Tascam M-106

[Fuzznut]

I have a chance to buy this mixer with manual and it's really cheap too! I was wondering if someone could tell me more of this model. I have a Mackie 1402-VLZ PRO already but I'm thinking of buying this anyways 'cause it's so cheap. How does the M-106 compare to the Mackie soundwise?

[A Reel Person]

that the older Tascam mixers sound better than the newer Mackie mixers.

I have no hard proof to back up that statement, but that's the answer you'll usually get here, on the Tascam forum. The mixers I own are almost all Tascam mixers, with a couple token Fostexes thrown in there for laughs.

One thing to consider, is that the early and mid-80's mixers were known for their quality of components, and heavy duty build quality, while the 90's vintage Mackie mixers were basically known for their cheapness.

That's MO, and YMMV.

[The Ghost of FM]

Back in the mid to late 80's, I was running a couple of 4 track reel to reels; A TEAC A3340S and an older Sony and I had both decks wired up to an M106 with a patch bay and I must say, that mixer was dead clean and very musical.

Though it only had 1/4" mic plugs, the pre's were clean and the shelving eq very sweet on the top end.

I sold it off only because I was moving onto to an 8 track reel to reel and needed a bigger mixer with more channels which turned out to be an M208 followed shortly after my an M216 then onto a couple of M312B's cascaded together which is what I currently use with my 16 track TASCAM R to R.

I highly recommend the M106. It started a beautiful friendship between me and TASCAM mixers and I've never felt the need to look elsewhere since.

Cheers!

[Fuzznut]

Thanks a lot!! I'll buy the tascam then! It has the vintage feel that I'm looking for. I'm trying to save enough money so I can get a Tascam R2R also in the near future...

-May The Tone Be With You-

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by The Ghost of FM

Back in the mid to late 80's, I was running a couple of 4 track reel to reels; A TEAC A3340S and an older Sony and I had both decks wired up to an M106 with a patch bay and I must say, that mixer was dead clean and very musical.

Though it only had 1/4" mic plugs, the pre's were clean and the shelving eq very sweet on the top end.

I sold it off only because I was moving onto to an 8 track reel to reel and needed a bigger mixer with more channels which turned out to be an M208 followed shortly after my an M216 then onto a couple of M312B's cascaded together which is what I currently use with my 16 track TASCAM R to R.

I highly recommend the M106. It started a beautiful friendship between me and TASCAM mixers and I've never felt the need to look elsewhere since.

Cheers!

Hey Jeff,

Tho this may be a bit of an old thread, I thought I'd post a follow up question, if you don't mind ?

Was it ever a bother to you to have only 2 VU meters on the 106 rather than 4 to better match it up with your A-3340S ? Let's say you'd want to record 4 tracks at once ... How can you get around this ? Can it be a real concern with the 106 board + a 4 track open reel ? Also, would you happen to know what year the 106 was made and also if the components inside are every-bit the quality of the older classic mixers like the m-30, 35 etc .. ? Sure, the 106 was short on features, epecially as compared to the others, but I hope the 106 was still the quality mixer TASCAM was known for. For example, some of these "classic" mixers had a quality massive power supply and components ... Is this also the case with the 106 ? I hope the 106 wasn't the start of the crap TASCAM put out later!

Any info will be appreciated, as always!

Thanks Jeff!

Daniel

[The Ghost of FM]

Daniel,

I never had any problems with metering on the 106 because once your levels are calibrated, you can look at either meter on the mixer or the recorder to know where you are.

I also rarely tracked more then three parts at a time back then and mostly just one at a time. Plus, the meters on the 106 were switchable and could monitor what ever you wished via selector switch.

As for quality, it was indeed made during the mid 80's in the analog glory days and was built well and sounded very good, as I mentioned in my previous post.

Cheers!

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by The Ghost of FM

Daniel,

I never had any problems with metering on the 106 because once your levels are calibrated, you can look at either meter on the mixer or the recorder to know where you are.

I also rarely tracked more then three parts at a time back then and mostly just one at a time. Plus, the meters on the 106 were switchable and could monitor what ever you wished via selector switch.

As for quality, it was indeed made during the mid 80's in the analog glory days and was built well and sounded very good, as I mentioned in my previous post.

Cheers!

MUCHAS GRACIAS AMIGO!

~Daniel