Multitrack recorders

W

WildCraig

New member
Hey guys, i'm looking to buy a decent multitrack recorder to start some home recordings and possibly progress onto recording band practices etc i've been looking around at a few multitracks mainly the Zoom MRS1608, Tascam DP-01fx/cd and the Korg D1200.

To me the Zoom looks like it has everything i need at the moment, but i don't know if Zoom are dependable as i know Tascam and Korg are bigger makes.

The good points about the zoom is 8 mic inputs, drum/bass machine which allows me to get a decent live recording done and also if im recording on my own i can add drums to my song as i'm not a drummer.

The other two i've been looking at have only 2 mic inputs which kinda rules out a live recording unless i did one instrument at a time, even then i wouldn't get a great drum sound with only 2 mics.

Any advice on other multitracks to look at would be highly appreciated. my price range would be around a max of £600.


cheers

Craig
 
As someone who has owned a few ZOOM MRS recorders (sold em cause I was poor), Zoom is making a very nice and very user friendly machine that is easy on you wallet.

I would only recomend there hard drive machines as that the MRS-8 that uses SD cards or the MRS-4 that uses Smart media, have digital data compression that can make everything mucky.

The Hard drive machines are a true uncompressed recording format that is actualy very very clean.
The Effects are actualy very good in those machines but I find that I record with out them and the tweek a patch later to my liking rather than use factory settings as that they are mostly for WOW! Factor.
That aside they are clean.

I plan to buy a MRS-1608CD soon. I have had very few problems with Zoom.
there new G2 guitar FX are nice and killer.

So My vote is for the 1608 they are very nice and like I said user friendly unlike the AW16G that takes forever to get to the point of hitting record(Owned one, sold it fast)........
A Zoom you go from pluging in to hitting record in a mater of seconds rather than minutes.

And the Tascams, My friend bought one of the DP series and it croaked two days after he bought it. He returned it and bought a MRS-802bCD and its never failed.
I have only heard of a couple Zooms going bad but that was way back when, when they first started making them(mrs-1044 or something).
Korgs are very good! They are a bit deeper than the Zooms but still manage to be user friendly.

BTW Zoom and Samson(us distributer) are very good about helping with issues and warentys.

Just My opinion.

-Blaze
 
Also look at the Fostex VF160's. You can track up to 16 channels at a time.
The thing is built like a tank.
 
blazingstrings said:
Those are sweet too!
Just stay away from Fostex lower lines I have heard bad things. :eek:

-Blaze
Click to expand...
Not all of them are bad. I have the MR-8, and if you are just getting into recording, it's about as user friendly as you can get. Fostex built it to look and act like an analog 4-track machine. There are some limitations and a few things that you have to upgrade (it's free from the Fostex site) to fix; but overall, it's pretty nice. Plus it's come down in price since they came out with the MR-8HD...
 
Oh no I'm not saying they are all bad dont get me wrong.
I have just been hearing lately about the MR-8HD having some lockup issues......... I'm sure they will fix it..... But what do I know only tow things I have ever had from Fostex was a Model 812 mixer and a old skool four track cassette machine. :D HAHA!

-Blaze
 
woah cheers guys, blaze thanks for your first post, very easy to understand.

Yeah i've also been told about the Fostex VF160 but it looks a little dated and i dont think it comes with anything apart from recording and eq capabilities, i might be wrong though cause i've not had a good look at it. Which means i'd need to look into buying a rack which i'm not prepared to do at the moment, being a student etc......money *cough* lol


I think i'll be buying the zoom sometime soon then, thanks for the help guys i think i'll be sticking around, tis a cool forum.
 
The forset VF160 has FX, EQ, and compressoion.
Dont let the looks fool you. It is a all in one box and it also has 2 aux sends (afl or pfl) that can go to outboard gear or use then for montior sends.

The only thing that I hate on the VF160 is the low end EQ has no sweep.
 
No prob WildCraig. :)

I think what hes saying about having to have al the external stuff is that the Zoom has pretty much everything you would need.

Thats the one thing I like about them the most is you get:
Full set of Insert, Two send/return and a mastering processor.
Fully programable and very usefull drum and bass machine.
A sampler, yeah I said sampler.
BLAH BLAH BLAH.

And its all usable too.

Laters

-Blaze
 
agreed on the 1608, I find it very user friendly, and we made some pretty decent recordings the first time around, and they just keep getting better. Before this though i was all tape so I won't even comment on other machines.
 
I would skip that forum if I were you.
Full of less than competent people.
If you get into the Zoom you will be able to figure it all out far easier than asking there.
If not search the guys here out because we can be more helpfull here than them there. (WHoa tongue twister)

Ask here were way more nice.

-Blaze
 
blazingstrings said:
I would skip that forum if I were you.
Full of less than competent people.
If you get into the Zoom you will be able to figure it all out far easier than asking there.
-Blaze
Click to expand...

What a complete load of uneducated BS that statement is. That forum is full of people asking questions and getting answered without any of the crap you just demonstrated
 
HomeMadeHitShow, If your gonna give me negitive rep for saying what I think of another forum at least have the balls to say its you! :mad:

Thats the reason that forum is just a bunch of lame little snakes, because of wimps like you!!!! :mad:

You will notice I wont deal you a BS neg rep point, why? Because if I did I would have a good reason to do so. Just proves my point! :mad:

Sad and pathetic!

-Blaze
 
lol you guys are too funny, arguing over a forum.

Anyways i ordered the Zoom a couple of days ago, the shop didn't have any in stock so they had to order it from zoom so it will be around 1-2 weeks for delivery.

I got it for £230 with delivery included which is a £20 reduction since i found it cheaper at another site and got digital village to lower the price.
 
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