I think the Ghost is awesome. In terms of it's class and cost, I'd make the argument that it's the ultimate home studio console. I saw one in mint condition on Craig's List about three years ago for a bargain and couldn't pass it up. It has MIDI mute automation, which the Tascam 2516 and 2524 also have. It has a lot of real parametric EQ with a Q setting, low and high pass filters, individual phantom power for each channel, 8 busses, tape return trims, and a load of other features I'm sure I'm neglecting as I recall them off the top of my head; certainly a lot of conveniences that I've begun to take for granted!
For a short time before I had a 2516 I had a Mackie 32x8. I had some logic board problems with it so I returned in within a month then found the 2516. I think the 2516 actually has better sounding pre-amps and also had the MIDI mute automation, which I never implemented through MIDI while I was using it, but I did use the scene recall settings, which lets the user, with the touch of 2 buttons, recall different mute settings across the whole board, which can be a real lifesaver. The Ghost also has this but it's a little easier to implement and recall than the 2516.
You are correct about the track width specifications of those two machines. But, the MS-16 is a generation older than the MSR-16.
I think the MSR-16 is a great machine. I used to own a TSR-8, but soon sold it because I couldn't hear a difference between the two machines. I know this isn't the experience of everyone with a TSR, but I found I had to use the DBX otherwise there was too much hiss. With the MSR-16, it's also pretty mandatory to use the DBX. This is not a bad thing, as the DBX does and awesome job of noise reduction, but if you're trying to get any real tape saturation you're not going to be able to due to the narrow track width, and it will throw off the DBX and give you a really dull sound without the punch you're expecting.
I picked up my MS-16 for a really good price on Craig's List over a year ago and it came with a spare parts machine. Allegedly a previous owner was New Alliance Studios, and that one of the machines was used to record Godsmack's first album. Using DBX is not mandatory when recording on this machine, but I picked up 8 channels of it any for any potential quiet passages where hiss could easily show its ugly face. In all honesty, I can't hear any real difference between the MS and MSR if using DBX. But, I can turn off the DBX, hit the tape extremely hard, and get some impressive results for snare sounds. My cousin and I have been working on an industrial dance album a la NIN's Pretty Hate Machine, hence the need for the tape compression on the drum machine tracks.
As for why I'm selling the MSR, although I love it, bands that come in looking for the "analog recording sound" are prejudiced against the machine because it's 1/2" 16 track and they've read on the internet that only 2" 16 track is acceptable. Moods change a little when I tell them that the first Godsmack album was recorded on my MS-16, and suddenly they're a little more open-minded. Since they're are only a finite number of bands that are interested in recording analog, I've recently purchased a RADAR
V machine, hence the need to start selling a lot of my equipment.
-MD
