Ravenwing said:
Guess what I'm really asking is this: Is the signal path (pre's, A/D converter, etc.) in the higher end daws that much better than the MR-8? I know the pre's in the MR-8 arent anything to write home about, and I usually use my DMP-3 but if you lurk the Korg/Roland/Tascam forums, people there sure seem to talk a lot about using external pre's, and the issue of by-passing the internal pre's seems to come up all the time. I guess I just can't see the advantage for someone like me upgrading. Am I wrong?
On all boards you hear it said that the pre's on DAW's aren't too hot. I've read two articles on the VF160 that say the pre's in it are very neutral. I think they are too. Of course on the VF160 you can use insert points and bypass the pres altogether. Technically, if you don't use the inserts, then even with an external pre, you're still running through the internal cicuitry.
Sometimes one reads how the pres on the Korg/TASCAM etc, etc, are "garbage". I really think this is nonsense, and that many differences between internal and external pres is very subtle, and inaudible to many folks. After buying a DMP-3, this one guy I know sold it because he felt the perceived difference from his VF80 pres was just too subjective. "Inaudible" was the word he used.
I would say that one thing good external pres bring is the ability to add a ton of gain without any appreciable noise. This would help when using an SM-57.
My Studio Projects VTB1's have much more gain capacity than my VF160, and they're super quiet. The VF160 is also quiet, but doesn't have as much oomph in the gain department. The other side of this is I usually don't need much gain...
Given what you wrote, I'm not sure a VF160 would give you much that you don't already have. I do all my recording/editing/mastering/burning on the VF160, so I need the tracks and features... With a PC brought into the mix right after recording the need for the whole VF160 package diminishes.
Perhaps the extra $ should go to better mics...