Using Boss BR-800 as a Effects Processor

[JP Illes]

I started this out as a post in the "Definitive Summary of Effects" Sticky, asking if anyone had tried using the Boss BR-800 as an Effects Processor. I said I would post a report on my experience using the BR-800 effects sent through the Send Effects of the DP32sd. It works very well. Here is the process that I used:

First, I set the Input Select on the BR-800 to LINE IN, then selected the first Effect Patch. This allowed access to a set of effects that can be used in series with an individual ON/OFF for each one. The available Effects are:

Compressor/Limiter
Lo-fi
Noise Suppressor
Modulation (11 Different Effects )
Chorus
Delay

For my test I used my Main Vocal Track (Track 5 in my case) and Track 6 as my Target Track. I plugged the Input of the BR-800 to SEND 2. I plugged the Output from the BR-800 into Input C of the DP32. Then I set the DP32 as follows:

1. Selected Track 5
2. Send Eff2 and Master2 of Track 5 to the maximum of 127.
3. Select Send Eff2 on Track 6 to OFF.
4. Assign Track 6 to Input C
5. Assign Input C to Stereo Bus C
6. Armed Record on Track 6

In this case I turned off all of the Effects on the BR-800 except for Delay. I could have chained multiple effects if wanted or required.

After plugging in the Input and Outputs of the BR-800, I Armed Record.

With monitor set to Stereo, I pressed play on the DP32 and adjusted the Delay Effect controls on the BR-800. When I was satisfied with amount of Delay Effect, I pressed Record on the DP32.

The result recorded Track 5 onto Track 6 plus the Delay Effect.

It worked perfectly. Now that I know that it works I can go back and add and enhanced EQ and compression to Each my other tracks as required for a mix down. I am using SEND 1 in the DP32 for my reverb effect as needed on each of my tracks.

That's my report...

 

[Mark Richards]

Nice job!
Some Gain Staging questions:

• Where did you set the Track 5 Fader?
• Was Track 5 Send Eff 2 set to Pre or Post?
• Where did you set the BR-800's input and output levels?
• Where did you set the Input C Trim Knob?
• In the Mixer screen, where did you set the Input C internal Fader level?
• Did you apply any EQ or Dynamic Effects to Input C?
• Where was the Input C Pan Knob set?
• Where did you set the Track 6 Fader?

 

[JP Illes]

• Where did you set the Track 5 Fader?
• Unity
• Was Track 5 Send Eff 2 set to Pre or Post?
• Post
• Where did you set the BR-800's input and output levels?
• Input set at about 11:00, Output fader about 2/3 up
• Where did you set the Input C Trim Knob?
• 1:00
• In the Mixer screen, where did you set the Input C internal Fader level?
• Left at unity
• Did you apply any EQ or Dynamic Effects to Input C?
• Not at this time...
• Where was the Input C Pan Knob set?
• Unity
• Where did you set the Track 6 Fader?
• Unity

 

[JP Illes]

Went up to the studio this morning and found one of my responces was in error.

• Where did you set the BR-800's input and output levels?
• Record Level set at 2:00 , Output fader set at unity

 

[Mark Richards]

Track 5, Track 6, and Input C are all feeding the Stereo Bus at the same time.

Typically you wouldn't want to monitor a tripled audio signal on the Stereo Bus, particularly when two of them are the same signal from the outboard gear.

The result recorded Track 5 onto Track 6 plus the Delay Effect.

Next time, try this (an adaptation of the information in the stickies):

• Don't Assign Input C to the Stereo Bus (not necessary).
• Set Track 5 Send Eff2 to Pre.
• Set Send Eff2 Master Knob to 127.
• Set the BR-800 input control to unity gain or an appropriate lower level.
• Use the Track 5 Send Eff2 Knob to control the BR-800's incoming signal level.
• Set Track 5 Fader Off (inf) to remove it from the Stereo Bus.
• Set Input C Trim Knob full CCW (Line) and set the BR-800's output level, up to unity gain, to control the Input C/Track 6 incoming Record signal level.
• Leave all other Track 5, Track 6, and Input C Mixer Screen and Input C Dynamic Effects in their default settings if you don't wish to apply them.
• Place the portastudio in Record Ready to monitor the signal coming in on Input C/Track 6.
• Set the Stereo Bus Fader to unity gain (all the way up).
• Use only the Track 6 Fader at unity gain or less to monitor the blended/processed audio signal on the Stereo Bus.

This setup will:

• Give you a clean signal throughput and an accurate representation of the actual blended signal on Track 6.
• Minimize the risk of introducing intra-sampling distortion that the peak meters won't see.
• Allow you to use the Track 6 meter to assess the incoming signal level; and the Track 6 Fader and the Stereo Bus Meters to evaluate the recorded (blended) Track 6 output signal level.

 

[JP Illes]

THX Mark, I'm a little new at this and need all the help I can get.

 

[JP Illes]

Mark, I tried your process and it worked when I sent my Vocal Track 5 + Delay to my Target Track 6. It worked pretty well. I tried again with a Source Track + BR-800 compression to a Target Track. This didn't work so well, the Target Track with the compression came out all distorted.. It wasn't that way when I monitored it before recording.. The compression effect in the BR-800 is a bit weird, none of the attributes are the same as any other compressor that I have looked at. I am going to try doing a source track with EQ to a Target Track. That's the one I am really interested in.. If that doesn't work then I am going to hang up using the BR-800 as an effects processor, and just use for guitar and bass COSM effects for recording those tracks, that works really well..

 

[-mjk-]

@JP Illes don't give up man. Have a shot of single malt and give it a go. Distortion is all about gain staging. I'm positive that you can figure out how the gain structure is creating distortion.

 

[Shawn2571]

I have the DP32sd and the effects blow. Lol I just ordered a used Br800 yesterday. May have to try this sometime.

 

[Mark Richards]

I have the DP32sd and the effects blow.

@Shawn2571, is that based on bench testing against some objective standard, or just your personal opinion?

 

[Shawn2571]

My opinion I guess, but I couldn't get a good guitar sound out of it for the life of me. Maybe could get an acceptable vocal sound with some work. But the effects are very limited and can only be routed to one or two tracks to a time. As far as the audio resolution quality of the dp32sd and preamps it sounds pretty good it just need external effects

 

[shredd]

As the resident Village Idiot, I'll chime in: even with my distinctly inexpert abilities, I'm able to get killer FX out of my DP-32. They have reasonably good parameter-adjustability (especially comp'rs) and I feel they're of reasonable quality for built-in's. Of course they're not going to be/sound as good as externals (if they were/did, a DP would be about $3000!)...but for my amateur needs, they're quite servicable.

I would subscribe to the gripe about the built-in's being limited in the routing/ their application (a multi-fx chain is typically limited to one channel); but overall, they're fine.
I do have externals (a Roland SDE-1000 delay - one of the best ever - and a Roland GP-16 for general fx-chaining). Recently sold a DBX 266XL, as I've never been able to get quite the comp'n out of it that matches the sound in my head...but that might have to do with my hearing being so bad that I wouldn't hear a crashing airplane falling on my house...

 

[Shawn2571]

To each their own i'm glad it works good for you. I play mostly heaviwr rock and the boss effects would be better suited for my application.

 

[shredd]

the boss effects would be better suited for my application

Well…I’ll give ya that…I have a BR-800 myself, and the FX are indeed killer (hey, it’s Roland/BOSS - they do FX right!)
But I mostly use the ones IN the DP, or the aforementioned externals, or one of several excellent MFX’s I own…try to keep my routing simple & my signal chain short…

 

[-mjk-]

I couldn't get a good guitar sound out of it for the life of me.

Not surprised. As a guitar player, I suggest that you get the sound you desire with tools designed specifically for guitar. Get the sound going with those tools and then record it in the DP. The guitar sim in the DP is there because if there was nothing, people would complain about that too. It's not really intended to replace a good amp and signal chain.

Maybe could get an acceptable vocal sound with some work

As a successful record producer, I will say if you can't get a good vocal sound or good recordings in the DP, that's 100% on the engineering. 24bit/48kHz and reasonably transparent mic pres, 3 band EQ with sweepable mids and enough basic FX to get going, it's good enough do to simple album work.

Yeah, the FX "blow" but you get them free for the cost of an excellent multitrack recorder. One could easily spend 5x the price of a DP-32SD on an effects processor alone. If you're serious about recording and mixing with full FX you should invest in several outboard processors and a patchbay.

The sticky threads are full of production techniques for getting around these limitations, all written by people who have engineered and mixed hundreds of records. An alternative workflow is having your recordings professionally mixed and mastered by a good engineer in a well-equipped studio that has the FX you need.

But the effects are very limited and can only be routed to one or two tracks to a time.

The DP series are designed for home recording. Solo songwriters and artists use these machines for recording their own performances. Typically that's 2 tracks at a time for each instrument. The DP machine doesn't have enough DSP power to run so many instances of FX. There are other solutions that might be better suitable for larger sessions, such as the Studio Bridge with an analog console and outboard FX units. Some are using one of the Model series with a DAW so they can use plugins with restrictions from the console.

I have a question for you @Shawn2571: were you aware of the limitations of the DP-32SD before you bought it or are you just now realizing these issues? If it's the latter, I can understand your frustration.