Chapter 3. Introduction to the VS-880890 Series

Chapter 3. Introduction to the VS-880/890 Series

In the first two chapters, we looked at the entire VS series. Now it's time to dig a bit deeper into the VS-880/890 series. In Chapter 2, we covered a number of concepts that are common across the entire line of VS workstations, such as V-Tracks and mixer modes. If you haven't yet read the previous chapters, I'd recommend you do so before continuing.

Between 1996 and 2000, Roland produced four different eight-track VS workstations: VS-880, VS-880EX, VSR-880, and VS-890. Table 3.1 recaps some of the differences between these workstations that were mentioned in the previous chapters.

Table 3.1. The VS-880/890 Series Differences

VS Workstation	A/D Converters	V-Tracks	Effect Boards	Analog Inputs	Digital I/O
VS-880	18-bit	64	Optional	4(RCA & ¼")	Coaxial
VS-880EX	20-bit	128	Built In	6( ¼")	Coaxial, Optical
VS-890	24-bit	128	Built In	6( ¼")	Coaxial, Optical
VSR-880	24-bit	128	Optional	8(RCA) & 2 ¼"	Coaxial, Optical

So why devote a section of this book to seemingly old technology? The fact is, the VS-880/890 workstations are still immensely popular, and hundreds of thousands of these workstations are being used in home studios around the world. These workstations are frequently sold on auction sites such as eBay for a few hundred dollars, making them an affordable solution for musicians looking to purchase their first digital workstation.

Same as it Ever was

In 1997, Roland provided a software upgrade for VS-880 users, turning the workstation into a VS-880 V-Xpanded unit. Roland also began shipping VS-880 workstations labeled as V-Xpanded units, which were simply the base VS-880 workstations with the V-Xpanded software upgrade already installed. All software upgrades for the VS-880 since 1997 were considered V-Xpanded upgrades. It's safe to say that most VS-880 users are running on the V-Xpanded version of the software. However, in 1999, Roland also produced the VS-880EX, which is a completely different machine. In order to avoid confusion with the VS-880EX, I'll refer to the to VS-880 and VS-880 V-Xpanded models as simply the VS-880 workstation.

Point of View

Before we continue, I need to point out that any functions, features, and examples will be presented using the VS-880EX. That is the VS workstation I cut my teeth on, and it is the only eight-track VS workstation I've ever used. And while many of the functions and features are consistent across the entire VS-880/890 series, there are some notable differences.

Aside from some of the technical specs , the VS-880EX and VS-890 are almost identical in appearance and function. Since the VS-890 was the successor to the VS-880EX, all the functions and features found on the VS-880EX are found on the VS-890.

The VS-880 has a similar layout to the VS-880EX, but it uses mixer modes and routing concepts that are not found on any other VS workstation. The VS-880 is limited to recording only four simultaneous tracks, and some of the functions on the VS-880 are accessed via different buttons compared to the VS-880EX.

The VSR-880 is the wild-child of the VS-880/890 series, if not the entire VS line. First of all, it's a rack-mount workstation, whereas all the other VS workstations are desktop models. Because it's a rack-mount unit, the VSR-880 has no faders . While it is possible to record directly to the VSR-880, it is typically paired with a Roland VM-7000 or VM-3100Pro digital mixer. The VSR-880 is also commonly found synced up with a VS-2480 via R-BUS.

If you are using a VS-880 or VS-890, I'll do my best to note where things might be different on your machine. VSR-880 users will find that the concepts and functions presented will certainly apply to their workstation. However, due to the numerous physical differences between the VS-880EX and VSR-880, VSR-880 users will need to translate fader references and function invocations into the proper button-pushing sequences as necessary.

The goal in writing these chapters is not to simply regurgitate the manuals. Rather, it is to show you how to utilize your VS workstation to its fullest potential and your fullest potential, using practical examples and techniques. Once you understand how to quickly perform common tasks , you'll be able to spend less time pushing buttons and more time being creative.

Before we get into the practical, I want to spend a little time reviewing the technical aspects of these workstations.