What is so bad about the MR-8?

I admit, the field of new recorders is going all one way,...

and the MR8 fits a niche.

However, the Tascam 424mkIII is still price competitive to the MR8, and offers so much more!... eh,... if you can hang with cassette, which many people can't,... and that's painfully obvious with this post.

I'll just say, at this point, that "digital" as implemented in the MR8 isn't all-that, and "cassette" as implemented in the 424mkIII is a lot more than you might give it credit for.

I'll restate, that all this "tape hiss" that some people talk about is a clear indication that you're doing something wrong, and dbx is a fantastic NR system that virtually eliminates hiss, with little or no side effects. If you're getting noticeable audio degradation or side effects from dbx, again, you're probably doing something wrong. No names, though.

Beyond that, the choice is yours, and as I always say, "YMMV".
 
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The 424MkIII was my other consideration when I was originally looking to buy. I think the only thing that edged out the Tascam was the usb connection on the MR8. I probably would have bought the Tascam had a friend not mentioned the MR8.

Reel - Out of curriosity how do you go about bouncing to 'puter?
I'd love to have a 4 track, if ever I have an "extra" $300!

Someday my collection of stuff will rival even yours

MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA :eek: :mad: :D :mad: :D
 
cellardweller said:
Out of curriosity how do you go about bouncing to 'puter?
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Well, I don't do much in the way of bouncing these days, 'cept maybe to bounce the minor part in behind a more major part. If a 4-track format is limiting, I'll simply hop up to an 8-track format. Simple, huh? All it takes is money!

The way people bounce to the 'puter, is just to mix your (presumably) 4-track composition to a stereo image, & record your standard 16/44.1 Stereo WAV file. Then, burn a CDr, and re-record that stereo mix from the CDr, back onto 2 tracks of your (presumably) 4-tracker. You'll have your original stereo mix, and two open tracks for further overdubs. Some people use this, & report great success with it,... a technique that's otherwise known as the "external bounce".

cellardweller said:
I'd love to have a 4 track, if ever I have an "extra" $300!
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Yeah, 4-track is a fun format, however you slice it! But, when do you ever have an "extra" $300? The only reason I do, is I earmark all of my available cash for recording gear. It's an obsession of mine, and I've made that commitment.

cellardweller said:
Someday my collection of stuff will rival even yours
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In your dreams!;)

cellardweller said:
MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA :eek: :mad: :D :mad: :D
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I'm laughing with you! ;)
 
828?

I stand corrected...it is 488. Reel, have you ever recorded on an MR8? Have you ever owned one? Just curious. I'm not trying to pick a fight either so don't get all wacked out. I just feel like you are mis-representing it and wonder if your expertise and knowledge about it is from personal experience or what?
Here is my take on what's wrong with the MR8. As I stated on the Fostex forum, (before it was hacked), if I had known before I bought the MR8 that the pre-amps and effects sucked and the stock CF card would have to be upgraded and I'd need a source for phantom power and I'd have to transfer tracks to the pc to eq, edit, add effects and mix, I would've saved my money and bought a 16 track with a built in mixer and burner.
As it turns out, my investment in the goodies to compliment the MR8 has brought me to that price range anyhow. So you can see that I have my problems with it. However, now that I've invested so heavily in it, I really get some decent sounding tracks. IMHO they sound better than the ones I got on the 424. I don't claim to know everything about recording but I can tell a difference. Maybe I was doing something wrong but the hiss was there, not real bad, but it was there and it's not on the digital tracks.
 
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wow, isn't fun to see how much reel can write?! :)

and I can pronounce ch2os7, it means, cold waters in heaven, right?....

the glitches were in the cf cards, not the MR8, but it was a PITA process anyway.

I still use it, like I said, it is really efficient, but for a limited set of applications....
and for those, I can't part w/ it, also, i did a lot of work w/ it and have a scores of files that I can only upload back to it to hear b/c I didn't use wave manger, I just dumped the directories to pc and cdr to save time and make room....

let's see where was I?...

Well, I'm now on a mission to edit my live drum tracks and it's leading me right into PC land where I'll be editing, and I have a feeling I may end up getting an interface for recording since my new PC arrives in a day or 2 and will have enough capacity for recording as well as editing, I hope I don't abandon my new Korg.:)

That megathread
-it's huge, and it does have a lot of contributors to it, I wonder why it doesn't have a sticky by now, it has a lot of views and is a lot more than just CF search info. Even that porno thread in the cave just reached the view numbers of that thread, but none of the fame.

BTW reel, we all have our obessions, I guess, but what's with that collection of portastudio/recorders? Are you in the biz? I'm not one to judge it, we're all odd in some way, but wow.
 
cellardweller said:
...snip...

You are distracting my shopping for a Delta 1010...
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Dude, you're shopping for a 1010? What are your other options, curious to know why you are going for that. There's a lot of interfaces around and I have yet to submerge my reality into that whole area.

Why not usb? I heard something somewhere good about the Tascam 122? not even sure if I'm getting that right...

one thing I did was to make sure my new moboard has 5 pci slots and usb2.0 for options.
 
Both,... reasonable enough responses.

ch2os7,... I don't think I'll ever get that name, even though someone else might. Maybe I'm just in denial. Heh.

I read your previous responses about the qualities/virtues/drawbacks of the MR8, so don't think I'm ignoring you, but thanx for explaining further. I basically agree with that assessment, but no, I've never had or used the MR8. I've never driven a Yugo, either, but that's not to say I can't realistically assess it's capabilities.

The fact that people may be getting decent results with the MR8 is fine, but as you said yourself, it's probably after purchasing a score of critical accessories, to make up for what the MR8 lacks. That's not indicative of a well designed recorder, is it?

Anyway, from what I've read of the MR8, it's a glorified front end for 'puter recording, and some people such as myself don't like or want to record on the 'puter. I'd rather have my eyes gouged out with forks. Call that being in denial about digital if you want, but I'd heartily disagree. It's just a preference, and we all have them.

When you say the Fostex forum was hacked, I hope you were not referring to my posts. I'd not appreciate that a bit. I'll say "Tascam" on this forum all I want, and you'll just have to live with it.

J-Unplugged,... hell, I've not begun to write! As for my collection of equipment, Portastudio, reel or otherwise,... (they're all better than the MR8 in their own right, if you want details I have'em),... but it is what it is. There's probably no explaining it or justifying it, but please don't hate me because I'm beautiful!;) :eek:
 
I get it!

ch2os7 is some sort of chemical formula, isn't it? Chlorine(2), oxygen and sulfur(7)? Dang, you're clever!:eek:
 
?hacked?

A Reel Person said:
When you say the Fostex forum was hacked, I hope you were not referring to my posts. I'd not appreciate that a bit. :
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No it really was hacked by Dr. Hack, whoever that is. It is down, at least as of this morning it was still down.

Gimme a break man, are you this ill toward everybody or do you just hate my screen name that bad?

Your analogy about the Hugo was a good one.
 
Nah, I'm just in denial about clever screen names,...

as I supposedly am about digital.

So,... you mean the www.fostex.com forums were hacked? I get it! Pardon me for being narrow minded, heh, but when you said Fostex Forum, I naturally thought you were talking about this place.

I'm this ill all the time. It's my natural disposition.;)
 
Hey guys! Here's an update,... news,... just in!!

Here we have the NEW Fostex MR8HD!!

It's very much like the "standard" MR8, the little red devil we all know and love, BUT it includes a 40Gb HD and records up to 4-simul!

Well, at this point, the NEW Fostex MR8HD addresses all the gripes that I had with the MR8-std. All for an agreeable $399! It is a HUGE improvement,... IMO/YMMV.

Comment: I think Fostex learns it's lessons a lot faster than Tascam. Now, THIS is an MR8 that I could see myself buying!! (MR8HD). It whips the livin' crap out of the Tascam DP-01/FX!!

Okay,... y'happy?;)

See: http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--FOSMR8HD
 

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junplugged said:
Dude, you're shopping for a 1010? What are your other options, curious to know why you are going for that. There's a lot of interfaces around and I have yet to submerge my reality into that whole area.

Why not usb? I heard something somewhere good about the Tascam 122? not even sure if I'm getting that right...

one thing I did was to make sure my new moboard has 5 pci slots and usb2.0 for options.
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I was looking at the 1010 because of the number of inputs, though I don't need that many currently, better to have and not need than need and not have.

I've heard too many horror stories about USB interfaces. My mobo only has 4 PCI slots... I think... but why would you need 5? :confused:

That new MR8HD is puuuuurrrrrty :D
I wonder if they've improved the pre's at all...
 
I didn't know until you told me about it, wow, looking at it, looks like the other one just above mr8 so far....
 
All i hear is that its very complicated...but i havent gotten a chance to fool with it yet...my friend is bringing it over and he wants me to figure it out for him. id be happy to pm or dig up this thread after wednesday and tell you what i think.
i has gotten very good reviews btw.
-sjj
 
Rokket said:
Huh? Most places won't have it until June. Where did you get it now? :confused:
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Seems odd that someone who might have access to a "pre-release" MR8HD, should find it confusing or need help operating it...

Nevertheless... I'd welcome any pre-release review... :cool:
 
cellardweller said:
Seems odd that someone who might have access to a "pre-release" MR8HD, should find it confusing or need help operating it...

Nevertheless... I'd welcome any pre-release review... :cool:
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Yeah, especially where the pre amps are concerned. I would like to know if they used the same one they put in the MR-8 (probably)...
 
I wouldn't hold out too much hope for that (pre improvement), but you never know....it is still in the same price range + $100, which would indicate to me that they just threw in the HD, some extra XLR inputs, and some silver spraypaint... :D

As you said, you have the board now...but...
 
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