Lexicon PCM96

The Lexicon PCM96 is a stereo reverb and effects processor from Lexicon Pro that occupies a single rack space. Lexicon describes it as delivering 28 new and legendary Lexicon reverbs, delays and modulation effects, with over 1200 factory presets, 32-bit floating point processing and sample rates up to 96 kHz¹. For a player, it is the rack-mount route to the Lexicon reverb sound: a unit that can sit in a studio insert loop or at the end of a pedalboard chain, fed from an amp loop or a mixer, and controlled from its front panel or over MIDI.

What it does to a signal

The PCM96 is a stereo processor, so it takes a left and right input and returns a left and right output, whether those connections are analog XLR or digital AES/EBU. In standalone mode, Lexicon says the unit can process up to two physical inputs and two outputs in analog and digital configurations¹. In practice that covers the two ways most players and engineers use it: patched into a mixing console's insert or aux loop with XLR cables, or inserted digitally in a recording setup through its AES/EBU connections.

The effect set spans the categories a rack reverb unit is expected to carry: reverbs, delays and modulation effects, 28 of them by Lexicon's count¹. Lexicon artist Tim Jones described the character of the reverb algorithms this way:

Controls and connectivity

The front panel is built around knobs rather than a deep menu system, and that is one of the points players who use the unit bring up. Alan Parsons, on his Lexicon artist page, said⁴:

Parsons also called the unit affordable and easy to use⁴. For control from outside the rack, the PCM96 includes MIDI I/O alongside its audio connections¹, so preset changes can be sent from a MIDI controller or pedalboard.

The connections are:

• Two channels of XLR analog I/O¹
• Two channels of XLR digital AES/EBU I/O¹
• MIDI I/O¹

The PCM96 family

Lexicon builds a larger sibling around the same name. The PCM96 Surround is described by Lexicon as a parallel stereo and surround reverb and effects processor with digital I/O, built on the success of the PCM96 with more presets, more configuration options and more inputs and outputs⁵. It comes in two hardware versions: one with 6 XLR stereo AES inputs and outputs, and one with 2 DB25 6-channel analog I/O and 1 DB25 6-channel digital I/O⁵. The Surround version adds MIDI in, out and thru, an external BNC wordclock input, and 768 user presets⁶. For a stereo rig, the standard PCM96 is the unit in this family with the smaller footprint and the two-channel analog and digital I/O.

Who uses it

Lexicon's artist pages name the PCM96 among the gear of recording engineers and producers. George Massenburg is listed on his Lexicon Pro artist page as using the PCM96⁷. Graham Pattison's page describes the unit as "two machine's of famed Lexicon reverbs and effects in a 1u package"², a framing that speaks to how much of the company's reverb heritage Lexicon packed into the single rack space.

Availability

Lexicon's product page lists the PCM96 as a current product, with retailer purchase links and worldwide distributors shown on the page¹. The PCM96 Surround is likewise listed as current with retailer availability and worldwide distributors⁵.

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