Yeah, so that bumped the price of your ultra-cheap $299/MR8...
about $110, to about $409, for eight tracks, which is still not too shabby.
Another obvious limitation of these
'standalones', is the number of mic/line/aux inputs they give you, total. PLUS, the important factor of how many tracks can you record simultaneously on these boxes? Well, with the MR8, it's 2-tracks/max, as with many other similar [digi] units. The more expensive DAW-standalone workstations give you more generous inputs/mixer & track-simul-record capability,... as the relative dollar cost goes up.
Here's my reasoning, as it applies to some of the gear out there:
-If you 'need-in' to 8-tracks, really quickly, and for ultra-low dollar cost as possible on NEW GEAR, then the MR8's your baby. Make sure your puter is close at hand, for file transfer purposes.
-If you don't mind used gear on Ebay, in DIGITALs,
the FOSTEX FD8 will surely blow the doors off of the MR8, and at the same dollar cost. F/I, I just got one [FD8] myself, $294/total/delivered, and it's in MINT condition. [FD8] contains a FULL 8x2 INPUT MIXER with 3-BAND EQ, it is also 16/44.1 format, it also records 2-simul-max, except with ADAT I/O on your [Fostex] mixer, it WILL RECORD 8-SIMUL-MAX. PLUS, [FD8] has an INTEGRATED HARD DISC, with 50 HOURS of track-record time. It functions completely separate from the computer, but outputs digital S/Pdif, ADAT-I/O and analog simultaneously for all digital mixdown if desired. All for $294, and I would not kid you about that.
-I'd venture to say, that in certain respects the ANALOG TASCAM 424mkIII blows away the FOSTEX MR8, especially regarding the nice 8x2 mixer and the 4-SIMUL-DIRECT recording capability of the 424mkIII CASSETTE 4-TRACK. 4-tracks can be a fun & practical format, especially if your arrangements are sparse, and/or you're working alone. Entry cost for a TASCAM 424mkIII, $329, which is higher than the MR8, and only 4-tracks, but in many other respects [re: 8x2 mixer, 4-simul-max, practical cassette medium], IMO, the 424mkIII gives you MORE than the likes of the FOSTEX MR8, and is WORTH the extra $30. You may still throw your all-analog 4-track compositions to 16/44.1 wav files on the 'puter, & down to CDs for your mixes, if you want. It's easy. Not only is it easy, but in many respects, the NEW TASCAM 424mkIII CASSETTE 4-TRACK PORTASTUDIO is the way to go, ESPECIALLY for NEWBIES who are basically IN THE DARK about RECORDING. You heard it here, first. The 424mkIII's still available as NEW gear in stores. Get one soon, while they last!
-IF, you're REALLY an audio enthusiast, AND your "vision" REQUIRES 8-tracks, AND you want a single-unit standalone of HIGH ENGINEERING QUALITY, then IMO it's the TASCAM 388, definitely, no questions asked. The 388 includes an 8x8x2 mixer w/3-band sweepable EQ, I/O up the yin-yang, all running to 8-track format on 1/4" REEL TAPE. IT WILL MAKE SMITHEREENS OF THE MR8, ANY WAY YOU CAN SLICE IT. Of course, the 388 is a large and heavy, self-contained mixer/reel recorder Portastudio-style unit, and is only found as used on Ebay. I hate to make y'all weep on this one, but the FULLY LOADED TASCAM 388 may ALSO be found at ULTRA-LOW PRICES, w/dollar cost comparable to the $299/MR8. Oh yes, it's true, get your crying towel ready,... I've scored the Tascam 388 on Ebay for as low as $305! Honest to god. Same price as the MR8, and yet SO MUCH MORE! However bids range on the 388 from [avg] $350-$600, depending on the day.
-Likewise, IF you're really into what's otherwise known as "production value", IMO, you're then looking at 1/2" ANALOG 8-TRACK, f/i, the TASCAM 38, mixer & NR sold separately. The Tascam 38, sound-wise and feature-wise, will ASS-KICK the MR8 INTO THE NEXT SOLAR SYSTEM. The 38's another vintage, heavy unit, and is also found only as used on Ebay. Dollar cost: Tascam 38: $299-$450, and some come bundled with accessories, [reads: expensive accessories].
-If your vision is gradiose, then maybe the 1"
TASCAM MS-16 is for you. Dollar cost, ~$1200-$1600, often plus
accessories!
-If your grandiose vision also requires an economic budget, then maybe the 1/2"
TASCAM MSR-16 is for you. An MSR-16 is reasonably ~$800-$1000, often with
accessories!.
-MY GRANDIOSITY goes WAY beyond that! I have the 1" TASCAM MSR-24! Still, for 24 analog tracks, 1" is more economical. MY buy-in cost to that was $2750, but it's somewhat lower these days, & is still comparable with the likes of the NEW
ROLAND VS2400CD, unit, and yet the MSR-24 is so much more! [... originally over $10,000!]
-DON'T ASK about that 2" STUDER MKIII R/R I saw yesterday! MINT, ULTRA-LOW USE, BIG AS YOUR HOUSE, at a reasonable $8Klams! The next 8K I find, I'm GETTIN' IT! [Original cost on that Studer MKIII/TOP-OF-THE-LINE was $35K-$40K,... if it was a dime!]
-AND, digressing, if you're really into the DIGITAL SCENE, then currently the NEW YAMAHA AWG-16 seems like the 16-track ticket to digi-vana! [... for around $1100!]
-PLEASE, LET's NOT FORGET the NEW Tascam 788, 8-track/hard disc recorder. An actual "Portastudio", it is, and it records up to 6-SIMUL-INPUTS, and has a fairly nice digital mixer, FWIW, now found new for ~$599. In my never-to-be humble opinion, the TASCAM 788 WILL BLOW THE FOSTEX MR8 AWAY, handily! The 788 is still the unit to get, in 8-track digital standalone workstations, IMO.
-Okay, last but not least, given everything I've said above, for the price, and considering what you get onboard, the MR8 is STILL the PERFECT recorder for SOME people. [YMMV]
-There's a BOSS BR-648, records to those flash-memory cards, etc, and is very similar to the Fostex MR8, in almost every way. 2-inputs and 2-simul-max.
Me, I'm spoiled. I'm an old analog guy who's used to massive mixer matrices, and large track-simul capability. Some of the 2-simul max recorders seem limiting, sometimes, but are okay if you're basically working alone. I think what bugs me more about the newest units, like the BR-648 and the FOSTEX MR8, is the LACK OF MIXER INPUTS, but that's not to say that the clever MR8/BR-648 user might not use a better OUTBOARD MIXER, once in a while. In fact, the 2-input-only units would IMO beg the issue of having an external complex mixer! Anyway, that's my opinion, several of them, and YMMV.
What was the topic? Ha, you can have your thread back!
