Buy a BR-864 or keep my BR-532?

[hiwatt357]

I bought a used (but basically brand new) Boss BR-532 last year for about $125.00. I've enjoyed this machine but two limitations have always bugged me. The first is that you cannot EQ tracks during mixdown...you can only apply EQ while tracking. I don't like adding EQ while tracking, so this has always gotten on my nerves. The other thing is that I run the 4 mics I have on my drums to a small 12-channel mixer, and run the left main out of that board to the left line-in of the BR-532. In doing such, since the line-in is stereo and can be assigned to 2 tracks, I cannot use the line-in and, say, the XLR input simultaneously. In other words, if I put a mic on a guitar cabinet or amp and wanted to record the drums and guitar playing at the same time, I could not do such.

So, today I see a Boss BR-864 digital 8-track on craigslist with a 512 MB flash card for $245.00. I e-mail the seller and ask if you can EQ tracks while mixing down and also ask to how many tracks can you record at once.

When I get the reply from the seller, I find out that it's a friend of mine.

So, between what she told me and what I read on Boss' website, there IS individual track EQ that can be used during mixdown, but the issue of using line-in and the XLR-in at the same time is still an issue.

Now, with my knowing her, I suppose it's possible that she'd come down off the price, but from what I've seen on completed auctions on eBay, it's not a bad deal.

But my real question is...is it worth spending the $245.00 to get the extra tracks and the ability to EQ during mixdown? I mean, I could probably sell my BR-532 for around $100.00 or so (depending on what they seem to be going for now...I haven't checked) and I'd only be spending $150.00, but still.

Is the BR-864 that much better of a recorder than the BR-532? Or is there something close to that price range that would allow me to record a line-in source as well as a mic source.

I admit, the EQ during mixdown is a pretty big deal to me...and having the extra 4 tracks would be nifty...I'm just unsure as to whether it's really worth it or not.

Any insight and opinions would be welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Dumby]

Always go bigger than what you think you need because you will always want to go a step further...As far as doing your simultaneous recordings, you can do two at a time on a BR1180 (which has 8 tracks in total). I have that but now I want a BR1600 or somehting bigger like a VS2000. Let me know if you want mine!

 

[aspiring]

I wouldn't pay anything to do what you're suggesting. Those units are just too similar. And they're both old now. Save up and get something that will do what you want. (The BR864, 900, 1180, 1200 can all only record 2 tracks at a time. Since line-in is two tracks, you can never have that and something else.)

aspiring

 

[hiwatt357]

Thanks for the input.

By the time I even got around to asking her something about it, she had sold it. Just as well, though. Last week I found a Vox AD60VT amp with the VC-4 foot controller locally on craigslist for $300.00, so I ended up getting that. Actually, I ended up paying $290.00 for it because my "stash" was $10 short...but he took it anyway.

 

[Gorty]

Thanks for the input.

By the time I even got around to asking her something about it, she had sold it. Just as well, though. Last week I found a Vox AD60VT amp with the VC-4 foot controller locally on craigslist for $300.00, so I ended up getting that. Actually, I ended up paying $290.00 for it because my "stash" was $10 short...but he took it anyway.

Nice work!