Tascam 688 appreciation link + manual

[shedshrine]

Tascam 688 appreciation page with manual link:

http://lonesomecosmonaut.com/tascam688/index.html

Well, it looks like it's pretty much just a manual link at this point, but he has big plans!

[Bobby Darko]

cool stuff. Hope it gets a little bigger though....

[A Reel Person]

..............

[BHOD]

There is a cassette that came with mine that had all the extra scenes on it. I also have the amendment that came with the owner's manual that was very helpful with these extra scenes. I would like to send you the jpegs of the extra book for you wonderful Tascam 688 appreciation link.

[jjones1700]

Holy crap, that's a 688?? I want one of those!!!

[BHOD]

I am still very new to this site and this is the first site I have ever joined. And becuse of this I can not allowed to post URLs to other sites just yet.

[A Reel Person]

Sweet!............

[Bobby Darko]

I would be very interested in those extra scenes bhod! so keep on posting...
for recordings made on a 688 check: www.myspace.com/casacassette (some are old 4 track recordings)

[BHOD]

OK, I hope this works. Page one!

[BHOD]

Sweet!

[BHOD]

Awsome!

[BHOD]

Dude!

[BHOD]

Here is the cover of the cassette that has all the bonus scenes on it. When I get it copied and it works I will let you all know. I am now trying to get my mac to control the Tascam 688 so that all 8 tracks are recorded onto or into "Garageband". I do not think it will work but the guy at the apple store said it would. anyways ENJOY!

[BHOD]

Here is the cassette. I hope that if I can post an MP3 of the Scenes and you record them to a cassette that it might work.

[Sexy Heather]

Just for the record, the 688 on the "Appreciation Page" is mine of my 688, which I still have, love and use. Awesome machines!

[andrej]]

thought someone might need it:

midistudio 688 manual
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/120201/Tascam688.pdf

a working link. please, pass the file around and mirror it!

[A Reel Person]

...................

[dontaylor]

Hi everyone
My name is Don (daaaa). I've been having many sleepless nights debating whether 2 go further into debt to my partner Mr. Master (charge) and buy a new, self-contained portastudio-like beast or like the Pheonix, resurrect my once beloved 688? Last night I ened up waisting 2.5 hrs in a Sam Ashe store in New Haven, Ct, tryin 2 get 1 of their 2 salesmen to demo me a good Condencer mic AND to get the
TEAC 2488MKii to work. Neither of which was done as my wife & puppy waited in the car. They frustrated me especially w/ the quote..."your tascam 688 is worthless !" and so is your PC as long as you have Vista as the OS." Yes, the guy's name is "Robbie" & I plan to make him eat his words once I get back home in 2 weeks.
Ok, I walked in there ready to demo & buy the Zoom HD16CD.
As all i have read about it was quite positive.
But, right next to it was the 24-tk Tascam for $599 clearance.
Now i know why they are "dumping" it--it kept freezing & giving error codes upon bootup.
I knew, b-4 going in there that ANY tascam 24 tk was too much as I am currently looking for a GOOD sounding MIC w Good LOW END plus a yamaha DTExplorer drum set to record my OWN drumming as well as providing me w stress release & good therapy.
I, along w my wife who wanted to see it, finally came out of the store at closing time--after 2+ hrs w/ no stinkin' answers except that store stinks (I am being kind here) and the new Tascam isn't far behind.
****I truly need all of your help as I have not multitracked on "Tammy"Tascam688 in over 10years. But i know 'she' works as I've booted her up & played back my musical memories from the 90's when I was gigging 6nights/wk; money was there & I even sold many CDs made on my 688.
So here i sit, hoping someone reads this & hasn't been either bored to tears orthink I'm crazy. Well, I am CRAZY ! lol let's get that outta the way. I'm 58 goin on 24, losing my hearing(had it tested 2 weeks ago) so I'm 'on the clock", so to speak to leave my family w/ something to either laugh at or cherish once my ashes become fertilizer.
1)I'd like to read all your suggestions for medium priced condenser mic w/ balls(base\low end balls
2)What's a PRACTICAL WAY to hookup my Tammy-Teac688 to my Intel Quad 2.4GHz w 2TB hard drives???
Oh Yes, It's got a Vista64-bit OS w 8GB RAM.
3)Should i rebuild my "old" 3.4GHz XP pro which was burned out 2 yrs ago ?
4)I'd like to start w a NEW CON. mic-FYI-I do have a Shure Beta SM-58 which i sang thru a Digitech harmonizer that blew folk's minds. Ok that's it for now. I'm beat for I've been on this hell-bent expedition too damn long. I desperately need some answers from REAL PEOPLE WHO CARE & some sleep.
aRE THERE any DECENT cHINESE MICS ?
Goodnight, i eagerly await any sort of answers, even agreeing that I'm an insane musician. Butt, you had better include ENTERTAINER in that description, thank you.
Don


Thanks for reading me. u can reply to me directly as well if u'd like dont811 at bellsouth.net

[dontaylor]

I remember well that Dec. day in 1990 when I payed Ace Music a $2,500 money order for that 688 ! She provided me w/ countless hours of recording. My backgrounds were so clean & after being BBE'd, on the final Mix-provide me w a backup band that made kareoke tapes sound like crap.
What gaul, that guy has to tell me my 688 is USELESS.
I'll just consider the sourse. Hey folks--it's a P.I.F.
Paid In Full !!! Something that24MKii would not have been.
What an ass u r "Robbie." of Sam Ashe !

[cjacek]

Pay no attention to that sales clown. They're a bunch of morons, usually, trying to get business.

There's a number of people on this board who own and love the 688 and I'm sure they'll chime in but I can tell that you should def resurrect that beast and get another 20 years out of it. It's worth it. You'd have to pay around 5K, in today's money, for that 688 and that's a lot of quality hardware!

Honestly, if your current mics are not limiting you, as far as their count, stick to what you have now. Recording techniques and musicianship is far more important.

Your computer is "over qualified" in that it's more than adequate for transferring audio from the 688. I personally would suggest you just go RCA outs into 1/8" mini stereo into your "line in" of your existing sound-card. Again, it's more than adequate. Do all of your mixing outside of your computer and just bring it in for a final two track master into your PC and then to CDR.

If you're still bent on getting a condenser then just look through reviews from http://www.zzounds.com/cat--Large-St...rophones--2843

[dontaylor]

OH, you have no idea how much better I'm feeling haivng read your note. I keep thinkin' to myself : I know i still have a few songs left in me--I want to share w the world yet, I always seem to get overwelmed w/too many details as I think in terms of many, many instruments thus the need for so many tracks.
Let me add this info to the mix JC....
Buried in my studio-turned-junk-storage room are:
Yamaha MU-128 modulle (2 tracks needed left & right)
Roland SC-55=2 tracks
KORG I-30 workstation 1998 vintage that adds drum fills when I TELL IT TO..(main keyboard that would trigger them all) 2 tracks.
Roland ('90)R-8 DRUM Snyth to add whatever....
There's more stuff too i was able to get from eating peanut butter jelly sandwiches & working a lot. lol
God, those 20 INs on Tammy688 would sure come in handy. I almost can't wait to get home & clean the mess out of the studio. I just remembered there's a Hammond X-5 & Leslie 760 buried in there someplace. I think there r no bodys-cause the smell is gone. Or maybe it was Ben ???(the rat from the 70's movie ??)
With all that gear not being used you all may wonder y ? because in So Florida it's not how good your ability to ENTERTAIN is it's who you know, how CHEEP will u do a gig for, how willing are you to greese some agent's palm. I think u get the picture. Oh Yea, I got tired of the old Farts who complained if the music was too loud, too fast, ect. So I simply screw it all & dropped out. It was sad & stupid, but after years of rock-n-rollin; playing the standards to Disco; it just wasn't F U N anymore. Now i am ready to get my new act together and Rock It @ the Salvation Army if that's what it will take.
Ciao fro now, Don

[Bigsnake00]

Don,

If you DO decide to go another route I would LOVE to buy your 688.

[dontaylor]

Hi, I'm wondering, & have been all this week about the 2488's.
So, I just might entertain having a deserving musician/composer "adopt" my once pride & joy.
I don;t have to tell many of you, times & money are tough & hard to come by w/a family, home & all the responcibilities that go with them all.
I am still on "vacation" but i am dreaming of being able to cut & paiste in DIGITAL. Also to bounce tracks w/o degradation.
Then again i think back to the ease in adjusting the 3-band-EQ's as well as the PAN-POTS. Can those hard to find 2488 POTS be tuff to "handle' ???
The biggest thing is--I have a demo MKII possibility waiting for my cash in their hands.
Can anyone share w/ me an in-expensive Condencer mic I can get for the 688 b-4 I .. .?
I've had great years w my Shure SM58 Beta--on stage tho.
the Shure KSM27 Studio Condenser Microphone has caught my ears--and at $200.00-gasping as I shout "I'm comin' to join you Elizabeth." I'm gettin' the BIG ONE...
Will the 1" diaphram make THAT much of a differance ???
Seriously i THINK it should...Yet we all know it's a lot of money. Especially when u total in the price for a T-2488.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Shure-KS...15-i1126544.gc

So, I've literally spent hours on this net reading about both
the MKII & Neo2488's. And yes, I've found 1 that did NOT boot up & the like i said b-4--the salemen were big Dummys, in so many words.
Then yesterday, I found another demo MKII-and lifted it to my surprise found it would be really easy to encase this & go out & do REMOTE recordings. Hmmmmmm then I'd need more mics.
Seriously, anyone have good LUCK using a REAL $100 or less 1" diaphrammed Condenser mic ??????????
Thanks for reading me. I am here where there is no SPRING-like weather--yearning for my home in the hot tropics so I can sweat, but slowly rebuild my dream recording studio some 19 years later. I really would appreciate any & all tips & tricks. Please believe me, I seem to remember all-night recording sessions w/ my 688 that produced many, many high quality backing tracks for my once flourishing F/T musical act. She (Tammy_Tascam that is) has always been pampered, covered, cleaned w/ only 92% on the heads & always properly treated belts w/ TASCAM BELT CLEANER as well as degaused as needed. God, the good times spent adding horn lines & harmony lines & synth leads while chuggin down the beers & sippin "Jack."
Well, I intend to stop reminissing about "back in the day" & make tomorrow the 1st day in my recording life. It's late, my spelling sucks, I know, but as long as you'all know I speak from my heart & soul, I figure you'll understand I'm NOT sitting here blowing smoke. I'm once again pursuing my DREAMS. Goodnight...Don

[cjacek]

Don, first of all, mics and other extra things we tend to obsess about don't make a recording but rather it's about the musician and how your gear is used that really matter and I'm sure you know this already. People get too caught up in purchases, including better mics, pres, outboard this, outboard that and, IMHO, they're putting too much stock into something which won't make that big of a difference, ultimately speaking.

The technology advanced so much and yet I still have not heard an improvement in today's music, rather, it's a step backward. We have so much available to us, that 40 or 50 years ago seemed a dream and yet I still have not heard something really worth listening to, that bettered that era. Most of us have not even attained the proper know-how on gear usage and yet we have boat loads of it in our little cramped studio spaces.

Sure, you'll get a more detailed and open sound using a condenser (any really) than a dynamic but it doesn't mean necessarily "better", as it's a subjective thing and depends too on what you want your sonic signature to be like.

At the same time, if you're not getting satisfactory recordings from dynamic mics and your portastudio, you won't with a condenser nor with a 2488.

I gotta ask: why in the heck do you dream to be "able to cut & paste in DIGITAL" ? That can potentially be very damaging, especially in digital, where it's truly too easy to screw things up. In fact, I don't have a problem with digital per se but rather with how it is used. IMHO, it is the extensive editing and processing which is responsible for the crap being released today. Why do you want to potentially follow that lead?

I provided a link to some mic reviews above but you can also browse or ask on the mic forum.

Stick to your 688, keep it simple, keep making music and have fun.

[dontaylor]

Hi All,B-4 I answer my new friend's question about my 688's experiences. Allow me to share a site.I misdplaced the URL, so allow me to quote PLEASE:A GAIN THIS ARE NOT MY WORDS or THOUGHTS--just something I have found that may stop my salavating for MORE TRACKS.

>"In the market for a Tascam 2488?
>Want to hear what the National Reviewers of the 2488 won't tell you?
>Want to hear what TASCAMFORUMS.COM doesn't want you to know about this DEFECTIVE product that you SHOULD know about before spending your hard-earned dollars? (They're already stuck with their busted units, and want you to get stuck in the same situation!)

So here's the truth and the whole truth about the Tascam 2488...

3 days after Christmas my Tascam 2488 started to freeze up. It went away after shutting it down for about 24 hours, but immediately started to freeze up after about an hour of use. 5 days after Christmas the Jog Wheel quit working and I was stuck in Cursor Hell!!! On Jan. 3rd the 2488 quit for good! Won't boot up.

I called up Tascam just to see if it was some sort of a problem that I could fix on my own.... I was on hold for about 45 minutes before I spoke to someone who HAD TO go to lunch in about 5 minutes and couldn't "talk for very long". He told me that my situation was "very rare" and only about "1-in-like-every-100,000 units are ever shipped that buggy". So I suggested that I'd return the unit back to the store for a refund, and he immediately urged me not to do that; but rather, that I should send the unit to Tascam for service repair. I was suspicious of his comment so I asked if he could send me a temporary 2488 to use while mine was being fixed. He said, "No." because the 2488 is "so popular [Tascam] can't afford to keep them in stock for such purposes... They're flying off the shelves, man!" (These 2488's MUST apparently be FLYING OFF the shelves and hitting the floor somewhere.)

In desperation, I asked the guy how long repairs would take if I sent it back to be fixed. He said, "We know the product inside-out. Less than a month." I asked him if he would guarantee that in writing, which is when he mentioned, "It depends on how backed-up we are with other stuff. Could be longer, but if it's more than half-a-year and you still don't have it, then dude, ya gotta call us back! ha, ha, ha" <--(by the way, that was HIM laughing, NOT ME.)

When he asked me for my name and contact information, I told him, "I have to go to lunch now.... Gotta run!" (Yeah, more like, gotta run to the store before it closes so I can get rid of the damn thing!)

You know, it's just too risky owning a Tascam 2488, unless of course, you're financially well-off and don't mind rolling the occasional C-note into a cigar and lighting it. Even if it looks like it's working fine, it will eventually bite you in the ass. Tascam should've included a rabbit's foot with this thing, because the end result is always the same: you'll have spent $1,200 for a very large paper weight.

Hopefully this independent product review will help you prospective buyers out there make a better decision with your $$. None of the nationally paid reviewers seem to have the guts to say it like it really is (probably because they got to keep their test units). But to be truly fair to Tascam, in THEORY the 2488 looks to be a winner, but in the real world it's a DUD. Go back and do your homework, Tascam and stop selling us your TasCRAP.

Don't believe me? Then go to TASCAMFORUMS.COM (click on the subgroup called, "2488 General") and do a search about it for yourself. You'll hear from many people and their problems with the 2488. Things like units that lock-up, lock-out, crash, and buttons that mysteriously won't work anymore, etc. I've even included some direct links to such articles at the beginning of this review (top of the third column).

If you insist on owning this dreadful product, then I wish you well. You must be a real glutton for punishment.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Read about problems others have with the 2488
(1) Read about buttons that STOP WORKING