Worlds apart.
Cassette's only advantages are that its cheap and convenient. The sound is NOT one of its advantages. I started on a cassette 4 track ages ago. Even at double speed with noise reduction I was pretty embarrased to put out an album with it. I did, though, as that's all I could afford in those days.
Now I have a 1/2" 8 track (tascam 48) and a 1/2" 16 track (Tascam msr-16). (And a Pro Tools Digi002 rig, but that's a different topic.)
The msr-16 has the same track width as the cassette, but even at its slow speed (7.5 inches per second) its still going twice the speed (I think) of fast cassette 4-tracks and sounds WAY better. The r-2-r machines also typcially use dbx type I which is significantly better than the dbx type II that comes with cassette 4-tracks.
Anway, judging from your other thread and your question about an all analog album sounding bad... I'd shoot for a used reel to reel.
I could repeat what I learned here on the board, but if you're serious about getting a reel to reel I'd search the board yourself and read it yourself.
Your choices are pretty much Tascam and Fostex- there are others, but they are less common. Then you have to figure out what kind of tape and how many tracks you want. 1/4" tape costs less, 1/2" tape either offers more tracks or sounds better. Noise redux tends to even out the sound quality differences, but generally the wider the tape you have for each track the better the reproduction. With a clean tape on the 1/2" 8 I don't use the noise redux and it sounds great.
So far I'm impressed with the msr-16. I feel I can breath a little easier with the extra space 16 tracks gives me... and it sounds really good. I was surprised- I was expecting a much more noticeable downgrade of sound quality from the 1/2" 8.
Don't forget that you'll need a mixer, too. An 8 channel mixer is a HELL of a lot cheaper than a 16. I bought a 16 anyway, for Pro Tools actually, and I'm *really* glad I have the extra tracks when I'm using the 8 track (to use the channel EQ's on the effects returns) and even more glad to have a mixer that matches my inevitable upgrade to 16 tracks.
Anyway. Ive been recording for almost 18 years, but only about 2 months of it with reel to reel... so I'll shut up now.
Take care,
Chris
