Any love out there still for the BOSS BR1600CD?

[AndyR]

Btw, the "My Latest Song Posts" link below my avatar will take you to the songcrafters posts for most of these songs, linking to the alonetone versions - those threads often have a lot of "hey! I did this [techie-trick]" stuff in them...

[bruno]

I find that beta monkey drum loops work for me - you load them up into the machine and use them a loops. Works really well. NB there are software updates on the Boss site, so you can upgrade to the latest software.

Note (and this scare the sh&t out of me when it first happened), if you leave a CD in the CD reader when you boot the system - you sometimes get a HDD error. It may be the version of software I'm running, I haven't got around to upgrading it. Simple click the open CD button on boot up (before it goes to loading song), the CD tray will open, and the system will boot normally.


Software update
http://www.bossus.com/support/by_product/br-1600cd/updates_drivers/

Manuals
http://www.bossus.com/support/by_product/br-1600cd/owners_manuals/

B

[Super 8]

That's GREAT help guys! I REALLY appreciate that. OK, well, I had my first session with it tonight. I say 'session' but I was really just trying stuff out to check everything works. Hmm ...! Started off great. I plugged in my mic (went to Settings & activated Phantom Power) and made some test recordings showcasing the presets available on the VOCAL input channel. It's all horses for courses but, off the bat, I liked presets: 1, 2, 38 & 40 (if I remember rightly!) they seemed to suit my voice. That said, I'm really 'not sure about'/'don't understand' those vocal presets 40 through to 50 eg: '58>451' - they don't seem to do anything. (Oh yeah, almost forgot ... fairly mportant I guess: If you record with a set preset can you change your mind and switch it to another perhaps more suitable one come Mixing time OR are you 'printing' it (ie: 'fixing in the mix') at the time of recording??)
  
Anyway, my second & final test for tonight didn't go so great at all sadly. I tried to record some electric guitar but I am getting a really bad, what sounds like an earth hum (which is made considerably worse when using O/D or Distortion presets are chosen!) I'm really bummed about this! ANy thoughts folks? I went to lift the earth on the plug but it's a two cable lead from the inline cable transformer to the the mains input so there is no earth! I then took a look round the back of the unit trying to find some kind of earth lift but sadly no joy! I don't know what to try next. The 'on mic' stuff I put down tracked really clearly & plays back fine HOWEVER the stuff I've recorded to Input 1 (ie: electric guitar & bass) sounds awful due to this crazy, presumably earth hum! AARRGGH!!!!        

[bruno]

The guitar can be plugged into the channel 1 at the back. I'm guessing that you are plugging the guitar into the High Impedance socket on the front of the machine?

Just tried it, you can plug the guitar into channel 1 at the back of the machine - it's connected to the HiZ in the front. See if you still get the hum. You can alway get a HiZ transformer cable to match if it works.

[Super 8]

Hi Bruno! I'm away from the machine at the mo but yes, very strange (to me at least!) as to why I should have perfectly clean input & playback levels 'on mic' (XLR) yet crazy hum via the Hi-Z dedicated 'Guitar/Bass' input on the front of the unit?! I will try the input (1) on the back of the unit but seems odd that I should have to if you know what I mean! 

[IanR]

Hi Super 8,

Here is an alternative piece of advice:

If you have a laptop computer then buy a DAW - Sonar is cheap - and you can get a decent audio interface and midi controller fairly cheap.

I started recording with the MBR. I then went to the BR800, which was bundled with Sonar and then I also bought a roland midi controller.  I recently upgraded to Sonar X3 Studio.

Using a DAW gives you heaps of flexibility. Unlimited tracks, lots of effects, soft synths and mixing tools.  It doesn't take long to get the basics right and there is lots of help online. 

I find that it does not get in the way of the music, in fact it helps the finished recording to sound much better.  Being able to see and edit tracks on screen is also a huge advantage.

Food for thought?

regards,

Ian

[Super 8]

Really annoying hum problem SOLVED ("Phew!") I have had to run an earthing wire from the ground terminal at the back of the unit wired to the (previously unused) ground pin of the unit's mains plug. Yeah, I know, not very conventional but I think there's summat wrong with the wiring in my house. I've been able to check everything out on themachine now thankfully and, apart from one stiff cursor button ("Ooo Matron!"), it all seems to be working fine. By the way, enjoy your break away AndyR - I shall go and check out what you do with your machine now .... 

[bruno]

Phew indeed. I'm really glad its all sorted. Enjoy your BR1600 - its a great machine.
B

[Super 8]

Thanks Bruno! Just a quickie ....  SETTING LEVELS: I get the individual 'Input Sens' Trim pots & how to set levels so the red light only triggers when the input source (eg: guitar) is played/strummed hard BUT what's a good optimum setting for the larger 'Input Level' knob below?

[bruno]

Input level trim- avoid going into the red, that clips. Its not that important as you can always normalise the track volume. I always set just before red appears on the trim, and then set the volume onto disk with the input level, usually by ear (first one using the on screen meters up to Odb), or just over half way on the meters. Nb if a track is a little quiet, you can normalize it (mentioned before), or using the compression DB boost.

Have fun!
B