new Lil' Blue owner

[robjh22]

Greetings: "Lil' Blue" is my affectionate name for my new VF 80 CDR. I flipped in relief when I found this forum, but was surprised no one had already posted a gripe about the incomprehensibility of the user manual. It's really bad once you get past the "recording to one track" section, and Fostex tech service admitted this to me. "No, we don't plan to change it, though everybody gripes about it. Ha ha!" Yeah, that's hilarious.

First question: When you're inserting (in my case, trying) effects after a dry track is made, you go to "effects" and all these preprogrammed hall effects make themselves available. I scan down to one I like, but how do I actually add the effect to the track? Do you just hit enter? Or do you have to run the record function again? I replayed the track and heard no difference. I'm sure I screwed it up.

Second, if you pick one of the standard preset hall effects, and change, say, the reverb setting on that given preset, does it revert to original state when you exit and then go to add that effect to a different track or program? Or does it assume I want a "+5" reverb level for that "hall" everytime I pull it up? I don't want to mess up the preprogrammed effects.

Thanks. I have a hundred more questions, but that's enough for tonight. Don't want to wear out my welcome.

 

[billisa]

One way...

First off, everyone knows about the manual... It's an old gripe. Too bad really. Anyway, what I do is I add effects as I'm bouncing down to 7/8. Thus leaving the original "dry". I believe you can "re-record" an individual track with the effect, but then there's no turning back if you don't like it, (although hitting "redo" before moving on to other things will give you another chance). The effects can all be adjusted, and I believe will hold that adjustment as you select different tracks and set the "send" level on each.

 

[robjh22]

Thanks, Bill, I'll try it that way. Makes sense. Sorry to be dense, but when you're bouncing, do you just pull up the preset effects,
bounce, and it gets done? Or is there another magic button?

While I've got your ear, let me get another concern off my chest. Do you use the SPDIF port to xfer your product to a computer (for sending mp3's to friends, to this site, etc.)? The manual is of practically zero help, though I deduce that I can use the explanation for "xferring a wave file to a digital device" to get me half the way there. Appears to me you have to have a sound card on the computer with a SPIDF "in" (duh), but only the very high end cards seem to have this feature.

Tell me your own overall impressions of the unit.
I think I'll like it, just as soon as I find the on/off switch! Okay, that part I've learned.

 

[billisa]

Let's see...

yeah, when you're bouncing, hit the effects button and start setting each track as you like, also do the pan and any eq while you're at it. notice, as you hit the effects button, once twice, three times -- each push gives a different menu (pre/post fader -- track select -- effects type selection). then, when you bounce down to 7/8 it's all done. i don't use the s/pdif out, but i believe a high end pc card would have that as an "in".

overall, i love the vf80. it always behaves, it makes excellent recordings, and it feels as though it's built like a tank (unlike some other units i've looked at). attention to quality/pro recording seems to have been made by the designers. for instance, edits and punch-in/punch-out is accomplished with NO clicks whatever. i do voiceover work, sometimes without a music bed, and i notice EVERY little noise. so, i love my vf80.

once you get the hang of the features you really need, it all starts to feel very familiar and friendly. until then, it's a bit frustrating. but this is true with a lot of equipment nowadays. by the way, always remember to set your pans before bouncing to 7/8 or you'll wind up with mono recordings... also, be gentle with the CDR tray (as you would with any laptop). the plextor burner is excellent, with a very low, low error rate.

others on this board know way more than me... garry sharp is one.