Anyone own a BR-8? Whaddya think about it

[Curly]

Hey everyone-

I'm just looking to get started, and get some of my songs recorded. I was looking at the B5-8, and it seemed like a relatively simple yet satisfactory for what I need at the moment. I was just wondering if any of you BR-8 owners could give me some feedback about if it worked for you, or if it didn't, what you like about it or what you dont like. Thanks,

Curly

[Polaris20]

I love my BR8, but you might want to wait until the BR1180 is out, it has 10 track recording, and a 20 gig HD, as opposed to the Zip. I found that the Zip is the only limiting factor.

Otherthanthat, it's a great way to get into digital recording. Coming from a Tascam Porta 7, it's a big increase in sound quality.

[JonnyM]

I picked one up about a year ago. I found it easy for my simple mind to grasp. There is always going to be a newer, better, more full-featured model. Wouldn't it be nice if Roland would reduce the price on the older technologies as they get replaced. Look how you can now buy a Quad Cassette deck for $100.

I still think it's a good product, and I'm glad that baby 532 wasn't out when I bought it, as I'd have likely cheaped out and not went with 8-tracks.

The zip is a limitation, but on the plus side, thay are readily available, cheap, and ubitquitous. I've found virtual throw aways zips that I could reuse as a "favor" to co-workers. The downside is you can't do that PinkFloyd/Yes/ELP epic 20 minute song with all 8 tracks in High-Quality mode. More like 6 min.

The ideal would be a deck that had enough smarts to interface with any cheap HD, so you could upgrade easy over time. Toss out the 10MB, put in the 40MB, so on yada yada.

I've gotten good use out of my Br-8, and expect I'll continue to favor having real, touchable controls over the software PC method of recording to digital.

[DarthFaders]

You might find further information at www.vsplanet.com in the forums.

Darth

[72fender]

The BR-8's 100mb ZIP can be converted to 250mb, this will give 15mins of recording time, enough to a mini-epic song.

[smada]

I got the br-8 about two months ago. It's been great for me to learn about recording with it. I wish you could record more than two track at a time. Also my volumes are low when burning cd. I'm planning on getting cakewalk or something to mix down on the pc. Hopefully this will help with cd volume. Overall, It has been a good tool to learn with and I was able to get started right out of the box with no recording experience.

[Polaris20]

Originally posted by smada
I got the br-8 about two months ago. It's been great for me to learn about recording with it. I wish you could record more than two track at a time. Also my volumes are low when burning cd. I'm planning on getting cakewalk or something to mix down on the pc. Hopefully this will help with cd volume. Overall, It has been a good tool to learn with and I was able to get started right out of the box with no recording experience.

Are you burning in the PC? If so, try out Sound Forge. I had the same problem, but Sound Forge fixed it for me. I just bought the cheap $50 dollar XP version, and it works absolutely great.

[JonnyM]

As a work around, can't you plug multiple mics into a small mixer and choose an effective mixdown to two tracks at a time for input into the BR-8?

For example if I want two mics on my Acoustic guitar, but want to sing some kind of guide track as well, couldn't I plut 3 mics into my mixer, and mix the two gutar mics to track 1, and send the vocal to track 2?

I realize I've given up the ability to change the relative levels, so I expect this would not always be desireable.

[smada]

Originally posted by Polaris20


Are you burning in the PC? If so, try out Sound Forge. I had the same problem, but Sound Forge fixed it for me. I just bought the cheap $50 dollar XP version, and it works absolutely great.

I've been burning from real one player or music jukebox on the pc that I downloaded off mp3.com. I upload from the br-8 tracs via external zip drive/br-8 wave converter becuase my sound card doesn't have digital in. I am waiting for cakewalk to arrive anytime now. I'm betting I can upload one track at a time and then somehow converge them together in cakewalk and mix them better that way. Especially with volume control. Maybe add drum/guitar effects. Sound like I'm on the right track?

[Polaris20]

Originally posted by JonnyM
As a work around, can't you plug multiple mics into a small mixer and choose an effective mixdown to two tracks at a time for input into the BR-8?

For example if I want two mics on my Acoustic guitar, but want to sing some kind of guide track as well, couldn't I plut 3 mics into my mixer, and mix the two gutar mics to track 1, and send the vocal to track 2?

I realize I've given up the ability to change the relative levels, so I expect this would not always be desireable.

Yes, I do that all the time. This is especially handy when you're recording drums.

I do a submix on my Behringer, into the RCA in's on the BR8. Works great, sounds great.

[Polaris20]

Originally posted by smada


I've been burning from real one player or music jukebox on the pc that I downloaded off mp3.com. I upload from the br-8 tracs via external zip drive/br-8 wave converter becuase my sound card doesn't have digital in. I am waiting for cakewalk to arrive anytime now. I'm betting I can upload one track at a time and then somehow converge them together in cakewalk and mix them better that way. Especially with volume control. Maybe add drum/guitar effects. Sound like I'm on the right track?

Yeah, a more elaborate way of doing things than what I'm doing.

I'm only uploading 2 stereo tracks, opening Sound Forge (which is a 2 track mastering program) and then adjusting volumes and such there.

However, with Cakewalk (or any other multi-track software) you can do the same thing I am, but you can also rearrange tracks, re-align them, and do all sorts of fancy stuff.

I've thought about going that route but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I suppose I could just download N tracks and see how it works out for me.

[Telegib]

I've had mine for just over 2 years....Love it !

Can't say enough good about it. For starting out, it's the best digital option going with 8 tracks.....so many features, too many to list...

The sound quality you get back is highly rewarding.....

here's some BR-8 stuff I did...listen for yourself....





Telegib.

http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/Vi...php?eltid=1374


http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/Vi....php?eltid=829

[imalion]

Hey Curly....... I love my BR-8. It is the best purchase I have made so far.... Feel free to listen to my stuff. I recorded everything with my BR-8. So it will give you an idea of what it can do.....

www.mp3.com/steven_diemert

Take care

[Curly]

hey imalion-

what micophone did you use to record your vocals on those songs?

Curly