3 vs840 questions

[bunnyfunk]

I am thinking of buying a vs 840, but have some questions. 1)Can you copy a song, and then edit tracks between two or three songs? I like to use this so I can stereo bounce tracks, but keep the originals in another song in case I dont like what I have bounced. 2)Is recording to the zip disks the same quality as recording to a hard drive, like on the vs880's? is the 840 20 bit? I know nothing about zip disks. 3)Does the 840 come with the master effects that the other vs models have, and are they any good? Well, looks like ive asked closer to 5 questions than 3. Any opinions or knowledge on these subjects is appreciated.

[Even]

Hey there Bunny, I will do what I can at clearing up a point or two. Question 1: copying songs.I do not know for sure on this one to be honest. But I do not think you can copy to other songs with a 840. To be honest, I don't know that you can copy from song to song on any of the VS units. Question 2: zip quality as good as hard disk. I think so for all intents and purposes. But with a zip you will only have about 125 minutes of random access track recording as opposed to the standard 2.5 gig hard drive on the 880ex. Question 2.5... yes it is a 20 bit D/A converter, same as the 880 and 1680. Question 3: Effects. Yes the 840 comes standard with effects. However it is a single channel as opposed to 2 channels as found on other vs series deals. Question 3.5: effect quality. The vs840 has 250 digital effects covering a gambit of reverbs, distortions compression and the lot. For an overall quality rating they are great. Several amp simulations that are semi close to the real. But the downside to it is that you have just one channel of them. With the other modles you can pump in two channels and offer your mix tons more flexability.
Just my opinion but I think most would be better served to hold off and save a few more clams to get the 880ex. The 840 can be scooped up for around $1000. For $1500 you will double your effects, double the number of playback tracks, improve the sampling rate from 44.1 to 48, pick up 2 more analog inputs as well as digital, track direct output, and have a scsi port for outside gear. Not to mention a heap more locator points for editing (32 as opposed to 8) and midi slave if thats yer gig. No question the 840 is a good machine. But as long as you are entering the stand alone game, it would leave you tons happier in the end to hold off and save just a bit longer.

Even

[jeffy_2003]

Question 1) As far as stereo bouncing tracks: you can do this with any of the vs recorders and keep the original tracks. The vs 840 will bounce 6 tracks to 2. If you don't like the bounce then try it again with the original tracks. Only problem is that the 840 has limited space.
Even had some great points but, just so you know: The 840 has only 1 effects "unit" but it can do two different effects to two different signals at the same time. For example during mixdown you can put a reverb on the vocals and a delay on the guitar. There are several combinations that the 840 will allow (check out a model in a store to see if it will suffice for you). Oh yea, you can only insert one effect at a time (like a guitar simulation) unlike the 880 which can do more. Then again you could just bounce the track with the inserted effect and then use the bounced track for mix down along with what ever other effect that you want. Am I making any sense?
Also the 840 has 1/2 (if i remember correctly) the virtural tracks but the 840 will playback the same number of tracks (8). One last thing. The 840 will not directly burn CDs and the 880 will...something to consider.

[Even]

Virual tracks: according to the latest VS models (which may differ form older ones)
VS1680 has 256 Vtracks
VS880EX has64
and the new vs840ex also has 64
the big track difference from 840 to 880 is the number of simultaneous recording tracks. the information brought to you today is care of the sporty new Roland flyer they sent me with specs.

[jnorman]

definitely hold out for the 880ex - the hdd is much more convenient that the zip drive, two effects cards come with it, and you will want both for sure, AND the 880ex can connect directly to the CD-RII to burn both data back-up and audio cd's. i got my 880ex on ebay for under $1200 in mint condition - it was less than a month old.

[halo]

To jnorman:

Hey. I'm also wondering about getting the 880ex from eBay. Do you still get the warranty if you get it from eBay? Is there anyway to get around the no-credit-card situation? Thanks a bunch.

michael
blue_moons12@hotmail.com

[monty]

EVEN....You wouldn't happen to know Rhonda Benoit, living in San Diego?

[jnorman]

halo - generally, since most of the transactions on ebay are for used equipment, people use money orders instead of credit cards to do business. if the previous owner never filled out the warranty registration card (mine came with a blank warranty card), you can register it in your name, but i dont know if the warranty goes with the machine. it probably would if you got a copy of the original sales receipt from the person you buy it from. just for comparative purposes, sweetwater wants $1640 for a new 880ex.

[Even]

Monty.. sadly no. I am both new, and a hermit. Don't know too many folks around here yet