preamps on the Tascam 688. opininions?

[Hi_Flyer]

The mixer on this thing is pretty damn fancy, but I was wondering if they skimped on the preamps. Can anybody compare the preamps on the mixer section to some of the other outboard preamps that get discussed alot around here? How do they compare to something like a Presonus Bluetube or ART Pro MPA?

I haven't used much other stuff so its hard for me to judge.

I need phantom power, so would it be worth investing a few hundred in a two-channel preamp? Or if the onboard pres are decent would I be better off if I just got a phantom power supply?

 

[themaddog]

Since you're using a cassette portastudio, high quality pre-amps shouldn't be a real priority. However, if you wanted to invest in a pre-amp that will change the sound a bit, like a cheaper tube pre-amp with built in phantom power, than it may be worth it. I have a Behringer unit (Behringer is kind of a bad word around here) that I used, the Behringer T1953 Tube Ultra-Gain, that had two tube pre-amped channels with phantom power. I used it mostly for vocals on my Tascam 488, which is like a cheaper version of the 688. The condenser mic I used with it was also cheap, an Oktava MK219. Sounded great, the pre-amp definitely added a little edge, which was good for the vocals we were doing, but not necessarily all vocals. The good thing about the Behringer is that you can adjust the amount of tube gain.

When I switched to a Tascam 388 I still used the Behringer and Oktava combination, but then I got a Nady ribbon mic and preferred the sound of that without any of the tube gain.

Regardless, I wouldn't buy a bunch of new pre-amps. Having a one or two channel pre-amp can be useful for some applications, particuarly if you are recording one or two tracks at a time and don't need a full rack of pre-amps. Still, even using your "special" pre-amp on just a track or two here or there, such as the vocal or maybe a particular solo track, can add a just a little something to make them stand out stronger.

-MD