fostex VM200 (1999) digital mixer 1xADAT +SPDIF

[chrisNova777]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct99/articles/fostexvs.htm

VM200 Brief Technical Specification    
     Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz, +1dB/-3dB.
Dynamic range: 90dB or higher.
THD: channel/line in -> stereo out, 0.08% or less (at 0dBv output).
S/N ratio: ch 1-8 (-4dB) -> aux 1-4, st buss out, 92dB or higher (IHF-A).
Crosstalk: 70dB or higher (@ 1kHz).
A-D conversion: 20-bit, 64x oversampling.
D-A conversion: 20-bit 128x oversampling.
Sampling frequency: internal, 44.1kHz fixed; external, 44.1kHz/48kHz +/-6 percent.
Internal processing: 32-bit.
Dimensions: 428 x 118 x 454mm (WxHxD).
Weight: 7kg.

Finished in smart pale grey, the VM200 looks businesslike. Panels of darker grey host groups of buttons devoted to various functions, and many buttons illuminate with a three-colour system to help with differentiation - great in low-light conditions, less useful in daylight. A notable feature of the panel is a large, adjustable-contrast backlit display, with a master stereo output LED bar-graph meter to its right. Other input and output metering is handled by the display, which isn't ideal, because it's monochrome, and the meter displays are quite small and a little sluggish in response.

The VM200 has a clear, spacious control layout and is big enough to look serious without being inconvenient in a small studio. Nor is it so laden with buttons and legends that it's immediately scary, like some digital mixers. Yet it has a decent-sounding spec, offering eight analogue and eight ADAT-format digital inputs, two internal stereo effects processors with a preset and user patch library, 4-band EQ, again with library, motorised faders which transmit their movements over MIDI, as do the other controls, and a 100-position scene memory for onboard automation.