIDI, there is an interesting MIDI monitor screen. This display shows all MIDI actions received by the M3000, which include note on/off, continuous controllers and system exclusive data. MIDI information is displayed according to the current channels. Unfortunately, the manual provides no additional documentation on MIDI functions other than a basic MIDI implementation chart.

Summary

The main competition for the TC Electronic M3000 is the Lexicon PCM 80 and 81. At Infinite Sound we did A/B tests between the M3000 and a PCM 80. It was a tough match. To our ears, the M3000 had a very smooth, silky and transparent sound. Whereas the PCM 80 was large, rich and detailed. Unlike the TC Electronic FireworX, the M3000 is a more conventional box than the PCM 80. Both the M3000 and the PCM 80/81 are beautiful units. The choice of which one to own is a matter of personal preference.

The M3000 is a welcome addition to the TC Electronic family of signal processors. With its dual-engine architecture and elegant design, this unit is bound to find its way into many studios. But the bottom line for any processor is the sound. And the M3000 sounds great!

J. Arif Verner owns Infinite Sound Studio and is a regular contributor to Pro Audio Review. He can be reached at www.infinitesound.com