Portastudio-Best specs?

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pehjott

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Which Portastudio has the best specs???
I'd guess something like 424 mkIII, 464, 264???
 
I think...

I think they all spec out about the same:...

40Hz~16kHz +/-3db @ 3-3/4 ips
92-95db S/N ratio with dbx
50db of gain on the preamps
... just off the top of my head!

I could check the manuals later, if u want.:eek:;)
 
I just wondered, cuz tascam and other brands made so many portas, and while it's clear that some are better than others there are many models where i wondered why tascam made them.like 464 and 424 II are nearly the same and the 424 III isn't so much different.that's why I thought that there could be different specs justifing the amount of different but nearly same portas.
 
Good point!

I just wondered, cuz tascam and other brands made so many portas, and while it's clear that some are better than others there are many models where i wondered why tascam made them.like 464 and 424 II are nearly the same and the 424 III isn't so much different.that's why I thought that there could be different specs justifing the amount of different but nearly same portas.

The real breakout of specs is between the 2x-Speed/dbx models and the 1x-Speed/dbx models, with the lowest eschelon being the 1x-Speed/No-NR models,... which all 3 types spec out very differently. Of course, the 2x-Speed/dbx models spec out best.

The thing on revamping the Portastudios every 3-or-4 years was basically an effort to be competitive with bringing new product to the retailer's shelves, plus certain changes or refinements going into the design, (i.e., features)... not necessarily on improving the overall specs of the basic product.:eek:;)

Or that is MO on the subject.:eek::eek:;)

F/I, the 464, 424mkII and 424mkIII spec out nearly the same, but are fairly different in features. You have to put faith in the assumption that if Tascam was revising the design, it would be toward "better" or "smarter" feature sets, not less or worse designs as time goes forward. But, depending on your familiarity and love of a certain particular Porta,... that "forward progress" postulate is, in certain respects, open for debate.:eek:;)

That's why in these parts they say "YMMV".:eek:;)

I'll throw in maybe a weak analogy, that not e'one wants Vanilla ice cream [424mkIII]. Some want Chocolate [Porta 02mkII], others want Chocolate Chip [414mkII]. Some people wanted Baskin Robbins (expensive) fare [Tascam], while others wanted Thrifty Ice Cream (budget fare), [Fostex]. Tascam wasn't exactly 31-Flavors, but you get it! Sorry, I know that was weak!
 
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I'll tell you what,...

when I get a few spare minutes, I'll comb thru the manuals for some of the leading Portastudios, compare specs, and give you real specifics.

MO is that they may differ a little, f/i, one may have .003% THD and another may have .005%,... or relatively minor things like that. Plus, I think the EQ frequency bands between (f/i) the 464 and 424mkIII might be slightly different.

Anyway,... maybe I'll check that a bit later.:eek::eek:;)
 
The 2488 is a Portastudio, too, but it's a completely different animal.
 
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