tascam 424 MKIII vs. older machines

  • Thread starter Thread starter famous beagle
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famous beagle

famous beagle

Well-known member
Hey y'all,

So I'm looking to upgrade my 414 portastudio to a more robust 4-tracker. I've been having a blast tracking on cassette 4-track again, but I'm feeling too limited by the 414 because:

1. It only has hi/low shelving EQ

2. It doesn't have direct tape outs, so I can't get the tracks out to my M216 to use that EQ.

Those are the main things (which is kind of one thing: lacking in EQ).

I've heard much raving about the 246 and 244.

I've also looked into the 414MKIII, which was Tascam's last produced "top of the line" 4-track (according to the Tascam site). It seems to me that, features-wise, the 424 MKIII competes very well with the 246. The main differences I see are:

1. The 424 MK III has hi/low shelving and sweepable mid EQ, whereas the 246 has two sweepable band EQ.

2. The 246 may have more routing options as far as outputs? I can't really tell though. I know the 424 MK III has direct outs.

3. The 246 obviously has the sexy VU meters. It looks as though the L/R meters on the 246 can also act as AUX 1/2 send meters, whereas I don't know if the same is possible on the 424 MK III.

4. The 246 can be remotely controlled with the RC-71 and punched in obviously with the foot pedal. The 424 MK III has auto-punch and some memory locations (and I think the 246 has memory locations too?).

Any other big feature differences I'm missing?

The other big thing is sound quality. Does the 246 sound noticably better? If so, why? Or is it just that its build quality is better because "they don't make them like they used to" and things like that?

I'm really trying to decide which route to go.

Thanks! :)
 
234

Have you considered possibly getting a 234 and using your 216 with it?

234s are pretty heavy and have VUs. Ive heard alot of stuff recorded on them and it always sounds good if the machine is not trashed.

Also, the 238 8 track cassette sounds great, but less vintage looking because it lacks VUs.
 
The Great Cobb said:
Have you considered possibly getting a 234 and using your 216 with it?

234s are pretty heavy and have VUs. Ive heard alot of stuff recorded on them and it always sounds good if the machine is not trashed.

Also, the 238 8 track cassette sounds great, but less vintage looking because it lacks VUs.
Click to expand...

No I hadn't considered that. Hmmm.

I think I'm keener on the idea of a standalone portastudio, because I'll eventually be using my M216 with my Tascam 38 R2R, once I get some tape for it and get it calibrated, etc.

I think if I had a more robust EQ section on the 4-track (which both the 246 and 424MK III have), I won't need the services of the 216 very often at all.

Thanks for the input though! I'll kick the idea around a bit. :)
 
Killer 4-track cassette combo:

234 with a PE-40. :eek:

Build or purchase a high quality 4-channel mic-pre to put with it, OR, mate it with an MX-80...yeah...MX-80. THEN you could run two independent stereo mixes whether tracking, overdubbing or mastering...upgrade a few choice opamps...no need for a mixer as long as you only need basic monitoring facilities as the 234 has an onboard 4 x 2 monitor mixer, and the MX-80 is an 8 x 2 mic mixer but has per channel -30dB pad so it can also serve as a line mixer as well (for monitoring purposes). Put that all in a rack with a power conditioner and a patchbay and it could just be the sweetest 4-track cassette "Portastudio" (albeit a bit hefty :rolleyes:) EVER, and all the EQ you'd never need with 4-channels of 4-band fully parametric EQ with 2 high pass and one low pass filter per channel...:eek::eek::eek::cool:

Hm...I...have a 234, MX-80, PE-40...opamps...
 
not quite as sweet as sweetbeats idea but i have 2 238's in a rack together with sync unit for 14 tracks..........supposedly modded 238s(that i need to get all the info on as there maybe possible supply of mod boards for them), so you could have 14 tracks..........but would need different mixer possibly......hmmmm
 
Hey Mr. Rad, why dontcha do us a favor and put up a pic of your pair of 238's :D...I personally would love to see them. Cool setup. :cool:
 
sweetbeats said:
Killer 4-track cassette combo:

234 with a PE-40. :eek:

Build or purchase a high quality 4-channel mic-pre to put with it, OR, mate it with an MX-80...yeah...MX-80. THEN you could run two independent stereo mixes whether tracking, overdubbing or mastering...upgrade a few choice opamps...no need for a mixer as long as you only need basic monitoring facilities as the 234 has an onboard 4 x 2 monitor mixer, and the MX-80 is an 8 x 2 mic mixer but has per channel -30dB pad so it can also serve as a line mixer as well (for monitoring purposes). Put that all in a rack with a power conditioner and a patchbay and it could just be the sweetest 4-track cassette "Portastudio" (albeit a bit hefty :rolleyes:) EVER, and all the EQ you'd never need with 4-channels of 4-band fully parametric EQ with 2 high pass and one low pass filter per channel...:eek::eek::eek::cool:

Hm...I...have a 234, MX-80, PE-40...opamps...
Click to expand...

Looks like someone had your idea and ran with it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/FURMAN-PL-8-TAS...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4ceb950f88

:)
 
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