Must replace Boss Br 1600, opinions on this workflow?

[longtail]

Hi I've been using Boss digital recorders for over 15 years, my current br 1600 has been repaired in the past (button replacement) and once again it is malfunctioning, including transferring songs to windows pc, plus hard drive needs replaced.

I play electric guitar through an amp modeler and a Lexicon rackmount effects, with audio technica m40x headphones.
I only play through headphones.
I record this setup with a boss br 1600. No effects on the boss recorder.
Stereo for Lexicon effects.

Then I have a laptop yoga 7 15itl5 for making/transferring EZDrummer beats.
Reaper for editing boss br tracks, usually volume, panning and low pass filter. Structuring songs.

Recordings are listened back through either car stereo or Apple earbuds.

Budget is tight at the moment but will consider future options.
I'm looking at used Boss Br-800's.
The faster file transfer looks the most appealing.
Curios about Zoom and Tascam digital recorders.
I'm a long way from saving for a PC but I'm open minded to suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

A friend of mine just purchased a used mint condition Tascam DP-32SD for $300.

You may also want to consider buying an interface and jumping to a computer based DAW (using Reaper, perhaps).

But if a stand alone self contained recorder is what you're wanting to stay with - the Tascam DP line is pretty strong. I own 3 of them.

 

[longtail]

A friend of mine just purchased a used mint condition Tascam DP-32SD for $300.

You may also want to consider buying an interface and jumping to a computer based DAW (using Reaper, perhaps).

But if a stand alone self contained recorder is what you're wanting to stay with - the Tascam DP line is pretty strong. I own 3 of them.

That's a good price I thought they were very expensive. How would the learning curve be coming from the Boss lineup?
Would my headphones work well with the Tascam? I only saw a spec that confused me: 70mW + 70mW (THD+N 0.1% or less, 32Ω loaded

 

[TalismanRich]

I'm with Porterhouse. A DP-24SD or 32SD would be plenty. I have a Zoom R24 that I use for remote recording.

You might also investigate the Tascam Model 12. It can be used as an interface, stand alone recorder via SD card, and will work as a control surface for your DAW if you so desire. I've seen some used Model 12s but they are close to the $500 mark.

Some prices have gone a bit crazy. I see some DP-24SDs going for $350-450. 24 tracks would be plenty, especially if you are mixing in the computer with Reaper.

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

I use the Sony MDR-7506 headphones - they are rated at 63 ohms and there's way more volume than is needed.

I think the DP-32SD (and its cousin DP-24SD) are *very* intuitive and straight forward. There's going to be a bit of a learning curve no matter what new platform you move to. I had a BR and two different Roland VS recorders and think that the DP series is the most user friendly and intuitive of them all.

There's some really great user support available to you as well. If you go that direction feel free to ask. I can help get you squared away.

 

[longtail]

I use the Sony MDR-7506 headphones - they are rated at 63 ohms and there's way more volume than is needed.

I think the DP-32SD (and its cousin DP-24SD) are *very* intuitive and straight forward. There's going to be a bit of a learning curve no matter what new platform you move to. I had a BR and two different Roland VS recorders and think that the DP series is the most user friendly and intuitive of them all.

There's some really great user support available to you as well. If you go that direction feel free to ask. I can help get you squared away.

I may have found a deal breaker with the Tascam, since there is no drums.
My workflow with the Boss is I experiment with a 'practice' drum beat and determine what tempo sounds best, and I use the beats and measures to punch in and for basic song structure. Later on I add EZdrummer, usually last.
This seems difficult with the Tascam.
Am I right to assume that there is only a metronome on the Tascam?
I absolutely could not be happy with just a metronome, I need a drum beat to play to and to write songs with.

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

Yes - the Tascam has only a metronome. So yeah that may be a deal breaker for you if you insist on built-in drum machine type sounds for timekeeping.

How I work is to build my song arrangements just sitting with a standalone version of EZDrummer 3 and map out my song ideas that way. Then I transfer the drum stems to individual tracks on the Tascam. And then start tracking from there. Depending on the type of project it is then I may or may not move it into Reaper to finish it out. Moving files back and forth from the Tascam is a snap. I keep a computer hardwired to the Tascam via USB at all times. So moving files back and forth is quick and easy.

 

[TalismanRich]

Interestingly, I've got drum pads and samples for my R-24, but I've never used them! Depending on what I'm doing, I go one of three ways. When I'm trying to learn a song and a drum track is available on Youtube, I'll put that in Reaper and work from there. If it's something new, I either use my Alesis SR18 or more likely these days, I'll use MT PowerDrumkit in Reaper. I've used the SR-18 into my R-24, or years back, into my Yamaha AWs.

I like working from a drum track. I hate trying to work from a metronome, especially the click click click in Reaper. Once the drum is on with a scratch track with vocal and a guitar, I'll start adding tracks in earnest. I can then remove the scratch track

If you can do your track in EZDrummer, you should be able to import the wave file into a Tascam Portastudio.

 

[longtail]

My biggest deal is I have to play guitar standing up, while changing presets on my amp modeler and creating nice effects with my Lexicon rack, and just play. This creates inspiration. Then I'll start recording guitar riffs, but I need an easy practice drum beat, while in real time adjusting the tempo.
I literally can't play to a metronome, I just can't, I get 'lost'.
At the 'inspiration' point I can't sit at a computer and make drum beats. EZdrummer is the last thing I do.

So I end up with some sort of rough draft of a song then start doing good takes. The rough draft/good takes get transferred to the laptop and into Reaper.
Then on Reaper I start working on creating a EZdrummer beat and start panning and mixing.

Sometimes I'll transfer the Reaper project onto the Boss recorder so I have the song to play to, then I'll record improvised solos.

I really can't imagine changing this workflow, unless in the future I change entirely to PC, which is a long way away.

I'm thinking about getting the Boss BR-800, I know less tracks, but the file transfer would make up for that. No learning curve either. I've owned two Boss BR-600's as well.

Lastly I'm just hoping there's something that I'm missing, I'm out of date with new recording devices. I think someone did mention they had their Tascam hardwired to their PC, does this mean they could transfer drum beats even faster this way?

 

[longtail]

An idea is there a beat device that could synch with the Tascam?

 

[longtail]

Would an mp3 player work in realtime or at least on the play button?
I could record an EZdrummer beat in different tempos as separate mp3s.
I've never used line in controls or players with a recorder before.

 

[Papanate]

I really can't imagine changing this workflow, unless in the future I change entirely to PC, which is a long way away.

I'm thinking about getting the Boss BR-800, I know less tracks, but the file transfer would make up for that. No learning curve either. I've owned two Boss BR-600's as well.

What is the Boss Br 1600 doing for you? The sound? What? I would just switch over to Reaper and be done with it.

Lastly I'm just hoping there's something that I'm missing, I'm out of date with new recording devices. I think someone did mention they had their Tascam hardwired to their PC, does this mean they could transfer drum beats even faster this way?

Why are you out of date? A Daw is the same thing as the Boss Br 1600 - only easier to edit and record with.

 

[longtail]

What is the Boss Br 1600 doing for you? The sound? What? I would just switch over to Reaper and be done with it.


Why are you out of date? A Daw is the same thing as the Boss Br 1600 - only easier to edit and record wi

I don't know how to record on Reaper, plus I figure my laptop isn't efficient enough. Wouldn't it make sense to wait till I upgrade to a PC?
Or is that only if I'm engineering my tone on Reaper?
I think a lot of people are in the same boat, the digital recorders are literally just plug and play, almost no learning curve.
Years later and I have no clue how to record on a laptop/PC.
That's why I think I'm out of date, maybe I wouldn't have to worry about latency now these days? Hopefully it's easier?
10 years ago when I was replacing my Boss Br 600's with the 1600, I looked into using a PC but was put off by reading about latency and all sorts of issues people were having, it sounded like a nightmare. Meanwhile, the digital recorders you just hit the record button.