One of the things I loved was the E.Q for each channel it was insane especially for drum machines and synths the filter section was insane also super dope gear
Omg!!!! You nailed it. I’ve been hoping you would do the VS series. These machines are solid, and the VS2480 is the holy grail for VS users. Thank you for making my week. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾🔥🔥🔥💃🏾
Yo DyReck you are hilarious with descriptions of the equipment & narration! That late slip graphic is priceless 🤣!!!! I still have the first unit from that era VS840!
Funny you should say that, given it had the same mastering/mixing/effects engine inside the MV-8800. As Dyreck aka Native Shades would say "Nah, dawg - THIS IS THE STUDIO!"
Yes that is what I think hurt the 8800/8000. They tried to incorporate too much of these VSs. I'm kicking mine everytime I boot it up (mv8800). It is soooooo slow but man when it gets going, the features are amazing
These types of units totally killed the A-DAT once and for all. We still have these style units in production with the Tascam Model 12 and so forth albeit with SD cards, but still. The form factor and work flow is dope to this day!
Bruh, you definitely know whassup. I’ve had a VS2400cd for a long time. It took me a while to start using it (learning curve). But, it is definitely a powerhouse. Pairing it with my Mv8000 was the intent. But, I got a custom ADAT adapter before my RBUS cable. So I was able to connect via adat to various gear. To say this thing sounds GREAT is an understatement. Anyways, as you seen in responses. The VS’s are well loved and respected. Nowadays anyone willing to take that trip, can achieve some quality productions results for the low. 👍🏾✌🏾✊🏾
Hey, very interesting regarding the custom ADAT adapter for your MV. OP1 would be ideal but the prices can be ridiculous. Can you share more info regarding on how you came to acquire such an adapter, I'd be very interested and thankful.
@@unready56 Funny, the VS rabbit hole deepens for me. I recently acquired the rare SI-24. I go to use it, only to find my VS2400 HD has failed. The Saga continues...
@@Netm8kr Have to yet get my hands on the VS, can't wait. The SI-24 is a very cool addition! I'm guessing it can't be connected straight to the MV via the rbus?
I recorded dozens of songs on a Roland VS-880 in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was very reliable and I was fast on that thing, doing the most crazy edits with dispite the tiny display - it was all just based on listening, same as sample editing on an Akai S950. I still have the machine, although I'm not using it anymore. (Ableton Live and Cubase pretty much replaced it.)
I'm still rocking the VS-880 bro! Just recently retired my old MPC 2000xl and replaced it with the new gen MPC ONE but the 880 remains! Picked mine up in a pawnshop about 12 years back. I got it dirt cheap, think I paid 20 whole bucks for the thing. With the "V-xpanded" effects and all. I absolutely love it, fits my setup perfectly to this day, running the MPC and 3 other synths (Korg Minilogue XD, Arturia MicroFreak and a Korg Volca FM)
Yes sir!..I remember you mentioning it to me a couple time..Thanks bro!..Was gonna give you a shout out too..But I put the vid out so fast I forgot Lol.
This man brings back so many memories. I even had that exact Roland mag with Teddy Riley on it. I remember the whole Roland VS series being crazy money. It was like looking at Bentley car catalogs. In 2001 the prices for Hard disk recorders were insane still. Most people (as in non studio dudes) were still using Tascam Multitracks and recording on tape. Recording on digital was still fresh but expensive asf. I remember when the Boss Br 8 dropped. That thing was a game changer for the broke musician. It was an affordable digital recorder that used Zipdisk (the new technology of the future haha). The VS series was like on some Quincy Jones level stuff. If you had one of them you were probably getting paid and well. I remember back in the day I couldn't afford anything Roland so I went to Akai and got a DPS12i. It was a dope hard disk but operated like an MPC. Akai also had the DPS24 which was like the VS-2480 but again it had the MPC style of operation. You should do a video on those those. Akai DPS's and Roland VR's were the last front line before the DAW takeover. I really loved the DPS12i I had. It had a lot of the features Roland's VS series had but it was half the price and stuffed with all of AKAIs high end studio technology. Like everything they learned from making samplers and rack gear they put into those DPS Recorders.
Funny I was checking out the DPS24 last week..It seems like it was a solid machine...Not as much features as the 2480 or the Korg 32xd..But it got the job done.
I remember the Akai but the vs2480 had 3rd party plugins but I think if it had a built in USB port for transferring data that would have been cool instead you have to burn CDs with wav files other than that this machine is a beast Teddy Riley has a demo on it I had my since 2005 the built in DVD version these units are cheaper today I've seen them go for 900.00 to about 1500.00 dollars if you're just doing hip hop ya won't need all these features it's great for live bands to record with the 3rd party plugins made me choose the vs2480 instead of the Akai
Wow, DyReck. I'm so glad you did a video in this!!! I have a VS2480 that was given to be by a good friend of mine. I've had the VS2480 since 2018 and it sound VERY good when I ran my gear through it. It has 3 VS8F2 cards in it. Each card has two independent effects processor on it. So 3 cards give me a total of 6 independent effects processors onboard the unit. These effects are no joke either. They sound SWEET! The channel compressor gave me excellent results as well, especially when it came to taming my 808 bass. However, I started having technical issues with my machine starting around late 2019 into 2020. Often it would boot up but produce no audio output when first turning it on so I had to leave it on for a while and let it sit and warm up. Then I would boot it up again and begin producing audio output. However, I would hear a lot of pops in the output. This problem persisted and progressively got worse over time. The amount of time I had to let it sit increased and the pops and clicks gradually got worse, remaking the machine unusable. As a result, I stopped using it altogether and got some MOTU interfaces, a new computer, and Protools. This system is working out great for me today. However, I still have my VS2480 in storage. I really would like to get it fixed. However, I've read many others online have the same issue with theirs and it appears the fix for this is either a motherboard replacement or recapping job. With these machines being over 20 years old now, a replacement motherboard from a spare machine could eventually develop the same fault, meaning that wouldn't be a permanent solution either. When I ran a diagnostic test on mine I do remember it revealing an error code related to the DSP processor. At this point I don't know how much it will cost to have this VS2480 fixed or if it can be fixed at all. I really hope someone does come up with a permanent fix for this wonderful machine so I can get mine back working properly again. The VS2480 is too nice of a machine to let go to waste (especially mine since it was given to me) and it is, in my opinion, the best and most comprehensive standalone hard disk recording workstation / mixer ever built. Excellent video as always, DyReck!!!
sitting in front of 2 2480's and we got a 1680! they are golden! not to mention, the last working fader board Roland had in their factory is in one of these boards.
Geez. It still looks like exactly what I want in my studio. The Zoom R24 is great for recording, but of I had known I could get one of these for only twice as much, I could stop going into Studio One to do mixing and editing. That machine is awesome. Thx, dude!
The only problem is it is not compatible with anything else. You can have to burn your stereo tracks to CD and transfer that stereo file but that’s it. Another way you can use a DAW with this is to record separate tracks onto your DAW. It all gets confusing. I use my VS2000CD for putting down ideas quick. DAWs still don’t have the immediacy of these great machines.
@@killswitchmediastudios got usb, doesn't it? Of my current recorder let me arrange... Even just MIX worth a hoot, I don't need anything else. I mix shoe gaze with the intent of putting out a track every day, give or take, depending on how much pain I am in. That 2480 patch bay is the coolest feature I think I've ever seen on one of these and it would make some things possible... Fast: it would make the few things I do with my DAW fast. Plus there's a guy on the Isle of Man who sells replacement screens for it. Modern TFT that look real nice.
It amazes me how great recording technology like the VS2480 failed to succeed like it should've. It offered EVERYTHING you wanted in a home studio during that time (and even now). I never purchased it because at the time I was still paying off a dual Yamaha 02r rig and (3) 20-bit ADAT machines. BUT, if I had waited a few years before I brought my rig, I would've definitely purchase it! Thanks again for another trip down Technology Memory Lane!
That's because the computers weren't designed for audio production. Roger Nichols wrote about that fact. He claimed the computers cause all sorts of problems because they give precedence to background tasks such as checking for updates. This causes glitches of various sorts.
Bro ... These shits is so 🔥🔥🔥.. I just purchased 2 units last month.. and I'm in love.. the sound quality perfect and I'm running with it from here out... Along side Reason 12 Ableton live or whatever
I loved my Yamaha O3D digital mixer with ADAT card used in conjunction with my friend's original black ADAT recorder. It was fully self contained and I used some other outboard fx such as Alesis Q2, Quadraverb Plus and Wedge, mastering to an original Tascam DA20. Later on I got a Mac G4 and Digi001 and it worked beautifully in conjunction with the O3D. They were golden times for me in the early 2000s. I also used another friend's Roland VS1880 with the external Roland CD burner for about a year but I found it quite clunky to use and almost bought a Yamaha AW4416 because it was essentially an O3D with a built in 16 track recorder.
I had a 200 eur car and I bought this when it came out, so I drove a approx. 9000 eur VS 2480 (in today's money) unit in 200 eur car to my studio in a garage in the middle of nowhere and start making music. Now, that's passion ... :))
great memories with these!! I wish I had properly archived everything off my roland units!! The stand alone scsi cd burner was such a game changer in the late 90s!!
I always wanted one of these. DAWs and computers were not there yet, and a lot of recording studios were still using tape... barely transitioning to Pro Tools. My oldest was also born that year, so needless to say, completely out of reach. My first CD was created on the MTV Music Generator, and even that took a tax return to produce. The struggle is real...
I've got a VS-890, given to me by my boyfriends dad who used it to make demos for his rock band. I wish I had a way to hook it up to a computer like this! Madlib used the VS-880 all the time, pretty sure he used it on the Madvillainy joint.
This brings back memories. I use to work on the Vs2480cd back when it came out. What an amazing machine!. I was also able to make beats on the Vs2480cd. I was hesitant to learn Pro tools because I was able to do it all on the Vs2480cd. I currently have the Vs1824cd and still use it mostly as a mixer nowadays but man the Vs series were amazing machines.
I saw the Digi 001 at the 1999 AES in NYC. Maybe they released it later, but I definitely saw everyone crowded around the booth. I grabbed a pamphlet for it as I wasn't really into computer recording at the time. After that day, I was. And to think that I'd bought the VS880 a year prior. Actually the 001 was out in 2000 at the latest. I did a session on one in late 2000. Memories
Nailed it. I have had the Roland vs 840gx, 1824cd, and the VS2000. Great machines the secret was the fact of the effects boards. And that vari-pitch excellent for those "Street Blend" tapes and cd's. Not sure exactly what DJ JUICE from Trenton was using. But Multitrack machines were and still are a valuable solution. The VS 2000, 2400, 2480 had that vga and mouse and to add to that paired with the MV8000, TOTAL HARDWARE STUDIO !!! I currently have the Tascam Model 12 which has certain functions needed and the ultra portable Zoom r8 both are audio interfaces and controllers. I have also the Yamaha aw1600 as my left staple hardware multitracker, which also has the varipitch function.My homie DJ Paul Nice had the VS880 along with the MPC60 He made alot of beat records. I worked with this country western singer that has the VS 2480 and it is a BEAST !!! If you have the room there are a few on the Guitar Center uaed gear website, 45 day return policy ( do not quotr me ). Does not crash and virtual tracks. Just something to consider.
The biggest rig I ever owned was the Korg D3200. It worked great, but the digital screen started glitching out. I always kept my eye on the 2480. Way out of my budget, but got to go to a studio that had one and the results from recording on one blew the Korg away. Seeing these drop in price now, and I'm willing to buy one just to finally play on it again.
I was hoping you do a video on the Roland VS 2480 or Roland VS 880. I had the Roland VS 880 and made a lot of songs with it. When they came out with the Roland VS 2480. I wish I had it instead of the Roland VS 880. Good video!
Drooling over those in Musicians Friend catalogs and the pro audio at Guitar Center back in the day is what got me looking at computers in the first place. I knew I could never afford one of those, but my pizza delivery job could get me Gateway w/Intel Celeron processor and Cubasis (not Cubase hahaha).
Big memories here, fam.. I had a VS 840 in like 1999, still got a song I recorded on it.. Didn't even know the 2480 came out after, that thing looks ILL in comparison!!
The Akai DPS24 was a few months earlier, despite Roland’s claims to the contrary. It was also more professional and it’s still a bit more sought after than the Roland machine.
The VS-880XL is insane. If I still had it I would use it. Entire cut & paste all tracks making just the right space for mastering cds. Digital Audio without a computer. Smoked the competition. quilty superb. An excellent machine minus the screen burned out in a decade. My competition could not afford one & never thought to add it to their sets so when I dropped my cds, they were learning through me #djCHOZiN1 thanks Direck
I was trying to climb my way up to one of those bad boys back in the day. I started out on a Fostex 4-track tape deck. Then moved up to a VS-840 then I got the 1680 then the 1880. I never made it to the 2480 because by the time I could afford one I had mooved into record on my PC with Cakewalk Sonar.
A Friend of me used that in combination with an Lexicon L300 and and Eventide Harmonizer to mix and Remix HipHop for big Clubs. It worked very fine and it was a fast workflow. (he was deep in every little bit of his machines.....today you can do all the same with an Mac Mini M1, what used today)
Just found out about Korg WaveStation btw....most incredible cult synth ever. You probably know all about it??? I'm very curious to find out as much as possible about it. It's the most interesting synth I've seen in a while from the hardware days. I think it created and accelerated the concept of "groove shadows" because of its wave sequencing and vector synthesis combo. Also potentially made a genre and song called : Aquatic Ambiance. I think of it as the omnisphere and absynth of the 90s from what I'm hearing. It also has a funk to the rhythm otherwise mechanical groove. If you could compress a song into an "abstraction" and that abstraction is its own little groove to make other ideas from, that is the WS.
We’ve got the Korg Wavestate now. I own one. It’s an incredible little synth. The wavestation was dope in its day. The Apple Mac start up chime was created using one.
Still have my roland vs-2480 in really good shape, and still have my vs-880, still working from 1997, got to say something this is why i know computers and os are better now but i still go to these ! and the vs-880 back in 1997 was 2800 for me even more than i got the 2480 for around 2000 !
Amazing machines I had got mine from a second hand store I got home and turned it on , it must have belong to a d.j because it had tons of hip hop mixes and dope accappellas from Jay z and Nas but it was hands on easy to use and extremely effective in any studio scenario I used to take mine and record different rap artist all over it was super portable now you can upgrade them to have true SSD but unfortunately mine crashed I lost a lot of valuable recordings it would lose audio I still have it I miss it dearly I record to a d.a.w now but I would love to be able to use that machine again 😢 💔 😞
These music companies need to come back with a modern version. I think there's still a market for them. Tascam still makes a few as does zoom. But one from akai and Roland would be sick
XP Really was the best ever version of windows 100% so many great features. The search function was superb, I could search all hardrives at the same time and it made a list all files by name regardless of file lacation. This was highly useful to see duplicates of the same files to either delete or move or duplicate to one new single location. Great audio player able to rip music off CD, super easy to make playlists in minuts just by using a note pad file, or select any music and put in playlist, nice graphic eq.
Totally. Vista was good as well, no matter what anyone says... It was basically XP with HD capability. I was running Windows 95 and even earlier programs with no problem.... And it didn't crash as much or as bad as some may remember. Seven was definitely rough times, but just look how AWESOME eleven is.... Hmm there's no "blowing my brains out" emoji. Strange.
@@nerfytheclown I have a Dell Dimension 500 win XP sitting directly infront of Me in My front room. Had that thing about 20 yr and I will not get rid of it even though its not been turned on in about 4 years. I made all My Hollasounds grafics and a significant percentage of My music on that thing using Photo shop and Reason. I put a new bios battery and if it wasn't for the fact that I dont know where My dam monitor cable is I'd be using it again. I made loads of grafic design stuff from textures to shapes and was making skins for plugins back in 2005.
@@HOLLASOUNDS dang, I got at least two extra VGA cables, some composite.... Now if you lived north of Seattle, but south of Vancouver, I'd just bring one over on my Yamaha. Sincerely: just to see that thing boot up and talk to a dude that remembers the day. Sigh.
@@nerfytheclown Vista was my favorite. Had my PC running Vista since 2009. Updated it to Windows 7 in 2019. Windows 7 is the last of the non-tiles Windows OS
Still got mine with all the FX cards. Wouldnt trade it for nothing. Got the 1680 at my bro crib and I lost the 1880 in a fire. Had the zip drive 880 too
Great information. I have one of these machines and I'm going to record, mix, and master a rap album on the VS-2480. Do you know of any major rap artist recording their full album on the VS-2480? Thanks
Wow I had no idea that any of the VS-series (HD Recorders) had any type of sequencer / phrase sampler! And that it wasn’t a terrible tack-on feature!? The sequencers in the SP-x0x Roland/Boss samplers of that time were pretty god-awful. I really had no clue that any kind of sampling / looping etc was on-board in a VS-series, at the time Roland was also selling their MV-series (or about to?), the MC-909 was released 2002, Fantom first gen about the same time too, and the VariOS…seems like this VS-2480 could do almost everything the SP-808 could do, far better than the 808, in addition to doing so much more. Why have so much feature overlap on all these different product lines? I suppose because they appealed to different types of producers, it feels like, even if that makes no actual sense, like the MV series look like the MPCs so they appealed to the hip-hop crowd in a way that the MC-909 never did (despite RZA famously using it) I think because it had the look of something electronic music like house/techno would be made on…. And all this time I never paid any attention to the VS-series because while all these machines were expensive, hard-disk recording was one thing I could do with the computer I already had, I assumed these machines were targeted more toward rock musicians or any band with a group of musicians who’d really need those 16 simultaneous record channels - and guitar-heads were thought of as preferring the old school recording methods, which this resembles in its UI at least when using w/o the monitor.
Spot on pretty much..All those samplers had that classic warm late 90s sound..And recording your whole band was big..I picked up a d16..I really wanted the 1600 though Lol.
Yeah we started with the Roland 880. Then my pops picked up the 1680. I later bought the VS2480. It’s slow by today’s standards. Too slow so I sold it. It had automated sliders. I wonder if you can put in a sd to speed it up.
To this day u can still use this to record a whole album… trust me
This comment is still accurate. As well as the Roland MVs too
@DyRek.. always look forward to these what had happened was videos
Thanks fam!!
One of the things I loved was the E.Q for each channel it was insane especially for drum machines and synths the filter section was insane also super dope gear
Oh ok nice.
Omg!!!! You nailed it. I’ve been hoping you would do the VS series. These machines are solid, and the VS2480 is the holy grail for VS users. Thank you for making my week. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾🔥🔥🔥💃🏾
No doubt fam!!..The 2480 is a Beast!!
Yo DyReck you are hilarious with descriptions of the equipment & narration! That late slip graphic is priceless 🤣!!!! I still have the first unit from that era VS840!
Lmao!..Thanks fam!
In a strange way this unit gave birth to the Roland MV8000, another beast of a unit
🔥🔥🔥
I can definitely see that.
Funny you should say that, given it had the same mastering/mixing/effects engine inside the MV-8800. As Dyreck aka Native Shades would say "Nah, dawg - THIS IS THE STUDIO!"
@@fmagic2000able 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 facts
Yes that is what I think hurt the 8800/8000. They tried to incorporate too much of these VSs. I'm kicking mine everytime I boot it up (mv8800). It is soooooo slow but man when it gets going, the features are amazing
@@titanjake8640 I love my 8000, it’s slow but the rewards are worth it, massive sound and warmth
These types of units totally killed the A-DAT once and for all. We still have these style units in production with the Tascam Model 12 and so forth albeit with SD cards, but still. The form factor and work flow is dope to this day!
Yup!..You can definitely use this perfectly today.
I've got a akai dps24 and they're great for remote recording duties. Heavy as all hell but still a wonderful platform for recording.
@@MikeRP3147 The dps24 looks nice..Always heard it was solid.
Bruh, you definitely know whassup. I’ve had a VS2400cd for a long time. It took me a while to start using it (learning curve). But, it is definitely a powerhouse. Pairing it with my Mv8000 was the intent. But, I got a custom ADAT adapter before my RBUS cable. So I was able to connect via adat to various gear. To say this thing sounds GREAT is an understatement. Anyways, as you seen in responses. The VS’s are well loved and respected. Nowadays anyone willing to take that trip, can achieve some quality productions results for the low. 👍🏾✌🏾✊🏾
Hey, very interesting regarding the custom ADAT adapter for your MV. OP1 would be ideal but the prices can be ridiculous. Can you share more info regarding on how you came to acquire such an adapter, I'd be very interested and thankful.
@@unready56 The VS-Planet made that possible MANY years ago. A member made a SUPER limited batch of them.
@@Netm8kr ahh, good stuff!
@@unready56 Funny, the VS rabbit hole deepens for me. I recently acquired the rare SI-24. I go to use it, only to find my VS2400 HD has failed. The Saga continues...
@@Netm8kr Have to yet get my hands on the VS, can't wait. The SI-24 is a very cool addition! I'm guessing it can't be connected straight to the MV via the rbus?
I remember seeing the 2480 with the meter bridge and thought it was the illest thing I ever seen in my life. I had the 1880 at the time.
Lol I feel you.
Still on the hunt for that meter bridge. People want alot for em.
U ain't never lie about that
I recorded dozens of songs on a Roland VS-880 in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was very reliable and I was fast on that thing, doing the most crazy edits with dispite the tiny display - it was all just based on listening, same as sample editing on an Akai S950. I still have the machine, although I'm not using it anymore. (Ableton Live and Cubase pretty much replaced it.)
Oh ok cool.
I'm still rocking the VS-880 bro! Just recently retired my old MPC 2000xl and replaced it with the new gen MPC ONE but the 880 remains! Picked mine up in a pawnshop about 12 years back. I got it dirt cheap, think I paid 20 whole bucks for the thing. With the "V-xpanded" effects and all. I absolutely love it, fits my setup perfectly to this day, running the MPC and 3 other synths (Korg Minilogue XD, Arturia MicroFreak and a Korg Volca FM)
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO9!!!!!!
MY DUDE IS ON 🔥! FINALLY THE ROLAND DAW'S!
Yes sir!..I remember you mentioning it to me a couple time..Thanks bro!..Was gonna give you a shout out too..But I put the vid out so fast I forgot Lol.
Love these history lessons man. Your enthusiasm is mad entertaining 😂
Thanks bro!..I appreciate it.
Yes the enthusiasm! I tend to speak extremely enthusiastically about production gear as well - but DyReck even more so.
This man brings back so many memories. I even had that exact Roland mag with Teddy Riley on it. I remember the whole Roland VS series being crazy money. It was like looking at Bentley car catalogs. In 2001 the prices for Hard disk recorders were insane still. Most people (as in non studio dudes) were still using Tascam Multitracks and recording on tape. Recording on digital was still fresh but expensive asf. I remember when the Boss Br 8 dropped. That thing was a game changer for the broke musician. It was an affordable digital recorder that used Zipdisk (the new technology of the future haha). The VS series was like on some Quincy Jones level stuff. If you had one of them you were probably getting paid and well. I remember back in the day I couldn't afford anything Roland so I went to Akai and got a DPS12i. It was a dope hard disk but operated like an MPC. Akai also had the DPS24 which was like the VS-2480 but again it had the MPC style of operation. You should do a video on those those. Akai DPS's and Roland VR's were the last front line before the DAW takeover. I really loved the DPS12i I had. It had a lot of the features Roland's VS series had but it was half the price and stuffed with all of AKAIs high end studio technology. Like everything they learned from making samplers and rack gear they put into those DPS Recorders.
Funny I was checking out the DPS24 last week..It seems like it was a solid machine...Not as much features as the 2480 or the Korg 32xd..But it got the job done.
@@DyReckProductions I appreciate all your work you put in. Only you can make gear this funny and informative.
Yo, I remember Teddy Riley foaming at the mouth when describing it's amazing capabilities.
I spent a bag on those mags trying to keep up on gear 😂😂😂 no internet social media 👍🏾👍🏾
I remember the Akai but the vs2480 had 3rd party plugins but I think if it had a built in USB port for transferring data that would have been cool instead you have to burn CDs with wav files other than that this machine is a beast Teddy Riley has a demo on it I had my since 2005 the built in DVD version these units are cheaper today I've seen them go for 900.00 to about 1500.00 dollars if you're just doing hip hop ya won't need all these features it's great for live bands to record with the 3rd party plugins made me choose the vs2480 instead of the Akai
Love this channel
Wow, DyReck. I'm so glad you did a video in this!!!
I have a VS2480 that was given to be by a good friend of mine. I've had the VS2480 since 2018 and it sound VERY good when I ran my gear through it. It has 3 VS8F2 cards in it. Each card has two independent effects processor on it. So 3 cards give me a total of 6 independent effects processors onboard the unit. These effects are no joke either. They sound SWEET! The channel compressor gave me excellent results as well, especially when it came to taming my 808 bass.
However, I started having technical issues with my machine starting around late 2019 into 2020. Often it would boot up but produce no audio output when first turning it on so I had to leave it on for a while and let it sit and warm up. Then I would boot it up again and begin producing audio output. However, I would hear a lot of pops in the output. This problem persisted and progressively got worse over time. The amount of time I had to let it sit increased and the pops and clicks gradually got worse, remaking the machine unusable. As a result, I stopped using it altogether and got some MOTU interfaces, a new computer, and Protools. This system is working out great for me today.
However, I still have my VS2480 in storage. I really would like to get it fixed. However, I've read many others online have the same issue with theirs and it appears the fix for this is either a motherboard replacement or recapping job. With these machines being over 20 years old now, a replacement motherboard from a spare machine could eventually develop the same fault, meaning that wouldn't be a permanent solution either. When I ran a diagnostic test on mine I do remember it revealing an error code related to the DSP processor. At this point I don't know how much it will cost to have this VS2480 fixed or if it can be fixed at all.
I really hope someone does come up with a permanent fix for this wonderful machine so I can get mine back working properly again. The VS2480 is too nice of a machine to let go to waste (especially mine since it was given to me) and it is, in my opinion, the best and most comprehensive standalone hard disk recording workstation / mixer ever built.
Excellent video as always, DyReck!!!
Thanks bro!..Hope you get it fixed...Im sure someone in the old Roland forums came up with a solution by now.
@@DyReckProductions Thanks, DyReck!
@@kvmoore1 No doubt.
sitting in front of 2 2480's and we got a 1680! they are golden! not to mention, the last working fader board Roland had in their factory is in one of these boards.
Nice!!
When did you get the 2480's? How much did you pay for it?
Geez. It still looks like exactly what I want in my studio. The Zoom R24 is great for recording, but of I had known I could get one of these for only twice as much, I could stop going into Studio One to do mixing and editing. That machine is awesome. Thx, dude!
No doubt fam!
The only problem is it is not compatible with anything else. You can have to burn your stereo tracks to CD and transfer that stereo file but that’s it. Another way you can use a DAW with this is to record separate tracks onto your DAW. It all gets confusing. I use my VS2000CD for putting down ideas quick. DAWs still don’t have the immediacy of these great machines.
@@killswitchmediastudios got usb, doesn't it? Of my current recorder let me arrange... Even just MIX worth a hoot, I don't need anything else. I mix shoe gaze with the intent of putting out a track every day, give or take, depending on how much pain I am in.
That 2480 patch bay is the coolest feature I think I've ever seen on one of these and it would make some things possible... Fast: it would make the few things I do with my DAW fast.
Plus there's a guy on the Isle of Man who sells replacement screens for it. Modern TFT that look real nice.
@@killswitchmediastudios Yeah these are right to the point.
@@killswitchmediastudios is there a way to magnify the screen on the VS2000CD?
It amazes me how great recording technology like the VS2480 failed to succeed like it should've. It offered EVERYTHING you wanted in a home studio during that time (and even now). I never purchased it because at the time I was still paying off a dual Yamaha 02r rig and (3) 20-bit ADAT machines. BUT, if I had waited a few years before I brought my rig, I would've definitely purchase it! Thanks again for another trip down Technology Memory Lane!
No doubt bro!
Ha ha I love your side stories and the pics you include on these videos! You are a hip hop Sociologist my man!!!
Lmao!!! Thanks !!
These machines are still beating most digital computer studio's todays 🎹
Yup!
That's because the computers weren't designed for audio production. Roger Nichols wrote about that fact. He claimed the computers cause all sorts of problems because they give precedence to background tasks such as checking for updates. This causes glitches of various sorts.
@@sashas3362 I feel you.
Sir, you are the king of analogies 😂👍🏾
babe wakeup DyReck posted
Lmao!..No doubt!!
I didn’t have a bed, but I had the 2480 😎
Bro ... These shits is so 🔥🔥🔥.. I just purchased 2 units last month.. and I'm in love.. the sound quality perfect and I'm running with it from here out... Along side Reason 12 Ableton live or whatever
Oh wow you got 2!!..Lucky you!..Leave one for me Lol..The sound and features of the 2480 is still dope today!
@@DyReckProductions bro I was waiting for you to review this machine for 2 months.. I was ecstatic when u dropped it
@@Dday1717 Lol Thats whats up!!
Creepy little daws, how accurate is that. That completely sums it up 😂🤣
Lmao! No doubt.
I loved my Yamaha O3D digital mixer with ADAT card used in conjunction with my friend's original black ADAT recorder. It was fully self contained and I used some other outboard fx such as Alesis Q2, Quadraverb Plus and Wedge, mastering to an original Tascam DA20. Later on I got a Mac G4 and Digi001 and it worked beautifully in conjunction with the O3D. They were golden times for me in the early 2000s. I also used another friend's Roland VS1880 with the external Roland CD burner for about a year but I found it quite clunky to use and almost bought a Yamaha AW4416 because it was essentially an O3D with a built in 16 track recorder.
Yeah alot of folks liked that AW4416.
I had a 200 eur car and I bought this when it came out, so I drove a approx. 9000 eur VS 2480 (in today's money) unit in 200 eur car to my studio in a garage in the middle of nowhere and start making music. Now, that's passion ... :))
Lol!..I feel you.
why is this channel so fire?!!!!!!!!! 🔥
Lmao! Thanks fam.
Those creepy little DAWs! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lmao!!
great memories with these!! I wish I had properly archived everything off my roland units!! The stand alone scsi cd burner was such a game changer in the late 90s!!
I feel you.
I always wanted one of these. DAWs and computers were not there yet, and a lot of recording studios were still using tape... barely transitioning to Pro Tools.
My oldest was also born that year, so needless to say, completely out of reach. My first CD was created on the MTV Music Generator, and even that took a tax return to produce. The struggle is real...
I feel you bro..Back then times was tuff!
Best Series On CZcams
Thanks bro!!..I appreciate it!!
Please old Electribe Sampler Bro
No doubt!..Thats a good one.
I recorded my first 2 albums on the VS-880 which was like the “mini” of this, n it was a beast, Id imagine this was insane
Oh ok cool!
I've got a VS-890, given to me by my boyfriends dad who used it to make demos for his rock band. I wish I had a way to hook it up to a computer like this!
Madlib used the VS-880 all the time, pretty sure he used it on the Madvillainy joint.
Oh ok Dope!
if you got a midi to usb adapter, you could use it as daw controller and get it into your workflow! ive done it with the 890 and 1680
@@FriendGaugeShotgun That's a good idea, I've mostly been bummed because there isn't much I can do with SCSI ports haha.
Great Video 🤣
This was the unit that youd go to Guitar Center and stare at for hours day dreaming about going platinum from your patents basement !
Lmao!!..Word!
This brings back memories. I use to work on the Vs2480cd back when it came out. What an amazing machine!. I was also able to make beats on the Vs2480cd. I was hesitant to learn Pro tools because I was able to do it all on the Vs2480cd. I currently have the Vs1824cd and still use it mostly as a mixer nowadays but man the Vs series were amazing machines.
I feel you..Ive used the d16 as a mixer for years..Those hard disc recorders are reliable studios in a box lol.
I saw the Digi 001 at the 1999 AES in NYC. Maybe they released it later, but I definitely saw everyone crowded around the booth. I grabbed a pamphlet for it as I wasn't really into computer recording at the time. After that day, I was. And to think that I'd bought the VS880 a year prior. Actually the 001 was out in 2000 at the latest. I did a session on one in late 2000. Memories
I loved my Mac G4 Digi001 used in conjunction with my Yamaha O3D with ADAT card. It was such a solid recording set up that never crashed.
Nailed it. I have had the Roland vs 840gx, 1824cd, and the VS2000. Great machines the secret was the fact of the effects boards. And that vari-pitch excellent for those "Street Blend" tapes and cd's. Not sure exactly what DJ JUICE from Trenton was using. But Multitrack machines were and still are a valuable solution. The VS 2000, 2400, 2480 had that vga and mouse and to add to that paired with the MV8000, TOTAL HARDWARE STUDIO !!!
I currently have the Tascam Model 12 which has certain functions needed and the ultra portable Zoom r8 both are audio interfaces and controllers. I have also the Yamaha aw1600 as my left staple hardware multitracker, which also has the varipitch function.My homie DJ Paul Nice had the VS880 along with the MPC60 He made alot of beat records.
I worked with this country western singer that has the VS 2480 and it is a BEAST !!!
If you have the room there are a few on the Guitar Center uaed gear website, 45 day return policy ( do not quotr me ).
Does not crash and virtual tracks.
Just something to consider.
Nice!!..Definitely gonna check that out!..Thanks!
This was my 2nd studio. The first the 16(maybe 18)50 😎🥃 I still have my Zip Disks 😁
Oh ok dope!
Yo my man thanks for posting this. as always your always so informative and it's much appreciated
Thanks fam!..I appreciate it.
The biggest rig I ever owned was the Korg D3200. It worked great, but the digital screen started glitching out. I always kept my eye on the 2480. Way out of my budget, but got to go to a studio that had one and the results from recording on one blew the Korg away. Seeing these drop in price now, and I'm willing to buy one just to finally play on it again.
I feel you.
Oh don’t make me buy one of these…
Im feeling the same way Lmao!
I was hoping you do a video on the Roland VS 2480 or Roland VS 880. I had the Roland VS 880 and made a lot of songs with it. When they came out with the Roland VS 2480. I wish I had it instead of the Roland VS 880. Good video!
Thanks bro!..That 2480 cost a grip Lol.
Drooling over those in Musicians Friend catalogs and the pro audio at Guitar Center back in the day is what got me looking at computers in the first place. I knew I could never afford one of those, but my pizza delivery job could get me Gateway w/Intel Celeron processor and Cubasis (not Cubase hahaha).
I feel you those gear magazines had us all drooling lol!
Till this day I still use mine I back all my beats and songs on the 24
Dope!!
GREAT VIDEO!!!!
GREAT REVIEW MAN! IM PURCHASING ONE THIS WEEK... BY THE WAY YOU ARE FUNNY AS HELL !! 9:52-11:19
Lmao! Thanks fam.
Big memories here, fam.. I had a VS 840 in like 1999, still got a song I recorded on it.. Didn't even know the 2480 came out after, that thing looks ILL in comparison!!
Word!
I used to have a subscription to keyboard magazine and read all about this unit in there.
I feel you..Those gear magazines was everything back then Lol.
The Akai DPS24 was a few months earlier, despite Roland’s claims to the contrary. It was also more professional and it’s still a bit more sought after than the Roland machine.
May Yahweh bless this 🙏 brother
"Finishing the last sentence - BOOM - The blue screen of death", hilarious!
Lmao!
The VS-880XL is insane. If I still had it I would use it. Entire cut & paste all tracks making just the right space for mastering cds. Digital Audio without a computer. Smoked the competition. quilty superb. An excellent machine minus the screen burned out in a decade. My competition could not afford one & never thought to add it to their sets so when I dropped my cds, they were learning through me #djCHOZiN1 thanks Direck
No doubt bro!
Sometimes the pain from a break 💔 up can produce positive results!
Yup!
Subbed.
These until wer before my time but I am into audio now so this is fascinating
"WITH INCREDIBLE GRAPHIC" 😆amazing video as always, on a PARTICULARLY notable piece of gear!!!
Lmao! Thanks fam.
May Yahweh bless you and your channel
Thanks fam!!
Your welcome
I bought this beast today. And I'm going to record..)
Nice!!
you should do a video on logic back when it was emagic
Thats a good one!..Ima put that on the list.
@@DyReckProductions Do this bro. I still use that logic 5.51 til this day.
@@treangle No doubt.
I gotta get another one
I got to pick up my first Lol.
I was trying to climb my way up to one of those bad boys back in the day. I started out on a Fostex 4-track tape deck. Then moved up to a VS-840 then I got the 1680 then the 1880. I never made it to the 2480 because by the time I could afford one I had mooved into record on my PC with Cakewalk Sonar.
Oh ok dope!
Roland VS-2480 runs for about $900 on Ebay right now.
Oh wow!..Thats crazy!
A Friend of me used that in combination with an Lexicon L300 and and Eventide Harmonizer to mix and Remix HipHop for big Clubs.
It worked very fine and it was a fast workflow.
(he was deep in every little bit of his machines.....today you can do all the same with an Mac Mini M1, what used today)
Oh ok no doubt.
Remember recording on one of these in 03. Good video, never knew the faders were automated.....
Thanks!
I'm saving up for one of these now.
No doubt!
Hey man, I love your video, and I’m wondering if you’ll ever do a video about the VS-1880?
Oh wow! Thats a good one..Gonna put that on the list.
@@DyReckProductions I have a VS-1880, and I barely know what I’m doing with it haha 😂, so a video about it would be heavily appreciated!!
We still use it from time to time
Just found out about Korg WaveStation btw....most incredible cult synth ever. You probably know all about it??? I'm very curious to find out as much as possible about it. It's the most interesting synth I've seen in a while from the hardware days. I think it created and accelerated the concept of "groove shadows" because of its wave sequencing and vector synthesis combo. Also potentially made a genre and song called : Aquatic Ambiance. I think of it as the omnisphere and absynth of the 90s from what I'm hearing. It also has a funk to the rhythm otherwise mechanical groove. If you could compress a song into an "abstraction" and that abstraction is its own little groove to make other ideas from, that is the WS.
We’ve got the Korg Wavestate now. I own one. It’s an incredible little synth. The wavestation was dope in its day. The Apple Mac start up chime was created using one.
Wow that's a legendary piece..I always heard great things about it..Definitely gonna do a video for it.
@@timdanyo898 Ok ok nice!
Luv my WS/AD. Need to use it more. ✌🏾👍🏾✊🏾
@@DyReckProductions the Mac chime creator talks about it here.. he’s a total badass.. Lol czcams.com/video/5838mfezO8M/video.html
Still have my roland vs-2480 in really good shape, and still have my vs-880, still working from 1997, got to say something this is why i know computers and os are better now but i still go to these ! and the vs-880 back in 1997 was 2800 for me even more than i got the 2480 for around 2000 !
Wow! Oh ok cool!
I had the 1800 and the 2400 with the VGA monitor output! Still a great price to have!!!!!!!!!!
I am about to down on this sound master sample pack also!!! Thx MANE💯💯✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
Thanks fam!!..I appreciate it!!
Word Up I still mess with my 1880...
Nice!!
Laura Tyson! the Roland VS recorder queen!
Oh ok.
Amazing machines I had got mine from a second hand store I got home and turned it on , it must have belong to a d.j because it had tons of hip hop mixes and dope accappellas from Jay z and Nas but it was hands on easy to use and extremely effective in any studio scenario I used to take mine and record different rap artist all over it was super portable now you can upgrade them to have true SSD but unfortunately mine crashed I lost a lot of valuable recordings it would lose audio I still have it I miss it dearly I record to a d.a.w now but I would love to be able to use that machine again 😢 💔 😞
These music companies need to come back with a modern version. I think there's still a market for them. Tascam still makes a few as does zoom. But one from akai and Roland would be sick
Oh ok I feel you.
@@MikeRP3147 That would be dope.
We got the Ramza DA7 INSTEAD of this because we had ADAT in our studio... the homeboy had one and we thought it was AMAZING at the time!!
No doubt!
XP Really was the best ever version of windows 100% so many great features. The search function was superb, I could search all hardrives at the same time and it made a list all files by name regardless of file lacation. This was highly useful to see duplicates of the same files to either delete or move or duplicate to one new single location. Great audio player able to rip music off CD, super easy to make playlists in minuts just by using a note pad file, or select any music and put in playlist, nice graphic eq.
Totally. Vista was good as well, no matter what anyone says... It was basically XP with HD capability. I was running Windows 95 and even earlier programs with no problem.... And it didn't crash as much or as bad as some may remember. Seven was definitely rough times, but just look how AWESOME eleven is.... Hmm there's no "blowing my brains out" emoji. Strange.
@@nerfytheclown I have a Dell Dimension 500 win XP sitting directly infront of Me in My front room. Had that thing about 20 yr and I will not get rid of it even though its not been turned on in about 4 years. I made all My Hollasounds grafics and a significant percentage of My music on that thing using Photo shop and Reason. I put a new bios battery and if it wasn't for the fact that I dont know where My dam monitor cable is I'd be using it again. I made loads of grafic design stuff from textures to shapes and was making skins for plugins back in 2005.
@@HOLLASOUNDS dang, I got at least two extra VGA cables, some composite.... Now if you lived north of Seattle, but south of Vancouver, I'd just bring one over on my Yamaha. Sincerely: just to see that thing boot up and talk to a dude that remembers the day. Sigh.
@@nerfytheclown Vista was my favorite. Had my PC running Vista since 2009. Updated it to Windows 7 in 2019. Windows 7 is the last of the non-tiles Windows OS
Had an 840, 1680, and 2480 memories
Nice!
After the 2000's... the internet and computers did start taking over everything
Yeah things changed.
Im still on the vs2000cd.
Nice!
Still got mine with all the FX cards. Wouldnt trade it for nothing. Got the 1680 at my bro crib and I lost the 1880 in a fire. Had the zip drive 880 too
Word!..Im thinking seriously of getting one used quick!..You can still use the unit perfectly today..All the features are still relevant and useful.
I actually had a digi 001. The sound you got out that unit with the focusrite preamps where crazy
Oh ok.
Using a VS880EX here.
Nice!!
🎉 Thank you for this!! Still have mine ! Do you know anyone or place that can repair One!
Wow I would probably do a forum search on grearslutz or something..Im sure one of these forums has an old thread about repairing one of these.
I haven’t forgotten about the “ synthesizer “ mix
No doubt.
13:01 everything is dope up until the XXX magazine analogy lol 😂
Well he had a point ! unless your religious and can't handle sex LOL !
Lol!
this thing was seemingly monumental at the time. i almost got it, but then 2 years later The Digi 002 came out and changed everything. lol
I feel you.
Roland WS recorders were really nice DAWs back in the days.
And I would buy it today!!!
Lol! I feel you.
I love the Roland VM-7200 thang and I always felt the VS-2480 CD was it's competition and won fair and square lol 😆
Lol I feel you.
Great information. I have one of these machines and I'm going to record, mix, and master a rap album on the VS-2480. Do you know of any major rap artist recording their full album on the VS-2480? Thanks
Thanks bro!..Off hand no..But in the comments there's alot of folks that used them everyday in there production.
i would not mind one in 2022
Same here.
4:20 I used to take mine in a gator case to the studio, run it through PT then the ADAT, then bounced to a DAT to be pressed to CDs. #ImOld 😳🫢🫣🥃
I drooled over this at the local music store I worked at. I had to buy the cheap knock off from Boss BR 1180 CD.
Dang! I feel you.
I just brought a Roland VS-1680 24-Bit Digital Studio Workstation
Nice!
I used to hate that blue screen of death
Word!!
Yeah I bought my VS 2480 DVD brand new & have mad exb's installed... #GreatVidBro...🎥🎬🎥
Thanks!
Wow I had no idea that any of the VS-series (HD Recorders) had any type of sequencer / phrase sampler! And that it wasn’t a terrible tack-on feature!? The sequencers in the SP-x0x Roland/Boss samplers of that time were pretty god-awful. I really had no clue that any kind of sampling / looping etc was on-board in a VS-series, at the time Roland was also selling their MV-series (or about to?), the MC-909 was released 2002, Fantom first gen about the same time too, and the VariOS…seems like this VS-2480 could do almost everything the SP-808 could do, far better than the 808, in addition to doing so much more. Why have so much feature overlap on all these different product lines? I suppose because they appealed to different types of producers, it feels like, even if that makes no actual sense, like the MV series look like the MPCs so they appealed to the hip-hop crowd in a way that the MC-909 never did (despite RZA famously using it) I think because it had the look of something electronic music like house/techno would be made on…. And all this time I never paid any attention to the VS-series because while all these machines were expensive, hard-disk recording was one thing I could do with the computer I already had, I assumed these machines were targeted more toward rock musicians or any band with a group of musicians who’d really need those 16 simultaneous record channels - and guitar-heads were thought of as preferring the old school recording methods, which this resembles in its UI at least when using w/o the monitor.
Spot on pretty much..All those samplers had that classic warm late 90s sound..And recording your whole band was big..I picked up a d16..I really wanted the 1600 though Lol.
The Hand ubb Bro !!!
Lol!!
Yeah we started with the Roland 880. Then my pops picked up the 1680. I later bought the VS2480. It’s slow by today’s standards. Too slow so I sold it. It had automated sliders. I wonder if you can put in a sd to speed it up.
Oh ok cool.