Boss Micro BR..review

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I brought one of these home yesterday with the sole intent of using it as a practice "Studio". I had been using my Yamaha Workstation for everything but after leaving it on for basically 2 years the Hard Drive took a hike, so I am changing my practice routine and what gear I use to practice. This Micro BR is now the practice tool. I have several hard drives for the Yamaha but have decided to leave it off when NOT actually recording projects and am not going to use it for daily practice anymore.

Paid $200 for the BR at Guitar Center .

After about two hours of fooling, here's a brief review.

Inputs:
Guitar HI Z , CD, Stereo Mic

Outputs;
Phones
USB

EFFECT patches:
Has a multiple patch string, but they are different for Guitars and vocal input selection.

The Guitar settings use amps, preamps, speaker sims, Noise gate, chorus etc..and Delay. NO EQ's on the Guitar patches.But the Amp PREAMP has tone controls.

The Mic input patches have EQ's, Delays, compressors, gates etc..

Reverb is a separate independent effect device.

You can record in the typical 3 Boss formats and 3 Stereo MP3 formats and a single Stereo Wave format( 16 bit)

You can transfer MP3's to the device as long as they are one of the recognized compressions or you can record anything in stereo two track mode.

In the Boss format all functions and effects are active. In the MP3 record mode the REVERB is NOT active.

You can transfer files back and forth to a PC via USB.

You can record Stereo LIVE performances in MP3 or Wave formats.

You can play along with or record another two tracks along with any stereo track you feed or record to it.

This is a typical Boss 4 track and bouncing and editing are fully functional.

It Has a Chromatic tuner
and has much more..so it seems..

It has a Drum programmer with Fills, Intro's endings etc..

Can use a 1 gig SD card supposedly, I have a 512 in mine.
-----------------------------------------------------

here's what you need to do for a Steel input.

Find the cleanest patch you can for the Guitar input and edit it and save it as U01( user 01)

You can select Clean, adjust the preamp level and tone controls so that the signal is clean. Set the Master volume near the top end. Preamp level around 30 or 35, master level at around 90, just like a real Amp.

Set the Input sensitivity to maybe -6 db so you don't over drive it and then set the input level meters up near the top also not over driving.

I'm not keen on the MP3 mode for practice because you cannot add reverb to the Steel input, so I have recorded a few stereo practice tracks in the Boss format where you can add all effects as required. You can use the MP3 mode but you may want to edit and add a bit more delay into the input patch. Had reverb been available in the MP3 mode this thing would have been the perfect little practice tool.

If you have a small Boss reverb foot pedal, problem solved. Maybe I'll get one of those now.

Scrolling thru screens and windows is not that big of a deal, once you do it once or twice it becomes natural.

The sound is VERY good and the unit is really quite easy to use after an hour or so of fumbling around. I would have no problem using this unit for final Steel tracks of a project.

Pretty good bang for the $$$ I would say. No regrets.

tp

Rick Johnson · From: Wheelwright, Ky USA

Tony
I bought one of these a couple of months
and I managed to finally get a steel
track down. The manual is not user friendly.

Rick

www.rickjohnsoncabs.com

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

I'll tell you it's pretty hard to beat Boss products in general. I have the big brother to the Micro-BR mine is a BR-600. It has a lot of options and has a great easy interface.

I gave 300.00 for mine new in the box. I got mine to use for recording bands live it has stereo mics built in which sound incredible for the price. These mics have great separation and pick up lows as good as the mid and highs.

I was going to buy the Micro BR but I seen this for 100.00 more and it has more features that lend it to live recording. The built in stereo mics make it so portable. It also operates on 6 AA batteries and I got almost 4 full sets out of one set of batteries. I use nimh rechargeable batteries and always have 2 extra set of them when field recording. At home I use a Boss ac 300ma adapter which by the way does not come with it. I happen to have 3 or 4 lying around so it wasn't any big deal but they are worth the money if you are going to use this at home much.

Thanks for the review on the Micro I was wondering what I missed.

Bob
_________________
***Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow***

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I would agree that the Micro BR manual leaves a bit to the imagination, but in the scheme of things it's just a little recorder with a bunch of features packed in a case the size of a pack of Cigarette's, well almost.

My purpose of this purchase was NOT for using this as a multi track recording tool but rather a small portable practice station.

The Micro BR does have a SINGLE on board mic with an Input for a Stereo MIC. It can record in any of the 3 standard Boss settings , 3 different Stereo MP3 settings as well as a 16 bit Stereo wave setting. This unit can record Stereo live performances with the use of a small Stereo mic. It uses two AA battery's.

True, the BR600 has two built in mics, but the feature drawback that I was most interested in was that the Micro BR can handle MP3's and can record in Stereo MP3 for Live Performances and such. I believe the BR600 does not record in MP3 formats.

Concerning sonic quality, the hi compression MP3 format is very good. 192KPBS is the top setting and is not bad in the scheme of things. My main MP3/Wave recorder is an Edirol R-1, nd I have been recording every gig for the past year as well as the entire 2006 St Louis convention in the HI MP3 formats( 128 up to 320 )with more than satisfactory results. The on-board Stereo mics are ok but compared to the external small Sony Mic I have been using, no contest.

Of course the purists will state that the MP3 settings are void of data, and they are correct, but if you are recording a LIVE show and just want a very nice recording of the entire night that will fit on an SD card then the MP3 formats are the choice. Then you USB them to your PC, burn a CD and go along your merry way.

I think if Boss upgrades the BR600 to include MP3 capability, that unit will hands down be the best value on the market.

two fine units, but you should define your use purpose before the purchase.

IF we are buying with the intent to record, mix and master a million selling CD, these may not be the appropriate tools.

tp

PS, another little feature I stumbled on with the Micro BR, you can convert files within the unit, Boss formats to MP3/Wave and vise versa. Lots of features, lots of windows, get to know the + and - Value buttons and the + and - Cursor buttons, they are your best friends. The EXIT button is the ESCAPE (home) key.

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hi Tony, sorry if it sounded like I was implying the 600 was better than the micro because it's not. Like you stated it depends on what you want you recorder to do.

I probably should have started another thread but I didn't because I didn't want it to seem like I was trying to say the 600 was a better option and it happened anyway LOL.

I think the micro is probably a better unit for recording bands live even if you do have to plug in an external stereo mic. I just got the 600 because of the price and 4 more tracks. Now will I ever use the extra 4 tracks probably not. I have a Pro setup for recording my stuff on my computer Smile

I'm like everyone else I like to play with stuff and both of these units definitely have the "wow I wanna play with this factor"

The good news is I think the 2 are compatible as far as loading each others songs from the card so you and I could have some fun swapping files back and forth and playing on each others songs someday. Actually thats a good thought lets try it soon!

Bob
_________________
***Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow***

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Bob I never took it that way, not to worry. I really like the BR 600 and am probably going to buy one for my daughter for exactly the same reasons you stated, only $100 more, 4 more tracks and a DRUM machine with PADS!

I almost bought one for myself a few months back but then I would have ended up with two 4 trackers, two 8 trackers and a 16 tracker..

whats a guy ta do ?

Shout away, it's never a bad thing to share information about these units with others...

tp

Earl Foote · From: Houston, Tx, USA

Tony I bought the BR-600 too but I also wish it had the MP3 capability. I've been hearing so many good things about the Micro, I may have to get one of those as well. They have a lot of power in a tiny package. The MP3 feature is too cool.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Hey Earle, don't look back, the BR600 is very cool excellent recorder.

Regarding the Micro ,everyday I find new things that I really like about it.

This morning I fooled with it as an effects processor on the input of my N400 .

Yipes.. Very neat ! Over the next few days I will write a few patches and post some sound clips up here for all to critique using it as an effects processor..

Off for a long weekend now though..
t

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hey guys if you bought a BR 600 and don't have the cash to buy the Micro you do realize you can transfer the songs from your 600 to your computer via USB right? After getting it into your computer it's very easy to convert it to an MP3 at any bit rate you wish the higher the better.

Bob
_________________
***Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow***

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

As Bob mentions, the BR600 as well as many other new units have the ability to transfer to the PC via USB. Once the song files are on the PC it is pretty much wide open what you can do with them.

Although this thread was started pertaining to the Micro BR, my feeling is that if someone is looking for a low cost, multiple featured unit to build songs one track at a time, the Boss BR600 is the tool. 8 tracks, on board Drum programs as well as Drum pads, effects, USB, kinda small, two on board mics for LIVE recordings,SD card etc..this unit should be a primary consideration in the under $400 catagory.

I do not feel that these two units are competing with each other, they have different purposes.

Earl Foote · From: Houston, Tx, USA

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

I love the boss microBR for all the reasons listed above and one more...

I was just finishing up a CD recording project and I needed some Hammond B3 overdub. It was going to be nearly impossible to get the organ loaded up in a truck and transported to my 24 track studio. So I had a brainstorm.

I mixed down the songs to a mono track on the MicroBR, and I then used an SM58 mic with a 1/4" adapter strait into the GTR input (no effects)

I was able to record 3 tracks of the B3, (listening back to the basic track and the one being recorded) by adjusting the volume of the other tracks to zero.

I then came back to the studio and dumped the tracks on to the hard disk recorder (cut and pasted to match time with the original tracks) AND THE QUALITY IS AMAZING!

No more lugging around a rackmount tower, and mixer to remote record, I will use the Micro BR from now on when I need a fine grand piano, or organ part.

Dom Franco

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Very cool Dom..

The more I use it the more I like it because of the immense amount of features and tricks that it can perform. The more time I spend with it the more I learn about it.

Considering the manual, I guess it would have been near impossible to lay this thing out in a perfectly clear book, once you get started and start scrolling thru the menu options things magically appear.

It's almost like understanding what you might want to do then go backwards and read how to do it, which is exactly what I did with the Yamaha AW2816.

This morning I loaded up about a dozen MP3's of tunes that I need to listen to for an upcoming gig where I will be playing more TELE than Steel,I'll take the Micro and the Tele on my road trip , plug in the Tele and practice along with the MP3's...at night of course..not at lunch with my clients Sad

I guess you can also use it as a 4 tracker too ! Smile

Which is NOT why I bought it...

excellent little portable tool, I hope it lasts a while Sad

tp

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well I got one too.

I've got a LOT of reading to do.

The reverb is limited, and the compressors are hard to judge without a live situation.

My FIRST task was to unprotect and delete that nasty Demo... (Although just having the dying nerve ripped out of my fronm tooth yeasterday, I can relate to "I took a pill"...)

Now it's trying to find out how to get the User Model I made up so it loads apon startup. Any ideas TP?

I'm going to have to trust that the levels can be much lower for an undistorted "Clean" or JC-120, but I've just had it playign back through my headphones and stereo through my 1/8"-2 1/4" cord through my HRD/BJr. Hard to get it not to break up, but the Preamp vol at 30 would help it. Maybe even lower if the signal will be strong enough. Good Delay, and of course "Overdrive".

Min EATS batteries, but I've got a couple Correct Boss Power Supplies around, and tons of batteries from work.

TP. Can you steer me to at least the RTFM page about recording. I loaded your jam Ramblin Fever tracks in is and would like to record my playing along. I got several jam tracks I'm going to try. I loaded them in via the USB.

ALSO.

Is the "Operating System" in a chip or on the flash card? I did't see it there.

OK.

Off to get a 1 gig card, and back on later.

It's a lot like my xtLive, and I'm probably going to just plug in from the Headphone Out of it or just one channel for recordign and record dry against mp3s for now.

I'm also interested in the "center wipe" function for "making jam tracks".

Quite a little tool. I've been looking for some way to record live stuff, and reord what I come up with against jam tracks.

I AM R-ing the MFM, but it's a real funny one. I the "push the button several times until the display changes..." If course it only takes once, and there are probably other chinese pictograms that don't translate perfectly.

I swear, it's a brave new world with all these recent marvelous things coming out.

Here's a place I found somebody posred some good (for my speed) Blues Jam tracks. Some of them were just recorded live from a live band. Probably with a MicroBR.

Thanks for any answers youse can shoot my way. Or New or otherwise jam tracks you can point me to or send my way in mp3.

Smile

FHLE[/url]

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Eric , read your note, ok I'm thinking...

Mostly, yes, you can clean this thing up real well and save the patch into the USER list. Not sure on how to make the USER patch show up on start up...

Sometimes when I turn it on it's there, other times it's back to the P patch..

ok...

The Input Sensitivity is paramount , I have found that by keeping the SENS lever down near -8 to -10 the results have been excellent with both the Steel or 6 string.

I sat with mine in front of the TV for a few hours one night just scanning and burping it.( looking thru the menus) Once I had a good feel for the menus the rest fell into place. I took the very first P patch and edited it to a USER Patch, U01.

I deleted all the Joe Satriani and Steve Vai stuff out...

Input Sens -10

reverb Hall 25

Preamp ON

Type Clean
Volume 35
bass 60
mid 32
treb 40
pres 40
master 90
Bright ON

Speaker SIM OFF
NS OFF

FX ON
Comprressor
Sus 35
Attack 60
Level 50

Delay ON
type Single
time 350
Feedback 0
E Level 25

I saved and wrote this as U01

Keep in mind that the Input Volume may overdrive the unit so be prepared to back it off

In the normal OP modes reverb is active on the Input, in the MP3 mode, it is NOT. So if you load MP3 tracks and play to them, there is NO reverb on the Input. But all the Patches are valid, including the U patches.

regarding the Battery, I reversed the polarity on a 9V wallwart I had kicking around and it powers up just fine.

All in all this is a fine small unit but it was also intended for those pesky Guitar players, of which you are one now Sad

so you have to make this thing Steel friendly.

I also deleted the junk on the SD card..did it thru the PC.

get to know the Cursor mini buttons and the Value buttons and this thing will become equal to your favorite Dog...The Exit button is the ESCAPE key in PC terms.

I'm certain the OP system in in the chipset...thats why we have to format the SD card to the BOSS format.

I am actually considering using this as an input device to my N400 after I write a few more U patches.

The jury is out on what happens when the two worlds collide...

good luck. let me know if I can help

tp

PS, please send .07 cents for the use of Ramblin' Fever otherwise I may have to report you to the Telecaster Police Smile

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Thanks TP. That's almost the exact same model I came up with. That and boosting the input SENS until the Over light comes on.

(Maybe "unprotecting" the P1 guitar patch that shows up and changing it to my model? I dunno if it's possible. More study to do on that.)

I guess the "firmware" is in the rig, and not on the card, so that answers that..

These Fenders (HRDlx and BJr) are so trebly, but I hate to cut anything, but I can't seem to get them to stop screaming with the EQs in this and other Processors without them becoming "bonky".

What settings do you use for Tele on your HRDvl to address this? My 16K JW SCs on my S~B are even thinner.)

They tell me the "play along" function is best done converting the victim mp3 to a "song" and appearantly the lower level of guitar input and no reverb with the MP3s that can then be dealt with.

OH!. Lest I forget, I'm probably going to use a Stereo to Mono 1/4" plug out of my Podxt or just out of my Pocket Pod with a 1/4" and run it to the MBR for the play along, and actually to the recording function with a no modeling. It's easy as pie, and I'm always by my xtLive when I'm in the bunker.

First thing I did was go get a 1 gig card, and INI it. Got 3 Boss 9.6 PSes, and a drawer full of free batteries. Also got a case for it and a hard box for gigs.

Considering all the stuff that this thing does, I'm going to do more than just get a good "gig knowledge" of this thing like I did with the Pods. I've got a young guy down at Portland Music that's taken it to a science, and will take time with me when I'm off, which is seldom.

In the meantime, I'm R-ing the FM. Every word, and for the first of many times, I'm sure.

I figured it was like my PodxtLive Pilot's Guide, and I'd skim it and throw it away.

I got a couple extra sets of reading glasses too...

Smile

FHLE

The TP Officer was by today, but he's one of the guys that helps me make collections on my block....

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

OK..

As I go along.

Lots of RTFM today.

I'm able to get my Model to come up when it's on, and I don't quite know why yet.

I'm able to get a Country Shuffle going, record against it, and mix it using limiters and compression.

Also have been able to load MOST ( I've got to find out why some are "unsupported", but it's probably the Hz or bitrate. We'll see..) of the Mp3s, but putting them in the MP3 folder instead of just on the card, like I tried at first..

Next step is to Load MP3 data into a song, and record with it. I just found that section as I came in to do my nightly chores. Maybe later.

I didn't think I was recording against the drum tracks until I REWOUND it. Like I said, I'll probably process the sig with my xtLive, and record it dry into the BR.

Pretty amazing, and I've got a LOT of reading to do here.

Thanks for your help and maybe you can post things you find too.

I didn't have any trouble matchign the guitar in to the tracks, or the Mp3s. I fooled with the levels internally and it came out fine. I'm not sure what I did, but the "Over" sign never seems to come on, and I'm in the ballpark.

Can't wait til I start recording playing against the Mp3s. Maybe even try the "Center Eraser".

More later.

Smile

EJL

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well New Stuff TP.

I was in a quandary tryint to find a way to get mp3s that for some reason, ( they were the right sample and bitrate) wouldn't load off the card when I put them there off my HDD.

There's also the two other "problems". Not really problems, but impediments..

Loading Midis, BIAB songs, and other tracks..

Playing along or recording with your guitar modeles the way you want it. Stereo or otherwise.

Viola! ( or is that Voila!?)

#1. Run a line in from your soundcard out to your Micro and RECORD them Waves CDAs BIAB Sony, you name it. If it comes out of your computer sound card, it's recordable. Stereo. Or your Mp3 player for just mp3s. Save them as songs, play along, record tracks on them..

( find time to go get a couple more 1 gig SD cards...)

#2.

Run a 1/4"stereo to 1/8" stereo plug from your Podxt (xtLive, Proxt) earphone or I imagine Pocket Pod with just a 1/8" cord. to your stereo line in in the Micro.

Mind the "Over" and adjust the Line options of course, and There you are.

What a machine!

Smile

EJL

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

one way to overcome some of this stuff is to record a two track stereo feed in real time into 2 MBR tracks using one of the BOSS record settings.

remember, the first thing this is , is a 4 track recorder. Of course it is feature puked to death but sometimes I think the easiest way out is the obvious.

I have had no problems loading 128 MP3 files...either directly with the SD card plugged into the PC or by USB.

Eric, I think you have surpassed me in the science of this thing, I use it for daily practice over a few transferred tracks and not really for recording, yet..

I have recorded many practice sessions, but when I listen back it sounds like the very first practice session I have attempted on my Maverick back in the 70's Sad

that can't be good.. Sad

more later..

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Yup that's what I'm talking about RT recording into two tracks.

BIAB MIDI, anything that comes out of your sound card at line level. ALso did a live internal mike recording of me playing along, and the internal mike is a good'n. I'll be doing some bandstand recording. After of course I get some more SD cards.

I dunno why some of the mp3s son't load I resaved them at the right rate and everything. Actualy they're the "groove" cuts off BM's Guitar Star, and started at 56k. Also ones that my MP11 ripped.

Coming right out of my Pods into it is a good stroke too. SOunds just the way I like it.

Gotta run. Long day.

EJL

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I have been recording out of the sound card for a long time with my Edirol R-1, the quality is really quite good as you stated...

Thinking about a baby POD..we'll see..

I believe the MP3 formats are listed as 192,128 and 64.just a heads-up...

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well I dunno TP, the Pocket Pod has the guts of the Pod2.0, and the models and reverb is better than the BR, but not as good as the xt or xtLive.

I hope someday soon they "xtize" the Pocket Pod.

I LOVE the Pocket Pod for being able to walk up to a strange bandstand "jamming" and just hand them a line and plug into a flat channel. Also playing along with mp3s, and playing in travel and backyard locations. Batteries I get free, and 4 hours of nonstop playing with 4 AAAs doesn't cost me anything.

They're worth checking out, and I'm gonna be bringing it on my week's vacation coming up to record into the BR.

I"m gonna take it a little easy tonite, but this BR stuff is coming geometrically.

Memory? Pretty good prices on 1G SD cards, ($16) and I'm sure they'll work (Remember when IBM PCS HDDs weren't even that big..)

More later, but I'm bushed..

Smile

EJL

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

A few weeks back at Wallmart I bought a 2 gig SD card for $14.One of those unadvertised sales...I think it is a PMD brand...

That was a good deal I'm thinking !

So now I have 2 - 1 gig SD cards, a 2 gig SD card, a 512 I think, a 256 , a 128 and a draw full of 16's..

I guess I need to buy more gadgets to go with the cards...

I don't really think anything larger than a 1 gig is really necessary unless we are recording a LIVE show unattended .I generally record a few things, transfer over to the PC and then start again.

I learn't my lesson here very well, I had gobs of stuff on my Yamaha workstation which I was very complacent about backing up and yep..the HD crashed, physical error, no fixing that...

I love the power of the large SD card but I am thinking it is more for security and ego than anything else Smile

send me an mp3..

tp

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Hmm....

The specs say that 2 gig cards are not supported. Have you tried it?

EJL

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

ah ha!

I never actually tried..I use the 1 gig for MBR and the 2 gig for the DIGI camera..

But I did just place the 2 gig in the MBR and it formatted as a 1 gig...

learn sumpthin' new everyday !
good catch there EJL

tp

Forum Index > Recording	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic