DP01, DP01FX, or Fostex MR8mkII?

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mellotron

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How useful are the on-board effects if you're just doing acoustical music? I'm really undecided about these three. I'm trying not to spend too much money because I'm probably only going to use it to create demos or use it as a sketchpad. I'm looking to get decent quality, but feel like I'm going to spend most of my time trying to figure out how to record using software and the mixer/soundcard approach instead of just recording music and getting my ideas flowing.
 
mellotron said:
How useful are the on-board effects if you're just doing acoustical music? I'm really undecided about these three. I'm trying not to spend too much money because I'm probably only going to use it to create demos or use it as a sketchpad. I'm looking to get decent quality, but feel like I'm going to spend most of my time trying to figure out how to record using software and the mixer/soundcard approach instead of just recording music and getting my ideas flowing.
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i don't know anything about the mr8, but the dp 01 fx is quite good for the price and simple to use. it's advantage over the dp 01 is not only the effects, but the preamps on the fx can power condenser mics whereas the dp 01 can't. and the effects are useful if you're just using a little reverb or compression or vocal effect, but the guitar effects aren't that good.
 
Hm, would getting a separate preamp like an M-Audio DMP3 be a good idea? Would the difference in quality between the preamps on the DP-01FX and a DP-01 run through a DMP3 warrant spending the extra $160 or so on a separate preamp that provide better gain?

The main concern I think I have is that the gain won't be loud enough with the built-in preamp on the FX.

Do you happen to have any sound samples you recorded with the FX?
 
some people have said the preamps on the fx aren't quite good enough so they've bought external preamps. i've always found them to be adequate for my needs though. here's a link to my page. listen to the vocals on daigle street blues and the vocals on Dance 2. that's where i've used the condensers preamps. all the guitars were recorded direct so they dont' really count.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=617080
 
They're okay. Especially in a remote session

I own the DP-01 FX and I really like it. I also own a whole bunch of peripherals from my analogue days and I do use them in the studio. Pre amps are okay but not great. They are similar to Mackie pre's which are just okay( a little noisy on the high end). I often use my Yamaha MG 16/4 as my main in and use those pre amps which are much quieter and I just go into two channels from my main outs with XLR cables and I bypass the Tascam pre-amps.
The onboard effects are good but highly colored so keep them turned WAY DOWN or you'll have bizarre effects.
As a remote recorder this little DAW is wonderful and easy.
 
Oh okay, thanks, Nicole, for the sound samples to give me an idea of what I can expect.

Thanks Rimshot, for that info on what you use and the advice on the effects.

I'm just not sure whether to buy a 4 track cassette recorder or an 8 track digital. Would I get too much hiss on a Portastudio or something for it to be passable? My way of thinking is that I could spend around $100 on a Tascam Portastudio and cheap mic package, then just spend the leftover $200 I'd spend on a computer-based recording studio. I like the idea with a cassette recorder that I don't have to wait for my computer to boot up or get lost in menus and have the idea leave my mind forever.

The Fostex 40 GB MR8HD looks really good too, and it's $80 cheaper. Would I need that extra 40 GB for anything if I'm not looking to record a band?
 
mellotron said:
Oh okay, thanks, Nicole, for the sound samples to give me an idea of what I can expect.

Thanks Rimshot, for that info on what you use and the advice on the effects.

I'm just not sure whether to buy a 4 track cassette recorder or an 8 track digital. Would I get too much hiss on a Portastudio or something for it to be passable? My way of thinking is that I could spend around $100 on a Tascam Portastudio and cheap mic package, then just spend the leftover $200 I'd spend on a computer-based recording studio. I like the idea with a cassette recorder that I don't have to wait for my computer to boot up or get lost in menus and have the idea leave my mind forever.

The Fostex 40 GB MR8HD looks really good too, and it's $80 cheaper. Would I need that extra 40 GB for anything if I'm not looking to record a band?
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if you want to do all your mixing on computer, it's not as important to have so many tracks available like on an 8 track digital vs the 4 track cassette because you're going to export them to the computer anyway. however it is much easier to put things back into the dp 01 than the cassette. and i personally often put things back on the machine. i'll take an old song, load it into the dp 01 fx and add a new track. then i export to the computer and can either mix it there or send it to my 2488, and i don't have any idea how someone would manage that with a 4 track cassette. the dp 01 also has 40 Gb. you can easily make do with 40 Gb with either machine since you're mixing on computer.

the menus on the dp o1 are fairly straightforward and simple. i doubt it would be long before you knew the path to any desired function.

i am sure the fostex is a fine machine, but you might want to see if anyone in the fostex forum knows it :) cause i've never used it.
 
A 4 track cassette recorder.............. NO!

I own and have used the Tascam 4 track cassette recorders and I confess that I love the critter, BTW I've owned the little 1 track at a time as well as the top of the line one and although I have really good comfortable feelings about it, even I must confess that it is a far inferior product to the Tascam DP 01 FX. (I can't believe that I'm saying this because I really love and learned a lot on those formats). No matter how good your room and recording is, you are going to have to deal with a certain amount of noise that will have to be dealt with in "Sound Soap". (and often it won't get rid of all of it without sacrificing sound quality).
You need to convert everything to a digital format to mix on your computer editing programs anyway, so why not start that way?
Once you've worked with 1/4" tape and then go to a digital format, like even the simple but effective DP 01, you will be astonished at the clarity and the ceiling that you have to the sound. I am a convert. Yes the old high speed 1" tape is wonderful and has a great character and color, but 1/4" cassette tape can't match that and the old high speed pro tape recorders are prohibitively expensive to own and maintain for a small Home Recording operation.
Do yourself a favor and get something like the DP o1 FX. It's not prohibitively expensive and it's very user-friendly (unlike the big Rolands or the Yamaha AW 16 G which I owned. Although they are good units, understanding them and using them effectively almost requires a college level course and the manuals are a bitch).
Make music without all the heartache and learn on this unit. As you learn more, then you can upgrade it you wish, but you'll never be dissappointed with the quality from the DP 01 series.
 
Nicole_Rose said:
if you want to do all your mixing on computer, it's not as important to have so many tracks available like on an 8 track digital vs the 4 track cassette because you're going to export them to the computer anyway. however it is much easier to put things back into the dp 01 than the cassette.

i am sure the fostex is a fine machine, but you might want to see if anyone in the fostex forum knows it :) cause i've never used it.
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Well, two more days and I'll be able to give you a review of the Fostex MR16 :)
Not only is it way easier to record digitally but you don't have the generational loss. Even if it's just the extra step of cassette into the computer you're going to be at a significant loss vs going direct to digital.
 
Alden_Sloe said:
Well, two more days and I'll be able to give you a review of the Fostex MR16 :)
Not only is it way easier to record digitally but you don't have the generational loss. Even if it's just the extra step of cassette into the computer you're going to be at a significant loss vs going direct to digital.
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I would love to see a review. I am considering that machine and the Tascam 2488 among others.
 
tascam dp01

I received a notice from Geetar Center that the DP-01 is on sale for $199.00.

I dont see how you can possibly go wrong with a deal like that! A friend of mine has the DP-01cd version and he really praises it and makes quite nice recordings with basically zero outboard gizmos.

I might score that unit myself, but Im kind of eyeing the Korg D-888, because its the only DAW out there I have seen with 8 outs included.They go for 699.00 but my Cleveland Geetar Center contact said I could score it for 599.00.

Tascam has a few new units recently released as well you might want to check out.
 
As a Fostex owner/user for the past five years [I have a VF-80--now discontinued], I have to say that when it comes time to replace my current studio-in-a-box, I will probably look long and hard at the DP-02 and its Zoom counterpart. Fostex units are not true 8-track units, unless one is mixing to an outboard unit. If one is mixing internally, tracks 7/8 are reserved for mixdown. Even if mixing to an external burner, tracks 7/8 on the Fostex units are not separate tracks--they are ganged to record/play in tandem.

Pricewise and features-wise, I think the Zoom and the Tascam DP-02 are superior units.
 
I may sound like a broken record on this, but...

I've always disdained the equipment mentioned in this thread, because the design always begs the issue of having or needing a front-end mixer on the input-side of the recording chain.

That's a big issue for me, (if not for others), and is a huge stumbling block, if not a complete show stopper for me, (YMMV). Most people don't seem to mind the issue of limited A-in/B-in architecture (DP-01) or simple "channel-to-track-assignment" architecture (788/2488/others), but my main recording methods involve channel-buss-track-assignment and plenty of front-end mixing.

Front-end mixing/input-track-architecture is a key issue to me when assessing Portatstudios and porta-clone recorders, as well as the redundant point that I think a Portastudio is defined as and should be a self contained unit. Begging the issue or needing a front end mixer on most of these units spoils that definition of self-contained unity that a Portastudio once represented.

With that being said, $199 is a fair deal for the DP-01. Within it's limitations, it looks like an alright recorder.:eek:;)
 
A Reel Person said:
I've always disdained the equipment mentioned in this thread, because the design always begs the issue of having or needing a front-end mixer on the input-side of the recording chain.

That's a big issue for me, (if not for others), and is a huge stumbling block, if not a complete show stopper for me, (YMMV). Most people don't seem to mind the issue of limited A-in/B-in architecture (DP-01) or simple "channel-to-track-assignment" architecture (788/2488/others), but my main recording methods involve channel-buss-track-assignment and plenty of front-end mixing.

Front-end mixing/input-track-architecture is a key issue to me when assessing Portatstudios and porta-clone recorders, as well as the redundant point that I think a Portastudio is defined as and should be a self contained unit. Begging the issue or needing a front end mixer on most of these units spoils that definition of self-contained unity that a Portastudio once represented.
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If the number of available tracks on the all-in-one machine is very limited -- say 4 or 8, I can understand why one might prefer mixing everything on the front end. But for higher track counts like 16 or 24, I don't see the sense in it. From my point of view, one big benefit having a lot of tracks is the flexibility to fine tune individual instrument levels after the fact.

tom
 
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I appreciated your reply and understand your reasoning, but I've never bought off on that way of doing things.

I don't mix on the 'puter. A 4-track is still a 4-track. An 8-track is still an 8-track.

I still don't buy it that my "old fashioned" ways are determinately "obsolete".

What you say is logical and fine for most people, that's why the gear designs stay the way they are (in this respect) and people scoop them up like hot fries.

Which is not to say they're not usable or functional at their own level, or that I don't have a few of this type of unit lying around, despite it all.:eek:;)

IMO I'm just looking for more in a recorder/mixer combo design, and these designs are lacking in that respect.

I never claimed or expected that anyone should agree with me.

As always, YMMV.:eek::eek:;)
 
Well, I purchawsed the MR16hdcd after Christmas. Just got it in. My plans are to find some way to use it and the 488 in my life. I wish I could sync the 2 together, but I do not figure that is happening. The fostex has midi out and could be used with a sequencer, but I don't think I can figure a way to pull the 7 cassette tracks into the mix this way, because they have to follow the tape not the tape follow them and the fostex will not allow that. Or am I wrong.

On the other hand, I thnk the fostex may give me a fairly cheap, compact version of the old portastudio feeling.
 
Short answer...had DP-01fx and Fostex MRHD-eieio, and the fostex is not worth thinking about. for lots of reasons...don't get me started....
 
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