Best Tascam reel to reel 4-track?

[MartyMcFly]

If I am looking for a 4 track reel to reel.
I want Tascam.
I want something that is newer.
I want the widest tape path I can get.
I DONT want to spend 1000's of dollars...
Suggestions?

 

[cjacek]

If you want the "newest" TASCAM 4 track then it's the TASCAM 34B. It was still made till a few years back. Honestly, $3000 USD for a factory brand new unit is not expensive at all, relatively speaking. I can honestly say that if TASCAM made that one single unit available on their site, as a special order, it would sell like hotcakes. Anyway, to get back on track, a used 34B goes for about 500 bones on eBay + -.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I still have a warm spot in my belly for the original TEAC 3340. Though that's definitely not new, and I'd wonder if there are that many actually still kicking...

But that's the machine I first cut my multitrack teeth on way back when I first got into this racket, and the thing was absolutely the magical-seeming at the time.



G.

 

[cjacek]

I still have a warm spot in my belly for the original TEAC 3340. Though that's definitely not new, and I'd wonder if there are that many actually still kicking...

I betcha many of those TEACs are still alive and kickin'. I've seen and heard many and it's amazing that those 30 year old things are still well and good. I personally love my 3440, basically a redesigned 3340 and absolutely love the built quality, not to mention the sound and look! Thumbs up!

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I personally love my 3440, basically a redesigned 3340

Yeah, I remember when the 3440 came out, I had torn feelings. On the one hand I liked the new in-line meter layout instead of the old box meter layout (a look that the 34B still reminds me of to this day), but on the other hand I was leery and thinking, "OK, now what did they do to screw up a good thing." Not much, really, it turned out; the 3440 was still a great machine with even better layout then the 3340. But you know how it is when you got a design that works, you're afraid of change. And the 3340 was a classic in it own time that one didn't want to see get screwed up.

G.

 

[cjacek]

And the 3340 was a classic in it own time that one didn't want to see get screwed up.

I totally understand. The 3340 is indeed a classic and a beauty, not to mention a very reliable machine. That they still work and sound very fine is testament to that.