update from v3 to v5.1

[Bilo2012]

Hi Guys,

im a new owner of the d8b console with OS v3.
My Question is if i upgrade to OS v5.1 is there
a registration for the bulit in mfx card necessary ?
Will the Classic FX work in OS 5.1 full version (not demo) after update ?

Sorry for my bad english

Thanks.

[Crash]

You will need to make sure you have installed service pack 3 when you upgrade to version 5.1 of the OS. You don't have to register and unlock any of the MFX stuff, with the exception of IVL Vocal Studio which requires two MFX cards, like you do the UFX plug-ins.

[BrianJ]

On the IVL vocal studio...I only have one MFX card and I can access the vocal studio parameters...? Does it need two cards to operate properly?

[Crash]

As I recall, Vocal Studio will run in demo for about 7 minutes unless you have the 2nd MFX card installed. Mackie should have made it so you could run it with 1 MFX and a UFX or MFX in the second slot. They didn't go that route.

[BrianJ]

Ahhh...ok, well, I haven't actually tried to use it yet...I just got my D8B as well...is the IVL studio worth the extra expense of buying another MFX card over using VST plugin's in the DAW?

[Petersueco]

NO

[Crash]

NO

What Mr. Sueco said... at least in my opinion. I think money is better spent on UFX cards and some of the plug ins that you can buy for that card. The Massenberg stereo parametric, Saturated fat, the Drawmer comp and Final Mix are very useful in my opinion, as is Autotune when the need for it arises.

[Petersueco]

IMO if you want to buy DSP cards go for UAD-2. I know they are expensive, but a DUO card is not very pricey and it will open up the doors for very high quality plugins and probably one of the most advanced plug-in coding today.

As stated here before, the d8b is a 15 years old technology and so is the algorithm coding of the software.

The MFX card that was supplied with most of the boards is fine enough to put some comfort reverb for the artist during the tracking. Nowadays all the heavy mixing/plug-in is happening inside the DAWs.

[FrankH]

is the IVL studio worth the extra expense of buying another MFX card over using VST plugin's in the DAW?

Only if you absolutely require the effect and/or you require access to more than two reasonable onboard effects.

As Peter mentions....your money would be better spent on improving the technology you use within your DAW than dropping it on a second MFX card just for the IVL Vocal Studio.

OK, that said, there is actually a VST/AU plug-in that duplicates pretty much every function of the IVL, with one major exception: no live throughput. It requires input from a pre-existing audio file in order to function.

This would be VPlane's Vielklang. I got this plug-in through a beta program. After comparing it with the IVL, I can say that it sounds and edits about the same....but there is a certain je ne sais quois that the IVL has that the Vielklang can't match. I dunno...it just sounds smoother. And then there is the live input issue. On occasion, I love to plug my guitar into the D8B and run it through the IVL off to the DAW. Like recording with any effect, there is always a tendency to adjust your performance to "work the effect". This is something the Vielklang simply can't do.

If you really need to have this particular effect, my advice is: go get a second MFX card. But if you want to get the general idea of what it is...download Vielklang's demo. All in all, the card may turn out to be cheaper than the Vielklang's $99 pricetag. Or not. YMMV.

[BrianJ]

Thanks guys...! I've just recently switched to using a PC with DAW's to record and just purchased the D8B...I'm not real familiar with it's plugin capabilities, but I figured being older tech that the current DAW plugin's would be far superior. I'd love to have a suite of UAD-2, but that's a little out of my range for now...have to sell some of my older equipment first! But thanks for the input!

Brian