FD8 vs. MR8

[cellardweller]

Besides the obvious, that the FD8 has an internal hard disc, what differences are there in these two units? I'd never really looked at the FD8 before, because of the price. It seems there are not a lot of differences other than the internal hard disc and "virtual" tracks... whatever those are....

[A Reel Person]

- Like a fully loaded & highly capable 8 input mixer, with real 3-band EQ, & Aux Send/Rcv, for starters.

- The FD-8 will serve as MTC master or slave (sync capability).

- External SCSI-disc capability for recording and backup scheme, (for Jaz/Syquest/ZIP removable media disc cartridges).

- 24 "virtual" tracks, of which 8 are selectable for playback at any one time.

- ADAT I/O, enables you to record 8-discrete tracks simultaneously,... with accompanying ADAT compatible mixer, (otherwise the FD-8 records 2-tracks simul, max, from it's built-in mixer).

That doesn't sound like much, I'm sure, but there are other nice features I've probably forgotten. However, the full 8x2 analog mixer section is worth the price of admission, alone, plus the (optional) internal hard disc, makes the FD-8 a highly capable unit, that literally stomps the MR-8.

I got my FD-8 for $300,... even dollar for a new MR-8,... and the FD-8 is SO much more machine!!

[dave in toledo]

i beleive it has usable effects also, unlike the mr8

[cellardweller]

Money aside, if you had a choice between a FD8 and a VF160, which would you go with?

[dave in toledo]

personaly, i think mixing on the computer is such an advantage i never thought of changing, but i would choose the bigger model, more options and hard drive space....

[ednor59]

I was ready to by an MR-8 when I sold my Tascam 424 MKIII cassette 4-track on ebay. While searching for an MR-8 on ebay, I discovered the FD-8. So I gathered info on it, compared specs, and went with the FD-8. I'm so glad I did. Having a physical mixing board is much more natural than having to scroll through a menu on an LCD display. It's big, it's beefy, it's beige. The MR-8 really looks like a toy next to the FD-8. The only drawback, for me, is the storage capacity. I'm stuck with a 250MB external Zip drive, which will use one disc per song in Master mode. Oddly, the same capacity as the flash card on the MR-8.
Now, I have begun transferring individual tracks to my computer via the optical output, and I can mix using Cakewalk or Cubase or whatever.
I just really prefer the mixing capability while recording, and the overall robustness of the FD-8, although at times I desire the portability of the MR-8.

[junplugged]

fd-8 only records 2 tracks max? And you have to externally mix? and you need external scsi drive?


found info: yes 2 tracks via analog max simultaneous.

internal ide or external scsi drive

yes, external mix

[junplugged]

any idea what the largest partition size is for the internal 2.5 ide drive?

found the info - 30 gigs, nice.

[A Reel Person]

which raises the capacity and "all-in-one-ness" of the FD-8, considerably.

You'd be best to remove the bottom panel of the FD-8, and see whether the PC-card has a 50-pin IDE connector already installed. If it does, then you'd need a 2.5" IDE drive and compatible cable, and bang, you're in. You may want to mount the disc with sticky-backed Velcro.

If, by chance, the FD-8 does NOT have the IDE connector already installed, then the best bet might be the "Fostex Factory Upgrade", to install it.

The FD-8's analog mixer facilitates 8x2 mixing, and the recorder section records 2-tracks simultaneously in "native" mode, but if you get an ADAT I/O compatible 8x-preamp or mixer, then the FD-8 will record 8-tracks, simul.

The ins and outs of mixing, while tracking and mixing down, can be handled "onboard" the FD-8, itself. "External" mixing is not necessary.

[TNO]

I think I'll be trading my MR-8 for one of these:
http://aes.harmony-central.com/117AE...1-DP-01FX.html

[Rokket]

I have the mr8 because of the money factor, and the advertised ease of use. I liked the fact that it was supposed to be scaled down and as easy to use as the anolog types. That being said, it does have limitations. All are correct about the onboard effects; they suck. But as far as sound quality, it's pretty good. I download and mix on the pc, but when I was first learning how to use it, I recorded every track on the mr8, with no loss of sound quality. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still buy the mr8 (I couldn't find an fd8 priced low enough), because I am sold on using my pc for mixing. The mr8 is made for pc interfacing. It's usb, and you can download the free wave manager for it. That's it, I'm off my soap box (and off my wagon?)

[JR#97]

Originally Posted by junplugged

fd-8 only records 2 tracks max? And you have to externally mix? and you need external scsi drive?


found info: yes 2 tracks via analog max simultaneous.

internal ide or external scsi drive

yes, external mix

You can record 4 track simul with the spdif input or 8 tracks simul via adat.

I went the external SCSI route and back that up to SCSI Zip250 and SCSI Jaz 1gig. The HD noise can be a bit much, so I made a box with vents and lots of padding for the noise. works pretty well.

I also use a Fostex VM200 for mixing/effects/tracking and only use the FD8 onboard for monitoring. Kicks ass. BTW,the fostex FD8 analog mixer has great headroom at something like 108db. Better than most stand alone mixers.

[A Reel Person]

you're saying the FD-8 will record 2-tracks simul with the analog mixer, and 4-tracks simul with the analog mixer + s/p-dif as an additional 2 inputs? (I'll check the manual).

????????

> The FD-4 & FD-8 will record to either an optionally installed internal hard disc, or an external scsi disc.

[My FD-8 has an internal disc, with over 50 hours of linear record time].

[My FD-4 has an external Syquest 230MB disc cartridge drive, and due to drive noise, I also have the drive placed in a stack of foam padding that fits snugly around it,... the old foam padding from former hard drive boxes].

=======

The new Tascam DP-01 looks cool, but the FD8 mixer section still beats it.

The Tascam DP-01 makes huge improvements to the likes of the MR-8 style units, (like a built-in hard disc & external mixer controls), but it's still not as high end or feature loaded as the FD-8 or many other genuine Portastudios [488mkII, 688], or the Tascam 388. The Yamaha MD-8 is still a much better porta-format 8-tracker, than the likes of the MR-8, based on features.

The MR-8 and a lot of other similar digital flash usb porta's are computer oriented machines. (Record) save-&-Dump machines. Save/dump, save/dump. Over & over. Save/dump. If you are not inclined to using the computer for basic function of your multi tracking, (record-save-dump), then none of these units are good for you. (If you prefer 'puter recording, then go for it).

The FD-8 is still a topline unit, as compared to many of the newest multitrackers.