Help!!! Which would I like best

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 28 Dec 2011 4:07 pm

I seem to be confusing myself and hope that you kind folks who are more familiar with recording than I can help me decide...Pro's and Con's...I think I've got it narrowed down to the Tascam DP-8, the Zoom R16 or the Boss Micro BR80...I don't plan on getting too fancy but would like to do resectable recording, and probably use Reaper or one of those types to assist in the process...I'm sure some of you have used these units, and some maybe all of them, so I'm hopeing someone can assist in my decision on which one...Thanks one and all!!!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Dec 2011 1:28 am

Of the 3 , I would say the Zoom R16 because you mentioned using it harmony with a DAW, Reaper. The Zoom offers less overall frills but what it does offer is the ability to grab any or ALL tracks and move them into a Reaper session. The Zoom records each track as separate wav files. Now that being said, the other two are nice recorders, the Zoom is also a nice, easy to use 16 track recorder which can record 8 tracks at a time to an SD card and also runs on batteries should you decide to not pay the power bill.

I am not certain you can grab each track independently off of the Tascam or Boss , I think not. Generally those units record in the Tascam/Boss proprietary file format, download the manuals and check it out. To send files to reaper they will need to be MP3 or wav,which is preferred.

Yes, I have a Zoom R16 and I use it now and then with Pro Tools. I have had several other small recorders none of which gave me the ability to move files into the PC DAW, that's why I now have the Zoom.

Good luck

t

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 30 Dec 2011 1:49 am

My bass player has the Tascam DP-8, which I will get a chance to try soon. I have the Zoom R16 and am really happy with it so far.

Clete

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 30 Dec 2011 5:23 am

I have the Zooom R24 and it's really been great. Both the R24 and the R16 can have a zillion tracks so the only difference for me is the number of tracks that you can play back at one time. The drummer in the R24 is worthless so I use Reaper and EZDRummer for all my drum work. My setup is here:

http://gregcutshaw.com/Zoom%20R24%20Hom ... tudio.html

Greg

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 30 Dec 2011 7:59 am

You gentlemen have given me much to think about, and right now it seems the consensus is with the Zoom...My plan is to put down gospel stuff I've written, and songs we did from days gone bye...when we were playing concerts and church services we had Rhythm guitar, bass, piano, steel, (of coarse) and three voices...we never had a drummer, though always wanted one...anyhow this is what I'd like to reproduce...I've been leaning toward the R16, but that Boss intriques me to, and would maybe be enough...yet when I listen to what you all have been doing with the Zoom, I have to wonder...the last time I did anything like this was on a Dual Deck cassette player, and going back and forth, was able to get a pretty degraded rhythm, bass, steel and three voices, all mine...just wanted to see if I could do it, but like I said that was many moons ago, and I'd like to do a little better job of it then that.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 30 Dec 2011 1:07 pm

Dale, the Zoom will serve you fine, it also has the ability to be used quickly with the on bd mics for capturing "the moment"..
You won't realize how important having each track as a wav file for inserting into a DAW such as Reaper until you do it. This is what had been missing in the home recording world for years, common files.

good luck

t

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 30 Dec 2011 1:08 pm

Dale a couple things to think about. The Tascam unit is probably a very good unit but I do notice that they make a couple of different versions of that model one has some effects and the other one doesn't so if you go with the Tascam make sure you choose the one that you need.

Now about the Boss BR-80 it has much more available to use than just recording which it does very good as long as 16 bit 44.1 kHz is enough for you which is CD quality. Along with the Boss being able to record 8 tracks of audio and reserve a stereo track for the drums which by the way are great sounding, it's like the others you can record 8 different takes on each of the 8 tracks and then pick out the 8 best for mix down. Also just as Tony said you have to convert the tracks to .wav or mp3 if you want to import them into your DAW but it's but it's pretty much done without you doing anything except hitting a couple of buttons and they end up in a folder on your computer as 4 stereo tracks then all you have to do is drag and drop them or import them into your DAW. Once they are in your DAW you can split the 4 sets of stereo tracks into 8 mono tracks which is also very easy. I use Sonar and it will import them as 8 mono tracks or 4 stereo sets of tracks.

It also has the biggest array of high quality effects of the 3 which I'm sure Tony will agree with. The Boss was pretty much made to do everything from record edit master down and then burn to CD. It has some of Roland's best effects they have to offer from their flagship effects the GT-10 plus it has a complete set of effects just for vocals including pitch correction.

The Boss has 3 different categories of main recording features one is the multi-track recording which I have mentioned already then it has the live record capability so it can be taken to a concert or club and record live thru it's 2 on-board high quality condenser mics then it also has a complete e-band section for jamming along to their very big library of prerecorded tracks or you can use your own tracks that you might have recorded. Along with all of those features it will slow down songs to help you learn licks without changing the key or you can change keys without changing the speed of the song. There's even more but I've already typed enough:-)

Even with all of those features it still only records 2 tracks at a time. If you want to record your whole band the only route to go is with the Zoom and if you are planning on importing your tracks into your DAW then the Zoom is the smart buy but if you want a one machine to do it all then I believe I'd go with the Boss Micro BR-80. Good luck!

Big Bob

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 31 Dec 2011 10:18 am

I always agree with Bob !

My primary point of contention is the ability to drag and drop into a DAW , for me, this was the #1 reason I purchased the Zoom R16. If I could figure out a use for the MicroBR80 I would get one of those as well.

For simple stereo wav or MP3 recording, rehearsals , music idea's or gigs, I have a Zoom h2 and a small Tascam Dr03 which was on blow out q few weeks back at MF for $49 ! I'll find a reason to use that now and then.

I did have a Micro BR ( sold it while it was still worth something ) as Bob stated, it was jam packed with features, more than I probably even knew about and I still have a few Tascam's of some sort floating around here . If I use anything outside of Pro Tools for projects its the Zoom R16.

But I like all the choices mentioned above , to me they each offer something a little different, but for file transfer, the Zoom is the top of the heap.

get em all !

That's all I got..

t

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 3 Jan 2012 6:21 pm

The only reason Tony always agrees with me is because he's afraid I will set on him if he doesn't LOL!! Just kidding Tony it does seem that Tony and I do agree on a lot of things and I suspect the reason is that we both are effect and recorder buying/trading junkies

I do know that Tony has tried may different recorders both stand alone and computer DAW's and I have tried a few in my time.

Dale I do believe for what you are wanting to do as well as price point you just couldn't go wrong with a Zoom R-16. What ever choice you make I'm sure you will be happy because now days most all stand alone recorders are pretty flexible and will do most everything you need to do.

Big Bob

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 3 Jan 2012 6:52 pm

Bob, Tony, and Greg...your knowledge, and willingness to share a little of it with me is really appreciated, and I may have more questions for you in the future.

The Zoom is the one I'm planing to get, and since I'm starting from scratch will most likley get one of the bundled ones for around 400 bucks. They come with some cords, headphones, and 8GB card, etc...I've downloaded Reaper for mixing, if that's what reaper does.

I've got a Pre Royal Mullen, a Session 500, and the very first pedal I got with my very first guitar, and old Sho~Bud pot one...I'd like to put some drums in the mix, but having never been around drums (don't ask) have no clue how to add them or even "think" in drum languge...so if you have any suggestions on any other things I might need to add to the "mix" I'm listening.

Again, thanks for all your help!!!...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jan 2012 8:05 pm

You must know a drummer or someone familiar with drums (maybe a bass player or other musician) that can help with the drum tracks.

jolynyk · Post by **jolynyk** » 4 Jan 2012 7:21 am

For drums, bass, etc & creating tracks, I would take a close look at Band in a Box... you can even record in Real Band.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 4 Jan 2012 10:44 am

Richard I wish you were right, but I've been away from music so long I wouldn't know where to start...I've been leaning toward some sort of stand alone drum thing...I think I can put down the Rhythm and Bass, but the drums are another matter.

jolynyk, I have an older BIAB, but have a 64bit system which they say isn't combatable, so not quite sure the remedy.