I could never make myself like the Lexicon Pantheon.  There was a period where I kept giving it chances, but eventually I just gave up.  Haven't even installed it the last couple of updates.
 
I usually put an eq on the bus with a low cut and then use the plate setting on Waves TrueVerb and tinker with the decay time until I'm happy.  The way you set the eq going into the thing makes a big difference to my ears.
 
Seth

Thanks, Seth.

I use a Sm57 for more aggressive vocals and an Apex 360(?) tube mic for everything else into a Golden Age project Pre73. I use DMG EQuick for hpf and cuts followed by the CLA LA2A and then the Softube FET Comp, both with gentle gain reduction. For EQ boosts I may use the Maag EQ4. Sonitus delay or Supertap as a send and verb on a send as well (ValhallaRoom vs Tsar1 vs EOS vs Breverb. Sometimes I also have a slapback echo type delay as well.

Voice - in particular if you have to deal with your own voice- can become an headache to get the exact sound we want to get. My first attempts with my Studio Project C1 mic directly plugged in my former digital recorder (a Roland Vs 2400) were not satisfying. Things have changed with another static mic and the addition of a good external preamp/comp and a TC Electronic M3000. Many argue in favor of  tube microphones which would be the best to translate perfectly the diverse vocal personalities... But all those things cost a lot !
 
Concerning the effects in X2, the available reverbs can be useful but in a context of a whole mix, the "richness" factor is missing.  I think the reverb is an essential effect to sublimate a voice by giving thickness, depht and lushness while being discreet; but it has to be of high quality and I wonder if trade mark plug-ins like Exponential audio (Phoenix and R2), Relab LX 480 or Lexicon (pcm or below) could worth the invest ?
 
Another factor I was not giving a particular attention, but which seems to be important for a good integration of the vocal in the mix , is the pitch correction process : My first use with V Vocal resulted with a serious crash, and in addition,for me, V Vocal is not very ergonomic. Melodyne seems to be more easy; Konrad : are you satisfied with Melodyne ?

My best experience with time and pitch correction has been to make them do it again.  I can reach for Vvocal if there's a note here or there.  If it's any more than that, do everyone a favor and do another take or 10 or 20 or whatever it takes and comp them.
 
Come to think of it.  The best vocal chain starts with a good singer.

Sonitus EQ for HPF/LPF
PC76
CA-2A
Quad EQ for tonal shaping
 
Sends to Delay/Reverb
 
Delay = Sonitus
Reverb = CSR Hall/Room/Plate (one of them, depending on the song)

It would be nice to easily share track templates for us to view. 
 
Typical vocal chain: 
akg 414 -> peavey vmp2 -> proch 1176 -> quad eq -> haas -> console emulation module -> vox gliss -> CA-2A
 
sends (stage 1):
Camel crusher
Stillwell Oligarc Chorus
room verb (sonitus)
hall verb (Vallaha Rm or Breeverb)
Stereo spread delay - (sonitus)
 
Then I split buss sends L/R (from stage 1 to stage 2)
 
sends (stage 2)
Old timer - parallel compression 
boot eq or thrillseeker
 
Note: All sends are lightly used, if used at all. Striving more to hear the natural sound of the voice vs being able to hear the fx. I use Melodyne as needed to tune the raw vocal and then bounce to track.
 
 
 
 
 

konradh
Seth (or anyone), I have mentioned a few times that I just cannot get happy with Plate on vocals anymore (although I used to use plate and oil cylinders all the time in the days of tape).  I don't know if my tastes have changed, or if it's the lame plug-ins I have.
 
What brand of reverb do you use for your vocal plate?  I am not thrilled with Lexicon Pantheon for that. 
 
 

 
I used Pantheon for a while after going from 32 bit to 64 bit and not being able to use the fxreverb from cake (which is a nice verb).
 
I found Pantheon harsh for the most part. I could use it but... With the choices we have, I think breeverb is very good and my favorite is vallhalla room for just about any reverb need. It covers most everything. I still fall back to sonitus for room verbs simply because I have a couple of presets tweaked that work for my use, which is song writing then print a demo. I'm only dealing with me for the most part with an occasional guest. So not much changes. I load the saved preset, tweak a bit and keep moving.

For me, the only thing that goes on vocal tracks by default is a compressor. I'm a big fan of parallel compression on vocals, which I apply in-place using a compressor that has a mix knob rather than via a separate bus.

To each his own, but if anyone cares, I do not agree with that comment about doing the vocal over 20x until it is right.
 
I recut and punch in vocals all the time—no problem getting the best take you can;  but when the feel and phrasing are right, I don't believe in wearing out and discouraging the singer by redoing ad nauseum.
 
A perfectly acceptable live take may need tweaks for a record that will be played thousands of times.
 
AND—and this is a biggie—people's ears have changed.  When things are not in tune now, they notice it.  They may not know what's wrong, but they know it isn't right.
 
A while back I mentioned a guy who told me I should not "micro-edit" vocals.  (None of his business, but whatever.)  He pointed to a song from the Woodstock era that he said didn't need technology.  I agree it was a great song by a great group, but when I listen to it now, the off-key harmonies really bug me.  Same for some Whitney Houston songs.  She was phenomenal and one of the greatest pop singers who ever lived; but I notice things in her records now that I didn't hear during her heyday.