WHILE rivals like Akai and Korg have been breathlessly playing catch-up, Roland still rules the roost where "studioboxes" offering high-resolution 24-track recording are concerned.
The VS-2480, first introduced more than two years ago, is still top dog (top bird if you're a stickler for metaphoric consistency) in the company's DAW line-up. The original didn't come with a CD-RW drive, had only 40GB of memory and offered only limited graphical interface.
But Roland engineers have addressed these shortcomings in the latest incarnation of their project-studio dream machine. The VS-2480CD not only features new software that improves screen display and mastering functions but also doubles storage capacity (80GB) and comes bundled with a CD-RW burner.
So, while Korg's new 24-bit/96kHz-capable D32XD seems to have temporarily (in the world of digital technology, nothing is a stayer) upped the ante on the VS-2480 where track count is concerned, Roland's flagship model remains a strong and solid contender in the pro-level DAW sweepstakes. It's also pretty much future-proofed, with its surround panning capabilities (Dolby Surround and 5.1) and software support.
Talking specs here
Before we get to the technobabble, here's a basic description of what the VS-2480CD offers: 24 tracks of 24-track/24-bit/96kHz recording with 64-channel digital mixing, onboard effects processing including a mastering suite, and a CDRW burner (x4) for the final stereo mixes.
The box is fairly large-sized (620 X 520 x 138) and weighs 12kg.
The front panel layout is as straightforward as it gets with a machine of this size, with the mixer section on the left and the recorder and editing section on the right.
There're 16 balanced analogue line input sockets, eight XLR connections with individual phantom power and the by now standard high-impedance guitar input.
Roland's EZ routing patchbay allows you to assign input signals to any of the 24 tracks which are free. And if you don't see the need to opt for the memory-gobbling 24-bit/96kHz resolution, you can settle for step-down combinations like 24-bit or 16-bit in 88.2, 64, 48, 44.1 or 32kHz.
The sampling rate can be synchronised to an external word clock with a BNC socket, while an unbalanced SMPTE/EBU phono connection allows standard and MIDI timecode input.
The mixer section has 17 motorised faders (including the Master), 34 busses and allows you to use eight internal stereo effects at a time during recording or playback.
You can simultaneously record 16 tracks with a total of 384 virtual tracks (16 v-tracks for each track), though higher sample rates may limit the number of tracks available for live multi-tracking.
The mixer controls, despite being quite extensive, are for the most part multi-functional which can lead to some cumbersome set-up manoeuvres.
Scenes can be stored 100 at a time for each project and each of the 48 mixer channels comes with editable dynamic effects (56-bit) and four-band parametric EQ.
On the top right hand corner is a 320 x 240-dot backlit graphic LCD. Directly below are the editing controls including a jog-dial. Menu sections displayed on LCD include Project, Track, Effect, Utility, Mixer, EZ-Routing and CD-RW Mastering which considerably ease post-production tasks.
The buttons for recorder transport functions, system configuration and editing are also methodically laid out.
The effects suite, powered by two processors and offering a maximum of eight stereo flavours, includes everything from tasty guitar amp, mic and speaker models to a wide variety of pristine reverb, chorus and delay selections courtesy of Roland's well-regarded COSM technology.
Besides the flying faders, there's an Automix facility (with nine dedicated memories within a project), 999 levels of undo and one redo, and scene recall.
The 3.5inch internal hard disk drive reassuringly boasts 80GB of storage space, and via the SCSI connection, you can hook up external drives with a maximum total capacity of 1,024GB.
I/O connections at the top over the mixer section include eight analogue TRS outs, stereo S/PDIF (coaxial and optical), master and monitor outs, two phone mix outs and 16 R-BUS outs (for hooking up to other Roland devices).
Two sets of MIDI In and Out/Thru sockets are provided, which besides facilitating normal data transfer also allow the connection of Roland's MB24 meter bridge or the VE7000 Channel Edit Controller.
There's also a mouse port (the Roland folks have thoughtfully thrown in a free mouse into the package), a VGS monitor port, and an ASCII keyboard input for software-style editing and control.
The VS-2480CD comes with Roland's latest Version 2 software pre-installed. This actually offers better control than before when using an external VGA screen with a mouse. The upgrade also includes 24-voice Phrase Pads for triggering and arranging samples, and a new CD Capture function for importing audio and .WAV files.
Frequency response (for number-obsessed punters) is rated at 20Hz-40kHz (+0dB/-2dB) at 96 and 88.2kHz, 20Hz-22kHz (+0dB/-2dB) at 48kHz, 20Hz-20kHz (+0dB/-2dB) at 44.1kHz and 20Hz-14kHz (+0dB/-2dB) at 32kHz.
Big bits to enhance sonic bite
As you can gather from the specs, this is plenty of machine for your money. So it's no surprise that, with its comprehensive array of recording and editing functions, comes across initially as something of an intimidating beast.
Setting it up for recording is a pretty elaborate process that involves pressing various multi-function buttons. If you don't get it right, the machine will still record but no data will be captured. A real bummer!
But it's not all that bad. Once you get used to the procedure, it'll all start making sense, though be prepared to run to the manual for help if you've laid off recording for a while.
The mic preamps aren't exactly super-quiet but they seem more than adequate for use with most dynamic and condenser mics. And there's a rudimentary click track to help you keep time.
The EQ and effects are fairly easy to set up during recording or playback of a song project. You don't need a degree in science to operate the editing tools -- Copy, Move, Insert, Cut, Erase, Delete etc - as well.
Editing can be done in two modes -- Phrase and Track -- and both allow quite a bit of precise manipulation to cut all the crap out of your music. The dynamic Automix works likes a dream, and it's quite a thrill to see the automated faders -- they actually seem a bit flimsy in motion -- moving up and down, as if by magic.
Once you've filled up all the tracks -- eight of the 16 track faders do double duty for the full 24 count -- and edited to your heart's content, burning your music is a breeze. Indeed, setting up for mastering and CD burning is heaps less headachy than putting the machine in record mode.
The CD-RW Mastering lets you select various highly usable mastering effects to give that final pro-style polish to your recordings before you mix them down to stereo for CD ripping.
And then, the moment of truth... Yes, the sound is really mind-blowing, especially if it's a 24-bit/96kHz recording.
Not only that, even without any mastering effects, recordings sound quite "hot", which is in keeping with the current craze for heavy compression.
Even at lower sample rates, the sound is pretty impressive, particularly in direct comparison with Korg's D series recorders which I'm quite familiar with.
A grand plan to do a 16-track recording of an open-air concert on the VS-2480 was scuttled because of rain, but I did manage to use a sequenced stereo patch on a V-Synth, pre-recorded tracks from a Korg D1200 to which the V-Synth was MIDI'd and a guitar to give it a go, and it worked a treat.
As for the surround-sound panning, there was no opportunity to make full use of it. But the fact that it's there if you need it is definitely a major plus point.
Who, why, when
There's no doubt that the VS-2480 is one of the most sophisticated and flexible DAWs on the market right now. It offers high-quality 24-track digitally recording in a package suitable for various tasks including location work, and is carefully tailored to appeal to home recording buffs, A/V production houses and even small recording studios.
Certain operations could be streamlined, and Roland should definitely think of incorporating the fabulous touchscreen facility on the V-Synth in future versions of the VS-2480.
But even with its shortfalls, this is quite possibly the best digital recording machine available here that also offers bang for your buck.
PROS: Top-notch sound; generous external-device interface facilities; excellent software support.
CONS: Certain basic functions unnecessarily complicated; only 16 tracks available for simultaneous recording; fader-sharing for Tracks 17-24.