Thinking of buying the VF160

  • Thread starter Thread starter D'eviltoone
  • Start date Start date
D

D'eviltoone

New member
I've just spent a month working with Cubase 5.1 and it's just not happinging for me. I'm wanting to move from my current audio 4 track into a 16 digital setting.

I had a lot of troubles with Cubase lagging when I tried to layer tracks and not recording my audio inputs...anyway.

Two concerns. Can the Vf 160 handle layering one track after another. I play and record solo, one track at a time. But my music is quite full of instruments. So I'll want to play /record along with tracks aleady laid down. Up to 16. Will I experience lag? I can't imagine trying to record if what I'm playing/hearing is not insync with what's already down. Although my synth and drum machine are midi I'd prefer to patch and record as audio. My limitied experience with midi is that I prefer the sounds from my Korg

Since I would like to use the sounds from my Korg synth and guitar effects from my Lexicon box. I'll patch the guitar directly into the VF from the Lexicon. Can the VF 160 give me good honest reproduction sounds that I'll be pluging into it? I understand that some digital recorders do not handle ouside effects well. Not sure what is ment by this.

I guess what I'm asking is can I expect to work in a somewhat similar enviromment to the one I'm used to with my analog 4 track. Cubase was nothing like it at all and I couln't find any comfort level there. Any thoughts or help would be great.
 
Why not use an MR-8. Record tracks on it, transfer to PC, and mix on PC. That way you can get all the tracks you need at a low cost.

Ed
 
Why not?

First because I didn't enjoy the Cubase PC environment...even though I love computers. Secondly, I have a 16 bit sound card which I would have used if I felt good about the PC recording environment. But 24 bit is preferable. So any mixing I do on the PC brings the sound quality down to 16 bit.

Money, although a consideration is not my limitation. I just want the best, most friendly environment to work in. I'm much more a musician who likes to layer and record their music rather than someone who loves to record.

Thanks for the reply though, I hadn't considered combining the two options.
 
The transfer from the MR-8 to PC is digital and via USB. The sound card is not a player here at all. Mixing is also in the digital domain. The only real PC factor is whether you have the horse power to mix down 16+ tracks.

I am not familiar with the Cubase software, but the PowerTracks package from PG Music is pretty flexible.

Ed
 
No,you most definetly will NOT experience any lag with the VF.That lag stuff is confined to "computer" based recording.Stand alone DAW's like the VF 160 cant really be compared to computer based recording like Cubase.
YOUR computer plays a big role in how your recording software will perform.The lagging you were getting with cubase is a result of your computer not being able to handle it.The CPU and operating system of the VF 160 is built specificly for it and can handle anything you throw at it.IT's made to record 8 tracks at a time(You can also record one track at a time in the same manner you are used to doing with your 4-track recorder.You can even bounce tracks without losing any sound quality) and playback 16 tracks at a time without any problems.
You even have 8 "Virtual" tracks to work with,which allows you to record 8 extra takes of tracks and swap them in and out via the "track Exchange" fucntion in the VF 160.

The VF is a workhorse that will do anything you ask it to do.


Working on the VF will be EXACTLY like working on your 4-track,only on a larger scale with more capabilities at your finger tips.One of the reasons I bought the VF 16 is because it's pretty much functions like the stand alone cassette recorders that I had always been used to working with in the past.16 REAL faders to work with.

Hope this helps a little.

[edit to add]You can also transfer tracks to/from your pc to and from your VF 160....you can mix down a whole project on your computer that was recorded on the Vf 160.Or send one track to your computer for editing and then send it back into the Vf.....all kinds of options with the VF.
 
Great! Kramer that is a very reassuring reply You addressed one of my major concerns. Thank you very much.

Ed Dixon, when I ever get to the point of looking into software mixing programs I will consider what you've said. It's all about moving on and moving forward. When I get to that point that I can actually understand what software mixing can do...well.

Thanks.
 
I recomend the vf160 too

Deviltone, the post from Kramer answers all your concerns. It's 'yes' to everything.

I bought the vf160 cos I didn't want to record music on a PC, as i use one all day at work, tghe last thing i want to do is spend my free time sat at a computer screen!

I might add that the vf160 also has 8 'virtual' tracks too. Whic hmeans you can use the extra 8 tracks for storing alternative recordings of up to 8 instruments. Some people (with good PCs) use the vf160 to record on all 24 tracks then output the 24 tracks to PC for mixing whic in effect gives them a 24 track recorder.

If you go here...
http://pub15.ezboard.com/fvf16frm1
there's a host of people who are vf160 owners and aan archive of postings and queries to look through which will give you a flavour of what to expect with a vf160.

A note of caution - the manual is not the best, typical Japanese translation! But hey, I'm being picky here!

The vf160 is an excellent machine and I'm pleased I bought it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top