jsl@potomac.UUCP (John Labovitz) (11/22/85)
I saw an interesting machine at the local music store the other day. It's
an 8-track integrated mixer/recorder by Tascam, for only $2895! Features:
Each channel:
* Three-band EQ (I think)
* Balanced (XLR) & unbalanced (1/4") inputs
* Direct out (RCA jack)
* Channel assign
* Stereo level/pan
* Monitor level
* VU meter
Master:
* Stereo level
* Monitor level
* 1-8 channel level
* 2 headphone jacks, plus level control
* VU meters
Recorder:
* 1/4" tape running at 7.5ips
* Auto-threading
* Cueing
* Return-to-zero, plus programmable stop/rewind
* Real-time tape counter
* Tinted glass door to cover tape deck
* >Fast< rewind/FF
It also has a SMTPE interface.
It looks like this (oh, I wish everyone had Macs so I could do this nicely):
<------------- ~30" ------------>
^ +-------------------------------+
| | %%%%%%%% %% %% |<-----vu meters
| | :::::::: :: ... ___ ___ |
| | :::::::: :: ... / \ / \ |<-----tape reels
~18" | :::::::: :: ... \___/ \___/ |
| | :::::::: :: ... === |
| | |
| | !!!!!!!! !! !!!! ....... |
v +-------------------------------+
8 inputs-----^ ^-------------tape controls
All the dealers I've talked to *love* this machine. Most of them say
``Yeah, I'm saving up my money to buy this machine myself.'' Has anyone out
there used it, or even seen it? What do you think? I'm seriously
interested in it (if I buy it, I'll have a Fostex 350 mixer and Tascam 234
4-track for sale soon...).
The only disadvantage I can see in it is that it's only got 8 inputs. For
live recording, 12 inputs might be better. But it would probably raise the
cost $500 or so.
--
John Labovitz ..!{rlgvax,seismo}!bdmrrr!potomac!jsl
--
Please don't call me Reg, it's not my name.rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (12/04/85)
> I saw an interesting machine at the local music store the other day. It's > an 8-track integrated mixer/recorder by Tascam, for only $2895! > The only disadvantage I can see in it is that it's only got 8 inputs. For > live recording, 12 inputs might be better. But it would probably raise the > cost $500 or so. > John Labovitz ..!{rlgvax,seismo}!bdmrrr!potomac!jsl Sounds great. But your remark about "it's only got 8 inputs" (gee, my Portastudio has only-only 4!) reminded me of a remark in an article a couple of years ago in the Village Voice about creating home studios called "I've Created a Monster". I paraphrase: "At any time in the course of building and using your studio, you will have exactly HALF the equipment you 'need'." (Exact quote on demand.) In other words, if it had 12 inputs, for some reason someone else would say "Why not 16? With 12 I can't mike every drum in the kit!" or something like that. The moral: even if they built the perfect beast, a week after you buy it you'll be saying "Gee, I wish it had..." I know I would. It's the nature of our craft. -- Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen. Rich Rosen pyuxd!rlr