boss launch the micro br80 to replace the micro br

[henwrench]

Of course, it mostly comes down to money. If you've got lots of it, or you can sell your original Micro BR for a good price and get a great deal on a BR-80, then why not?

            I'm gonna look at getting one around Xmas. By then I'm sure the price will have dropped by 20 - 30 quid, and I'll have to consider selling my MBR to fund the upgrade. It'll be hard to sell it, 'cos I am a sentimental cock at times. If I can't sell it, then I'll give it away, because after all it's just an empty box that I won't be putting anything into anymore. I think I'll give it my daughters' school or a farmer. Possibly. Or maybe a busker. That'll make their day...

                                                                      henwrench

[64Guitars]

the main plus point for me is the 8 track playback, which will pretty much eliminate the need to mix down via Audacity or whatever. I will still 'top and tail' and do some basic mastering in Audacity, but, yea, it's the self contained 8 track (10 including drums) that really appeals to me....

I think 8 playback tracks is almost a practical necessity for anyone who wants to do some serious multitracking. Four tracks might be enough if you just want to strum your acoustic guitar and sing. But if you want to add bass, lead guitar, harmony vocals, and the rest, then having only four playback tracks is a serious limitation. You can make it work if you have to, but it's a bit of a pain. The first four tracks are fine. It's the subsequent bounces that really slow you down. You can only add two new tracks with each bounce. But with eight playback tracks, you can add six new tracks with each bounce, which is far more practical. So just one bounce will give you a total of 14 tracks. To get the same number of tracks with a 4-track recorder like the original Micro BR or the BR-532 would require five bounces! And with each bounce, it gets harder to create a good mix because all of your previous tracks are already mixed and you can't remix them without going back and re-doing your bounces. With 8 playback tracks, there's far less bouncing so you have much greater control over your mix.

[Geir]

The beauty of beginning with the original MicroBR is that you much sooner reach the limitations with number of tracks and are forced to learn bouncing. And by learning bouncing I mean more than just the technical routine required. I mean the listening process, the skill of knowing how a submix will fit together with a mix of tracks maybe not even recorded yet. I think if I had started out with 8 tracks I wouldn't have learned that skill (well .. actually I started with 16 tracks so I really do know that).

And there is something about the way the limitations forces you to be creative !!!! I probably will get a BR-80, but that's mostly because my daugther will be taking the Micro when she moves to London next year, and tho I have used the BR800 as a portable recorded (my latest track's vocals was recorded in a car in Spain), I do miss the extreme portability of the Micro and it would be silly not to by the BR-80 instead when getting a new one. (might still get another Micro for nostalgic reasons tho !! )

So to summerize (64G posted his comments while I was typing the above):

If you have a Micro : Keep it and "enjoy" it's limitations before upgrading. If you don't : get a BR-80

[FuzzFace]

the main plus point for me is the 8 track playback, which will pretty much eliminate the need to mix down via Audacity or whatever. I will still 'top and tail' and do some basic mastering in Audacity, but, yea, it's the self contained 8 track (10 including drums) that really appeals to me....

I think 8 playback tracks is almost a practical necessity for anyone who wants to do some serious multitracking. Four tracks might be enough if you just want to strum your acoustic guitar and sing. But if you want to add bass, lead guitar, harmony vocals, and the rest, then having only four playback tracks is a serious limitation. You can make it work if you have to, but it's a bit of a pain. The first four tracks are fine. It's the subsequent bounces that really slow you down. You can only add two new tracks with each bounce. But with eight playback tracks, you can add six new tracks with each bounce, which is far more practical. So just one bounce will give you a total of 14 tracks. To get the same number of tracks with a 4-track recorder like the original Micro BR or the BR-532 would require five bounces! And with each bounce, it gets harder to create a good mix because all of your previous tracks are already mixed and you can't remix them without going back and re-doing your bounces. With 8 playback tracks, there's far less bouncing so you have much greater control over your mix.

Ok good... so it's not just me that finds this difficult...!

[Flash Harry]

It's shiny and new - I want one!

[chip]

It does look neat though. I could get the BR 600, keep the original and still have 8 tracks? Is that right?
Put the MBR in a safe and sell it it ten years time !!!!. Out of interest and nothing to do with Boss, I picked up a "Roost session master 100" the other day, what a difference a valve or 8 makes, no matter what I do with the MBR nothing will hit that tone, perhaps I should buy a mic?. Just to add the little sony mic arrived and I am quite pleased with it. The MBR original is still cool to me, no mirror on the new one!!!!!!!!!

[Geir]

......... The MBR original is still cool to me, no mirror on the new one!!!!!!!!!

I like that mirror

[Gnasty]

Have we found out how to mic an amplifier with a sm57, will it be done the same way with the br-80 as with the Mbr?

[FuzzFace]

Personally, my practice is to pick volume levels by ear rather than doing it visually.  I don't want to be fooled into thinking that just because 2 tracks are both set at 95, that they trully are the same volume.  I actually close my eyes while adjusting levels, so the +/- buttons suit me.

It's very important to adjust your levels according to the level meters. It's the only way you can tell if the signal is clipping, especially with the Master Level.

Wait a sec... I need to understand this.
The above comment about level meters.

I have only recently started watching for clipping in Audacity but as far as I know, the MBR does not highlight clipping.

Do any of these options, MBR, BR-80 or BR-800 show you audio clipping?

And is this related to the question of physical knobs versus +/- button... because I don't exactly see the connection.

[Gnasty]

Personally, my practice is to pick volume levels by ear rather than doing it visually.  I don't want to be fooled into thinking that just because 2 tracks are both set at 95, that they trully are the same volume.  I actually close my eyes while adjusting levels, so the +/- buttons suit me.

It's very important to adjust your levels according to the level meters. It's the only way you can tell if the signal is clipping, especially with the Master Level.

Wait a sec... I need to understand this.
The above comment about level meters.

I have only recently started watching for clipping in Audacity but as far as I know, the MBR does not highlight clipping.

Do any of these options, MBR, BR-80 or BR-800 show you audio clipping?

And is this related to the question of physical knobs versus +/- button... because I don't exactly see the connection.

You`ll hear the clipping if you listen to the track you recorded individually. If you hear crackling and irrating noise, you`ll know you have to turn the levels down.