VS-studios

[Dumby]

Which VS studios is best for it's dollar value?

[MK-Ultra]

I suppose it depends where you buy it. I have a 2000CD. Paid 2000 Euros for it, but had to spend another 250 Euros for the VGA interface (monitor not included). It could be had with a free monitor in the US (when you buy the 2000CD and interface). The 2400 was only about 600 Euros more, but was out of my budget. The 2400 has the VGA interface built in, 96 kHz capability, moving faders, 24 tracks. I really would've been better off waiting and saving a bit more, but....

The 2000CD has features that the 2400 or 2480 don't have, though, like a built in drum machine (decent, not great) and USB backup capability. If I'd had the money, though, I woulda gone for the 2400.

For some reason, the 2480 is wayyy too expensive here in Europe, around 4500 Euros. So, again, it depends where you buy it.

Also depends on your needs. I don't foresee needing anything more than the 2000CD.

Best $$$ value, though, would be to find a used 1680 with FX cards.

[jeff5xo]

They're ALL great recorders for the price. I voted 2000, but only because I own one !

[mikey@thecave]

2480 is unbelievable value ...it is a 64 channell board and automix compression an eq on all channels on and on

[MK-Ultra]

Not here, it isn't. What's the street price in the US? Here, it is 4500 EUROs for the 2480DVD, which, if you convert to USD, would be almost 6 grand. Converted into CAD, would be almost 7. I still think the 2400 is the best value of the three suggested, and I still think a used 1680, in good shape with FX cards, is an unbeatable value.

[MK-Ultra]

Whoops!........

[Dumby]

Dude, I just tried to give you a good ding...unless I clicked it wrong forgive me if I did... Sincecerly Dumby

I just checked and I didn't screw up! I gave you good rep...

[MK-Ultra]

Originally Posted by Dumby

Dude, I just tried to give you a good ding...unless I clicked it wrong forgive me if I did... Sincecerly Dumby

I just checked and I didn't screw up! I gave you good rep...

Ah well, I'm sorry for my mistake, then. There's a lot of silliness with these things around here, and it is considered bad form to give neg rep anonymously.

thanks for the good rep! Back at ya! Hope you get the recorder that suits your needs!

[Dumby]

Once you lay a track using a plug-in effect, can you change the effect without having to re-record similar to the way you do it on a PC?
I"m getting ready to buy a new unit sometime in April and I'm undecided still. Although I'm attracted to multitrack recorders because I"m really unfamilliar with PC's...I get pee shivers just thinking about using a computer for recording.

[MK-Ultra]

I am not sure I understand your question.

You can track while having one (or more) effect applied to the track as a loop effect, but not inserted on the track. If the effect is inserted on the track it is referred to as being 'printed' to the track and cannot then be altered. Unless you know exactly what you want, most people don't record that way, and will apply the effect post-recording.

Whichever platform you choose, you will have a learning curve. I have found the 2000CD to be quite easy to use, especially when you get the VGA monitor interface and hook up a mouse and monitor to the machine. However, I already climbed the learning curve with a VS-880EX, which is like the old Starship Enterprise compared to the new one. I would assume the 2400 would be as easy to use as my 2000CD.

[Dumby]

On a PC I know you can change the effect on a vocal or guitar track after the track is layed by scrolling through an effects list and apply it only with a click of the mouse...Is that possible with VS studios?
Hope that was clearer

[MK-Ultra]

Yes, that is no problem, as long as you don't insert the effect into the recorded track.

[MK-Ultra]

Ok, I see by your location that you're in Taranna. I seem to recall pricing the VS2000CD at Long & McQuade for about $2.700.00 CAD. I would go check out the units at your local L&M, or Steve's downtown. See if they'll rent you the unit you want to look at. If you're gonna go the 'buy-new' route, you're gonna pay at least $3,000.00 with the GST/PST. Are you sure they fit your needs? There are cheaper units around, like the BOSS BR models.

In any case, the VS machines are very flexible, and their manuals are somewhat better than they used to be. If you get the 2000CD, be prepared to pay for the VGA interface. You'll want to have a nice big screen, rather than the little LED, believe me.

[Dumby]

I have a BR1180...for not too much longer.

[Red Dog Studios]

I have hurd alot of good things about the VS-studios, so i guess it would all depend on your budget. But i voted for the vs-2480cd because i use one and i love the sound i get from it and having a compressor, limiter, gate and eq, with phase switchs and auto-mix features on EACH track/channel, that's one of the main things that sold me on the 2480. One of the only draw-backs i see on the 2480 is the effects. i think for the money you spend on the damn thing, roland could have given you a little bit more freedom with the effects. But you can however buy the effects boards and get 8 effects at once and i'm saving up for those now, and i think when i get them, the vs-2480 will be a serious tool in my studio lol.

And when your a punk 17 year old teenager like me, you can pick up another effect board with 1 or 2 pay checks ....

Zeke

[MK-Ultra]

The other (newer model) VSs have the same features, Zeke. I just got a VS8F-3 expansion card for my 2000CD with TCR-3000 Reverb plugin, and that reverb makes the stock Roland 'verb sound like crap. I have one more expansion slot to fill. To load up the 2480 isn't cheap, unless you put in VS8F-2 boards that you can find relatively cheap on eBay. The newer FX boards are, minimum, $300.00 USD a pop, and that doesn't include the 3rd party plugins.

[Dumby]

Okay, dude I'm falling backwards by the second...I thought the VSF-8 card was a 3rd party effects??? Aren't they just "installed" when you pop the card in?
Oh yes, and if you don't mind sharing with me if you have any rack gear, what and why before I spend retarted amounts of money that would be great! Thanks and take care. mike

[MK-Ultra]

The VS8F-3 card doesn't have any FX built into it like the earlier version does. Rather, you have to load the FX onto the HDD. The 3 card just acts as a processor of the FX. The 3 card comes with 5 Roland FX on a CD-ROM that you load into the VS. The 'third-party' plugins are optional, and are not cheap. They are, imo, worth it. The TC reverbs that I put in blow the Roland reverbs completely away. I could never dial in a reverb that I was happy with from the Roland presets. Always took a fair bit of tweaking, and I still wasn't satisfied. The TC reverbs are probably the best I've heard in a machine like this.

I have a decent front end;

Really Nice Compressor (do a search; there's plenty of threads on this, here);

Mackie 1202 VLZ mixer (this is my weak spot, which will be upgraded asap), but still ok for preamps;

Rode NTK LDC mic (again, do a search here);
AKG 451B SDC mic; " "
AKG 414 ULS;

You don't need to spend that for decent mics, though. There are good bang-for-the-buck mics and pre-amps that, with good recording technique, will yield excellent results.

[Dumby]

Are the effects in the 2480 without adding VS8F-3 card like the ones in the BR studios? The patch effects I"m talking about or I am way off track?

[MK-Ultra]

I don't know. There are probably more of them, but that includes a lot of useless emulation patches, and the near worthless guitar patches. There are some good ones, though.

[MK-Ultra]

BTW,

If you go to www.rolandus.com you can find a page where you can download the manuals for the machines as well as their appendices. You can get a list of the FX patches there (in the appendices). There's lots, but a good chunk of them are absolutely useless, at least to me.

[KEVIN1600]

I have a VS-1880 and like it. www.secondhandcherry.com

[KEVIN1600]

The effects are like on the BR-1600 but better since you can have 2 cards (on my VS-1880) www.secondhandcherry.com

[Dumby]

Dude, I'm looking at your website right now I'm coming to you town to visit this bar!

[KEVIN1600]

Which one? Juno's was good on Thanksgiving eve!!! Young Girls .Those recordings on our website were made on the Boss BR-1600 about 2 years ago...and the're still getting us jobs.I want to make more band recordings on the VS-1880 I have now. www.secondhandcherry.com