Use Tascam 44 as mixdown deck?

[ultrajosh]

I just got a 1/2" Tascam MSR-16S and I'm looking at mixdown options. I have a ProTools/MBox I could use but I'd prefer to stay analog if possible. I also have a Tascam 1/4" 44 4-track - would this be a decent mix-down deck? Is there any way to convert it to a 2-track with a head change? What about converting it to a 1/2" deck? Or can I leave it as-is but double-up the tracks to get a better result e.g. send the left mix to tracks 1&2, and the right mix to 3&4? Am I on crack?

 

[themaddog]

I don't know about the head change, and as much as I like the sound of analog over digital, I think you might be best mixing down to digital 2 track, if you want other people to be able to listen to your music. The only reason I say this is, most people listen to CD's now, which means that at some point you have to make the digital conversion.

I mix concurrently to digital and analog - digital for everyone else, analog so I can listen to it and enjoy it myself later. I've also tried mixing to analog (1/4" 2 track), then tried putting that to digital, but have found I lose more than I gain. The sound can be fuller, but there's apparent hiss so when you go to compress it in digital you run into all kinds of problems.

Just some thoughts, sorry I can't answer your specific Tascam 44 questions, but even mixing to just two tracks on the 44 wouldn't be so bad for the equipment you have. Doing that would also enable you to use the other tracks for a second pass around the tape, for alternate mixes or whatever. A pretty good, cheap mixdown deck is a Tascam 22-2, which is what I use. Only thing I wish I had on it sometimes is noise reduction.

-MD

 

[Herm]

The cost of converting a machine like that would be rather high.
I suggest selling the 44 and purchase a Tascam 32 or 22-2 That way you would have a great mixdown machine and not have the hassle of trying to convert one.

 

[technoplayer]

Or if you can find one, a Tascam 35-2. It has onboard DBX and is built like a tank,

 

[jpmorris]

I just got a 1/2" Tascam MSR-16S and I'm looking at mixdown options. I have a ProTools/MBox I could use but I'd prefer to stay analog if possible. I also have a Tascam 1/4" 44 4-track - would this be a decent mix-down deck? Is there any way to convert it to a 2-track with a head change? What about converting it to a 1/2" deck? Or can I leave it as-is but double-up the tracks to get a better result e.g. send the left mix to tracks 1&2, and the right mix to 3&4? Am I on crack?

The 1/2" conversion is something I've often looked at, but it will be monstrously expensive to get the heads, because there aren't any that will do. That means you'd have to get JRF or someone to convert existing 1/2" Flux heads to a mount that the 32/44/38 can take. That's going to be some serious money. (Plus you'll also have to buy a load of model 38 guides and rollers, but that's a 'minor' expense)

However, converting a 1/4" 44 to a 1/4" 2-track mixdown unit is going to be far cheaper. You'll only need to buy a set of 1/4" 2-track heads, which would probably cost around £200 sterling since the model 32 R/P heads are about £70 a pop from CHS and the erase head is about half that. Still a lot of money, though.

 

[ultrajosh]

I'm trying to avoid going through cheap consumer-grade A/D converters. If I bring a tape to a mastering studio then the first and last conversion is through the mastering studio's super-duper professional-grade converters.