I need an 8-track (or better) cassette multitracker. Any ideas?

[alloutdrummer]

Hey--
I need a cassette mulitracker that is capable of recording 8-tracks (or more) simultaneously. I have no particular budget range. Any ideas?
--Ned

 

[jbgoode]

8-trak cassette

Umm, since you don't have a certain budget, why is it that you want a cassette based format rather than digital ?? I've got a long list of reasons to go digital rather than tape and you can get 8 traks for about $800 or so.........

 

[HFFritz]

8 tracks simultaneous cassette decks don't exists. The best ones are integrated with a 4 bus mixer, allowing 4 tracks to be recorded at once.

 

[Track Rat]

8 tracks simultaneous cassette decks don't exists. The best ones are integrated with a 4 bus mixer, allowing 4 tracks to be recorded at once. [/QUOTE
Really? I wonder how I was able to record 8 tracks at a time on the two Tascam 238 Syncassettes I own all those years? Hmmmmm.....

 

[sjjohnston]

8-track cassettes

As noted, the 238 records 8 tracks on a cassette simultaneously. I believe the 688 does also. The 488 (and 488mk2) only record 4 at once. I don't know what the similar Yamaha unit does.

As far is the original question, if you want an 8-track cassette deck, and price is not an issue:

- The 238 is probably the most robust. Once you buy it and a mixer, it will probably wind up the most expensive.

- The 688 has a ton of features, most relating to the mixer. It's sort of complicated to work, though.

- The 488mk2 is simple, and pretty much anyone who's ever used any portastudio can wring out 95% of what's it's capable of without a manual. This is a positive and a negative.

- I don't really know anything about the Yamaha machine, though I believe its tape format is compatible.

 

[wjgypsy]

digital!

i wound go digital. here's way...

1. you can get 16 tracks(8-tracks sim)
2. effects
3. great sound
4. phantom power(often needed for good mics)
5. a buil in mixer
6. eq on every channel
7. compressers
8. pe-amps
9.. automated mixing( what is, is something that runs the recorder for you so you can be runing other things.

and digital recorder made buy fostex,tascam or roland
is gonna be good. i have a fostex vf-16 that has all of
the things listed above. and you can buy it right know
from a.m.s. catalog for $800 bucks. oh and i forgot to
tell you that they come with 5 and 10gb hard drives.
(basicly what that is, is 15 hours and up recording time
and they don't even make tapes that go that long) i'm
not saying that tape recorders are bad but, digital is
better.

buy if you want anilog then i get doing want track rat does.


trust me go digital. you'll thank me one day.



zeke