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Fostex VF160EX 16-Track with Built-In CDR and Effects
Internal CD-R/RW drive. ADAT mixer mode. Scrub zoom. Fader pairing.
"Rock solid, reliable performer..."
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:The editing, punch in/out are great. No clicks, pops...
Quality:
These are solid machines, and very stable in use. In a year and a half I have never lost data -- ever. Just let the HardDrive access light turn off before moving on to the next step (an extra second or two). Some procedures, like large move and pastes are not instantaneous, so you need to let the machine do it's thing.
Value:
16 full tracks, rock solid stability, great sound -- $899.00? One of the best values around.
Sound:
The quality of these units is excellent. The preamps are transparent and the reproduction is flawless. The burns onto CDR never skip, and when I've checked, don't have ANY errors. Some errors would be normal and acceptable, but this machine's on-board Plextor burner is flawless.
Support:
Matt at Fostex is nice, though I've never had a real problem, only questions from time to time.
Overall:
I don't foresee replacing this machine.
""Hats off to you Fostex""
Feature:
This baby is loaded with features for the money, which is one of the main reasons I bought it (price was important too!). The on-board pre-amps are a little weak though...meaning you have to turn them up to nearly 7 to get anything out of them (when using a condenser), however, if you mate this up with, say a Yamaha mixer, which has excellent pre-amps, your on your way! Great on-board features for mixing (Eq, Reverb, etc.). I love how many "self contained" features this unit has for the money.
Quality:
Excellent quality throughout! The unit has allot of eye appeal and I love how it has individual faders for all 16 tracks! This unit is the centerpiece of my small home studio and has performed flawlessly! CD burning is a breeze with no skips (ever).
Value:
As far as I'm concerned, this is the "best" product out there on the market for the money...hands down. I would highly recommend this recorder to anyone. Big budget features for not allot of coin!
Desirability:
This unit has a "stand out" appeal to it when sitting on the same pages (in a catalog) next to similar units.
Sound:
I paired this wonderful recorder up with a couple of M-Audio powered studio monitors and was thrilled with the sound quality of my mixes. Even straight on through headphones the sound quality was great. Broadcast quality recordings are easy with this unit! Even prior to mixing the sound was clear and authentic. Hats off to Fostex!!
Ease of Use:
When I first took this out of the carton and took a look at the manual I thought "Oh man...this is going to be a piece of work". But it really was easy if you follow it through as a "process". Granted you have to "ping-pong" back and forth a bit from front to back since the manual does drop off in some areas leaving you hanging a bit scratching you head. But....it really didnt take long to become fluent in its use (without the manual).
Support:
Havent had to contact anyone for product support for any reason.
Overall:
With everything I've done so far with this recorder, I plan on using it for years to come. As a musician, songwriter, & engineer...allot of what you get out of it depends on how well you know your craft. Again, this unit is top notch with me.
This baby is loaded with features for the money, which is one of the main reasons I bought it (price was important too!). The on-board pre-amps are a little weak though...meaning you have to turn them up to nearly 7 to get anything out of them (when using a condenser), however, if you mate this up with, say a Yamaha mixer, which has excellent pre-amps, your on your way! Great on-board features for mixing (Eq, Reverb, etc.). I love how many "self contained" features this unit has for the money.
Quality:
Excellent quality throughout! The unit has allot of eye appeal and I love how it has individual faders for all 16 tracks! This unit is the centerpiece of my small home studio and has performed flawlessly! CD burning is a breeze with no skips (ever).
Value:
As far as I'm concerned, this is the "best" product out there on the market for the money...hands down. I would highly recommend this recorder to anyone. Big budget features for not allot of coin!
Desirability:
This unit has a "stand out" appeal to it when sitting on the same pages (in a catalog) next to similar units.
Sound:
I paired this wonderful recorder up with a couple of M-Audio powered studio monitors and was thrilled with the sound quality of my mixes. Even straight on through headphones the sound quality was great. Broadcast quality recordings are easy with this unit! Even prior to mixing the sound was clear and authentic. Hats off to Fostex!!
Ease of Use:
When I first took this out of the carton and took a look at the manual I thought "Oh man...this is going to be a piece of work". But it really was easy if you follow it through as a "process". Granted you have to "ping-pong" back and forth a bit from front to back since the manual does drop off in some areas leaving you hanging a bit scratching you head. But....it really didnt take long to become fluent in its use (without the manual).
Support:
Havent had to contact anyone for product support for any reason.
Overall:
With everything I've done so far with this recorder, I plan on using it for years to come. As a musician, songwriter, & engineer...allot of what you get out of it depends on how well you know your craft. Again, this unit is top notch with me.
"Solid and Dependable"
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:Basic setup is fine. No extras to speak of, but for the price I didn't expect any.
Quality:
Product is solid and feels well made.
Value:
The best buy on the market, price for use.
Desirability:
Didn't buy it for sex.
Sound:
The sound is as good as 16 bit technology can give you. If you overdrive it, you'll get clipped. Digital is unforgiving and getting a "hot" signal without clipping will take some trial and error, as the readouts on faders are a bit rudimentary. (I say rudimentary, but that's just compared to say, Pro Tools readouts--they're actually OK.) I save tracks as WAV files on the CD burner and export them to Pro Tools for further processing and editing. A great combo, by the way. I can't stand the latency of Pro Tools when it comes to recording, but I feel limited by the editing interface of the VF 160EX. But together they're a good fit. Your mileage may vary.
Ease of Use:
Yes, there is a learning curve, but it's not steep. The manual is clear, it's just not well written. You can go on to many Fostex groups on the Net, however and depending on experience, you'll get good advice. bad advice, pompous advice and clueless advice. Buyer beware.
Support:
Not rating since I've yet to need any.
Overall:
I'll use it til the wheels come off or Fostex comes out with that affordable 24 track, 24 bit machine.
"A great product with many features for the price."
Feature:
I was not looking for a unit with a lot of bells and whistles. This recorder has just what I need to make quality recordings without getting distracted with drum machines, vocal harmony processors, etc. I am an older musician (56) and have been working with midi gear for over 20 years. I'm no longer motivated to spend months learning how to operate a complicated piece of equipment. This unit has a short learning curve and I feel very comfortable working with it after only 2 weeks.
Quality:
This unit seems very solid and sturdy.
Value:
This recorder is a great value compared to many of the others out there. I looked around for over a year before deciding on this one.
Desirability:
This unit does not look cheap or poorly made. It feels solid and has that quality look that gives it that "eye candy" appeal. The knobs and faders work smoothly and even the power button feels solid. The only negative is the small lcd display. I have to get up close to read some of the messages. Of course, I'm also very near-sighted.
Sound:
Very clean sound. I'm still tweaking and experimenting with input levels, compressors, etc.
Ease of Use:
I have owned this unit for 2 weeks and was warned about the manual. It is very vague in describing some features and some proceedures are left for you to figure out on your own. Only after visiting the Fostex online help forum was I able to figure out some of the features. However, I now feel comfortable with this recorder and have burned several cd's with very good results. The more I use it the more I enjoy working with it. Although the manual is difficult in places to understand, I still thumb through it often to shorten the learning curve.
Support:
Great online support and help.
Overall:
At this point, I anticipate owning it until it wears out or something so awesome comes along at such a great price that I can't say no.
I was not looking for a unit with a lot of bells and whistles. This recorder has just what I need to make quality recordings without getting distracted with drum machines, vocal harmony processors, etc. I am an older musician (56) and have been working with midi gear for over 20 years. I'm no longer motivated to spend months learning how to operate a complicated piece of equipment. This unit has a short learning curve and I feel very comfortable working with it after only 2 weeks.
Quality:
This unit seems very solid and sturdy.
Value:
This recorder is a great value compared to many of the others out there. I looked around for over a year before deciding on this one.
Desirability:
This unit does not look cheap or poorly made. It feels solid and has that quality look that gives it that "eye candy" appeal. The knobs and faders work smoothly and even the power button feels solid. The only negative is the small lcd display. I have to get up close to read some of the messages. Of course, I'm also very near-sighted.
Sound:
Very clean sound. I'm still tweaking and experimenting with input levels, compressors, etc.
Ease of Use:
I have owned this unit for 2 weeks and was warned about the manual. It is very vague in describing some features and some proceedures are left for you to figure out on your own. Only after visiting the Fostex online help forum was I able to figure out some of the features. However, I now feel comfortable with this recorder and have burned several cd's with very good results. The more I use it the more I enjoy working with it. Although the manual is difficult in places to understand, I still thumb through it often to shorten the learning curve.
Support:
Great online support and help.
Overall:
At this point, I anticipate owning it until it wears out or something so awesome comes along at such a great price that I can't say no.
"Great deal!"
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:Does most everything you need it to do. The FX are an after thought, but otherwise I have no problems with the unit.
Quality:
The recording of the tracks is excellent. Good sounds in, good sounds out.
Value:
Great deal for the money. Some of the quality concerns I've read make me a little uneasy, but hopefully they were all user-error!
Desirability:
This unit doesn't get as much publicity as it deserves. Some of the earlier versions were questionable in quality, so I can understand people being shy to buy it.
Sound:
Excellent sound quality. The FX are very hit and miss. The hall and plate reverbs are sproingy, but the room and ambience types are fine. The chorus and flange programs are useable too. Delays are clean, but the compressor is a little aggressive for my tastes. No noise gate anywhere, which is a shame.
Ease of Use:
So far so good. Recording my first track was a little tricky, as the manual leaves a lot to be desired in this regard. I finally figured it out and now I find it easy to use.
Support:
Haven't needed to contact anyone about the unit.
Overall:
I plan to build a nice, small home studio around this unit. A decent mic, keyboard workstation and whatever else I can lay my hands on.
"Great product Great Price Great sound Great for home studio and live recording"
Feature:
the features are nice but you still need to export to daw or out board proccessors to get the max sound from your musi. phantom power for condensors is nice but wish it had more xlr imputs for direct recording live.
Quality:
the unit is a sturdy solid unit including the buttons and faders.
Value:
for a 16 track digital recorder with a 40 gig hd I think it's a great value for under a grand.
Sound:
the sound is really great for an all in one recorder recording at 16 bit res. if you know what you are doing in the recording proc.
Support:
haven't needed it
Overall:
I think this product will last me for quite a while I record mostly in my home studio and live at church so far it meet's all my needs. (along with all my other gear)
the features are nice but you still need to export to daw or out board proccessors to get the max sound from your musi. phantom power for condensors is nice but wish it had more xlr imputs for direct recording live.
Quality:
the unit is a sturdy solid unit including the buttons and faders.
Value:
for a 16 track digital recorder with a 40 gig hd I think it's a great value for under a grand.
Sound:
the sound is really great for an all in one recorder recording at 16 bit res. if you know what you are doing in the recording proc.
Support:
haven't needed it
Overall:
I think this product will last me for quite a while I record mostly in my home studio and live at church so far it meet's all my needs. (along with all my other gear)
"Buy it; you wont regret it"
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Overall:This is the best recording studio on the market. I owned the Boss Br1600 and the Korg D3200 before this unit and would describe them as useless junk compared to this thing. The Korg cost $1200 peaked like crazy and stopped working two weeks after I bought it. The Boss played back a weak quality recording, didn
"for beginners not wanting to pay for studio time- this is the ticket!"
Feature:
it included the bag ect...most feature i have yet to use becuase of the nature of it, 300 page manual wow! but has pictures and walks you through it step by step
Quality:
made VERY well. not something i would recomend droping or tossing to a friend, but well made.
Value:
yes, although i have not tried many others outside of the cpu
Sound:
better than what my PC use to provide. for someone some what techy savvy and just starting out with playing thier own music i found it be a great recorder for CD's. great for laying down tracks and giving them to friends
Support:
neutral- i have not had to reach out to tech support.
it included the bag ect...most feature i have yet to use becuase of the nature of it, 300 page manual wow! but has pictures and walks you through it step by step
Quality:
made VERY well. not something i would recomend droping or tossing to a friend, but well made.
Value:
yes, although i have not tried many others outside of the cpu
Sound:
better than what my PC use to provide. for someone some what techy savvy and just starting out with playing thier own music i found it be a great recorder for CD's. great for laying down tracks and giving them to friends
Support:
neutral- i have not had to reach out to tech support.
"Great device at great price, especially as a multitrack backup recorder!"
Feature:
ADAT! ADAT! ADAT! The VF160EX has many features I've played with but not used extensively. Suffice it to say, it is capable of a tremendous amount. On a feature vs. price ratio, it's incredible, even for JUST an ADAT 8-track HD recorder. Adding in mixing and monitoring, it's even better. Adding in editing, effects, CD burning... you get the picture.
Quality:
Feels very solid; hasn't had any problems.
Value:
Outrageous value! Especiaslly given my needs, nothing less than twice the price is comparable. Really, you can't afford NOT to have one. In the realm of 16-simultaneous or even 8-simultaneous track recorders, it's really outstanding. Don't be fooled by all the 8, 12, and 16 track recorders that only record 2 simultaneous tracks!
Desirability:
It's a very practical machine... built well, performs well, and quite compact. So it looks utilitarian. To me, that's fine!
Sound:
Well, my primary use for this is as a backup recorder through ADAT, so I'm not using the built-in preamps or converters. For what i need, the sound is great. The headphone out is a bit noisy.
Support:
I only had pre-purchase interaction, but CS was responsive. There is also a great deal of useful web support, both from Fostex and from the community.
Overall:
I plan to use it for a long time. Since I use it primarily as a backup, I can live with 16-bit recording limitations for a while. Were I to begin using it for many gigs as a primary device, i might be tempted to look for a 24-bit capable device... however, that's far from certain! The sound quality might very well be fine for live gigs, where the recorder is generally not the limiting factor.
ADAT! ADAT! ADAT! The VF160EX has many features I've played with but not used extensively. Suffice it to say, it is capable of a tremendous amount. On a feature vs. price ratio, it's incredible, even for JUST an ADAT 8-track HD recorder. Adding in mixing and monitoring, it's even better. Adding in editing, effects, CD burning... you get the picture.
Quality:
Feels very solid; hasn't had any problems.
Value:
Outrageous value! Especiaslly given my needs, nothing less than twice the price is comparable. Really, you can't afford NOT to have one. In the realm of 16-simultaneous or even 8-simultaneous track recorders, it's really outstanding. Don't be fooled by all the 8, 12, and 16 track recorders that only record 2 simultaneous tracks!
Desirability:
It's a very practical machine... built well, performs well, and quite compact. So it looks utilitarian. To me, that's fine!
Sound:
Well, my primary use for this is as a backup recorder through ADAT, so I'm not using the built-in preamps or converters. For what i need, the sound is great. The headphone out is a bit noisy.
Support:
I only had pre-purchase interaction, but CS was responsive. There is also a great deal of useful web support, both from Fostex and from the community.
Overall:
I plan to use it for a long time. Since I use it primarily as a backup, I can live with 16-bit recording limitations for a while. Were I to begin using it for many gigs as a primary device, i might be tempted to look for a 24-bit capable device... however, that's far from certain! The sound quality might very well be fine for live gigs, where the recorder is generally not the limiting factor.
"the vf160 is a good entry level product for those on a buget who take their recording seriously."
Feature:
I like the wave form view for editing it's convinient. makes edits more accurate with the zoom
Quality:
so far no problems with any part of the unit
Value:
It's currently the best value on the market for a 16 track digital recorder with a 40gig drive and the sound quality cd burrner and editing features for anyone wanting to get started in home recording.
Sound:
I think the unit sounds as good as most and lets me hear what I record
Support:
n/a
Overall:
the product caught my attention right away becuse of the price range and then sold me on the features and kept me with the quality and ease of use. I think I'll be using it for years to come with great results and expected satisfaction.
I like the wave form view for editing it's convinient. makes edits more accurate with the zoom
Quality:
so far no problems with any part of the unit
Value:
It's currently the best value on the market for a 16 track digital recorder with a 40gig drive and the sound quality cd burrner and editing features for anyone wanting to get started in home recording.
Sound:
I think the unit sounds as good as most and lets me hear what I record
Support:
n/a
Overall:
the product caught my attention right away becuse of the price range and then sold me on the features and kept me with the quality and ease of use. I think I'll be using it for years to come with great results and expected satisfaction.
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