using a porta for its mixer capabilities...wich one?

[diogo]

hello everyone..

in my search for a small mixer to interface with the rest of my gear, i guess i might as well go for something i would purchase in time, wich is a porta. i would really need your input in knowing wich porta is better for its mixer alone...i will feed the mixer with two tracks, and i would need it to have 1 aux send for external fx, and 2 inserts on two of the line ins so i can use an outboard compressor.

i would also need it to have monitor outs and two line outs (tape outs?) so i can send the signal (in the form of a stereo track) back to the recorder.

i dont know if this exists, but i know the folks that do know, are here

tanx in advance!

 

[A Reel Person]

Sounds something like the...

Tascam 246. It's small and the most highly capable (standard) mixer in the Portastudio family. Remember, the 246 does not have XLR mic inputs, just 1/4" mic-line inputs. I don't recall if this would be a huge issue to you. At least the 246 is relatively small. BTW, it's a great 4-track Portastudio in it's own right, for mixing and recording.

The notable exception is the Tascam 644, (an 8x2 mixer with Aux's and Inserts), but I'm afraid the 644 is just too complex for simple needs. It has the electronic "scene memory" for channel assignment. It's highly capable, but tricky to use and requires the manual to do the simplest things,... at first anyway,... until you learn the basic functions and how to navigate within them. If you're not adverse to something that's a bit more complex, on first glance, then the 644 may be for you! The 644 provides 2- XLR mic inputs, and the rest on 1/4" jacks. The 644 is still relatively small,... about the same size as the 246.

A bit of a step up would be the Tascam 488mkII. The 488mkII has a 12x2 mixer with Aux's and 2-Inserts. It's a nice package, but I'm not 100% sure it has all the in's & out's you require, without studying your description at length, anyway. I believe it does have e'thing you need, on first glance. The 488mkII is slightly larger than the 246.

The king-kong of Portastudio mixers is the Tascam 388,... technically not catalogued as a "Portastudio", but nonetheless,... it is. The 388's mixer is a full 8x8 matrix, and it has Access-Snd>Rcv's on each channel,... the "big brother" to "Inserts". The 8x8x2 matrix provides ample I/O capablility, including 8-XLR mic inputs AND 1/4" line inputs. However, at a hefty 90lbs and large format, I'd not venture to call it a "small mixer".

Y'know, each of these units is a fine recorder/mixer in it's own right, but going after a "Portastudio" for "small mixer" needs may be overkill. After all, there's the recorder section, which would not necessarily be used.

Therefore, you might just skip to the chase, and consider the Tascam M-308. It has 8-XLR mic inputs, 8-1/4" line inputs, Inserts on each channels, and 2-Aux sends. It provides ample I/O for your stated needs, and it doesn't have any tape section. It's still small enough to be considered a "small mixer", but it's somewhat larger than a Portastudio.

I'd say, get a 388 and call it a day. Scrap your Korg, and go analog!

Heh, heh,... just kidding!

/DA

 

[diogo]

hey Dave

as usual, tanx for your unlimited amount of knowledge always standingby to help others

i love the 246, you know that...thing is, since our talks, i let a few slip cause im really really afraid i have to get them serviced real fast, and that that might be hard to do...i still keep my eyes peeled, cause i would love to own one of these big boys...right now its pretty impossible to shell out the money they're going for...but ill keep looking..maybe i can get a bargain

the 644 looks cool too...and doesnt seem to be going for much...ill look for that too..

the 488 is a bit too large for what im trying to do :/ im really short on space, i dont have your two rooms

the 388..please dont even mention it...i get water in my mouth man lol no no ...i cant think about it..

thing is Dave, im really going for a porta cause i want THAT sound sometimes...i want to be able to mixdown from the Korg, into that...then record, and mixdown from the porta back to the korg or to the 2 track i got laying around here (its a pioneer). i wont 4 track per se, but i will use it as a mixdown machine, then mixdown from there..im looking at the 424 if i cant grab my long time passion, the 246...what do you think?

(thanks again!)

 

[A Reel Person]

...

The 424mkII has a nice mixer section, and even better on the 424mkIII.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the 464 has a decent mixer section that's on par with the 424mkII, but with an LCD for level-meters. It's actually a little more complex in the "Monitor" section than the 424mkII,... which techically would be identical to the 564's mixer section.

Did I mention the 564 MD Portastudio? The 564 & 464 have a virtually identical mixer section, which is pretty nice, indeed.

The 246 gives you one of the best standard mixers on a Porta', with the only feature that it may be considered as lacking is XLR mic inputs.

The 644 also has a nice mixer section, with that high tech routing and switching section. Technically, the 644 gives you the most in the mixer section of all the 4-track Porta's, but having the manual is a must, to learn how to route signals within the LCD display. It's way more high tech than all the other 4-track Porta's, but it's a very nice unit and is highly capable.

...

If I know anything,... I know Tascam Portastudios & vintage Tascam & Fostex reel gear and mixers. If you'd seen my house, you'd know I practically live Tascam Portastudios and Tascam/Fostex reel & mixer gear. I've been on this board for 5 years talking about this very subject, and AFAIC it never gets old. There are all the people who've learned what I've learned, taken their stuff and moved on, and yet there's always another new guy with a peaked interest in analog, with a whole new set of questions. Honestly, I never get tired of that.

...

One thing that just came to mind,... and I know your basic intentions on recording and mixing,... which is fine,... but for an 8-input/4-buss mixer that's fairly common to find and going dirt-cheap on Ebay,... you might want to check out the "Fostex 350" mixer (& 360 meter bridge/attached). I've seen the Fostex 350 mixer go for $50 or less, and it's not the quality of mixer that a Tascam M30 would be, but it's functional enough for the price. Just a thought.

...

Thanx again!!

 

[diogo]

hey Dave,

tanx for the other sugestions..but i really wanna go with a porta, so i can use that sound...i will put the songs to tape, and then mixdown to the recorder again so i can have the tape sound, on cd

i cant get any 246 these days...and as i dont have much money for this purchase right now, its getting harder and its untinkable to purchase one from overseas...that time when we were talking about it seemed good, ive never seen so many pop up on european ebay like that...now its just impossible. but ill keep looking!

the 424 mk2 seems like the one to get...i see lots of mk3's and plain 424...the mk2 is a bit harder to come by, but im looking..

tanx for the fostex sugestion..but you know me im a "no-fostex no matter what" guy..its pretty stupid, but the mr8 experience scarred me forever...how retarded of a company do you have to be to make a recorder that cant record on just one track (always pairs up 2) if you're using any input...the irony of this is that if you're using the stupid built in mic, the thing will track one track at a time...but not if you're using anything going through the inputs - excelent! haha its incredible. i would think they released that product by mistake...some intern must have gave the yes to the plants in china to go ahead and produce a million in 2 days or so and they couldnt back out of it...im pretty sure thats the story behinf the mr8hd prototype being released to the general public lol

screw fostex man...all the way.

(tanx for the sugestion though! but i really want tape in there - you know what i mean)

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hey dont mention it man, that pile of crap had to stop one day ..im just glad it did!