What to do? What to do?

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Bigsnake00

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I've come to a crossroads....after 2 weeks of playing with my mr-8 Ive come to the conclusion that Ive got to do somthing in order to have more tracks. My computer has a multitracking program (magix) that i guess i dont give enough credit to but my computer just doesnt have the nuts to handle 8 tracks with effects. I have tried the n-track free version and really do like it but im still not sure i will be able to handle the load. I have to options....

1. Buy n-track for $45 and hope my computer can handle it

2. Buy the Sandisk 512 CF card form amazon.com for $112 and do most of my recording and effects on the mr-8

well what would you do

b
 
Well it depends on how bad the computer is. I would go with n-track if the computer is at least a P2.
By the way, someone gave me magix for free and I wasn't too impressed with it. N-track is excellent.
 
After giving this some thought, I think you are going to end up with both.
If your puter wont take more than 8 tracks, you will probably end up with the bigger card for the MR8. Then you will find that n-Track makes it so easy to work with the files, you'll have to have it too.


bd
 
Maybe it's because I don't have enough experience using either one (n-track or the MR-8), but I have recorded two different ways. 4 tracks recorded and mixed on the MR-8 using onboard effects, mixed down to stereo wav, then transferred to my PC where I load into n-track and add what I call my "mastering" (as much mastering as I can get. haha) effects. Anwida reverb (awesome and free) to the track and Endorphin (awesome and free compressor) to the master channel.
The other way is 4 tracks recorded on the MR-8 and then transferred separately to the PC and loaded into n-track. I do everything else in n-track.

I said all this to say that the end results are almost the same (probably because I am inexperienced). If your PC won't take having all the separate tracks in n-track. Maybe it would accept the one stereo file. That way you could at least use the PC as storage and not have to spend but $45. I think in the long run you will be using n-track anyway.
 
Gospel

Do you have links to those plug-ins?

(Or you could perfectly legitimately tell me not to be so lazy and find them myself:) )
 
The part that's interesting to me about this is that you're thinking about buying the Sandisk 512 mb card. Fostex says the Sandisk cards won't work. I hope I'm wrong about this, because the Sandisk cards are among the least expensive out there, but as far as I know Sandisk is a no go.
 
yeah the more crap i talk about my computer the better it seems to do...last night i loaded 7 tracks and it was smooth as silk. So im thinking that ill go ahead and purchase n-track. As for more memory i think im going to go ahead with the simpletech 512 from dell...$103 with rebate!!!

untill then

b
 
Gary Sharp,
Check out Gospel's thread titled "for MR8 and n-Track users". You'll find the link there.


bd
 
Don't be sorry - I was being lazy. Thanks to you and bd - I'll check them out. Don't always read the MR-8 threads because I don't see the point in it when for a tiny bit more you can buy the VF-80 with its huge capacity:)
 
Garry Sharp said:
Don't be sorry - I was being lazy. Thanks to you and bd - I'll check them out. Don't always read the MR-8 threads because I don't see the point in it when for a tiny bit more you can buy the VF-80 with its huge capacity:)
Click to expand...

Yeh, I know what you mean, but I use the huge capacity of my PC. I didn't have the tiny bit more. Enjoy the plugs. Endorphin is a great compressor (especially since it's free!!).
 
Actually Gary, the VF80 is $200 more than the MR8, which is 66% more than the original cost of the MR8. Hardly a teen bit. What makes the the MR8 attractive is that it's cheap and easily connects with the PC, and needs nothing more than a USB cable to do so. Once you begin moving tracks onto the PC, everything on the VF80 has becomes almost obsolete. Knowing this, and understanding the power of the pc, it makes a lot of sense to purchase the MR8 and use that 'teeny bit more' towards a decent condenser microphone, a preamp, or whatever else you may need to improve the quality of your recordings. A lot of us that have tried recording with computers dislike them for basic tracking. It therefore makes sense to use a stand alone recorder to do that, and then move the tracks for editing on the pc. This allows us to access the vast amount of either cheap, or free plugins on the web to edit and master our music. I paid $20 for the n-track compressor and it is excellent. However, if I need a different kind of compressor then I have my choice or many others, some of which are free, and sound a lot better than what you would get in a stand alone recorder. I understand the beauty of a multitracker like the VF80, but when you move to the computer the amount of effects are almost limitless. There is no way a stand alone recorder in this price range has anywhere near the amount of effects that I have in my plugin list. I imagine that Gospel has a fair amount himself, more than enough to keep him happy for a while. Enjoy your VF80, I'm sure it's a great machine. However, some of us are really happy that we didn't have to pay that teeny bit more, especially when we see that others using more expensive multitrackers, finally end up using the computer. :)
 
Sorry, but I feel compelled to jump in here. First off, lets try real hard not to turn this into another pissing match. We've had a couple of those already on this forum.....over the same things. These two machines were not meant to be pitted against each other....they're all part of the same family. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is the final product! My daughter has a VF80 and it gives the exact same results as my MR8.....they're all digital. The main reason she bought the VF80 is because her computer was basically a dinosaur. I think she made a wise choice......period.
I am still exploring new avenues with the MR8 and the computer and I'm simply amazed at the things these two machines can achieve together. I think I made the right choice....period.


bd
 
It's definitely horses for courses and I did put a smiley after my comment. I'm the last person in the world to want to start a pissing contest.

Over here the MR8 is £349 and the VF-80 (without CD burner) is £379, hence my comment on the tiny bit. BTW it's heartbreaking to read you guys discuss US prices!! . Morindae I'm totally with you on doing the editing on the PC - so do I.

My set up is that the room we record in is downstairs and the PC is upstairs in the spare bedroom, so it's easier for me to accumulate a reasonable amount of tracks on the VF-80 before taking it upstairs and dumping them on the PC. Also as we are building up to doing gigs the VF is used as a recording aid to rehearsals, if you see what I mean.

The upshot is that in some senses the VF-80 represents wasted money by me as I don't use its editing features, but the hard drive and the SPDIF out make it perfect.
 
I have to add my two cents worth here also. I agree with bdbdbuck. Both the MR-8 and VF-80 are excellent pieces of equipment for the musician who is looking into jumping into multitracking at home for the first time. I looked at both for three months before purchasing the VF-80 with the built in CD burner.
The bottom line for me was that for only $400 more I could purchase the VF-80 and go from recording to mixdown to mastering and burning to CD on one machine. To have purchased the MR-8 and do mixdown/mastering/burning to CD would also have required a new computer purchase at significantly higher cost since my computer is a notebook model with only about 2.5GB of available hard drive space.

And as I have observed, some of the best recordings ever made were made on equipment which is anitquated. The Beatles recorded "Rubber Soul," "Revolver," and "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" on 4-track analog equipment which had poorer performance specs than a Tascam 424MkIII. (This is not a slam at Tascam equipment--just a comparison to show what the Beatles had to work with.) Those recordings are considered as their best work.
State-of-the-art equipment is no substitute for passion and talent. It is only a tool to achieve an end, and I hope the end we all share is to bring our musical visions and labors of love to a wider audience.

Shabbot Shalom.
 
Well Garry, at those prices, you have a point. I can't believe that Fostex is doing that over there, it doesn't make sense.
As you can see from my reply, there is a big price difference over here, and if know that you are going to end up using the computer then the MR8 is an excellent choice. No bells and whistles to pay for, just bare bones recording and then straight to the PC to do the editing.
When I look at some of the replies here, the overwhelming message that comes across is that we all buy according to our own individual needs. I know the VF80 is a great machine because there are enough people on this board that have said so. The MR8, when used for what it was designed to do, is incredible value for money. Those of us that use the computer are loving this little red box, it really delivers the goods at the lowest price possible. I actually saved myself a lot of time and hassle by buying it. The other option was to purchase a soundcard and then a better computer to accomodate that card. Economically, that's definitely not a viable option. Comparing the two machines from my perspective is nonsense. As you stated, "it horses for courses." I have seen a lot of posts that imply that the machines are close in price. This is simply not the case here in the US. Fostex probably had two things in mind when they released the MR8. One was to make a recorder that would capture people like myself who want to track away from the pc, but then use the editing capabilites of the pc. The other was to make available a very affordable recorder that would enable first time users to get into digital recording. It seems, by their sales, that they have succeeded on both fronts.
 
Morindae,
Garry noted that his VF80- does not have a HD, that's the price difference.
One thing is for sure....We all should have bought stock in Fostex!


bd

BTW 12 stringer....wasn't George Martin a wonderful genius?
 
bd you meant cd not hd (couldn't resist that:) ) The CD writer over here is another £200 which is just a plain stupid price. Give it a few months and they'll drop by at least a half.

Studiously avoiding a pissing contest and just another point to bear in mind for those reading this with a view to choosing what to buy, but the need to buy additional memory cards is another price issue and also the fact that the VF-80 has phantom power might be relevant. In the comparison. If you were making one. Which I'm not.

But I cant' resist saying that tomorrow we are going to try a bunch of different rhythm guitar parts for a new song. We'll just drop four, one after the other, along with the other 4 tracks without worrying about memory.

What I really mean is that the little Fostex has made our practicing so immensely productive, it's amazing.
 
I bought VF-160 so I could track our entire band, and do Remotes and Live Remotes for others. I still use the puter for mostly everything but tracking. That was my intention.

With that being said, I'd love to have an MR-8 just for those times I want to lay a couple of ideas down and play around with them or have a lil machine that can go just about anywhere.

CR ><>
 
I thing that the point you make about the memory card is relevant. In all honesty, those people searching for the sub $100 512 memory card should have bought the VF80. I have no intention of upgrading my CF card. I keep a backing track in the MR8 and just drop everything I record into the pc. There's really no need for more memory in my case. That for me is the strength of the MR8, and that is partially what it seems intended for. It's great with the pc. If you are recording a live band like Axe4Yahweh or recording ideas in rehearsals, then obviously the VF80/VF160 is the way to go. You have way more flexibility. It's not even worth debating. Those machines have more on them, and over here, you pay the extra for it. I still don't get why there is such a price similarity in Britain. They will never sell enough of the 'wee red box' over there at this rate. My guess is that the MR8 will drop to about 200 quid in the near future.
Now go make some great music. Peace and love.
 
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