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new Mackie Onyx mixers are pretty damn tight. I think they would compare quite favorably to a 20+ year old Tascam/TEAC/Panasonic/Ramsa whatever mixer. Onyx series is a notch or two above the old VLZs. I'm not 100% sure, but they are prolly made in China...

is it more like a high pitched "hiss" than a low pitched hum? if its a hiss, then yes, tape hiss is normal and to be expected. try using the dbx noise reduction if that is a problem, or try hitting the tape harder to increase the signal to noise ratio. did you get a manual with the recorder...

yeah I believe pin 3 is hot. you shouldn't necessarily hear a difference at all, the polarity is simply reversed. I had to solder new XLRs on my snake for my 5050-8, but my snake didn't work at all the way it was wired stock (pin 2 hot I think?). You probably could have left it the way it was...

Mackie Onyx 1620 (doubles as a mixer for my MX5050-8) and Reaper for me

seems to me like you already had this figured out. 5 tracks seems like plenty to get a drum kit. bleed from the close mics on the toms when you are not playing them really bothers me, so I wouldn't want that in my overs, unless you can gate them out... thats just my preference anyway. If it...

If you are bouncing a stereo mix (drums and bass on tracks 1-6) to two tracks (track 7 &8) why not simply use the main outs and plug them into tracks 7 & 8? "would i have to pull out chords?" yes, anytime you are using an external mixer you need some cabling.

yeah, you know if it were me, I think I would rather have a properly aligned/calibrated/de-magged deck than NR. just IMHO.

totally didn't notice the OP was in the UK...

I'll second the reccommendation of the Han D Mag. RE: dbx NR... I'm not much of a fan, but i play and record more loud rock stuff and print hot. with quieter acoustic stuff or stuff with lots of dynamics, I can see more of a need for it. Personally, I didn't like what dbx seemed to do to the...

never tried the oktava on vocals, I probably should... why are LDCs better suited and/or more commonly used for vox than SDCs anyway? I use the SP C3 with either a Mackie Onyx 1620 or a GT Brick. Sometimes to hard disk, sometimes to a Otari MX5050-8 1/2" 8 track. I should clarify... I usually...

I got a Studio Projects C3. Its OK, I guess. It has served me well as my first condensor, but I think I am starting to realize its limitations. It starts to sound pretty hissy with some compression and EQ. I think its the harsh quality that plagues alot of the low end Chinese condensors... hissy...

which model Tascam mixer is that? Are the 4 channels on the right for the monitor mixes?

yeah, as far as the indie/punk stuff, and especially going back to the 80s, EVERYTHING was probably done on 1/2" R2R or less. I dunno for sure, but I seriously doubt the Misfits were recorded on wide format tape machines, although its debatable if that stuff sounded "good"... Dead Kennedys...

I thought I read something about part of Madonna's first album being tracked on a tascam 388 as well...

supposedly Jack Endino did Bleach on a 5050-8. I think he probably did alot of early sub-pop/grungey stuff on these decks, like the previously mentioned mudhoney, early Melvins... If you are into underground/indie/punk and stuff, there is alot of stuff done on lo-fi recording gear. The Black...

punch ins? you wanna talk about punch ins? man, I got used to doing them in a DAW. Compared to that, I think any deck is gonna be hard. Even on my Otari deck I have trouble. I can punch in but can't punch out! I pretty much don't even bother with punch ins when I record to tape.

Look for an Otari MX5050-8

yeah, no need for outboard preamps unless you want to spend significantly more $$. You won't notice an improvement in sound unless you invest alot. I would spend that money on some outboard gear, namely a decent compressor.

I wouldn't pay that much for it.

they are not gonna hold you back.