I have been using a poastudio 414 mkii for about 6 years and have really found some amazing ways to make it sound flawless over the years, but it just recently died and i want to just move to a reel for recording my music. i have been looking at the 388 and the 38 for a while now. i really like the 388 for its convince but i have heard the heads are nearly impossible to find in great shape to replace. if i do find a good 388 i wouldn't want the heads to go bad within a year or 2, generally speaking how long are they good for? im recording music 7 days a week about 10-12 hours a day. i have heard both the 388 and the 38 and to me the 38 sounds a bit better, alot more open, less compressed, bigger sound, is it possible to run a M308b into the 38 as a mixer? and do i need to buy DBX for the 38? if someone can help me decide i would really appreciate it. pros and cons. the 388 seems like a pretty fun machine as well as 1/4 inch tape being cheaper than 1/2 but i would like the better quality of the 38. i wouldnt buy one unless its in absolute best condition i can find even if its very expensive. so would you say 388, or a 38 running into a m308?
Tascam 388 or 38+M308
- Thread starter llilka
- Start date
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
If you are literally running your tape machine 12 hours a day 7 days a week, then a 388 R/P head might indeed only last a few years. R/P heads for the 38 are *much* easier to come by, and are cheaper than the 388.
38 would indeed sound different than the 388...twice the track width a twice the tape speed...that’s 4x the tape real estate.
Using noise reduction will be a personal preference. I would argue the vast majority of folks operating a 1/2” 8-track utilize noise reduction.
And yes of course an M-308B, along with many other mixers, would mate well with a 38.
One other advantage to the 38: its a 3-Head machine...makes real-time playback monitoring during tracking possible, and greatly simplifies the process for setting the bias.
38 would indeed sound different than the 388...twice the track width a twice the tape speed...that’s 4x the tape real estate.
Using noise reduction will be a personal preference. I would argue the vast majority of folks operating a 1/2” 8-track utilize noise reduction.
And yes of course an M-308B, along with many other mixers, would mate well with a 38.
One other advantage to the 38: its a 3-Head machine...makes real-time playback monitoring during tracking possible, and greatly simplifies the process for setting the bias.
Track width will be doubled,(appox.),on the 38 vs.388 which gives you a lower noise floor,and better freq.response. The 388 tops out at 15-16 KHZ,while the 38 will go well beyond 20 KHZ. Both machines give you 30 min.record time,but good 1/2" tape-personally prefer ATR- is not cheap.The 38 and M-308 were advertised/sold together by Tascam as a complete system.
If you get the 38/M-308,you will need patchbays to get the most out of the combination.
If you get the 38/M-308,you will need patchbays to get the most out of the combination.