I had a great response to post, but lost it due to some "Explorer error"
!DAMN COMPUTERS!
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Anyway, basically, there are two dynamics to think of, when contemplating analog tape formats: Tape width, and tape speed.
- Wider tape formats give more "headroom" than narrower tape formats, i.e., wider tape holds more mangnetic energy, overall, before distortion, than a narrower tape does.
- Faster tape speeds give better high frequency response.
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Like anything else, it boils down to how much hifi multitrack do you need, and how much can you afford?
There really are a lot of choices out there, in used analog gear. Prices are reasonable. Make your best deal.
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A Tascam 38/M30/RC71 and [2] DX4D's could cost average ~$850, and that would be reasonable. Maybe my first estimate was a little low.
F/I,
Tascam 38 ~$450
Tascam M30 ~$150
Tascam RC71 ~$100
Tascam DX4D/2 ~$150
------------------->~$850, estimate, and IMHO, $850 would be reasonable, cheaper would be better.
There are other analog R/R machines, such as
the TSR-8, MSR-16, MS-16, and sometimes a MSR-24, and they all are great decks, so check Ebay/Tascam frequently. Also, Fostex has a full line of R/R's, so check Ebay/Fostex, too.
For a top-of-the-line 1/2" 4-track, see:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1485994813
For a top-of-the-line 2" 24-track, see:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1486128634