Which unit to get?

[gunslinger]

I've been looking at the MR-8HD, but concerned about build quality. But also looking into the older VF80, VF08, and VF16.


I'm on a small budget (under $400) and would like to get the most machine for my money. what would you recommend?

[billisa]

Originally Posted by gunslinger

I've been looking at the MR-8HD, but concerned about build quality. But also looking into the older VF80, VF08, and VF16.


I'm on a small budget (under $400) and would like to get the most machine for my money. what would you recommend?

VF80's are VERY solid. Great with the built-in CDR.

[raven46]

i asked the same question on the forum a couple months ago and bought the vf16 and its been great, a little hard to understand at first (unless you have previous experience recorders) but once you get your head around it its simple

no built in cd burner but so what there is easy ways of over coming this,
you do get up to 24 tracks, i think 36 or 38 built in fx's, compressor,
do a google search for the manual and have a look,

the pros far way out the cons, its a great machine for the price

[Rokket]

Why are you concerned about build quality? I have had the original MR-8 for almost 2 years and have had no problems beyond the needed software updates ( to accept any CF card, etc). Granted, the case is plastic, but most of them are nowadays anyhow. I don't think you would go wrong if you bought it.

[gunslinger]

Can I daisy chain 2 units together?

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by gunslinger

Can I daisy chain 2 units together?

Why would you want to do that?

If it's to get more tracks, you can bounce them down and keep recording, provided you want to do it all "in the box". Or get on of the VF's with 16 or 32 track capability. That would be cheaper than buying two units.

The other option is to get decent recording software and send all your tracks to your pc and mix there. I do that, leaving the bounced tracks on the MR-8 as a guide if I want to add more to it.

[gunslinger]

Because if I decide to get one of these, my other guitarist is planning on getting an identicle unit. If we could chain them up would be nice.

[zacanger]

I don't really like my MR-8. I really only use it as a sort of audio interface until I get around to getting a Presonus firewire interface.

[gunslinger]

care to explain?


Would help me out to know some cons, as well.

[zacanger]

Well, I've got the CF version, which only has two inputs, which kinda sucks because if I want to have more than, say, two mics on drums, I have to do a submix, and then I can't mess with it after tracking. Of course, the HD has four, so that's not that big a problem with that one. Also, the effects kinda... suck. Like, a lot. The reverbs and delay are very metallic and cheap sounding, and you can't really mess with the settings a whole lot. It has "amp and mic" modelling, but they don't really do much to the tone of what you're recording. It's not too bad for what I'm doing now, which is basically just using it to record vocals and electric guitars, and then put them right on the computer to use them with programmed drums -- but then, I'm really only doing recording for one industrial act right now.
If I might make a recommendation, though, I've also tried out the Zoom-made equivalent, and it was a lot more intuitive. Not that this one wasn't, really, the Zoom just felt better under my hands, if that makes sense.

[wilko]

All good points. I have had the original MR-8 for over 2 years and I think it is great. Mind you I am only part of a duo and I have a drum machine. I think the 2 inputs would be quite limiting if recording drums. Doesn't the HD version have 4 inputs?

[zacanger]

It does indeed.

[GreenDank]

I'm having fun with my MR-8, but more from the standpoint of "I like that it makes me have to bounce tracks." I mean, it's a cool unit, but you have to keep mixing down and bouncing and copying and pasting in order to get more tracks freed up and be able to control the mix. But I like that because it forces me to finish mixing parts to get onto the next portion of song to be recorded, and by the end, I just need to mix vocals onto the music. But my recording strategy is a bit odd, and would take awhile to describe. Plus, I'm not even done with my first song with it yet. But almost dammit!

[BentRabbit]

I have an MR8, a VF08, and two VF16's

The MR8 is a great little utility machine to have around... I recorded lines for a play in my car on a lunch break one day...

I haven't had a chance to play with the VF08 much since I've just moved and my studio is still getting sorted out... It was a steal on Ebay ($20) But it seems like a nice cross between the MR8 and VF16...

The VF16's are my total tracking go-to machines... They can be daisy-chained with a Midi cable and lightpipe to allow for 32 tracks of simultanous recording (with my VC8 and ADA8000 suppying ADAT).

They all have their limitations... Biggest flaw (IMO) with the VF16 is the 400 HZ Bass EQ they give you to work with... But channel out to an outboard EQ or mixdown on the 'puter and it's not that big of a deal. Plus you only can work in the 16 bit realm.

For now I'm happy with what they do for me... Next year's tax return will probably be funding a Roland 2480, (the more I look, the more I like) and I'm guessing the Fostex stuff will end up on the 'For Sale' block...

But until then, they do everything I need em to...

Old Studio

[Jager]

I'm selling my VF-16 thats in excellent shape that fits in your budget. Check out the equipment forums.

[billisa]

Originally Posted by GreenDank

I'm having fun with my MR-8, but more from the standpoint of "I like that it makes me have to bounce tracks." I mean, it's a cool unit, but you have to keep mixing down and bouncing and copying and pasting in order to get more tracks freed up and be able to control the mix. But I like that because it forces me to finish mixing parts to get onto the next portion of song to be recorded, and by the end, I just need to mix vocals onto the music. But my recording strategy is a bit odd, and would take awhile to describe. Plus, I'm not even done with my first song with it yet. But almost dammit!

Your approach sounds remarkably like George Martin/Geoff Emerick used to record Sgt. Pepper. And Martin makes the same point -- it forces you to make decisions and get it done rather than wade through 100's of options at every stage...

[GreenDank]

Originally Posted by billisa

Your approach sounds remarkably like George Martin/Geoff Emerick used to record Sgt. Pepper. And Martin makes the same point -- it forces you to make decisions and get it done rather than wade through 100's of options at every stage...

hey cool! I guess it's kind of like if you had ten bucks to spend or a million. The ten would go towards a necessity, but the first 10 bucks of the million would go towards something totally useless that you never would have bought to begin with.