What are the pro's and con's about the Vs2000

[rnb259]

I was goin to purchase one and was wondering what you guy's had to say about it?!

[Farview]

Pros: portable, everything you need in one package. No compatability problems. Almost never crashes.

Cons: Preamps and converters aren't great and you can't bypass the preamps. Hard drive gets fragmented and the only fix is to back everything off (takes forever) and format the drive. Costs more than a computer rig (assuming you have a suitable computer) and the computer will give you more tracks, more compatability, better interface, etc...

[mattkw80]

JUST DO IT.

You wont look back.

I have no pro's or con's for you.

JUST GET IT.

[rnb259]

you alone are the sole reason im even asking the question, but can you give me a sample of what you can get out of the program, what plugins do u use, what do i need to get without question?! these are the questions that are bugging me on whether or not to purchase this end all be all of equipment recorders and i gotta know!

[mattkw80]

Okay, I'll try to give you a good answer on this :


Con :

I did have a bad hard drive to start. $60 40Gb, easy to replace, not a big deal, happens to harddrives allot. My VS2000 screws up, when I screw up. Every other time I shut it off wrong, it is screwed. (So you just have to be careful, and backup more than you would like). Another Con, it's not quite as fast to load plug-ins as a PC, and possible not as versatile overall as a PC.
Plug-in's are expensive. ($185 to $400) roughly.

Pro's :

I went from boombox, to 4-track cassette, to 8-track cassette, to 16-track reel to reel, to 2 channel computer (M-Audio Pre-amp). This is by FAR the best, the easiest, and the most satisfying.

It sounds the best. It's easy to use once you read the manual 3 times, and watch the "Turbo Start" DVD that somebody from the USA was very generous in sending me.

It's got a great drum machine, more effects than you can handle, 9 inputs (their is a digitital input). Phantom power, Harmony feature, Mastering Tool Kit, Tap Markers, Auto Punch, Keyboard/Mouse/VGA option.

So many great features.


So: Here's a typical recording session for me :

I have my song a laid out, and a rough Idea how it should sound.
Plug my x3 mics in at once and mic my drums.
(If I got other players at this time that can dead nail their timing, I now have the option of letting them plug in and also record).

Record my drums.
Record my rythm guitar.
Record my bass.
Record more guitars.
Record lead guitar.
Record vocal.
Add some other percussion. (Bury a cowbell, or shaker egg in the mix).
Record Misc.

That's roughly 8 tracks, with 10 more for you to play with !
(Thats right, 18 tracks you can record to, with 16 virtual tracks for each).

Now you can go through and easily switch the built in compression on for each track you want to, and set it.

Add EQ to each track as you see fit.

It's got the RSS (Roland sound stage) panning for 360 degree panning.

Mix it all up, bounce it down to stereotracks.

Run the mastering tool kit over your stereotracks, and burn your final product.

SO easy, so many features.

I don't even know what else to tell you about it.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like. I'll do my best to answer them.

When I first started looking around, I was choosing this between a Yamaha 16-track, and keeping the Br1600. I really did my homework on the features comparison).

(If your on a budget, the BR1600 is also a very nice machine).

[mattkw80]

By the way...

You asked What plug in's I use ?


Mostly the free one's that come with it.
The reverb's, the guitar modeling, etc.

Sometimes I use the Snare and Kick EQ settings.

Just started using the Mic Modeller to make my sm57 sound like a $2500 mic.
(Don't know how good it really does modelling, but it sounds great to me).

I do have the VS8F3 add on, but I have'nt used it for anything more than to show the machine off to friends. (Everybody gets a kick out of the pitch shifting on the vocal channel strip).

Just do your homework, do the footwork. Ask every music store in your city what you should buy.

You may even be able to rent one of these for a week, and really give it a test drive.

(In Windsor, Ontario.... (an hour from my house) I could have rented one for a week for about $70).

[PHILANDDON]

I own the VS-2000. I previously owned the Boss BR-1600, which was easier to use but could only record in 16bit and had fewer effects.

The VS-2000 can record in 16 and 24bit. If you want, you can bypass the machine's A/D converters and preamps by recording through the two channel S/PDIF input. You can also input and output data via the USB 2.0 port. If you don't want to use any outboard gear, I'm sure you can still get an outstanding sound on the VS-2000; the only shortfall might be that with the gain pots turned up all the way, things start to get a little noisy.

In my opinion the best thing about the VS-2000 are the effects. The onboard effects are very good. But with a VS8F3 card you can run some really amazing stuff. TC-Electronics reverb is just incredible as is the T-Racks Mastering suite. I think the machine is far and away the best SIAB recorder for its price. If you wanted to spend a lot more money, I would look into the Akai DPS24. People who own it worship it. Sometimes I think about getting one, but it would be hard to give up those VS effects.

One more thing, a lot of people run their VS-2000 via a video monitor. I don't. I never got the card for that, and I get by okay with just the LCD screen. Still, you might look into it. I think Roland is still doing the free video monitor giveaway. One last thing, I wish the VS-2000 were a little less noisy; If I'm not careful my mics can pick up the hum of the hard drive.

Still a very cool box. People seem to get intimidated and trade them in quickly. A few months after I bought mine I saw a used one at Sam Ashe in New York City for $1000!!!. Oh well...

[rnb259]

And yeah im going for the promotion so i can get the free screen i still love my mouse and keyboard . Thanks ya'll between ya'll and VSplanet im sure i'll be running my system within the week of my purchase, or at leats two weeks!

thanks, oh and i got another question, i was reading the manual and got a little confused (lol) how exactly do the effects work? how do you send them to a track or better yet how do you bus them to a track? does the vs 2000 have a dedicated knob for this which seperates/tunes the wet and dry levels? and if so how and where?

thanks ya'll

[mattkw80]

Go for it. And if the OS messes up on you, I am #1 at screwing up, and fixing the VS2000 OS, so get a hold of me, and I'll help you.

Effects.... Okay. This was confusing at first.

You can INSERT or LOOP.

INSERT is like putting a stomp box in the way of your signal. Your inserting the effect right onto it. There is very very versatile wet/dry control for each effcct.

LOOP effects are like adding the wet and dry, blending them together, like you would with outboard gear.

And of course, you can easily use outboard gear through the AUX bus.

Does this help?

Anybody else care to help me explain ths?

Originally Posted by rnb259

And yeah im going for the promotion so i can get the free screen i still love my mouse and keyboard . Thanks ya'll between ya'll and VSplanet im sure i'll be running my system within the week of my purchase, or at leats two weeks!

thanks, oh and i got another question, i was reading the manual and got a little confused (lol) how exactly do the effects work? how do you send them to a track or better yet how do you bus them to a track? does the vs 2000 have a dedicated knob for this which seperates/tunes the wet and dry levels? and if so how and where?

thanks ya'll

[Louddog]

If you can afford to, you might step up to the VS2400, 24 tracks and MOTORIZED faders!

[mattkw80]

Originally Posted by Louddog

If you can afford to, you might step up to the VS2400, 24 tracks and MOTORIZED faders!

Damn Louddog, throwing his money around.

[MK-Ultra]

Well,

I bought one in September. I also own an 880-EX. The difference between them is like the difference between the Enterprise A and the Enterprise D.

Being in Europe, I didn't have the opportunity of a free monitor, so I have to use the LCD screen (which my father in law calls the Maüs Kino) until I have the dineri for the add-ons.

There is no SCSI port, but this is mitigated by the USB interface capability, I guess;

The 24 bit mode only gives you 12 tracks;

Some of the plug-ins are expensive (I don't know what they cost for computer-based recording); also, some, like the T-Racks module, is buggy and not ready for prime-time, yet. I think Soundstage hasn't been released for the Roland, either.

Still, the potential is great, but you have to pay to bring this thing up to it's full operating potential.

I intend to get another VSF-2; that's 322 Euros +;
I intend to get a VSF-3; that's 369 Euros +;
Monitor interface: 250 Euros +;
Monitor: anywhere from 200 Euros ++;

That doesn't even include the 3rd party plugins. So, having already paid 2000 Euros for the thing, I will have to pay over 1000 Euros more to have the machine operating at its potential.

I may as well have saved for a bit longer and got the 2400CD.

But, all this being the case, I am satisfied with my purchase. So far. I want to switch out the HDD, but don't know how to do it, and I don't want to void my warranty. So far, I've experienced a couple of operating glitches due to HDD anomalous behaviour.

Cheers.

[jeff5xo]

I'm not trying to cross post, but this was recorded with my VS-2000. It's not done yet, but you can get an idea.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/5x0/singles

[Calwood]

Hey Jeff,..really nice home recording there. Great job!

take 'er easy,...
Calwood

[mattkw80]

Wow !

Very inspiring.

Excellent job.

[mattkw80]

Can you give us a run down on how that was recorded.... ?

[rnb259]

man, im definitley gonna love this thing!

[jeff5xo]

First off, thanks guys. Comments are MUCH appreciated. You wouldn't believe how hard I've worked on doing research for recording drums!!!!! Anyway, as far as the VS-2000 goes, it is an amazing machine. That recording was using all of the pre-amps (except for the bass drum), and all of the effects, and compressor on the VS-2000. I'm not sure what you want to know about the recording, but if you ask specific questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them.

I've had the VS 2000 for about a year now. I upgraded from a Korg D12. What an upgrade. Everyone seems to trash the VS 2000's preamps. I don't get why. Granted there no Great River, or Avalon, but the preamps ARE usable. The ONLY gripe I have is that if you use a outboard pre, it still runs through the VS-2000 preamps, unless you go digital in. (that's the ONLY way to bypass the preamps) Still, the preamps are adequate. I don't really use any of the mic modelers or the harmonizer, but boy the 3d RSS pan is awesome. Oh, I do have one other gripe..................be VERY careful with the transport buttons! My play button broke, and my stop button is getting ready to break. Roland will fix it for free, (I have an authorized repair shop right up the street from my house) problem is I'm recording two albums right now, and I just can't part with the thing for a day! Anyway, all in all, this machine is more than worth the money!
I'll answer anything you want about the recording, but ask me specific questions. Thanks fellas!

[sutoman]

Nice recording. Why didn't you use the on board preamps for the bass drum?

[mattkw80]

Hey MK-Ultra

Email me at mattkw80@mnsi.net

and I'll try to help you put a new hard drive in.

Originally Posted by MK-Ultra

Well,

I bought one in September. I also own an 880-EX. The difference between them is like the difference between the Enterprise A and the Enterprise D.

Being in Europe, I didn't have the opportunity of a free monitor, so I have to use the LCD screen (which my father in law calls the Maüs Kino) until I have the dineri for the add-ons.

There is no SCSI port, but this is mitigated by the USB interface capability, I guess;

The 24 bit mode only gives you 12 tracks;

Some of the plug-ins are expensive (I don't know what they cost for computer-based recording); also, some, like the T-Racks module, is buggy and not ready for prime-time, yet. I think Soundstage hasn't been released for the Roland, either.

Still, the potential is great, but you have to pay to bring this thing up to it's full operating potential.

I intend to get another VSF-2; that's 322 Euros +;
I intend to get a VSF-3; that's 369 Euros +;
Monitor interface: 250 Euros +;
Monitor: anywhere from 200 Euros ++;

That doesn't even include the 3rd party plugins. So, having already paid 2000 Euros for the thing, I will have to pay over 1000 Euros more to have the machine operating at its potential.

I may as well have saved for a bit longer and got the 2400CD.

But, all this being the case, I am satisfied with my purchase. So far. I want to switch out the HDD, but don't know how to do it, and I don't want to void my warranty. So far, I've experienced a couple of operating glitches due to HDD anomalous behaviour.

Cheers.

[MK-Ultra]

Thanks for the offer, but I'll wait until mine drops dead first!

[jeff5xo]

Originally Posted by sutoman

Nice recording. Why didn't you use the on board preamps for the bass drum?

Honestly, I had rented a Klark Teknik preamp to do bass guitar with. Our drummer wanted to come in and do a couple of re-takes with some things he didn't like, so I pluged the bass drum mic into the preamp and it blew my head off. I made him redo every track! I wasn't disappointed in the bassdrum sound I was getting with the Roland pre, but man, the Klark pre made a big difference. I think the parametric eq on the pre is what actually made the difference. Yes I know, Roland has a prarametric eq......................I don't know, that bass drum was just slammin once I hooked up the Klark pre. Hard to explain.

[rnb259]

Im asking because when i place my order im getting the Universal Audio Plugins. Ive heard them sound so good that i know im gonna end up using the La 2A on lead vocals all the time! But i want to use it in the beginning when i record. So wat i plan on doing is testing out the machine and finding that perfect spot (using vurtual tracks of course) and then using it as a default when i record vocals. Now unfortunately for me the manual dosen't elaborate on how to do this. and since thats all i have right now can you guys walk me through it, trust me i read the manual 3 times already. Every time i found something new, but when it came to inserts for some reason the manual didn't walk me through it like all the previous advances in the workstation.

thanks ya'll

p.s.- whoever explains ythis to me i'll definitley give you a shout out on the groups next cd! heck when i get the work station i'll put up a quality test and say it then too!

by the way, i printed out the manual so i can read it without being on the computer, i might rap, but i wasn't a straight A student for nothing (thank God mom made me love reading, now i do!)

[mattkw80]

I had trouble with the effect thing too.... even after reading the manual AND using the machine.

You kind of just got to play with it and get used to it..... OR..... get your self a copy of the "Turbo Start" VS2000 DVD. It's shows you visually how to do it, and de-mystifies all kinds of functions.

If you a US citizen, you should be able to snag one for free.

(Us Canadian guys are supposed to buy them for like, $35, but I finally got one sent to me from a guy from the USA).

Get one from your local Roland dealer, and you will be all set.

(By the way, I also want the LA-2A.... Badly. Maybe for Christmas)

Originally Posted by rnb259

Im asking because when i place my order im getting the Universal Audio Plugins. Ive heard them sound so good that i know im gonna end up using the La 2A on lead vocals all the time! But i want to use it in the beginning when i record. So wat i plan on doing is testing out the machine and finding that perfect spot (using vurtual tracks of course) and then using it as a default when i record vocals. Now unfortunately for me the manual dosen't elaborate on how to do this. and since thats all i have right now can you guys walk me through it, trust me i read the manual 3 times already. Every time i found something new, but when it came to inserts for some reason the manual didn't walk me through it like all the previous advances in the workstation.

thanks ya'll

p.s.- whoever explains ythis to me i'll definitley give you a shout out on the groups next cd! heck when i get the work station i'll put up a quality test and say it then too!

by the way, i printed out the manual so i can read it without being on the computer, i might rap, but i wasn't a straight A student for nothing (thank God mom made me love reading, now i do!)

[mattkw80]

Wow, of all the luck !

I have always said in this fourm, that if I were rich I would own both the Vs-2000 and the Br1600...

....well, last night my brother bought the very Br1600 that I had traded in. (Still had my songs on it and everything).

What luck ! Now I have access to both great machines !