Tascam Porta One
- Thread starter Druw
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analog aaron
Swami King of Poppers
Yeah they're great!
Yeah, I like them. What's great about them (for me):
1. The machine is made very well. All plastic parts are thick and rugged, durable and solid. Machine is heavy an compact unlike newer machines. Very simple to use. The original manual is great! Explains everything in detail and there is more indepth information on bouncing tracks then most 4 track manuals have.
2. Some plastic panels come off (tape head area, rca outlet area) so it's easier to clean.
3. The Porta one is the only (I think-I've never seen another one) 4 track machine that can be powered by batteries. This is kind of cool if you go camping or something and want to bring an acoustic guitar and stuff,
4. I like watching the uv meters. Kinda cool, like the fashioned meter levels. Make me feel like I'm using professional gear-- Ha.
5. The only downside(s) (compaired to newer machines) is that all the input jacks are standard 1/4" - no xlr inputs. But this can be easily fixed with the help of transformers. Basically a connector with 1/4" male on one side/ female xlr on the other. I believe you can only record 2 tracks at a time. But this is just fine if you want to get a stereo recording of something. And when you're playing all the instruments yourself you can only use one track at time anyways. The eq section is only a 2 band eq/ but there are still many 4 tracks made today that only have a 2 band eq. It's fine for me.
6. I like the rubber pad/knobs instead of the newer plastic style tascam cheapy daddies. The porta one has all rubber pad knobs except for the faders.
7. I like this machine because it's made very well and you can also find (probably on ebay) a service manual that will show you how to repair and clean it yourself.
Hope this helped.
Aaron
Yeah, I like them. What's great about them (for me):
1. The machine is made very well. All plastic parts are thick and rugged, durable and solid. Machine is heavy an compact unlike newer machines. Very simple to use. The original manual is great! Explains everything in detail and there is more indepth information on bouncing tracks then most 4 track manuals have.
2. Some plastic panels come off (tape head area, rca outlet area) so it's easier to clean.
3. The Porta one is the only (I think-I've never seen another one) 4 track machine that can be powered by batteries. This is kind of cool if you go camping or something and want to bring an acoustic guitar and stuff,
4. I like watching the uv meters. Kinda cool, like the fashioned meter levels. Make me feel like I'm using professional gear-- Ha.
5. The only downside(s) (compaired to newer machines) is that all the input jacks are standard 1/4" - no xlr inputs. But this can be easily fixed with the help of transformers. Basically a connector with 1/4" male on one side/ female xlr on the other. I believe you can only record 2 tracks at a time. But this is just fine if you want to get a stereo recording of something. And when you're playing all the instruments yourself you can only use one track at time anyways. The eq section is only a 2 band eq/ but there are still many 4 tracks made today that only have a 2 band eq. It's fine for me.
6. I like the rubber pad/knobs instead of the newer plastic style tascam cheapy daddies. The porta one has all rubber pad knobs except for the faders.
7. I like this machine because it's made very well and you can also find (probably on ebay) a service manual that will show you how to repair and clean it yourself.
Hope this helped.
Aaron
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Agreed.
The Porta One is one of three Tascam Portastudios (aka Ministudios) that run on batteries & features strap buttons for true field recording capability, (see: Porta One, Porta Two & Porta Two HS).
All the things AA said above are basically true. The Porta One is very well built and equipped for such a small model, that's comparable to other 80's tech in features.
The Porta One breaks out as much better than the modern MF-P01 & Porta 02mkII, with a much better mixer section, hands down. The Porta One is nearly comparable in features to the 414mkII only (Porta One) running 1x (normal) speed, vs. the 414's double (high) speed, & with 2-simul (not 4-simul) recording and real VU meters.
The Porta One would be a lesser design than the likes of the 244, or any other high end unit like the 246, 464, 644, 424mkII/III, which feature high speed, better EQ and 4-simul recording capability.
The Porta One is a nice little unit that's easy & fun to use. It's low end but handy enough and sounds better than it's modern counterparts, (MF-P01/Porta02) thanx to dbx NR. $80 for a well kept Porta One unit in full working order is a decent deal. It should give you much enjoyment in discovery of basic 4-track production, and should sound pretty good too.
The Porta One is one of three Tascam Portastudios (aka Ministudios) that run on batteries & features strap buttons for true field recording capability, (see: Porta One, Porta Two & Porta Two HS).
All the things AA said above are basically true. The Porta One is very well built and equipped for such a small model, that's comparable to other 80's tech in features.
The Porta One breaks out as much better than the modern MF-P01 & Porta 02mkII, with a much better mixer section, hands down. The Porta One is nearly comparable in features to the 414mkII only (Porta One) running 1x (normal) speed, vs. the 414's double (high) speed, & with 2-simul (not 4-simul) recording and real VU meters.
The Porta One would be a lesser design than the likes of the 244, or any other high end unit like the 246, 464, 644, 424mkII/III, which feature high speed, better EQ and 4-simul recording capability.
The Porta One is a nice little unit that's easy & fun to use. It's low end but handy enough and sounds better than it's modern counterparts, (MF-P01/Porta02) thanx to dbx NR. $80 for a well kept Porta One unit in full working order is a decent deal. It should give you much enjoyment in discovery of basic 4-track production, and should sound pretty good too.
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thanks for the help guys.
I intend on getting a drum kit. Will it help to buy a mixer for added inputs for mics? Instead of having to bounce a lot of tracks I could just use the mixer.
Or I just thought of this. Maybe I can record drums on a seperate tape, then mix down, then transfer it to the computer and add it to guitars, vocals etc?
Thanks again.
I intend on getting a drum kit. Will it help to buy a mixer for added inputs for mics? Instead of having to bounce a lot of tracks I could just use the mixer.
Or I just thought of this. Maybe I can record drums on a seperate tape, then mix down, then transfer it to the computer and add it to guitars, vocals etc?
Thanks again.