Yamaha AW1600 vs. Tascam 2488

Which offers better quality under $1000?

  • Total voters
    13
O

osz

New member
My beloved Tascam 388 died the other night during a full-band tracking session, and I've finally decided that I need something more reliable (and more portable would be nice). So digital it is.

My budget is under a grand, and I'm trying to decide between the Yamaha AW1600 and the Tascam 2488, or something similar. I've tested the 1600 briefly and was impressed with its sturdiness. I'd love some more opinions on these, though.

Also, I'm wondering how these units compare to their predecessors--the Yamaha 16G and the older 2488?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I need to act fast--I'm in the middle of tracking two projects. Thanks!
 
I was having the same dilemma. I decided that the AW1600 was a better way to go (heard about a lot of bugs on the 2488, plus the AW1600 seems more sturdy). Now I'm thinking about going with an HD24 for a few bucks more instead. Might be nice to have more tracks available at once.

I have a portable case that holds a laptop or portable DAW on top, with a small rackspace for outboard preamps, etc. underneath. The AW1600 will just barely fit. Very handy, though. Right now I have a Tascam 788, but I am looking to upgrade. The HD24 would just go in a standard rack with my preamps and a small line mixer to monitor/playback when on location.
 
I've been using the AW16G for about 4 years now and it's never failed me. Highly recommended. The AW1600 has even more stuff that I would like (all 8 xlr inputs, usb).

The interface is very easy to navigate and everything is a few buttons away.

Everything I've done in the G, I can have a pretty much finished product right out of the box. The reverbs and compression included is pretty good and suits me fine. All the effects and dynamic processors are very tweakable. If you use a lot of outboard gear, I wouldn't recommend it because there's not an easy way to hook up outboard gear with the G.
 
Yo:

My vote, of course, goes to the Yamaha gear. I use the 2816 and it took a while to get the feel of the box. However, Jeffree will tell you, for sure, the 1600 is a good SIAB and it is durable.

Over the years I've had Tascam trackers and they worked fine at that time. I read about the latest Tascam multitracker having more problems than it should have.

I once bought a high-end Tascam dual-cassette recorder/player; whoever wired the one I got left a lot of bad solder joints. The box made more noise than my girlfriend does when I give her my credit card to go shopping. I got rid of the unit. It seems that to repair gear out of warranty isn't worth the effort.

Technology changes about every 66 days. So, investigate, contemplate, and TRY out gear. It's all part of the fun of making music and recording it.

Green Hornet :D :cool: :rolleyes:
 
The Green Hornet said:
Yo:Jeffree will tell you, for sure, the 1600 is a good SIAB and it is durable.
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Jeez, Hornet... I'm getting to be too damned predictable. Sorry about that!

J.
 
I had the 2488. Its a great tool, but probably doesn't compete well in the sturdy area.
Your application "band recording sessions" might prefer the sturdy.
2488 requires handling it like a fine instrument,imo.
the 2488 is a great sounding unit and you hardly need a manual to run it.

My brothers bands using my 2488. Added cables to prevent plugging directly into the plastic jacks. But they love it and have matched a quality of the studio they were paying for.
no issues, no problems.

the 2488 software issues are all outdated, a year or so ago as I understand it. unless your looking for a used one. I forget the version of software needed. But you load a CD, it upgrades, and you take the CD out and you have the new revision of software. its frkn easy.

but...er....for a band- who'll be throwing the unit in the backseat now and then :eek: , maybe a live gig recording ;) , numerous people running the board.... :(

I'd get a 1600...everyone seems to say their sturdy and its gotten a lot of good press by this cruel and sometimes brutal group of gearheads.... :p

good luck. its a hard decision.
 
Thanks, all! Yes, I will be transporting it to various places and the occasional live gig. Maybe the Yamaha would be better simply based on durability.

So, in terms of sound quality, functionality, and features . . . is the consensus that these two are comparable?
 
Are you considering these units because you MUST have an all in one unit, because you have no other equipment for the recording/signal path? Can you still use the mixer part of 388?

If you have other equipment, there are other multi-track recorders that have a more transparent path, a larger dynamic range, and better resolution with better converters, that can give you a much better recording.

If you need the all in one, I believe the mic-pre's are of slightly better quality on the Yamaha.

osz said:
My beloved Tascam 388 died the other night during a full-band tracking session, and I've finally decided that I need something more reliable (and more portable would be nice). So digital it is.

My budget is under a grand, and I'm trying to decide between the Yamaha AW1600 and the Tascam 2488, or something similar. I've tested the 1600 briefly and was impressed with its sturdiness. I'd love some more opinions on these, though.

Also, I'm wondering how these units compare to their predecessors--the Yamaha 16G and the older 2488?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I need to act fast--I'm in the middle of tracking two projects. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
No, we have some pretty decent outboard stuff including some nice Sebatron pres, some RNC's, some Alesis effects units, and a bunch of different Rode mics. I just prefer an all-in-one unit over a computer system, and I don't have the money for the ADAT/mixing board setup that I would want. The idea of having something small and portable is also appealing to me.

So, what are the better systems for under $1000 that you're referring to?

Thanks!
 
Not system (thats why I asked about other equipment), just "Recorders"
A used Alesis HD24 can be had for just-under a grand and will give you 24 tracks at 24bit/48kHz, or 12 tracks at 24bit/96kHz. Rack mountable.
I even think the ADAT's or DA's sound better. ADAT's the newer ones will be 20 bit/48kHz. But I think the A/D D/A converters lend a more transparent sound than the all in one units. The M-20 would be the best ADAT to get. The transports and converters are much better. And yes I have recorded on both units mentioned, along with a 788, ADATs, DA's too(DA's are solid recorders also). All of these rack mountable. I have never recorded in the box(computer), and don't intend too.
I am not trying to knock your choices, just offering other choices you may have not considered. With the equipment you listed, and portability, you may be better off going with an all in one unit.

I am actually starting to revert back to RtR, to introduce some tape compression into mixdown master. You are going other direction, heh heh
Good luck in whatever you choose. :)
 
treidm said:
A used Alesis HD24 can be had for just-under a grand and will give you 24 tracks at 24bit/48kHz, or 12 tracks at 24bit/96kHz.
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The HD24 wasn't much of a contender to the new units. imo.

units, like the 2488, have the 24 tracks and much much more for $799 brand new.
and in addition to the 24 tracks you get all the rest.... the effects, full blown editing/bouncing, digital mixer, 24/44.1 including a CD burner with basic Limiter or Compressor Mastering effects (like a free Masterlink...which I was thinking about buying once too.)

the 2488 is an extremely good bang for the buck. its hard to beat in that area.

some people did complain about the screen size, but if thats your bag...

go pc for the editing screen... a 22" flat panel is $290 these days at Fry's.
I think 21" CRT's are $40.
 
COOLCAT said:
The HD24 wasn't much of a contender to the new units. imo.

units, like the 2488, have the 24 tracks and much much more for $799 brand new.
and in addition to the 24 tracks you get all the rest.... the effects, full blown editing/bouncing, digital mixer, 24/44.1 including a CD burner with basic Limiter or Compressor Mastering effects (like a free Masterlink...which I was thinking about buying once too.)

the 2488 is an extremely good bang for the buck. its hard to beat in that area.
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Yes they are big bang for the buck, I guess.
Quite often in electronics, you get what you pay for though.

I shouldn't have brought up single stand alone units, that wasn't what he was asking, but please do not compare the quality of a Tascam 2488 to say an Alesis ADAT M20 8-track. The "burr-brown type" converters in a Studer V-8 or Alesis M20 (basically same units), are FAR superior to that of any Tascam or Yamaha all in one studio.
Yes all in one units serve a purpose, but no company could in any way afford to offer an all in one unit with every part of it being pro-level, or even all parts being semi-pro level, for those prices. The compressors are terrible on those units. You would be better off having nothing in the signal path, than using them.

I shouldn't have offered these as an option, he probably wants an all in one unit, but please don't try and tell anyone about how they are as good or superior to a stand alone unit in that price range.

An M20 (PRO-LEVEL!)8-track recorder, with less than 250 hrs on head can be had for $400-$700 USD give or take. And with the M20 or Studers they have matsushita LEG transport, and no idler wheel which eliminates servicing and the usual problems regular ADATs had.

Anyhoo, good luck to OSZ :)
 
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I'm not sure about the Texas Instruments/Burr Brown chips. I think The 2488 does use TI/BB, but never got that verified and never opened mine up.

The IC chips, there's some high sampling rates but today the new budget stuff is the pro stuff of 4 years ago or 8years ago like the ADAT technology. I had one too. It was alright, high end at the time. But tape faded pretty much.
I liked ADAT better than winding reel/reels and cassettes.


Do you know what converters are in the 2488 or 1600? and pre-amps?
I could never did get anyone to verify or send a schematic.
 
Well, I decided to go with the 2488 based on the price/features ratio. We'll see how it stacks up.

I'm always baffled when people draw a line in the sand and call one piece of gear "professional" and another "not professional quality." Though I'm relatively new to engineering/production, I've been playing guitar professionally for 15 years. I've recorded on all sorts of sessions--from portastudios in basements to nationally-known studios with Pro Tools and incredibly expensive vintage outboard gear. From my experience, I'd have to say that the talent of the producer or engineer almost always trumps the quality of the gear. Not that the gear doesn't matter--it certainly does. But talent (or lack of it) matters much more.

Just the same with guitar players and guitars. Some Fender guys wouldn't call a Mexican Classic 60's Strat a "professional" grade instrument. But guess what--in the hands of Henry Garza it sure is. Heck, Eric Lindell plays a Squier Strat that has been his main guitar for 10 years. He manages to make a good living with it--and he makes it sound great. That's my definition of professional.

The bottom line here is that, though an ADAT system may be superior to a Tascam 2488 or a Yamaha AW1600, that doesn't necessarily make it more "professional." That is determined by the user.
 
osz said:
From my experience, I'd have to say that the talent of the producer or engineer almost always trumps the quality of the gear. Not that the gear doesn't matter--it certainly does. But talent (or lack of it) matters much more.
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Amen.

Enjoy your new machine.

J.
 
ADAT is more of a format, not a technology that becomes outdated after 4-8 years, just people have migrated to different formats.

The 20bit TRUE linear/48kHz resolution of say an ADAT M20 is no different than similar gear today. Computers deal in 8 bits per byte, and multiples there of, so 24bit sample resolution was a natural fit. This is why so much gear has migrated to 24 bit.
Note: the M20 ADAT mentioned was very different from, say an LX-20 ADAT.

The difference in gear is sometimes under the hood, so to speak, and is not readily seen. Certain types of gear have a wider difference in quality, than others, compressors, microphones, and mic pre-amps for example, have a WIDE range of Quality,and compressors in particular are vastly different. Quality of Digital converters, Digital Master Clocks etc.. can make a difference also.

An engineer/producer with average ability working with exceptional gear can have very high quality work, and so can an exceptional engineer/producer with average gear. But an exceptional engineer/producer with crap for gear, can only get crap out, it may be polished crap, but crap none the less. By the same token with exceptional gear and a very inexperienced engineer/producer, the result might very well not be great, but should sonically be better.
So talent vs equipment isn't a fair way to measure things.

I think the 2488's fill a great segment in the home recording market. And with some additional mid level gear will give great results for the recordist. Just don't expect the compressor on one to sound like, say an LA-2A.

Good luck, and my advice to you in recording with the 2488 is Less is more, so "Cut more, boost less"
Also remember if you are used to nailing +3 or more, back off on the digital. Try -6 to -3, 0 WILL be clipping, and digital distortion is NOT pleasent, like mild Analog can be.

:)
 
Talon, I think you sum it up well. Although I do think talent has much more to do with it than most of us are willing to admit. Most of us, given an acoustic guitar, harmonica, and a cassette 4-track are not going to create "Nebraska." Crappy gear doesn't have to limit creativity. A truly creative person will exploit its strengths and work around its weaknesses.
 
osz said:
Most of us, given an acoustic guitar, harmonica, and a cassette 4-track are not going to create "Nebraska."
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Would this mean as in "Gretchen Goes To"?

King's X holds a special place in my heart... :cool:

Eric


Oh yeah, and I have an AW1600...I like it, I use it...I would imagine that if I'd got the Tascam instead I would like it, use it...Once you make the decision and just buy one of 'em, you're likely going to like it and use it...I ultimately bought the Yami for it's alledged durability and sweet reverbs, but I find myself using my ADAT XT with the good old outboard gear quite a bit as well, and still like it...Running the AW is not a cakewalk, though once you get "it", some neat things can happen...

Eric
 
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