Crossover from MR8 to VF160

[cellardweller]

How hard would this crossover be?
I'm seriously considering buying the VF160 (in a couple of months).

For a guy with semi-limited funds, would this be an advisable upgrade?
Should I just keep buying larger CF cards for my MR8?

Consider this question to be from a "beginner' standpoint, as I haven't logged as many hours on my MR8 as many of you have... Nor had near the success that I've heard from many of your songs recorded on the MR8.

I know I could stand to learn more from further trials and tribulations with the MR8, but sooner is usually better than later it seems so far as getting over the "learning curve" hurdle...

Decisions decisions...

 

[mrx]

cellardweller -

I'm in the process of making the transition. Many of the buttons and menus on the VF160 are the same as the MR-8, so clearly the MR-8 was based on the VF operating system (which probably explains why it was so 'bug free' for a first generation product.) Having the same transport controls, undo/redo, and menu structure makes getting started easier, but there's so much more functionality that I'm still learning my way around. One area where it already changed the way I work is having enough inputs that I can sync up a drum machine and totally get away from using a PC until final mixing.

Another thing nice about the 160 is 16 actual tracks with faders - none of this 'stereo pair' business that basically gives you half the tracks that are advertised, no matter how they spin it.

 

[dave in toledo]

mr8

my buddie has one, i was really surprised at the similarities, but according to him, my recordings sound better with the mr8 and going to the pc then his does, i dont know if i agree with him or not, i think he is a better player then me and that out shines my recordings i think.......

 

[mrx]

my buddie has one, i was really surprised at the similarities, but according to him, my recordings sound better with the mr8 and going to the pc ...

Is he mixing/mastering on the 160? Using a PC for the final stage should make any recording sound better (plug ins, detailed editing, etc.) The lack of USB is one VF downside, although there's enough space to get everything tracked and then just transfer files with CD.

 

[dave in toledo]

pc

he is not mixing on the pc, thats probably the difference, but i personally like his recordings better, looks like a great machine to me.....

but im broke hahahhhh

 

[cellardweller]

I'm "broke" too for now. I'm thinking ahead to post-September-ish. My current budgeting will have all of my outstandings paid by then hopefully.

I'm going to jam with a guy who just got out of a band. They did some recordings on a vf160, and I was impressed. Of course, they also gave them to a guy who mastered them with CEP.

I may go an entirely different direction by September and decide we need more PA cabinets instead. It's always best (for me) to think way ahead to anticipated purchases, instead of rushing in...

 

[mrx]

It's always best (for me) to think way ahead to anticipated purchases, instead of rushing in...

Best way to go - there's so much information out there now that there's no excuse for buying the wrong thing!

 

[billisa]

The only way your recordings will sound better by going through a PC after a VF160 is if you've got plug-ins, etc. to tweak with. Personally, I think a recording should be able to stand up without being heavily fixed in the mix. To that end, the VF160 will give you very clean, transparent, reliable results day in and day out. Mine has very very rarely frozen (always because I'm pushing too many buttons at once), it's never ever lost data, editing is seamless, punch-ins are a snap, burns are phenomenal, and the results are directly related to the actual input.

I am not big into adding a ton of effects, so I've always been very pleased with my VF160 mixes. Obviously, working with a mouse and 17" screen makes life much quicker and easier. But I don't think I'd enjoy the latency problems and software bugs that PC's can be prone to.

Even so, if you think you'd be doing a lot on a PC after recording via a VF160, I'd skip the VF altogether and just invest in a nicer, sound-deadened, more stable PC.