Jenna
June 4th 04, 03:58 PM
Hi. This isn't my first time here, but my visits are irregular enough
that you might not remember me.
I'm considering buying a Fostex VF-160CD DAW. After weighing up all
the multitrack units available, and the possibility of simply going
directly to a PC based setup, this still feels like it suits me best,
but I have a few queries, and opinions are welcome.
First, I record with both line-in (synthesizers) and mic (mainly
acoustic guitars and vocals). It may seem a little odd for someone who
does a lot of synth work not to opt for a computer based set-up, but
let's just say I've already mulled that over, and my personal
preference is still for a standalone unit, especially since I never
record MIDI tracks. So you can try and talk me out of that decision,
but it isn't really what I came to enquire about.
What seemed clear to me about all of the 16 track machines within my
price range is that every single one of them lacked something I
wanted. Some have too few inputs, some too few outputs, some have only
unbalanced 1/4 inputs, some have no CD burner, some have no ADAT, some
reduce your functionality to 12 tracks because of the number of
enforced stereo-only track pairs, some have poor or insufficient mic
preamps, some have pro quality sampling rates but lack half the
features above. Some have only 16 bit 44.1 rates but have most of the
features above. Some (used) ones have horrid zip drive interfaces or
puny HD's that can only be upgraded to some bizarre drive made in
Lithuania which costs $500, and so on. Some have microscopic displays.
Some seem almost purely designed for guitarists. Some (e.g. Zoom) just
look dodgey. And some just cost too much.
Looking over the Fostex VF-160 CD it seemed to me that it had the
fewest amounts of minuses and the largest amounts of plusses for my
purposes. This is how it looks to me at the moment.
Good:
-----
16 tracks with 16 actual faders, with the option of creating streo
pairs, or leaving them all mono.
Good price
CDR
ADAT
Oodles of ins and outs.
8 track simultaneous recording, 16 with ADAT (not that I would ever be
using this, as I am a one-person band anyway, but it can't hurt the
resale, if these things are even re-sellable in a couple of years)
All the usual things like scene memory, zoomable audio scrub, bla bla
bla.
NOT SO GOOD
-----------
Analog inputs unbalanced (not a problem for synth though, correct?)
Ridiculously small LED
Butt-ugly
Only 8 virtual tracks total.
Relatively limited effects capabilities.
On reviewing the above, it seems to me that most of the pluses are
fairly important, whereas most of the minuses are more along the lines
of annoying or cosmetic, or things I can live without. For example, I
don't know why the hell anyone would want half a billion ghost tracks,
and I can live without limitless effects, or fix that with extra
hardware later.
I am not overly concerned with utterly pristine recording quality. One
of my favourite albums of the 90's was recorded on a 4 track cassette.
I am more concerned with a minimum of technology getting in the way of
my getting musical ideas down as rapidly as possible.
Does anyone have any experience of this machine which they think is
relevant to my situation, or does anyone think I'm barking up the
wrong tree entirely? Is there something I'm missing here which would
be a major stumbling block, or is it a pretty good budget machine?
There aren't many reviews around, and the only really comprehensive
one I found
http://www.proaudioreview.com/par/july03/fostex_vf160.shtml
was pretty glowing, and didn't seem to be by someone with a vested
interest.
My thanks
J.
that you might not remember me.
I'm considering buying a Fostex VF-160CD DAW. After weighing up all
the multitrack units available, and the possibility of simply going
directly to a PC based setup, this still feels like it suits me best,
but I have a few queries, and opinions are welcome.
First, I record with both line-in (synthesizers) and mic (mainly
acoustic guitars and vocals). It may seem a little odd for someone who
does a lot of synth work not to opt for a computer based set-up, but
let's just say I've already mulled that over, and my personal
preference is still for a standalone unit, especially since I never
record MIDI tracks. So you can try and talk me out of that decision,
but it isn't really what I came to enquire about.
What seemed clear to me about all of the 16 track machines within my
price range is that every single one of them lacked something I
wanted. Some have too few inputs, some too few outputs, some have only
unbalanced 1/4 inputs, some have no CD burner, some have no ADAT, some
reduce your functionality to 12 tracks because of the number of
enforced stereo-only track pairs, some have poor or insufficient mic
preamps, some have pro quality sampling rates but lack half the
features above. Some have only 16 bit 44.1 rates but have most of the
features above. Some (used) ones have horrid zip drive interfaces or
puny HD's that can only be upgraded to some bizarre drive made in
Lithuania which costs $500, and so on. Some have microscopic displays.
Some seem almost purely designed for guitarists. Some (e.g. Zoom) just
look dodgey. And some just cost too much.
Looking over the Fostex VF-160 CD it seemed to me that it had the
fewest amounts of minuses and the largest amounts of plusses for my
purposes. This is how it looks to me at the moment.
Good:
-----
16 tracks with 16 actual faders, with the option of creating streo
pairs, or leaving them all mono.
Good price
CDR
ADAT
Oodles of ins and outs.
8 track simultaneous recording, 16 with ADAT (not that I would ever be
using this, as I am a one-person band anyway, but it can't hurt the
resale, if these things are even re-sellable in a couple of years)
All the usual things like scene memory, zoomable audio scrub, bla bla
bla.
NOT SO GOOD
-----------
Analog inputs unbalanced (not a problem for synth though, correct?)
Ridiculously small LED
Butt-ugly
Only 8 virtual tracks total.
Relatively limited effects capabilities.
On reviewing the above, it seems to me that most of the pluses are
fairly important, whereas most of the minuses are more along the lines
of annoying or cosmetic, or things I can live without. For example, I
don't know why the hell anyone would want half a billion ghost tracks,
and I can live without limitless effects, or fix that with extra
hardware later.
I am not overly concerned with utterly pristine recording quality. One
of my favourite albums of the 90's was recorded on a 4 track cassette.
I am more concerned with a minimum of technology getting in the way of
my getting musical ideas down as rapidly as possible.
Does anyone have any experience of this machine which they think is
relevant to my situation, or does anyone think I'm barking up the
wrong tree entirely? Is there something I'm missing here which would
be a major stumbling block, or is it a pretty good budget machine?
There aren't many reviews around, and the only really comprehensive
one I found
http://www.proaudioreview.com/par/july03/fostex_vf160.shtml
was pretty glowing, and didn't seem to be by someone with a vested
interest.
My thanks
J.