VF160EX - compressors? (quality and assignability)

[davesisk]

Hey Folks:

I'm still working on my Fostex vs. Zoom buy decision. I really appreciate the posts you folks have left for me...your opinions on useability and quality are things that you can't find in the specs!

Even though I've looked at it in the manual, I'm still not sure I fully understand how I'd use the built-in compressor as an insert effect. For instance, I'll be recording bass guitar that often switches back and forth from finger-picking to slap/pop...that's an ideal type of signal to run through a compressor first. (I'll also be recording drums, but those will be electronic drums and I expect little or no issues there). I understand from the manual that the channel compressor is assignable to 13+14 or 15+16...how would I got about running the bass guitar signal through the compressor at the front of the signal chain? Do I just assign it to one of these channel groups, then plug the bass into the associated input? I've read the manual, but I'm still not clear...worst case, I can just get a good studio-quality compressor pedal for it (like the Aphex or Sansamp models), but I'd rather use what's there if I can.

Or, is the headroom of the preamps good enough that I might not have to worry about it? (I seriously doubt it...)

Also, I've read that the preamps are very good...how's the quality of the channel compressor? How about the master compressor's quality? Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if this is done via digital compressor algorithm or a true analog compressor?

TIA!
Dave

 

[billisa]

I've used the compressor on Mixdown. I use it sparingly, and it's fine. I've heard some say they don't like the internal compression. Of course I've heard some say they don't like the preamps or effects either... The VF160 uses the same preamps and 32bit internal processing as the VM88 mixer. This mixer was reviewed in Future Music, and their view was that it was completely transparent.

The preamps do in fact seem to have a large amount of headroom. You will notice however that the last 1/4 turn of the preamp seems to add a disproportionate amount of gain.

As it happens, I had a guy recording his bass into my VF with no compression and no worries. I believe you can record while compressing (don't quote me), or record dry and feed through the compressor via the buss record method, or you can use the AUX in/out to feed an existing track through an external compressor. I have an FMR/RNC compressor, but rarely use it.

The VF will do what you want, I'm sure, but whether the compressor will meet your needs, I can't say.

If you check out the vf16.com site, then go to the forums there are a few people there who can tell you exactly how to use the compression, and what they think of it. There's also a guy GLYNB who posts here, and Phil Abbate, who posts on the VF16 site, and maybe here, who REALLY know about using the compressor, the AUX in/out, and Buss recording.