Best Tape Based 4/6 track old or new

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orson198305

orson198305

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Hello everyone, i am looking for a tape based multitrack recorder preferably 6 or more tracks. I have used the digital ones but they really don't interest me, and are not the best for recording ideas quickly. Any opinions on old and new devices, the tascam 246 caught my eye, any one want to dislodge it? (my eye). Bear in mind, i have a DAW, rack gear and all that, i just want something to jot ideas down quickly.
 
I don't know if you'll find any 6 trackers out there but I used to use my buddy's Tascam 414MKII and it was a great little quick unit for getting ideas down.
 
You could get this or this for the same price as you could pick up a used 246 and even though they're both digital they're both very easy to use.

Otherwise, I second riffy's vote for the 414MkII --- you'll probably find one in much better shape than you would a 246...
 
Yeah, i had a roland zip disk multitracker which just pissed me off when working with it though. The amount of time needed to think about what your doing and start recording etc. It just bored me, and made me feel that penning a song was such an effort there wasn't much point. I just need something that will take down a basic arrangment before i forget it. Then i can record for real afterwards. I don't need effects or anything like that, i'll just use a cheap multifx box for that. an xlr in would be a bonus but not really needed.
 
orson198305 said:
Yeah, i had a roland zip disk multitracker which just pissed me off when working with it though.
Click to expand...
I had one of those too and I got rid of it for basically the same reason. The results weren't worth the effort.

Small multitracks have come a long way in a few years. For example, the Korg records to compact flash cards and has a USB port for interfacing with your computer for further editing or to store a tune so you can blank the card for the next one. You probably won't get big studio quality results, but from what you've said that's not what you're after anyway...
 
:D Yo tape-tracker:

I'd have to say the Tascam 8 tracker, MK II methinks by name, was a good box.

I had two of them; I still have one of them in my vault--I've moved on to digital.

But, I've remastered some tape tracks done on the Tascam 8 tracker and they came out pretty darn good via the digital box.

Only real problem I had with tape was waiting for it to rewind. With digital, ZIP, push the button and you're back to start.

Happy Summer
Green Hornet :D
 
Are there ANY 4 track tape recorders that will record 4 tracks at once? I'd rather buy a new one versus a used tape deck.
 
Answers,...

You may often find good used 246's in like-new condition and 100% functional, if you watch Ebay/Tascam often enough. The 246 is one of the most feature-rich and capable 4-track Portastudio, ever, recording 6-channels to 4-tracks in "Buss" mode. Average price on the Tascam 246 would be appx. $125/used.

There's the Tascm 644, which also records 4-tracks/simul from a 16 input mixer, with tape-sync and midi functions built in,... but you'll need the manual to learn to operate it. Average cost on the 644 is appx. $150~$200/used.

The brand new 4-track cassette recorders are becoming a dying breed, with the 424mkIII already having gone out of production and off retailers shelves.

The "best" brand new 4-track cassette that's now avialable is the 414mkII, which records up to 4-tracks simultaneously in Direct mode, (2-tracks/simul in Buss-mode). Brand new price on the 414mkII is $249, but average Ebay price is more like $80, (your choice).

However, the 424mkIII is trading briskly on Ebay,... most in like-new condition,... for about $150/used, average, which is a great deal. The 424mkIII is a significantly upgrade over the 414mkII. The 424mkIII records up to 4-tracks/simul in Direct-mode, and 2-tracks/simul in Buss-mode.

Then, there's the 424mkII, which is a slightly older version than the 424mkIII, but is a relative steal at appx. $100/used. It has virtually e'thing the 424mkIII has,... less the 2 extra "full" channel strips.

Vestax and Sansui both made a 6-track cassette format multitracker, but they're rare and hard to find.

If u r a bit more adventurous, or crave more hifi than a 2X speed cassette can offer, then maybe you should consider the 1/4"-reel Tascam 388 or perhaps the 34B.

The 388 is a true "Portastudio" format unit, that records up to 8-tracks simultaneously onto 7" reels of 1/4" tape.

The 34B is a larger reel/reel recorder that records either from a mixer's outputs on RCA jacks, or from it's own built-in mic preamps on 1/4" phone jacks, at either 7.5 or 15 ips and uses either 7" or 10.5" reels of 1/4" tape.
...

PS: Cannot forget to mention the Tascam 488mkII & the 688. The 688 is the high techiest Portastudio ever, which has a 20 input mixer and records 8-tracks simultaneously. The 688 has about a hundred buttons, tape-sync and midi functions, and the manual's a must!!!

The 488mkII is slightly less intense than the 688, but is still a good unit which records up to 4-tracks/simul in Buss mode.

For cassette 8-tracks (8-in/8-out/8-simul) that's rack mountable and requires an external mixer, check the Tascam 238.

...

So check'em out, eh?

/DA
 
A Reel Person said:
For cassette 8-tracks (8-in/8-out/8-simul) that's rack mountable and requires an external mixer, check the Tascam 238./DA
Click to expand...

Man I had one of those bought it brand new, what a freaky little unit. Wasn't bad for 3 space rack mounted cassete 8 TRACKER. Suprised they could do that on skinny cassette tape. Plugged it into a Tascam board that was noisier than a rain forest.
 
well then, let the hunt commence, i don't know who's they prey to be quite honest when working with ebay. Probably me.

anyway thanks for all your help
 
On a purely historical note, I believe there were cassette six track machines, which were made by Vestax. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one, though, except possibly as a curious collectors' item.

As for the "best" tape-based 4-track or 8-track, some people are partial to one-inch Studers or ATRs. If you want to get esoteric, get a Studer A827, or other 2" machine, and retrofit it with an 8-track headstack from JRF Magnetics.

http://www.jrfmagnetics.com/index.html?JRF_mainframe=/JRF_ultimateanalog.html
 
...

A Reel Person said:
... Vestax and Sansui both made a 6-track cassette format multitracker, but they're rare and hard to find....
/DA
Click to expand...
.......................... ;)
 
sjjohnston said:
... one-inch Studers or ATRs.... Studer A827, ...2" machine...
Click to expand...
1" 4-tracks, 1" 8-tracks & 2" Studers with retrofit heads are also "esoteric" formats, these days. :eek:
 
orson198305 said:
Best Tape Based 4/6 track old or new
Click to expand...

The best, IMO is the Tascam 246. I still have the one I bought new in the mid-80’s. The only thing I’ve ever had to do for it is change the rubber pinch roller and capstan drivebelt. Rubber goes bad over time, whether in use or not. You might find a few that were as well taken care of as mine (cleaned, degaussed, kept inside, covered with dust cover when not in use). No this isn’t a commercial :p I’m passing my 246 down to my descendants, so it will never see eBay.

If you happen to find a nice 246 you will soon be using it for more than a notepad – it sounds super. I had the 144 and 244 before it. The 246 was the last of what I call the “Real portastudios.” After that there was a little too much crammed into one device and we started the “tiny little knobs” era. The 644 that followed the 246 sounded good, with lots of features, but I didn’t like it well enough to upgrade.

In later years Tascam couldn’t offer the best quality, and still keep the price inline with the status quo, so the big portas faded into history. Everyone and their grandmothers offered cheap plastic toy 4-track cassettes, which became the model of what we have today. There are exceptions, but IMO the glory days of quality and innovation gave way to cost cutting and survival in the late 80’s – early 90’s.

Another great 4-track portastudio was the AKAI MG614 from 1986. It is similar to the 246 and the specs are just a bit better on paper.

The 246 weighs about 23 lbs – lots of serious electronics built on a heavy frame.

Good hunting

~Tim
:)
 
Audio Technica also made a very similar unit called the RMX64.
 
Mark7 said:
Audio Technica also made a very similar unit called the RMX64.
Click to expand...

Excellent yeah! My dad had one that I used on occasion. Now that sucker was a giant anvil.
 
Happy ending, i've won a 414 mkII on ebay for £41, can't wait to start being creative again. I truly believe (when writing) the more stuff you have rack gear etc, the less creative you become, cause you don't have to create a sound, (that box over there does it anyway so why should i try and create it). I'm going to plug a sm57 beta mic in the 414, hit my forehead with it for a bass drum, snare i'll throw the mic in the air and clap-catch it.

This is starting to sound dreadful, i better stop.

Anyway thanks for everyones help.
 
The 414mkII is hard to beat at that low price!

You know it!................;)
 
I am on the look out for an old 426 though, i'd quite like to restore one, i'm sentimental. And am really starting to hate digital (not the joy division song, it's great, and recorded in a non-digital format.
 
Tascam 688

Yes, I still own a Tascam 688. What a fantastic machine this was ... nay, still is. It was the ultimate in PortaStudio technology .. built like a tank .. big, heavy, slick design .. all black .. lots of knobs, dials, flashing lights. Pure analogue .. you could even sync it easily with external sequencers an it also had tons of extra inputs too. It's funny. I bought a pair of Sony PCM800 (Tascam DA88 clones) to replace the Tascam 688 and got used to the sound of those but when I switched to ProTools and began the weary job of xfering all my old tapes I was amazed to notice the huge difference between the Sony PCM800 and the Tascam 688. The Tascam sounded so much better! I nearly fell onto my knees and weeped!! Are we all sure we're heading in the right direction with all this stuff!! So, bottom line? I'm going to get my 688 serviced and up and running again .. to be used in tandem with ProTools :p
 
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