Tascam 424 MK II: are there variations?

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Reilley

Reilley

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I've read oblique references to this machine, suggesting that some older machines were somehow different from ones made later - and I'm talking strictly about the MK II.

Anyone?
Thanks for any help.
 
The 424mkII was a particular Portastudio, & a pretty nice one.

For each particular Portastudio model, there are no variations, but of course there are numerous models.

It's true, that for the 424 itself, there were 3 variations, being the "standard", the mkII and mkIII, but each mkII is like every other mkII out there, design-wise.

There are no variations within a particular model.

The 424mkII, on it's own, is a pretty nice unit. It's an 8x2 mixer with 4 full mixer strips, integrated 4-track cassette recorder, 3-band EQ w/mid-sweepable, records 2-simul in buss mode & 4-simul in direct mode, etc.

I like the Tascam 424mkII Portastudio. I've done a lot of recording on the 424mkII, so I know it pretty well. It's one of several of my favorite Portastudio designs. I actually have two 424mkII's. I bought one brand new in '97, and then picked up a second one in 2001, used off Ebay.

Anyway, if you favor 4-track cassette Portastudios, the 424mkII's a nice unit to have, especially if you can find one in good condition & low bid price. Not available as new any more, except in the rarest cases of "new-oldstock", which you may find once in a blue moon, but much less incidence of that as time goes on.;)

I guess this is my cue, see: Tascam 424mkII Portastudio
 

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Hey guys,

I've been wondering about a unit I saw for second walking past it
a few years ago... I'm 98% sure it was a Tascam, (but I could be wrong.) I never saw one of them before or since, it was a cassette machine, but it had like a 12 or 16 channle mixer section. All I remember is it being black with either red or orange Lettering/Numbering.

Any ideas?

:)
 
The 688 was the only large format Portastudio that was black w/red/orange lettering.

The Tascam 688's pictured on the other thread. It's mostly black, with a small strip section of gray, and has the red Tascam logo.

Otherwise, you may be thinking of a Fostex, because a few of their units had a black/red-letter motif. I couldn't name which one you're referring to, without more specifics. There's too many, and I didn't follow Fostex porta's much. IMO, Fostex's 4-track cassettes were inferior to Tascam, all the way around, and were usually cheap and inferior knockoffs of Tascam Portastudios. Some were black, though, but I can't recall what was their biggest number of channels, or largest-format unit.;)
 
I looked at the 688 in the other thread, but I can't say if that was it or not (I'm torn ), but that 688 looks pretty bad ass!
(Maybe it was a Fostex)

:)
 
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