Fostex - VM200 Digital Mixer (FVM200)

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Fostex - VM200 Digital Mixer (FVM200)

I'm setting up my project studio. I have a Pentium 4 with Digi 001 installed along with a Akai MPC 2000 and a Trinity keyboard. I need a mixer. Is this the one for me? A friend told me that I can use it as a controller for Pro Tool Le as well as a mixer to monitor all my gear. It sounds good to me especially since Sam Ash has the mixer at a drop from $1500 to $500.

Anybody got any 411 on this unit. Is it any good? Is it a long learning curve on it? Being I new to this and is still trying to learn this midi spit. What the deal?
 
As far as low cost for a digital mixer, you should be able to get a TASCAM TMD-1000 through ebay for under $400. The best thing about TASCAM is the support, both BB and tech.
If you use the internal effects of the TMD, the bit rate is dithered down to 20 bit for that processing and then returned to 24 bit. It's best not to use effects processing in the TMD, but wait until the Computer software can do it.
Chuck
 
Sorry I have not been back to this site for some time. Yes the VM200 is a great mixer. I have had a great time working with it and use it with my RME Digi96/8 PST Audio card. The ADAT routing makes life so much easier, when using the VM200. It also has some very useful FX if you toy with them a little.

In fact I'm on the path to try and get another. They are excellent when used with MTC, MIDI messages and Fostex Exclusive messages and can be cascaded. If you have Cakewalk or Sonar, it is a walk over to get the the faders to respond to MIDI. The manuals are not well written but, if you read them carefully and slowly you'll get the best results out of your mixer. Everything can be MIDI controlled and it has Automated faders.

If I was to find something that I did not like. It would have to be the fact that the mixer is not quite 20 channels, but rather and very impressive 8 channel recording mixer. Secondly the FX are a small bit lacking on it's presets, the revebs are set beyond 2 seconds which is to long for good monitoring and studio purposes. Lastly, the faders are just 60mm, a more appropriate mixer fader would have to be 100mm.

The good stuff. Well that is really to do with the ease of use, even without looking at the manual. Setup and configuration is easy. The FX are workable, you need to play with the settings to get the best results for your studio, song, or other. This is therefore an advantage, because you can then save you settings to a user preset for later use. Not too that if you use the dump (MIDI dump) you can always reload these settings later if you run out of user presets. EQ's also have presets only they are well done (like the FX's, you can edit, save to preset, etc). A friend and I compared the the EQ's with that found on most plug-ins and the VM200 was the winner hands down. But even more impressive was the fact that we as near as possible tried the same settings (as on the VM200) on the Plug-ins for EQ on Calkwalk Sonar, and the results were clear and noticeable, especially with drums. The EQ is very good (however read the manual for best results), and AD converters are excellent. Very good, clear, noise free balanced & unbalanced inputs. Quality output for dry to wet signal and balanced XLR inputs with 48 v switch for the better mic's, however compressor is very preferable. The mixer is small and lightweight, so if you were going to find other uses - I would say that you could use it 'live' with great effect and / or if you were to use it for a mobile recording desk or live recording.

As a last thought, I really like this mixer but please do not think that this is the best mixer there is. I have heard some other great mixers, the YAMAHA 01V is very impressive and has great features - highly recommended. However that bit more expensive nowadays and rare. In all likelihood I would have gone for the YAMAHA 01V if I had the money. The TASCAM TMD1000 too, is very good, but lacking in the FX and Automated faders I believe.

In fact I have just this last month recorded and friend who may be on his way to a recording contract. Two recording companies have heard the DEMO and are negotiating with his agent. I'm just luckily that I was able to do some of the engineering pre and post production for the DEMO. It will never make me rich but there's always hope.

I hope I'm not too late. Good luck and I hope your studio does you and your recordings proud.

Rgds
Rish
 
I have one also...

Verb -- as Rish said it is a great board, I do R&B/POP/& HIP HOP
The EQ's a good in my eyes and also the FX, the ADAT transfer are flawless.

But also I did purchase the 01V ((personally didnt like it)) to sharp and prestine sounding even when trying to fix it via EQ
it just has more inputs and such. To each his own though
the price has dropped (VM200) to $500 but I got mine for $400.

MMC/MTC can be run from the board ((I dont use it)) but it can
(hold CHANNEL VIEW & CHANNEL METER down at the same time)
then you get the FF,RW,STOP,PLAY mode.

I too was going for the TMD1000, but I chose FOSTEX hell the price was good for me OVERALL -- but either three are great
FOSTEX price affordable -- Good tech support
TASCAM in the same boat -- just a few differences--you judge
Y01V -- the mother of them

but I always say, if you put quality in through the board -- it's going to give you great sound back --if you know how to EQ
 
Check out Musician's Friend--I've seen the Fostex go for under $300 on their site.

Peace, Jim
 
Picking up a 2nd 1

Hey Rish, I'm picking up my 2nd VM200 today, I figure it's gonna save me space (LESS CABLES). I have a FOSTEX 20x8 analog mixer , but all those cables are urking me now, I used it to play back my adats (24 track).

But I figured out a method,
First mixer to 1st Adat
Second to 2nd Adat

now from the third, go (4) xlr into the 2nd, in turn giving me 20 channels (16 digital) (4) analog, then route the SPDIF to the last 2 inputs on the ADAT for stereo mix.

Mind you I eleviate that god-forsaken octopus of an ELCO cable
the other 16 Neutrik cables, and just use 4 opticals 4 analog cables and 2 RCA, nice trade I think

and it save space
 
mstudio, nice one... That is still just a dream for me. By the way, I have to say that I am very glad I did not go for the Yamaha now. Thanks for the comments...

Cables Cables Cables Cables Cables Cables or ADAT..... ;)

What software and Audio card are you using. Sounds great, have to say that the idea of getting a second Adat interface and VM200 is very much on the cards... But I am buying a new home and will probibly need all the money put into a new studio.

I have a studioware panel made for the VM200 with a .ins file. If you like I will send them to you. Or post it on this site. I did a earlier version, but that was a first attempt, so this one should be a bit better. I will try to put up some documentation to go with it, to show you how to setup Cakewalk to interface better with it.

Let me know. By the way my email address on this site is out of date (new subscription). So I'll have to get another. I will do that later this week, and update it. Cheers Rish
 
hey rish!

Hey Man! I placed them together in perfect harmony
_______WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING______________

also, I went to IKEA and purchased some wall mounts (2)
1-10ft board, 1-4ft board. I mounted these on the wall knocking
out the usage of my 2 tier stand (keyboard & monitors)
and placed the mixers together on the 4ft board

it looks as if levitation is holding them up in the air -COOOOOOOL-

I'm a space freak -- I like ART DECO type set ups-- 1 thing here
2 things there --VWALA---- ALL DONE

After breaking down the analog mixer and rearranging everything
it looks damn good, daaaaamn good, now I have for sale a...

20 x 8 anolog mixer (FOSTEX)
ELCO CABLE (neutrik)
8 rca to 1/4 cables (hosa) rca tip/rca tip to 1/4/1/4 --connected
OMNIRAX 2 tier stand
42 channel patch bay
MAC6200CD D.P 2.7

hey! send that file to my email address --- but I'm using Cubase
does that make a difference?

GOOD LUCK ON THE NEW HOUSE --- (fingers crossed) everything works out well
 
Studioware

Hey Rish,
I just ordered my VM200 (should be here by the end of the week). I would love to have a copy of your studioware panel, if you would e-mail it to me. I can't wait to set it up for MMC in cakewalk and start automating. Thanks a lot - Scott
 
Chaps,

Please test and try it. Please note that there is no password so you can make changes. However, please do not change the copyright information.

Also note that there is an instrument definition file. You don't need it; however, it does contain the 'Init Mix' scene controller information which can help a lot when troubleshooting.

Good Luck.
 

Attachments

Some bad news

I know the price was the greatest to see, but certain advantages of the machine does not work accordingly.

This machine was built to use with the BR8 recorder, so certain advantages would work overtly well with that unit

I have two and find that my cascade didnt hold up as I thought
Midi Controll use stifled down the usage of FADER & PANNING
REC BUSS/STEREO BUSS allow recording to ADAT, but can be a little tedius panning left for odd tracks, panning right for even tracks. MMC works, but I really dont have use for it, but I checked it out.

MR MATT SUZUKI @ FOSTEX 1-800-936-7839, hit 4, then 3

Not exactly 20 channels, but a suped up 8 channel mixer
8 analog, 8 digital, 4 effect rtn --Not that I am let down but to warn some people , I just use the effects and routing feature, which is my main USAGE --

GOOD SIDE -- you save money, transport of ADAT optical is cool
((you dont have to buy a card like the 01V)) effects are cool
size, accessability, Neutrik Mic Pre is cool, AD/DA is cool, so my last and final thought. for the money it is great, and I'm happy I have them, but let down by the fact that most of the essentials of the machine was made for the BR8 recorder ---
which no one has --- cause everyone has an ADAT, so .....
I just had to speak on it. I'm still glad I got it though

TDM1000 -- has 16 but mostly SPDIF
O1V -- 16, but you gotta buy 2 OPTICAL cards $300 piece

I bought two VM's and have the same stuff without buying anything extra
 
Using VM200s (2) With Cubase & Dakota

I am using 2 Fostex VM200s 16 tracks total with a Frontier Design Group Dakota Digital Interface Card (PCI) Windows based. I had problems setting the work clock between all devices - cascading the vm200s took two analog tracks away and didn't seem to do anything but give me more error messages with the dakota. I am now running the Dakota as the main word clock device with the two fostex vm200's set to adat44 in the clock settings, they all seem to be syncd and running well now.

Brian
Fossil Studios

Does this sound like the best option for those of you that use this setup? So far I haven't heard anything as far as pops or clicks in the audio during playback or recording.
 
That is the best set-up

That is the best set-up, simply because the DAKOTA time stamp
is better for MASTER SYNC. As in my case I use the BRC, which makes everything sync : ADATS, CUBASE, VM200 perfectly fine.

Your good, keep it that way, you'll be just fine

I guess I wont cascade my units, though I dont necessarily need
to, being everything is on the computer, the cascade just sounds good to do, but not necessarily needed. As long as you can still store mixes, eq's I'm fine.

Regardless of my previous thread, I still love these damn things,
((smiling)) and I mentioned the wrong unit, it was the ((RD-8)) that most of the features would work with.

Are you enjoying them ? what made you get them ?
 
Re: Using VM200s (2) With Cubase & Dakota

Brian (Fossil Studios),
Sounds like you got the best setup to me! I am currently using the Dakota card myself. I purchased it a little over a month ago. I have a VM200 attached. I found that it was better to make the Dakota the master, and sync the VM200 to it's ADAT I/O. I'm not using the 2nd set of ADAT's on the Dakota yet. I'm not sure when I will, but I like the idea of it being available for my next upgrade. I'm using the Coax S/PDIF for my Roland VS-840 hard disk recorder that I also just recently purchased. I like the idea of your setup! Two VM200's, resulting in up to 16 digital inputs! I'm going to wait until next year for that, though. For now, I'm working on the wife for a set of studio monitors. I've been mixing through the singer's PA and a stereo with Shelf speakers. Not good!

I'm looking at the JBL LSR25P's and the Roland DS-50A's. I like the Roland's S/PDIF Inputs for low noise, but I've heard that they weren lacking on the low end. All that I've heard about the JBL's is that they sounded good overall. I'm at the point that I will be going out to listen to these...



fossilstudios said:
I am using 2 Fostex VM200s 16 tracks total with a Frontier Design Group Dakota Digital Interface Card (PCI) Windows based. I had problems setting the work clock between all devices - cascading the vm200s took two analog tracks away and didn't seem to do anything but give me more error messages with the dakota. I am now running the Dakota as the main word clock device with the two fostex vm200's set to adat44 in the clock settings, they all seem to be syncd and running well now.

Brian
Fossil Studios

Does this sound like the best option for those of you that use this setup? So far I haven't heard anything as far as pops or clicks in the audio during playback or recording.
Click to expand...
 
VM-200 Panel

Hi guys:

Well, I certainly think i found a goldmine. Glad there are so many VM-200 users out there.
I think I may be getting a second one, as well as the dakota card. That really seems to suit my needs perfectly, since I use a blackface ADAT, as well as a VM-200.
Anyway, I downloaded the panel from Verb or Rish. It's great, the only thig is that I can only get it to work if I choose "direct to port" as opposed to "automate in track". How do you get yours to work? The same goes for my rudimentary panel that i am currently working on.
Also, a weird quirk. When I stop playing a song, channel fader 1 always reverts to infinity???
Can you help me?

Tony
 
Reply to Tonester

Hey, Tony! Me again!!

Yeah, I never did get your studioware panel. I downloaded Rish's today, as well. I haven't had a chance to try it. Interesting that your channel 1 goes to infinity. I had manually mapped my controls, as you well know. Whenever I stop a song, if I power up the Midi patch bay, so that midi gets through, my channel 1 goes to 0 immediately!

After reading the messages above, I mentioned the idea of a 2nd VM200 to my wife this evening. She rolled her eyes and said "dream on". Of course, I expected that response. I've already got her on the hook to purchase me some studio monitors! 8')

I love my Dakota, Though!!! Still haven't try the WDM drivers....
 
VM-200

Tom:

Maybe I have your e-mail address wrong. Did you get my e-mail at all?
I recently switched to AOL (Ihateit) because they're giving me 6 mos free, unlimited, since gateway.net is folding. I think I can live with it that long.
I'll try to send it to you again.

I won't even bring up the subject of a second VM-200 with my fiancee. We're getting married at the end of September, so the timing just isn't right!!!

However, I may sell my Delta 1010 and get that Dakota card.


Tony
 
It's tntkemp@hotmail.com

It is possible that I had too much email in my account when you sent it. I use that account for most of my junk mail. I keep the others secret, because I don't want them filling up. However, I just cleaned out the Hotmail account today, so there will only be a couple hundred in there tomorrow! ;')
 
still need help....

how are you guys controlling your onscreen faders in sonar with your vm200 and how are you getting it to talk back...

the manual sucks...and I'm still way in the dark...plus the guy at fostex has no clue it seems...he keeps telling me the same thing and it has yet to work....

oh well....

HELP

Thanks
 
Re: still need help....

Anartist said:
how are you guys controlling your onscreen faders in sonar with your vm200 and how are you getting it to talk back...

Well, to date, I've always manually mapped each slider and pot by the following methods:

Pro Audio 9:
Manually, by right-clicking on the appropriate slider/pot in the
console view, choosing remote control and selecting controller
number and channel. I've set the VM200 to send and
receive on Channel 16. As noted in the manual, the channel 1
slider responds to controller 1, 2-2, 3-3, etc. Master Volume
Responds to Controller 108, etc.

Sonar:
Sonar has a great learn feature. Right-click on the appropriate
slider/pot in the console view. Move the slider on the VM200
click on learn on the menu you brought up by right-clicking in
the console view. It will fill in the blanks with the appropriate
Controller info and channel info.

After this, I saved the file as a template, rather than a song. I always did it as a wrk file before, then everytime I opened the file, I would save it under a new name prior to recording. The template works better. Then you never risk overwriting it when you save your songs.

The other solution is to use a studioware panel. a couple of people here have created one for the VM200. Rish is one person. Tonester is the other, although he never published his here. I haven't used these yet, but they should prove to be a better way, if done correctly. Search this site for VM200. You should find attachments on some messages.
Click to expand...
 
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