Best digital (portable) recording devices

Jim Ives · Post by **Jim Ives** » 18 Aug 2003 4:16 pm

This going to be my next big purchase.

What is the consensus about Tascam vs other recorders, and built-in CD-RW vs. flash memeory card? I am basically looking for an easy to use four-to-six track recorder ( not tape) for home and practice use.
Thanks,
-Jim

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 18 Aug 2003 4:23 pm

The Boss BR-864 looks pretty interesting to me...

Joseph V. Sapp · Post by **Joseph V. Sapp** » 18 Aug 2003 5:41 pm

If I had it to do all over again, I'd sure go for a built in CD Burner. The memory cards aren't bad, but quite limited to recording time. The more time, the more expense. (that sort of thing). The CD burners might be a little more, but in the long run, (depending) on what you want to do or how many tracks you need to lay down at a time, the burner has to be a little more cost effective. but regardless, if your final download is to a CD, then you'll need an additional burner anyhow, so better off to get one built in. As far as brands, I'd stick to Boss . but thats just a matter of choice. Good Luck and God Bless

Joe

Derby SD-10 4X5 Nashville 400 Fender blackface twin, Profex ll, Lexicon MPX 100

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 19 Aug 2003 6:13 am

I have the Tascam 788 and with prices consistently around $400 on e-Bay it's not that big a purchase. Although you do have to get their SCSI CDRW for about $200 too. Version 2.02 is the latest and the one that you must have to maximize it's potential. It's the only one that has 6 inputs (4 with pre amps & 2 AUX Ins), 8 tracks and 250 virtual tracks (which are the same as real tracks but you can only listen to 8 at a time)AND records at 24 bit resolution. A lot of them don't do that.

I'd direct you to the Tascam online forums at www.tascam.com but they've been down for a few days and there's no info on when they'll be back up. That forum is the equivalent to this one for being an amazing source of information.

Shaan

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The Pickin' Paniolo

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 19 Aug 2003 6:15 am

Get a Mac notebook, MOTU Performer Pro software, and a MOTU digital interface.

Portability, unlimited tracks, built in effects processing. Easy editing (cut and paste). Record and store all your music on the hard drive and burn CDs.

The ultimate and fun to work with.

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Terry Edwards
Fessy D-10; Nash 1000
Martin D-21; Flatiron F-5

Charlie Moore · Post by **Charlie Moore** » 19 Aug 2003 10:28 am

I BOUGHT A ROLAND BOSS BR1180CD,AND I LOVE IT, 10TRACK'S GREAT EFFECT'S BUILT IN,CLEAN-CLEAN SOUND,ABSOLUTEY NO NOISE,GREAT UNIT!!!!!I PAID$935.00 AT SAM ASH.COM

CHARLIE

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 19 Aug 2003 11:18 am

I had the Boss BR-8, upgraded to the BR-1180CD and found both units to be a good value and to produce great sound and be easy to use.
JE:-)>

Roger Andrusky · Post by **Roger Andrusky** » 19 Aug 2003 12:40 pm

For what it's worth, I bought Jim's BR-8 and so far I love it! So does my 11 year old!

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 19 Aug 2003 1:01 pm

Roger, I replied to your last e-mail telling me it arrived, but you company's firewall bounced my reply to you. Glad all's OK!
E-mail me from home if you have questions so I can help ya out.
JE:-)>

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 19 Aug 2003 1:23 pm

One thing I learned on the Tascam site is about a program called N Tracks that only costs $45.00 for the full blown version and is supposed to be comparable to Pro Tools. If you want to go the PC route than that might be an option too. I haven't done that much research on it yet but if you go to www.fasoft.com you can learn about it. My first impression was verr very good.

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The Pickin' Paniolo

Post by **Joey Ace** » 19 Aug 2003 3:28 pm

I've been using a Tascam 788 for the past year and a half and am very happy with it.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Aug 2003 4:29 pm

I think that with memory cards, it's probably a lot easier to dump the tracks into your computer for more intensive mixing and editing. Face it, the controls on these little machines are no match for what you can do with a Mac or a PC.

It's easy to burn CDs from the computer. Getting the tracks onto the computer has always been the biggest nuisance for me.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 20 Aug 2003 5:33 am

With recorders like the Boss and Tascam,can you download your tracks to your pc, and if so, what are your editing softward choices or limitations?

Anybody do multitrack recordings on windows laptops?

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 20 Aug 2003 5:42 am

The Tascam 788 version 2.02 let's you export/import .wav files so you can use it in conjunction with your PC. You need the CDRW 788 though, it's the only one that works with the 788. If you get hold of an older version of the 788 but buy a new CDRW it comes with the new chip to upgrade the 788 and you can o that yourself.

As far as editing on the 788 goes, you can COPY, CUT, PASTE, INSERT and SILENCE any track. With 250 virtual tracks you can do multiple takes of the same part and then paste together the ones you like for the final track if you want to go that route. You can also set an auto punch point to do punch ins without pressing any buttons so you can be your own engineer. With 999 levels of UNDO you can fix just about any operator error.

There are 2 effects engines on board and are very useful. This guy has made a cool FLASH tutorial on using them which can be a little confusing. www.nadir-novelties.net/788/

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The Pickin' Paniolo
[This message was edited by Shaan Shirazi on 20 August 2003 at 06:44 AM.][This message was edited by Shaan Shirazi on 20 August 2003 at 06:45 AM.]

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 20 Aug 2003 6:35 pm

Aren't the Tascam and Boss machines only two track simultaneous recording? Is there anything portable that gives you 4 or 6 or 8 track simultaneous recording?

Jackie Anderson · Post by **Jackie Anderson** » 21 Aug 2003 6:06 am

The Korg D1200 has 4-track simultaneous recording (balanced inputs, 2 with phantom power), 12 track total, and is a pretty nifty box, including FX, drums and mic/amp/speaker modelling. It's definitely in the "portable" class. You can export files to your PC via S/PDIF (digital - optical at the Korg end, but can be translated to coaxial if that's what your sound card takes) or USB.[This message was edited by Jack Anderson on 21 August 2003 at 07:07 AM.]

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 21 Aug 2003 6:23 am

Is there anything portable that gives you 4 or 6 or 8 track simultaneous recording?

The Roland VS-1824CD will record 8 simultaneous tracks and play back 18. I have one. They've actually been discontinued because Roland seems to be putting a big divide between their Boss, consumer-oriented stuff and their Roland Professional stuff. The Roland VS recorders are now only sold in two, 24 track models. But I think there are still a lot of new VS-1824CD's around. Guitar Center was selling them recently for $1595.00. A recommended second effects card would drive that price up to about $1900 but that includes an internal CD burner.

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Rick Richtmyer
Sugarloaf Recording
Good News[This message was edited by RickRichtmyer on 21 August 2003 at 07:25 AM.]

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 21 Aug 2003 7:14 am

The Tascam 788 has 6 track simultaneous recording. 4 inputs have pre amps, 2 are L and R Aux Ins without preamps. None of them have phantom power.

A common thing to do is to mix bass and drums on a seperate submixer and input that signal into the aux ins and assign the aux ins to the 7/8 linked stereo trach leaving six tracks and four inputs for guitar/vocals/steel etc.

The feature I like but haven't had a chance to use is the "Clone Master" command. It allows you to master 8 tracks to a 2 track stereo mix, copy it, assign it to the 7/8 stereo track and record 6 more tracks. If you want you can master those, assign them to a linked pair (say 5/6) then record 4 more and so on. You could have a 20 track recording if you wanted to.

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The Pickin' Paniolo

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 22 Aug 2003 6:40 am

This steel instrumental (click below) was
recorded entirely on a KORG D1600.

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<a href=http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/568/jay_ganz.html>
My MP3.com page</a>

Post by **Joey Ace** » 22 Aug 2003 9:11 am

What really sold me on this unit was Hoot Gibson's "Talkin to the Hand". Done on a 788!

Listen to it at http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/339/hoot_gibson.html
(Mike Johnson on Steel, Joe Caverlee on Fiddle.) It's worth the download time just to hear Mike.

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 24 Aug 2003 9:03 am

The 788 really sounds like a great bargain, but I have wanted something to record at band practice, and maybe at gigs. We are a four piece, all of us sing, and we usually play without drums. I am looking at the Yamaha AW16G, which has sixteen tracks (plus virtuals), and 8 track simultaneous recording. Anybody have one?