VSR-880, VM-3100, Mackie SR24-4

[BlackDrum]

HI!
I just ordered a Roland VM-3100 mixer to go w/ my VSR880 (i couldnt resist for $299) I was planning on buying a VSF effects card, but for about the same price, the VM3100 has 2 built in VSF cards...what a bargain..huh?!!

Anyway, here's the deal:
up until now, i just set the VSR880's outputs to "direct out", wired each output to my Mackie, and recorded the mix w/ a phillips cdr770 cd recorder.

Now that I'll have this mixer, what would be the best way to record using the Mackie & the VM3100?? I'll have the 8 tracks in the VM-3100 and several tracks on the Mackie that I'll want to mix together.

how do i mix all these tracks together to get the best sound?


I should mention that I use Cakewalk Sonar for all my MIDI instruments which are connected directly to the Mackie. I have the Vsr880 "synced-up" with Sonar via MTC.

Thanks!

BlackDrum

[TexRoadkill]

The VM3100 isnt really that great of a multitrack mixer because it lacks direct outs and inserts. The way around this is to use the RMDB 8x8 Digital interface. If your VS has the port then you just need the cable to connect to your VM.

Tell me if the VS has that port and we can go from there.

[BlackDrum]

The VSR has the R-bus MDB2 port.

so it should hook up to the VM-3100 no problem.

My main concern is: how am i going to mix the VM-3100 with the Mackie board? Digital & Analog???

Thanks again!

BlackDrum

[TexRoadkill]

It really just depends on what you want to do because using 2 mixers for the mixdown isnt all that common. I dont really see a logical way to use both.

I guess if you wanted to use the VM as an effects processor you could run any of those signals directly to the VM and come out of the master into the Mackie.

You could submix some tracks in the Roland that needed effects and send other tracks directly to the mackie.

You could also just use your Mackie Aux's to send signals to the VM and effects there and return them to the Mackie. If you had more than 8 tracks to work with the benefits would be more obvious but in your case there is no real benefit to the 2 mixers except for the effects and the digital buss on the VM.

The mackie has better pre's so I would always use the Mackie for tracking and maybe just use the VM for all of your mixing unless you prefer the Mackie EQ and sound on your mixes.

[guhlenn]

hi!

sorry that i jump in here but i wanted to know about the vsr-880... does it use audio compression? and i read that there are two mic pre's on-board , is that correct?

any experioence?

Thanks a lot

Guhlenn