Recommend me a portastudio that can do....

[hemmick reef]

I am thinking about getting a portastudio between £500-1000 or less if possible.

Needs list:

8 or 24 track
XLR
USB for transfer
good eq bands
onboard good compression and possibly reverb
send & return to patch in my external stereo effects unit

Any ideas please?

 

[YeshuasFan]

Not sure about the rates of exchange, but have you looked at the Tascam 2488?

 

[dementedchord]

i dont know if this is a good time to consider portastudios.... as a trend most of the manufacturors seem to be getting out of them.... obviously you have a computer... think about an interface for it.... YMMV...

 

[homestudioguy]

i dont know if this is a good time to consider portastudios.... as a trend most of the manufacturors seem to be getting out of them.... obviously you have a computer... think about an interface for it.... YMMV...

Not sure I agree. Tascam just revamped the 2488, Yamaha just recently updated their 16 and 24 track units and Korg and Roland keep pumping theirs out too.
I have had Yamahas since for ever and really like my AW16G (now AW1600 with 8 TRS/XLR combo inputs, USB and litepipe)I have learned a lot about the digital realm with my AW16G
The Yamahas have 4 band parametric eq, effects based on their O2R electronics and a ton more.
However, I am slowly drifting to computer based.
I have a Focusrite Saffire pro10 and I think Santa is bringing me Sonar for Christmas.

 

[jeffree]

I have had Yamahas since for ever and really like my AW16G (now AW1600

Me, too. Four excellent years with my aw16g. I can't speak for the other brands, but the Yam's a winner--I'd buy the 1600 in a heartbeat if my 16g dies anytime soon (seems unlikely). The DSP on all channels and 4-band parametric EQ are the kinds of features that set it apart from much of the pack.

Good luck, whichever way you head~

J.

 

[dementedchord]

cant seem to find the link at the moment but i remeber reading a story from summer NAMM where they said "as a trend" porta-studios were being phased out by manufacturers... perhaps they aren't following through with that... but i have to wonder what we'll see at winter NAMM...

 

[hemmick reef]

Cheers for the help, I like the look and spec of the AW1600

 

[jeffree]

By the way, Hem, the aw16g/1600 user forum is one of the best around. If you go that route, be sure to download the helpful getting-started materials there--they'll save you a lot of time.

http://forum.dijonstock.com/

Best,
J.

 

[mikeyhasnobones]

i'm gonna have to stick by my roland vs-880 ex. as always, it depends on what you're using it for but i love it because it has 6 inputs and can record all 6 of them at a time (ie. perfect for recording a full band at once) and i have found the on-board effects processor to be awesome with cool "stereo simulators" and such. don't know if they make them anymore (probably not?) but if you find one used i would say it's a perfect jumping off point!

 

[Sloan]

I too would strongly suggest a PC interface rather than an all-in-one DAW. I myself am a Yamaha AW16G user and it was one of the best purchases in my life, but after a few years, I've begun to outgrow it and am trying to transition to PC anyway.

For the price of a standalone DAW, you can get a pretty decent interface that you will grow into rather than grow out of.