New with a Zoom MRS1608

[Ruzz]

Ok, best I can think of here is to give you a few pointers...

1 - read the manual about setting
a) input gain,
b) recording level (rec level),
c) track faders and
d) the master fader.

If you don't get this stuff right, you'll likely get a shit sound - unless you're extremely lucky... and I mean like lottery-ticket lucky.

2 - Insert Effects - make sure you use these correctly (if you use them at all) and especially with regard to...

3 - Wet and Dry recording settings

4 - Mastering. Back to the manual and read ALL it has to say about mastering. What you're looking for is right here (compression, limiting etc) but if you didn't record yourself properly in the first place, nothing in here is going to magically fix it for you ("you can't polish shit" as I read someone saying on another board recently - damn right too).

Search the PDF for the above.

And of course, READ THE MANUAL anyway - the Zoom manuals are great. Really. I suggest you read it once, cover to cover (leaving out only the parts that you know you'll never need - In my case that was the stuff about loading loops and patches into the drum machine). You'll be amazed how quickly it all comes together - I'm a quick study and it only took me around 18 months to record my first song...

just kidding

Ruzz

[3ringcrashpad]

Ha! (lol about the 18 months thing.)
I will keep reading.
(It's kind of boring to be honest. I'm not a fan of algorythms and EQ levels. Snore. Anyway, I can see that it is a necessity.)

Thanks again. I owe you a beer.

3ring

[m687bc]

Hello,

I see in one of the messages here references to the Zoom MRS-1608cd. Where there is also a mention of "It has a large user base and some interesting 3rd party stuff available too" could you indicate some of these 3rd party items and where I might locate same? I'm just waiting for one of these recorders that I bought on Ebay. If you could, pass along any websites you find interesting in regards to to the MRS-1608cd.

TIA/m687bc

[Ruzz]

Try these:
Zoom Gear & Home Recording :: Index
Home of The ZOOM MRS/PS04 Song/Pattern/Phrase Editors
Soundside

There are also a few Yahoo groups - look them up.

Plus, do what I do: create some google alerts for anything you want to find out more about/stay in touch with.

HTH
Ruzz

[Oldercodger]

I watch with interest and after struggling for 9 months with an Alesis Firewire 16, (I have not yet given up with this one)........I am now Pleased to say I have invested in an MRS1608.
Superb tool, if it had more than 8 record at once tracks I would bin everything else. I record live Gospel and need a minimum 12 tracks, not counting drums, (separate mixer). I am an electronics tech and can fathom most things but this home recording on a budget is riddled with hugh holes.

I too am struggling to learn all the controls/features, (too old), I have cursed many a night trawling the net for a USB adaptor, Mine does not have this feature fitted, (optional apparently).
I removed the hard drive, connected it to my PC and copied all the Project Data. I can't find an audio converter, the Zoom utility only works with the USB interface. So I am stuck with recording two tracks at a time to CD/RW and transfering to PC this way. I then use Adobe Audition as the Cubase Lite that came with the Alesis 16 Track recorder only allows four tracks at a time, (thanks Alesis.....).

Anybody know where I can get a UIB-02 interface for the MRS1608? (Discontinued)

Thanks very much for all the info, keep it comming I need every bit I can get.

Still Struggling
Oldercodger

[Ruzz]

Originally Posted by Oldercodger

I removed the hard drive, connected it to my PC and copied all the Project Data. I can't find an audio converter, the Zoom utility only works with the USB interface.

That's certainly not the case here; I've taken complete project backups from the Zoom HD onto my PC and much later used the zoom software to convert each track to wav files.

So I am stuck with recording two tracks at a time to CD/RW and transfering to PC this way.

Now this I'm not so sure about but, I thought there was a way to backup entire projects to CD? In which case you'd be in the same position I mentioned above - able to use the conversion software but this time sourcing from the CD.

Anybody know where I can get a UIB-02 interface for the MRS1608?

google it.

I just checked to make absolutely sure: The zoom audio file manager does NOT require a USB interface to function (the USB i/f is only required to pull tracks direct from the zoom to the PC). So, if you're going by the requirements section printed on the zoom website, IGNORE - they are WRONG.
Follow this link and do the obvious (just ignore the erroneous sys reqs).

Ruzz (another oldcodger and ex electronics eng)

[TrainMan]

I've been using the MRS 1608 for the last two years to record at home. I have finally invested in a new PC with Cubase 4 installed on Windows Vista, and I'm wondering how best to set things up.

Do I just import WAVs into Cubase to mess with?

Or can I connect using MIDI in/out and use the faders on the MRS1608 to control Cubase / use it as a soundcard to record direct into Cubase?

Help!

A damp train in London

[Ruzz]

Originally Posted by TrainMan

I've been using the MRS 1608 for the last two years to record at home. I have finally invested in a new PC with Cubase 4 installed on Windows Vista, and I'm wondering how best to set things up.

Do I just import WAVs into Cubase to mess with?

In a KISS sense, yes.

Or can I connect using MIDI in/out and use the faders on the MRS1608 to control Cubase

That would be great, wouldn't it. But sorry, it doesn't work quite like that. I'm assuming you have the USB interface on the Zoom? And you have that installed and the drivers... what you'll see in Windows is two new drives - one with "USR" in the name - that's the one that contains your Zoom projects. You'll need the Zoom file manager program to convert the individual project tracks to WAV files. Then you can import them into Cubase.

use it as a soundcard to record direct into Cubase?

Yes, you can still use the Zoom as an audio interface of sorts - think of it as a preamp and drum machine. I use it like that sometimes, depending on the song. I connect the digital/SPDIF out to my PC. But what you'll get is a single stereo pair. Actually, I've just realised... if you used the STEREO SUB OUT send as well as the master out, you could get a second stereo pair with a separate mix coming out that way. So, you could get 8 in and 4 out working "live".

Now, in a MIDI sense, you can use the Zoom as the master controller to trigger song position/start/stop etc in cubase et al. (Read the MIDI connections section of the ZOOM manual). This works well. But don't ever get your hopes up of slaving the zoom - it can only work as master.

Help! A damp train in London

Ruzz - A damp Zoom recordist in Wales

[musicleader]

Can anyone let me borrow their Zoom UIB/USB Interface?

[wirld]

Hey There,

Apologies for crashing into this topic - but it seemd the most relevant...
I've backed up a project to CD...loaded AFS onto my PC - I'd like to convert .dat tracks to wav for import into DAW s/ware...

How do I convince AFS that the project (on my CD or the backup on the PC) can be imported?

Thanks & Rgds
Grant