VS-2480 to Cubase SX 24 Tracks - Roland VS-2480 Tech Support Help Site

VS-2480 To Cubase SX 24 tracks

In this scenario we will look at how to transfer audio from our VS-2480 to Cubase SX via 2 RPC-1 cards. This setup allows us to transfer 16 tracks of audio in one pass, and then a further 8 tracks, all in perfect synchronization, using MTC from the VS-2480 to sync SX.

It is assumed that the reader has a PC with 2 RPC-1 cards installed, and that these audio cards are the only ones installed. If you are running other cards together with the RPC-1 cards, then it is highly recommended that you disable them!

If you are only running 1 RPC-1 card, the scenario is the same, albeit that you will need to run your recordings in 3 passes as opposed to two. The Cubase version used here is SX 1.06.

The VS-2480:

We have 24 tracks of audio on our 2480, and now we require to dump these tracks to SX for better/faster audio editing. So let's prepare the 2480 for audio transfer.

In EZ Routing, you will need to do a few things, the main being to choose the tab entitled TRACK DIRECT OUT to the far right of the screen, and set it to PRE. This will ensure that all tracks are sent to SX directly before the Faders (levels, eq & compression). Basically, a clean audio transfer without any added EQ or compression. Turn off any Channel Inserted FX too!

If you are running your Monitors via the Analog or Digital outputs, make sure to move their virtual cables up to the MON outputs. This is very important, to avoid sudden speaker overloads from signals being sent from the AUX and/or Tracks!

Now go to your RPC-1 Outputs and drag the virtual cables from R-BUS 1 Output to Tracks 1 - 8 and likewise for Tracks 9 - 16 on R-BUS 2.

On the R-BUS 1 INPUT, drag 17/18 virtual cables in place, and stereo channel pair the Faders. We will be using these channels to monitor our SX mix later. At this stage, remember always to pull these faders down to zero or you will create a feedback loop! Once the tracks have been recorded to SX, we simply need to turn off the TRACK DIRECT OUT, and then lift up these faders (17/18) to monitor our SX tracks.

Your finished EZ Routing screen should look like this:

We then need to set up the 2480 to generate Midi Time Code (MTC) to SX. This will ensure that out tracks will stay in perfect sync while both systems are running. Go to UTILITY/SYNC PARAMETER and set it up as the following screenshot:

My system runs its MTC via my Midiman USB interface, so I have chosen the 2480 MIDI OUTPUT. If you are running only the RPC-1 card(s), then use the first RPC-1 card, and set the SYNC PARAMETER like this:

Make a note of the Tempo (BPM) of your 2480 Project, and setup SX to the same. This will ensure that any edits created in SX will always be in perfect sync with your 2480 project. This is very important, as we can (in SX) edit a single track and then dump it back in perfect sync to the 2480.....

Cubase SX:

Now setup your SX project with 24 audio tracks. Open the VST Inputs panel and activate the Inputs as the following screenshot:

Open up the Device Panel and set it up like this:

Just change your MIDI Ports to R-BUSS 1 (RPC-1) if you don't have a separate Midi USB device like I do.

Bring up the Sync Setup panel, and change it as in the following screenshot:

Again, substituting the MTC MIDI to your R-BUS 1.

Now we need to set up the Tracks to be recorded, so bring up the Mixer (F3) and change the Inputs to their corresponding Channel Numbers as here:

Notice that channels 9 - 16 have Inputs numbered as 11 - 18. It's also good practice to name your Tracks relative to the named tracks of your VS Project. Makes things easier later! Once you have done that, you will need to set the Transport Bar up. Here, we need to change the Tempo (mine is 116), Turn on the SYNC button so that SX will run with the VS-2480 MTC. Here is a neat trick: To make sure that your tracks start at the same position (recording) all the time, set the IN marker to 2 as in the screenshot. Finally, arm your 16 tracks, and press the record button on the Transport Bar.

SX will now wait for the MTC start message. Now press play on the 2480 and SX will run in sync, starting to record from the set IN point.

With our first 16 tracks recorded, we now want to record the last 8, so go to EZ Routing, and place the RPC-1 virtual cables to Tracks 17 - 24 like this in the next screenshot:

If you haven't already done so, you will need to disarm the SX recorded tracks, and bringing up the Mixer (F3), set the Inputs on tracks 17 - 24 to 1 - 8 and arm each track as you go. Now you should have 16 recorded tracks, and 8 ready to record.

Hit the ZERO button on the 2480 Transport Bar and making sure that the SX Transport Bar is set up with the SYNC on and the IN (L) set at 2 as before, you can press play on the 2480 and SX will start to record. Once finished, stop the 2480 and turn off the SYNC on the SX Transport Bar. You should now have all 24 tracks recorded:

To monitor the tracks in SX, turn off the TRACK DIRECT OUT on the EZ Routing, and lift up the stereo paired faders of channels 17 & 18 to 0dB. Pressing play on the SX Transport Bar will allow you to listen to your recording. Pan, edit, add effects to your final Mix!