Using a four track as a conventional mixer?

[fukineh]

I'm wondering if so called "portable recording studios" can be used as regular mixers to hook up to a computer (for digital recording with software) or hook up to a PA system. The reason I ask is that someone I know is selling a Tascam Portastudio 424 MKIII four track......

Can someone please tell me if this can be used as more than a 4 track recorder?

 

[omtayslick]

yes.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Yes - but the electronics aren't going to be very gentle on your signal (no worse than when using it as a 4-track, though!)

 

[TexRoadkill]

The first thing anyone does to upgrade their casette portastudio sound is bypass the onboard mixer. It's definately the worst thing about them.

I sure wouldn't buy one to use as a mixer. I'd rather use a shitty little Behringer

 

[DaveO]

I've used my Tascam 414 as a mixer when practicing with someone else. That way we can run both our guitars and my drum machine through. It's convenient and it works and it works well enough if we want to lay down some scratch tracks.

But for keeper tracks, no way. Just like everybody else says, it still sounds like my 414. A good little unit to learn on and for ideeas, but it's not what I reach for when I want to get good takes (what I SHOULD do is reach for someone with talent and have THEM record the good takes for me! ).