Tascam M-30 vs 488mkII

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Vitor Drum

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Hello!
Thanks for any information about the
pre amps of an m-30 mixer and a 488 portastudio.
I have a 488 mkII and I wanted a m-30 for 8 track reel
analog recording.
How are the overall sound of the pre amps
from the m-30 vs 488? Is it the same?
And the overall EQ/sound of the board vx the 488?
Thanks
 
Wait for "A Reel Person". He is known here as ARP or Dave.

He owns both pieces and would be the best person to answer your question.

I suspect he will tell you the M30 is a better mixer then the one built into the 488 based on the dedicated design and better quality circuitry then the 488 but, I'd wait for him for the definitive answer to this one.

Cheers! :)
 
The EQ on the M30 is definitely better, being 3-band/2-sweepable,...

and the preamps are of a good quality. They always seemed really quiet to me, & probably a higher quality pre than the 488mkII's. 6-XLR's & 2-1/4" HiZ inputs is a pretty handy configuration. No phantom, but it gives you a lot in flexibility that the 488mkII doesn't. For the money you're paying for the M30 on the used market, it's a pretty hot deal, that's hard to beat.;)
 
In answer to the same question in another post I truthfully said "I don't know, ask Reel" (The obvious choice )
I'm thinking that if I had to go back to my Porta, there would be no doubt that I'd be mixing back and forth through a Tascam mixer and the M-30 would be a nice choice..., BUT if I was going back to my Porta AND doing live (Whole band recording) I'd step up to something with A: The phantom power and B: something with two stereo outs OR direct outs so I could feed 4 tracks simultaneously and STILL have two spare channels on the Porta.
The 4 buss layout would rule for this no?
(In doing so how bad would it be feeding the better external mixer into the so so channels of the Porta? Would I be defeating myself or would the advantages outweigh the slight loss in quality of the Porta's channles?
Either way, if I were jamming alone I'd be all over an M-30.

GO CUBS
:)
 
Thanks guys!
And I can bypass the pre amps
using external pres like vtb1 or dmp3
to get a better sound coming?
Or the mixer electronic will
be present all the time?
And do I have insert points on the
m-30 channels to use compressors/effects
on mixdown?

Thanks!
 
You could bypass the M30's pre's by using an external preamp and the LINE IN...

on the M30,... if you really wanted. It depends on who you ask, but I'm not a huge fan of using external preamps with a full functioned board like the M30, and I don't see any big advantage in it.

The M30 does not have INSERTs, but it does have ACCESS SND->RCV patch points on every channel and every buss,... enough to add whatever effect you want, at any point in the signal chain, & during any phase of recording.;)
 
Re: You could bypass the M30's pre's by using an external preamp and the LINE IN...

A Reel Person said:
on the M30,... if you really wanted. It depends on who you ask, but I'm not a huge fan of using external preamps with a full functioned board like the M30, and I don't see any big advantage in it.

The M30 does not have INSERTs, but it does have ACCESS SND->RCV patch points on every channel and every buss,... enough to add whatever effect you want, at any point in the signal chain, & during any phase of recording.;)
Click to expand...

I know you guys love the old Tascam stuff, but, this is the stuff that sounded so aweful. Has time changed the sound? Tascam made some great Multi-trackers, but their boards were really honky and nasely.
 
THat,s odd! Mine isnt like that. m312b mixer It sure sounds alot better than my mackie 8 buss ever did.
 
Outboard pre's, although being the rage, never did anything for me.

Anyway, honky, naselly, and awful isn't how I'd describe the Tascam sound. Sorry.

Thanx for the advice, & have a nice day!;)
 
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