Welcome to the Vortex Database with it's new improved look (yes, it was really bad before). There's not much new I'm afraid, and you no longer have the option to submit your own patches online. As hardly anyone did that anyway, and half of them were mine anyway I guess that's not such a loss to you, but the patches that were submitted are still available here.

• Vortex Facts
• Vortex Sounds
• Vortex Manual,Service Sheet.
• Footswitches and Pedals
• Basic Mono Patches
• Vortex Echoes
• Various Patches
• Various Morphs
• TimeSyncing to a Digital Echoplex
• Hidden Feature (Tone Generator)
• Vortex Links

*NEW*
Replacement volume pots for Vortex, they often go scratchy

50k log taper dual pot
A50K
ebay link, more info

Replacement Rotary Encoder for the Vortex, this is the most common Vortex fault, with symptoms such as some of the Registers not being selectable by the knob, or the Value knob not working right. It's the same component for each of the 16 position Vortex knobs (also for JamMan). It's not an exact replacement, but it does the job. It seems that Lexicon got a load made up to spec, and now the only way to obtain an exact replacement would be to order 1000 of them.
It's not easy to remove the old encoder without damaging the delicate circuit board. Best way is to remove it with clippers, so that you can de-solder and take out the feet one by one. There's a copper lining to the holes in the circuit board which makes an essential connection, that may be removed along with a foot.
To use the original knob you'll have to file a flat area on the spindle.
Spec: Absolute encoder, 4 bit grey code
Get encoder from Digikey, UK
Get Encoder from Digikey, USA
Abeltronics (UK) possibly still have some exact replacement encoders, may be able to put you in touch with a repair guy.

*ESSENTIAL* Now at reduced price of only £6, a whole CD of music made with the Vortex as the only FX processor, using the Digital Echoplex to create multi-tracked compositions in real time. Go to http://www.andybutler.com/livelooping.htm for details and to hear music from the album. Hint...album sales help to keep this site alive.

Lexicon are a company who specialise in digital reverberation simulators, as used in the top recording studios. At one time they decided to produce a range of cheaper processors which consisted of the Alex, Reflex, JamMan and Vortex. These are all long discontinued.

The Alex is a simple to use basic reverb, excellent quality and very popular.

The Reflex is a glorified Alex with Midi control.

The JamMan is an echo/looper.

The Vortex is a totally unique FX unit.

The Vortex was the first of those four units to be discontinued , essentially because no-one understood what it did. They can still be bought, often at a substantial discount. In the UK the going rate is about £150 for an 'as new' unit, in US they're even cheaper. As the RRP was £400 this is a pretty good bargain.
The Vortex is a digital sound processor capable of phase, flange, chorus, tremolo, pan and vibrato effects with an analogue type sound. It is also a 2sec echo/looper or a dual 1sec echo. It can combine these effects in a number of ways.
But.... setting up any two of these sounds you can blend seemlessly from one to another by a process known as morphing, and you can do this with footpedal control. It's this that really sets the Vortex apart, for instance it's possible to set up a 2s loop of sound, then split it into to seperate 1s loops (panned L&R) and then to recombine them into a rearranged 2s loop. Not even the top of the range lexicon stuff with let you do this. 

Unfortunately it requires extensive use of the manual just to set up basic sounds, and the morphing feature can produce unexpected results (OK maybe not such a bad thing).
These pages are dedicated to making it easier for Vortex users at all levels, from those who just want to dial up a sound, to those who aim to completely understand every function. Also those who experiment at random are particularly welcome to submit their findings.

Download Lexicon Documentation:-

• Vortex Manual
• Service sheet

These are mp3s for download, (right click link and 'save as'). Recorded at 160kbps for better than standard mp3 quality. The Vortex is the only FX unit used, and there's no overdubing or editing. The set up was guitar (with on board distortion) DI-ed through a TLA valve EQ into a mixer, sending out to the Vortex, and then straight to Hard Disk.

Playlist of all examples.

Allows you to stream all the examples here.

'Orbits' preset 155Kb

A leslie simulation, Lexicon seemed particularly pleased by the way the 'rotation' slows down as you hit the footswitch.

Sustaining Morph 257Kb

A stereo echo type patch which I configured so that using the footpedal I could sustain a chord, turning it into a synth-like swirl.

Odd aggressive rhythm 178Kb

The same patch as above, but a very different effect. All the noise comes from one chord struck once.

Various processing 725Kb

The Vortex modulators can produce sounds barely related to the input, in this case there is also a stereo echo of the clean signal. In the middle of this example I morph to to a combination where these 2 distinct elements intermingle.

Create texture and transform 708Kb

Here I use the pedal as a swell so I can create a texture using the onboard distortion from my guitar. Then I morph the texture into a loop of two alternating timbres. The excuse for the little guitar 'solo' over the top off this is that it shows you can have stereo processing (in this case quite subtle) while the loop is going in the background. Luckily I decided to fade out after it starts.

Swells, polyechoes, and more1393Kb

More use of the footpedal as a swell. Using related echo times in a ratio of 3:4 each note or chord becomes a rhythm. Complex interlocking patterns giving the impression of a longer delay time than is actually being used. The 7/8 figure which appears at 0:40 is a morphic rearrangement of what was going through the two echoes.

2 Panned Loops 479Kb

Here I use the mixer to send sound first to the right input of the Vortex, then the left (then both). This creates 2 loops of different length (ratio 2:3) which are panned independently. One of the loops has a more processed sound.

More Examples

I have a website full of amazing music made with the Vortex. Plenty of gig recordings, and some mindbending excerpts from my CD ('livelooping').

Vortex Links

LOOPERS DELIGHT

This is where I discovered the Vortex.

Harmony Central

A vast muso resource with a section on effects pedals. Includes Vortex reviews.

LEXICON

They no longer support the Vortex, but do email them with questions, they will respond. Keep in mind that the Vortex designers are long gone from the company.

Abeltronics

Small electronic repairs firm. They fixed my JBL Eon speaker overnight ready for a gig, so they deserve a link. Will fix "anything with wires" (which includes valve amps). Abeltronics can fix the rotary encoder on your Vortex (or related product), they have a small supply of exact replacement encoders (hard to source).