Analog Gear on the UP ???

[cjacek]

Is it me or have the prices for certain analog/vintage gear, such as those from TASCAM, gone up since not too long ago ? Seems like there are more bids and prices are going through the roof (on eBay) !

From a very happy analog fella,

Daniel

 

[regebro]

In that case I bought at exactly the right time.

But I'm not so sure. Check this out for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373383445&category=23785

A 24ch M3700 with fader automation. OK, so it' gonna go for what, a $1000? That is not up...

And nobody put one single bid on this one: Whatsup with that? It's a 32ch 2600, forchrissakes!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2371503874&category=23785

And this 2524 went for $600, which is about the same as the 450 euros I payed.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373470935&category=23785

Sure, it might been a temporary slump this fall, but I don't think so. People are still shifting out their analog mixers for computers, so supply is high and demand is low. It will likely stay that way until the things start falling a part in 5 years.

 

[cjacek]

In that case I bought at exactly the right time.

But I'm not so sure. Check this out for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373383445&category=23785

A 24ch M3700 with fader automation. OK, so it' gonna go for what, a $1000? That is not up...

And nobody put one single bid on this one: Whatsup with that? It's a 32ch 2600, forchrissakes!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2371503874&category=23785

And this 2524 went for $600, which is about the same as the 450 euros I payed.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373470935&category=23785

Sure, it might been a temporary slump this fall, but I don't think so. People are still shifting out their analog mixers for computers, so supply is high and demand is low. It will likely stay that way until the things start falling a part in 5 years.

Yeah and how about this one ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2371204869&category=41480

Sure, it's one of those "eBay moments" but still ... Perhaps the pictures did it ? I'm not sure but it wasn't even 6mnths ago that I saw a 234, in as good condition or better, go for about half that. Surely it wasn't as a result of our "word-of-mouth" sales promotions here, could it ?

Daniel

 

[regebro]

Those are a bit unusual, and 4-track tapes aren't very transferrable to different 4-tracks, and therefore, if you want whatever you recorded on a Tascam to sound good, you better use a Tascam. And that, together with it's 8-trcak bigger brother, are as far as I know the only casette multitrack everm that can be synced.

Therefore, my guess is that two people needed it bad at the same time. It is therefore not an indication of a general trend upwards.

 

[reel buzzer]

No general trend upwards. Analog is an arcane discipline. The demand is low because of the cheap junk that the industry is pushing. The manufacturers are making higher profits on the digital stuff so they are doing whatever they can to promote it. Analog is rarely mentioned in the media. Interest in analog is low when you talk about the number of people, but the people who are true believers in analog are really "don't mess with Texas - don't mess with analog" types. If we did a poll I bet it would go something like this:

80% - I've recorded on analog before, but now more interested in the newest digital stuff.
15% - What's analog? All I see in print media and music catalogs are digital recorders.
5% - Don't mess with my analog and you can take your digital crap and shove it up your ***.

Not enough to increase demand.

 

[Cratinus]

Not enough to increase demand.

it is my hope that i will be able to buy a STUDER 2" 24-track for less than $500 by years end.

where's my medication.

 

[Son of Mixerman]

In that case I bought at exactly the right time.

But I'm not so sure. Check this out for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373383445&category=23785

A 24ch M3700 with fader automation. OK, so it' gonna go for what, a $1000? That is not up...

And nobody put one single bid on this one: Whatsup with that? It's a 32ch 2600, forchrissakes!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2371503874&category=23785

And this 2524 went for $600, which is about the same as the 450 euros I payed.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2373470935&category=23785

Sure, it might been a temporary slump this fall, but I don't think so. People are still shifting out their analog mixers for computers, so supply is high and demand is low. It will likely stay that way until the things start falling a part in 5 years.

IM saving like a bandit My ATR-60-16 needs a mate. Ive been keeping a close watch out on non-mackie mixers and I keep hoping the prices don't swing upward. I get kinda frustrated when the auction says pick-up only and its cheap, cheap , cheap. Typical cost is $600 or so for a 32 channels mixer from the later 80's to mid 90's. With the exception of Tridents, Neve and SSL's

I really want a Ghost though.

SoMm

 

[regebro]

And with the exception of Mackies too. A 32-8 would be at least $1500. Are they really that much better or are they overvalued?

 

[Son of Mixerman]

Are the Ghosts overvalued?

I think they can be. I see the prices cycle from being around $2000 all the way up to $7000. I don't think they are worth $5000 more than a Mackie, for $5000 you can buy an 4 band parametric eq and a better than Ghost pre's to get around having 32 channels of Mackie input. So I think you have to balance the mixers with your outboard gear to make sure you have options. Ive mixed on Mackies and didn't like them, but I probably will end up getting one if I can't get the Ghost and then slowly gather more eq's and pre's. I was spoiled when I was in the business in my 20's by having played with API's and other stuff.

I do have to have a meter bridge though regardless.

I do think Mackies are overpriced.

SoMm

 

[regebro]

I suspected that. Some people seem to like the mackie EQ, and some not, and the EQ on my Tascam M-2524 sounds rather kickass to me.

I guess the possibility to switch to +4db is a bonus on the Mackies, but since they kinda list for around the same or lower as Tascams that now go for half the price of a Mackie, it seemed kinda strange...