Tascam Is So F***ing Stupid!!!

[cjacek]

Ok, so I called TASCAM tech support (parts) and asked about the BR-20. Just wondered whether it had Sync capability etc ... (It didn't). The conversation then took an ugly turn when the tech guy asked me what I wanted to use it for. I told him overdubbing and such. He then proceeded to tell me how Analog Tape is a dead technology and so on ... I then told him how prices for some of these tape decks have been on the UP on eBay, especially on the "mint" finds. He countered by saying, in essence, that it is the same recorder being sold over and over and over again ... by unscrupulous individuals (not his words but that's what he meant). His whole take was that eBay and its sellers were scam artists etc .. Sure, he told me that I could get these "decks" for a couple of hundred on the used market and such but he didn't "buy" my "analog on the UP" theory. WHY are these guys so damn stupid and completely removed from the REALITY of what is going on ?? I KNOW for a FACT that ANALOG is on the UP as do others who actually keep up with what's going on ... I also KNOW that more and more people are getting disenchanted with DIGITAL ... So why does TASCAM repeatedly behave so damn stupid and ignorant ???

Daniel

 

[Lt. Bob]

People who believe that digital is "perfect sound forever" won't listen to anything contrary to that ............... ever.

There are specific technical reasons why analog is superior in some areas just as there are specific technical reasons why digital is superior in other areas.
So which you prefer depends on where you put your priorities.

I, for example, find vinyl to sound better than CDs in most cases. Let's not forget, however, that CDs are ancient digital technology and not up to the standards of modern digital.
But people who like digital think I'm full of crap when I say that vinyl is superior to 16/44.1 CDs. Let them ...... I don't care.
There's a reason why the only medium to enjoy increases in sales each of the last 5 years is vinyl.

As for the Tascam guy .......... they just want you to buy something new from them. They don't get any money if you buy used stuff.

 

[cjacek]

People who believe that digital is "perfect sound forever" won't listen to anything contrary to that ............... ever.

There are specific technical reasons why analog is superior in some areas just as there are specific technical reasons why digital is superior in other areas.
So which you prefer depends on where you put your priorities.

I, for example, find vinyl to sound better than CDs in most cases. Let's not forget, however, that CDs are ancient digital technology and not up to the standards of modern digital.
But people who like digital think I'm full of crap when I say that vinyl is superior to 16/44.1 CDs. Let them ...... I don't care.
There's a reason why the only medium to enjoy increases in sales each of the last 5 years is vinyl.

As for the Tascam guy .......... they just want you to buy something new from them. They don't get any money if you buy used stuff.

Agreed. I think that DIGITAL is a matter of convenience and profitability being first and "quality" being an after-thought. It's the consumers' fault totally. They wanted "lighter", "portable", "more features", "superior sound" and "CHEAP!". Frankly, these don't add up to serious recording gear. Take the TASCAM 388 for example ... It has almost none of these "features" (except sound quality) and so it was replaced by products such as the 4 and 8 track cassette portastudios which sound like "shi*t" (except the great 244 and 246). Consumers wanted it, companies made promises of "better for less" and we (idiots) bought into it. DIGITAL recording is NOT consistent with natural sound recording or reproduction and that's a fact! I don't care what sampling rates we use. Digital is not only "unnatural" sounding but is the most "dreadful" way to record. There is nothing fun or natural about it. IMHO sound recording quality has been on the decline for many, many years. DIGITAL is cheap convenience. Period.

Daniel

 

[Beck]

I've talked to a very unpleasant tech person or two at Tascam as well. The people in parts have been decent enough, but it really doesn't make up for it.

Tascam has some huge PR deficiencies as evidenced by the abrupt closure of Tascam bbs and the devil-may-care treatment of our inquiries. They seem to have the old phone company attitude these days. It makes you wonder if they've been given a directive to respond to questions about older products in this way.

For the record, I began boycotting what I call the "New Tascam" shortly after the bbs fiasco. They are a different company with the same name, much like Moog, Alesis and Kurzweil are today. It's a troubling trend

Of course I will continue to recommend and buy their older products from the glory days -- as long as this new company that dishonors the Tascam name doesn't benefit.

 

[cjacek]

Of course I will continue to recommend and buy their older products from the glory days -- as long as this new company that dishonors the Tascam name doesn't benefit.

That's exactly what they do .. They "dishonor" not only the products but the "real" audio engineers who made these products happen and who put TASCAM so high up on the map! I liken it to some spoiled brats that inherit their now deceased parents' most successful enterprise/business (and name). They take over and manage to foul up what was good and decent with their stupid ideas while at the same time bad-mouthing and dismissing their dead parents' name and "product", whatever it is/was, and disrespecting their customers. The NEW TASCAM is a JOKE and should die a painful death as should the cretins who work there!! Sorry, I'm just angry!

Daniel

 

[Be Loveless]

HEY !!! I like my tascam 488 just fine thank you.

 

[cjacek]

HEY !!! I like my tascam 488 just fine thank you.

I was mostly talking about the recent crap sounding portas like the 424mkIII, 414mkII and a few others. Their preamps are noisy and distort quickly and the over-all sound is thin. They're a joke compared to the 80's and early 90's versions of these.

Daniel