Sigh...

Well, for that money, you understand you're going to get what you pay for. Your first priority should be overall sound quality, not effects, but, it ain't me lookin' to buy, so, whatever...

Anything you get in that price range is going to be all pretty much the same... there will be no significant difference, whether you spend $100 or spend $300. It will all be cheap, unreliable, and nothing that would be considered by any pro member here as being anything close to even remotely decent.

I have no recommendations, other than to save your money and look at something better.

You would be better of buying a use Soundcraft or allen&heath mixer.
I suggest those because they are usually workhorse that can last decades.

or

If effects is all you care about, why not buy a dedicated effect unit like :
[="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MX200"]Lexicon MX200[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Lexicon MX200[/] or [[url=http://="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]

pcrecord, post: 424038, member: 46460 wrote: You would be better of buying a use [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.soundcra…"]Soundcraft[/]="http://www.soundcra…"]Soundcraft[/] or allen&heath mixer.

Marco - this would also be my recommendation. However I didn't think one could be had, even a used one, in the price range the OP mentioned.

I the OP truly doesn't care about channel count, there are a handful of reputable new options.

New A-H ZED10FX [4 mono mic inputs + 2 stereo] = $299
New Soundcraft EFX8 [8 mono mic inputs + 2 stereo] = $399
New Yamaha MC10XU [4 mono mic inputs + 3 stereo] = $199

With the Soundcraft or Yamaha you'd be getting some diminished level of Lexicon and SPX effects, respectively. Does anyone know the origin of the A-H effects?

And I'm assuming Soundcraft has addressed the godawful noise issues in some of their earlier budget FX mixers. (which would make me leery of buying a used one that didn't have a return policy) I haven't heard one in quite some time, after swearing off them (and literally swearing at them) due to the noise problem that plagued some of the earlier MFX and EFX series.

pcrecord, post: 424038, member: 46460 wrote: You would be better of buying a use Soundcraft or allen&heath mixer.
I suggest those because they are usually workhorse that can last decades.

or

If effects is all you care about, why not buy a dedicated effect unit like :
[="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MX200"]Lexicon MX200[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Lexicon MX200[/] or [[url=http://="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]

Oh my! That's probably the best thing I can do. I have a tiny Behringer Mixer with two XLR Inputs, and that has been plenty for me. All I needed were effects. You read my mind! A dedicated effects box will do
I will check out the two you suggested in detail

<3

pcrecord, post: 424038, member: 46460 wrote: You would be better of buying a use Soundcraft or allen&heath mixer.
I suggest those because they are usually workhorse that can last decades.

or

If effects is all you care about, why not buy a dedicated effect unit like :
[="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MX200"]Lexicon MX200[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Lexicon MX200[/] or [[url=http://="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]TC Electronic M350[/]

Which one would you prefer if you had to choose between the Lexicon and the TC? I just checked out videos on the both, and I kinda like both

If I had to decide between the two, I might go for the Lexicon because of the compressor and deeser (if you think you would use them) because the TC have neither.
Lexicon have a long legacy of reverb quality but it doesn't meen the TC is not capable.
If you could stretch the budget : http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MX300

By the way, I'm no sweetwater seller. I put the links as reference only ;)

pcrecord, post: 424113, member: 46460 wrote: If I had to decide between the two, I might go for the Lexicon because of the compressor and deeser (if you think you would use them) because the TC have neither.
Lexicon have a long legacy of reverb quality but it doesn't meen the TC is not capable.
If you could stretch the budget : http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MX300

By the way, I'm no sweetwater seller. I put the links as reference only ;)

So what kind of VST Plugins could I insert via USB on this slightly more expensive Lexicon model?

You can't add plugins to the unit, it's the other way around. Actually the effects of the lexicon can be routed in your DAW as a VST. Instead of going out through analog wiring to the unit, it can be used via the USB, in the digital domain.