Small enough to fit in your pocket, the BOSS MICRO BR BR-80 is the ultimate new portable recording and jam-along tool for guitarists and other musicians. It's equipped with three modes to create, record, and perform your music: an eight-track MTR (Multi-Track Recorder) mode; an eBand mode for onstage backing tracks and phrase training; and a Live Rec mode for instantly capturing high-quality stereo recordings. You can even combine the three modes seamlessly. Record your phrase ideas using Live Rec mode, for example, and then import the recordings into MTR mode to use as foundations for song production. Once you've added tracks, import your finished songs into eBand mode for backing-track accompaniment at the gig. The MICRO BR BR-80 is truly a must-have for all musicians.
The Complete Studio To Go
Don't be fooled by its size - this little studio is loaded. The MTR (Multi-Track Recorder) mode offers 64 V-Tracks with eight simultaneous playback tracks. In addition, a dedicated stereo rhythm track is provided, as well as an onboard library of great grooves to choose from. The intuitive user-interface continues the simple-to-use tradition of BOSS' acclaimed BR series, with a graphical design that follows the layout of a conventional recording console. With EQ, reverb, and mastering tools plus, world-class COSM amps and effects for guitar, bass, and vocals the MICRO BR BR-80 is ready to deliver complete, pro-quality recordings with ease.
Virtual Jam Band
The MICRO BR BR-80's eBand mode offers musicians a fun way to play along with their favorite songs. With the bundled eBand Song List Editor software, you can import CD, MP3, and WAV audio files from a computer via USB. The Center Cancel function can be used to minimize the volume of pre-recorded vocals and solos for play- and sing-along enjoyment. eBand mode is also an excellent partner for musical training, as it lets you record your performance adjust playback speed and/or pitch as desired.
Built-In Stereo Mic
In combination with the onboard high-grade stereo condenser microphones, the MICRO BR BR-80's Live Rec mode lets you capture pristine stereo recordings instantly. Record vocals, guitar parts, and song ideas the moment inspiration strikes. Your recorded audio files can be easily imported into the MICRO BR BR-80's MTR mode to use as a basis for multi-track song production.
High-Quality Multi FX
The MICRO BR BR-80 is packed with professional multi-effects powered by a newly developed custom DSP chip. Over 40 types of COSM amp models give you instant access to a wide range of powerful guitar and bass sounds. The preset patches allow first-timers and pros alike to enjoy high-quality sounds immediately, while power users can tweak parameters in micro detail for the ultimate tonal control. The dedicated vocal effects, comparable with BOSS's popular VE-20, include doubling, harmony effects, pitch correction, and more.
PC Companion
The ultra-flexible MICRO BR BR-80 can be used as a stand-alone digital recorder or as audio interface for a USB-equipped computer. Cakewalk's SONAR X1 LE DAW software (for Windows) is bundled with the MICRO BR BR-80, giving users a full-fledged PC-based music production environment with latency-free recording and a powerful range of COSM amps and effects. Furthermore, the bundled Wave Converter software lets you easily exchange data between the MICRO BR BR-80 and SONAR X1 LE or any other DAW.
Order today and have a rehearsel or recording studio wherever you go.
SPECIFICATIONSMicro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
TracksMTR Mode
Tracks: 8
Simultaneously recording track: 2
V-Track: 64 (8 V-Tracks per each Track)
eBand Mode
Tracks: 2 (stereo)
Simultaneously recording track: 2 (stereo)
LIVE REC Mode
Tracks: 2 (stereo)
Simultaneously recording track: 2
*Either the playback or the recording
Recording Media
SDHC Memory Card (4 GB to 32 GB)
SD Memory Card (1 GB to 2 GB)
Data Type
MTR Mode
Linear (Bit Depth: 16 bits)
eBand Mode
eBand Songs (Recording/Playback)
WAV (Bit Depth: 16 bits, Playback only)
MP3 (Bit Rates: 64 kbps to 320 kbps, Playback only)
LIVE REC Mode
WAV (Bit Depth: 16 bits, Recording/Playback)
MP3 (Bit Rates: 64 kbps to 320 kbps, Recording/Playback)
AD/DA
AD Conversion
24 bits
DA Conversion
24 bits
Sample Rate
44.1 kHz
Recording Time (conversion in one track)
MTR Mode
3 hours (1 GB), 100 hours (32 GB)
eBand Mode
eBand Song: 4 hours (1 GB), 130 hours (32 GB)
WAV 16-bit, stereo: 1.5 hours (1 GB), 50 hours (32 GB)
MP3 128 kbps, stereo: 16 hours(1 GB), 550 hours (32 GB)
LIVE REC Mode
WAV 16-bit, stereo: 1.5 hours (1 GB), 50 hours (32 GB)
MP3 128 kbps, stereo: 16 hours (1 GB), 550 hours (32 GB)
* The above-listed recording times are approximate. Times may be slightly shorter depending on the number of songs that were created.
* The above number of the MTR mode is the total for all the tracks that are used. If each of the eight tracks contain an equal amount of data, the length of the resulting song will be approximately 1/8 of the above.
Other
Nominal Input Level
GUITAR/MIC IN jack: -20 dBu (GUITAR/MIC SW = GUITAR), -40 dBu (GUITAR/MIC SW = MIC)
LINE IN jack:-10 dBu
Input Impedance
GUITAR/MIC IN jack: 1M ohm (GUITAR/MIC SW = GUITAR), 6k ohms (GUITAR/MIC SW = MIC)
LINE IN jack: 10k ohms
Nominal Output Level
PHONES/LINE OUT jack: -14 dBu
Output Impedance
PHONES/LINE OUT jack: 22 ohms
Display
Graphic LCD 128 x 64 dots (with backlit)
USB Functions
24-bit/44.1 kHz USB-AUDIO (Hi-Speed USB)
USB Mass Storage Class (Hi-Speed USB)
BUS Power operation
Connectors
GUITAR/MIC IN jack (1/4" phone type)
LINE IN jack (Stereo miniature phone type)
PHONES/LINE OUT jack (Stereo miniature phone type)
USB connector (mini-B type)
DC IN jack
Power Supply
DC 9V: AC Adaptor (sold separately)
Alkaline battery (AA, LR6) x 2
Rechargeable Ni-MH battery (AA, HR6) x 2
USB Bus Power
Expected battery life: Approximately 6 hours (Alkaline dry cell batteries/with continuous playback of 8 tracks, power save function)
* May vary according to usage conditions, batteries used, and type of SD card used.
Current Draw
130 mA (DC IN)
Accessories
SD Memory Card, SONAR X1 LE DVD-ROM, USB Cable (mini-B type), Alkaline battery (AA, LR6) x 2, Owner's Manual
Options (sold separately)
AC Adaptor (PSA series), Silicone Rubber Case and Carrying Pouch: BA-BR80S
Size and Weight
Width
138 mm
5-7/16 inches
Depth
86 mm
3-7/16 inches
Height
22 mm
0-7/8 inches
Weight
140 g0 lbs. 5 oz.
Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage
Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.
Gold Coverage Includes:
Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidityOther plan features include:
For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details
Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.
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This is fuctionally a different product from BR-4This is a great tool for any guitarist to have and I highly recommend getting one. As there are lots of ads describing great functions of this devise I am going to concentrate on shortcomings only.
1. If you have finally figured how to use the previous model BR-4 and want to upgrade it to BR-8 all the time and effort spent on learning BR-4 is now a waste of time. BR-8 is an absolutely different devise that must be studied all over again. Even worse, when you try to apply BR-4 logic to the same function you get frustrated each time pushing the wrong button.
2. On BR-4 you could record a song and during the mastering convert it to MP3 which made lots of sense to me. BR-8 does not give you that option. Your song will end up being either WAV or AIFF that take lots of memory and cannot be emailed to your friend. You will have to import them to your computer and covert them to MP3 on your own.
3. One major setback there is no Input selector as it was on BR-4. That means if you want to record thru Live line-in jack, say, from a mixing board or from an Ipod, you microphone will always be on picking all surrounding sounds too. Same goes with eBand recording, however if you plug in a guitar cord it will shut down the microphone but will add noise from the cord.
4. BR-4 could be used as a MP3 player, BR-8 is not designed for that. Though you can copy MP3s to its memory under eBand folder for Mastering or even Live and use them from there that is something for you to figure out as it is not in the manual. If, say, you copy them under User, that would make more sense than Mastering, you wont see them.
5. There are a few software applications that are saved on the memory card. You will have to open, unzip and install them from there. Why couldnt they come on a CD? If you accidentally delete one of them, its too bad.
6. eBand being a great idea otherwise does not fit into this devise in terms of the reason you buy this recorder for. I would rather not have it as it takes up memory and has all kinds of functions that are unnecessary. And if you have not backed up your memory card and accidentally deleted some files while figuring how to use it then too bad again. Your eBans turns into a dead feature.
7. If you created some songs and you want to back them up on your computer you will have to figure where in the vast majority of existing folders they are hidden. This is where I miss BR-4 most.
8. For backup operation you will have to copy the WHOLE memory card to your computer. If in the meantime you created a few nice songs and suddenly your memory card shows a problem in order to restore the functionality of BR-8 you will have to copy back the WHOLE content back to your card. That automatically deletes your songs that you just recorded.
If you are a computer programmer that wants to learn playing a guitar you are going to like it. If you are a guitar player who tries to figure how to get things work you may be frustrated. However I believe the service you can eventually get from it will overpass any of the above.
Can not export from eBand shows error sigh (maybe it is my unit only)
Good
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.One of the best things I've bought in a long time.
Since I travel quite a bit for my job, I've been looking for a good palm-sized device to use with my travel guitar for practicing and song writing while I'm stuck in some hotel room. I recently bought the Roland BR-80 and have been using it for about 1 week now. I must say that this is one of the most well-thoughout devices I've ever seen for guitarists.
It combines an 8-track recorder, COSM amp modeler (with a huge variety of useful guitar tones), stereo condenser mics (great for recording acoustic guitar, vocal, or a band performance), along with a special mode for practicing/jamming (allows you to jam along with side-loaded MP3s, or play with tons of pre-loaded grooves covering a ton of different styles).
As a practice tool alone, this device is insanely useful. You can dial up all kinds of pre-recorded grooves, change keys, change tempo, etc. But you can also side load your own MP3 files and change playback speed, etc to learn difficult solos, etc. Many of the pre-recorded grooves are really good, and inspiring to jam with.
As a mobile studio it has some great features that make it extremely handy. My favorite part of this is some of the COSM modeling. For example, it has a bass guitar modeler that allows you to quickly put down a bass part using your electric guitar as the source (very handy for getting an idea down when you don't have a bass with you). The COSM models are very useful for capturing most of the tones you might need. They also have some useful style presets too allow you to quickly dial up the basic tone you need without a lot of deep navigation (this is great when you are trying to quickly capture something). It also has an acoustic guitar simulation model that allows you to get a close approximation of an acoustic part (very useful for fleshing out a song idea when you don't have an acoustic guitar with you, or it's 1:00 am and you can't play an acoustic guitar in your hotel room)
There are less expensive field recorders out there, and cheaper headphone amps to use for practicing, but none of them have combined so much useful stuff into one package that is easy and fun to use. I love this thing!
Seems to be pretty solid, altough it is small, plastic, with various knobs on it. I would definitely invest in some kind of protective sleeve or case for it.
Huge value in my opinion, both as a practice tool and as a mobile demo studio. This device will definitely fuel your desire to play guitar more and hopefully inspire you to create some new songs of your own! It's much easier to use than a PC DAW (although maybe not as powerful in terms of editing and sound quality as a DAW) but it also doesn't take 5 minutes to boot up.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.The only thing I don't like is that there isn't an auto-gain setting for the recording level, but that's understandable to a point. Setting this thing at level 50 recording level usually works here. To summarize, I can't find anything to complain about, and it works great. It even works when you plug it into Linux (as a USB storage device), so I'm very happy and I'd recommend one to my friends.
This thing can do a lot of cool stuff, like record live audio, let you jam and/or record the jam with many of the jam tracks included and on their website. You can also create your own tracks to jam along with, record your ideas, etc. No complaint about the features.
The quality on this thing is superb! Got mine, updated the firmware from the zip files right on Boss's website, and it worked easily without any problems. I really can't find anything lacking in the quality.
As for value, you get the ability to record high quality (WAV) or MP3 and the ability to jam along with tracks and also use it as a multieffects pedal. I don't see how anyone could complain here. The built-in microphones aren't garbage either. Really I can't find anything to complain about.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.I have not explored all of the MTR functions and really look forward to using the pitch correction as well as harmony vocals. That is one feature that attracted me to this unit in the first place... a vocal harmony device....but this being a tradeoff from a unit to use in live performance vs one to record with. If I have a complaint at this time...it is with the drum utility. I have made a live recording of a friend's small acoustic group and am trying to back it up with a drum track. I'm ready to say "forget the idea". First..the live performance has more "feel" and tempo variations...making it very difficult to add a drum beat because the metronome feel is very consistent and static. Also, every change in the drum beat (fill, verse, intro, end or break) has to be added individually. If there is a way to copy and paste a series of these changes...I have not found it. If there isn't a way...it would make a very useful addition. Recorded tracks other than rhythm can be copied...why not the drum beat. Also... in the metronome setting there are various signatures that are helpful... 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, etc. but in the drum beats...you are limited to variations of 4/4 time signature. I would also value the ability to shift the rhythm and or any other track... by a portion of a measure. For example... adding the drum beat AFTER the music is recorded... results in a a timing miss-match between the two tracks....and what about breaks in the drum beat that need to end mid-measure or have a pickup beat.... can't do it. Again... as a recorder or practice device...I am excited to give it a go... but as a "recording studio".... there is work to be done.
One last complaint...I HATE the dial wheel. The bumps are too small and it is difficult to turn the wheel with any consistency. My finger goes around the world about five times for every time the wheel actually moves...Recommend raising the wheel so it can be grasped...or coat it with a rubberized texture or some other means of improving "traction". As one increases pressure on the wheel to make it turn...I'm afraid it will become a weak point...
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.I've had mine for two years. I use the Eband the most and I have imported my own mp3 songs into the unit to jam with.
I did buy an inexpensive AC adapter that powers pedals, but since then I bought some Eneloop nimh batteries and a charger and use the two AA batteries to power the unit. The batteries last about eight hours or so.
Most, if not all of the units will experience the scroll wheel problem where the values will jump up and down randomly. My unit did the same so I first backup all the files on the included SD card to my computer. Then I reset the unit and that improved the scroll wheel response but not entirely. So I opened the unit up and used a Q-tip soaked with rubbing alcohol and went over the scroll wheel to get the alcohol into the encoder. The encoder is soldiered to the PCB board and it would be difficult to replace it. After the alcohol, I used compressed air can to blow out any residue in the scroll wheel. Then I assembled the unit and the scroll wheel works perfectly. It is little bit harder to turn now but it's wearing in nicely.
I use the unit in front of my fender pro jr. 3 tube amp and it sounds great. I only wish roland would redesign the scroll wheel or forgo the wheel and use arrows on all the parameter values instead. Press and hold the arrow and the values would change automatically or click the arrow for slower change. Otherwise, I love the unit.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.ready to go on the road. This thing makes me sound great. love jamming with the eband tracks. so far recordings are sounding very nice. I was surprized how good the mics are in the unit.showed it to a friend now he has one.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.I would have liked to have the power adaptor included in the purchase. When I found out I had to order separately I was disappointed.
The AA batteries lasted for only 3 days with average daily use (about 3-4 hours daily) so with the batteries I got about 12 hours. That is acceptable on the road but at home you will need the adaptor.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.This was a brilliant sounding versatile Swiss Army knife till our machines got updated to Windows 10. All our other gear, including our other soundcards, audio interfaces all work beautifully except for this BR80. It does not connect and Windows reports an issue with the driver. On contacting Roland I was told that Roland in Japan are working on updating the drivers for its products and that I should check a website for news. That website does not even mention the BR80 and its now been over two months since Windows 10 was released. For 2 months I have a brick that I cannot use properly. So at present I am very disappointed with Roland service and with this product.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.Good quality recorder. The external mics are really good. I have found it a little challenging to navigate through the different settings but with some time and patience this has been a good purchase. My favorite feature is importing mp3's for rehearsal. I love it because you can slow the song down, even short passages to learn parts. I use it with my bass guitar. Has been an excellent rehearsal tool. There are lots of features I really have not used but the play along features is really what I bought the Boss for.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.The mic input is less good than the built in mic, and what you should the most is make sure the record volume is up enough.
Boss Micro BR BR-80 Digital Recorder
.