whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb) (02/19/91)
Has anyone checked out or read a review of the new Tascam 488 portastudio? I have been interested in the 688 Midi studio for a while, but if the 488 is a decent unit, I may spring for it instead. From what I could gather, it has the following features: -8 track cassette tape: same heads and transport as the 688. -8 mono mixer inputs and 2 stereo inputs. The first two channels have a trim adjustment, and the first channel may be exempted from noise reduction for use as a synch track. -Dolby C noise reduction. -Only 4 tracks may be recorded at a time. -Line inputs only (no balanced inputs). -2 stage EQ per channel (vs. 3 for the 688). -2 mutually exclusive effects sends per channel. -No MIDI scenes. -List price $1599.00. Most of this information is from phone conversations with music dealers, and the only literature I've seen is the Ad in this month's EM, which is mostly hype, few details. None of the local music dealers have them in stock, so some feedback and local prices would be very useful! I'd also like to hear what 688 owners think about their machines. The 688 costs more than twice as much... is it worth it? Thanks. ********************************************************************** Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <...!mcnc!aurgate!whitcomb> (919) 850-6231 I'm not a software engineer, Raleigh, NC but I play one on TV.
bonobo@ingres.com (David Bonobo) (02/22/91)
In article <59586@aurs01.UUCP> whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb) writes: >Has anyone checked out or read a review of the new Tascam >488 portastudio? I have been interested in the 688 >I'd also like to hear what 688 owners think about their machines. The 688 >costs more than twice as much...is it worth it? >Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <...!mcnc!aurgate!whitcomb> I too was very interested in the 688 when I was looking around for an 8-track setup. Since I trigger so much MIDI crap from a sequencer (just what the 688 was designed for), I figured the only problem would be the sound quality for vocals and acoustic (you know, manual ;-) instruments. The other choices for tape transports included their beefy open-reel TSR-8, and the Fostex 8-track stuff. I listened to everything out there (except Otari, out of my price range), and I have to say, there is many a day when I wished I bought a 688. The sound quality was quite nice, and so many handy things are built into that unit (you know more than I do about the 488 features). There are a few things you should consider. For one thing, when you move to a larger format tape (such as open reel), you not only get better fidelity, but you are no longer depending on the transport mechanism of the cassette in any way (thought Tascam claims to have solved that problem). If there are imprefections in the tape itself, they are masked by the faster tape speed (usually 15ips, as opposed to 1 3/4 ips). Of course, these big reels of tape are not cheap, and I know personally that they tend to discourage quick changes of reels (from a "production" reel to a "demo" reel, for example). That's where cassette format and the scene memorization come in really handy with the 688; lightning-fast setups! Just some thoughts... -David
scott@bbxsda.UUCP (Scott Amspoker) (02/22/91)
In article <1991Feb22.014059.27264@ingres.Ingres.COM> bonobo@Ingres.COM (David Borgman) writes: >In article <59586@aurs01.UUCP> whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb) writes: >>I'd also like to hear what 688 owners think about their machines. The 688 >>costs more than twice as much...is it worth it? > >I too was very interested in the 688 when I was looking around for an 8-track >setup. Since I trigger so much MIDI crap from a sequencer (just what the 688 >was designed for), I figured the only problem would be the sound quality for >vocals and acoustic (you know, manual ;-) instruments.... I have a 688 and I'm happy with it but I should caution that the so-called "midi implementation" is rather limited. You can change mixer channel assignments and mute/unmute tracks. You cannot do more practical things like change channel volume or EQ. Furthermore, on my 688, a faint pop is heard when you mute/unmute a channel so I would never do it during a mixdown. There is also a midi sync-to-tape feature that I haven't used since I use SMPTE. I can't comment on how well it is implemented. ....I have to say, there is many a day when I wished I bought >a 688. The sound quality was quite nice, and so many handy things are built >into that unit (you know more than I do about the 488 features). I too was impressed with the sound quality of the 688 - a noticeable improvement over past multi-track cassette decks. >There are a few things you should consider. For one thing, when you move to >a larger format tape (such as open reel), you not only get better fidelity, >but you are no longer depending on the transport mechanism of the cassette >in any way (thought Tascam claims to have solved that problem). The 688 uses a dual capstan and moves the "pressure pad" off the tape (ala Nakamichi). >If there >are imprefections in the tape itself, they are masked by the faster tape >speed (usually 15ips, as opposed to 1 3/4 ips). The 688 runs a 3 3/4 ips (still not 15 but better than 1 7/8). -- Scott Amspoker | Touch the peripheral convex of every Basis International, Albuquerque, NM | kind, then various kinds of blaming (505) 345-5232 | sound can be sent forth. unmvax.cs.unm.edu!bbx!bbxsda!scott | - Instructions for a little box that | blurts out obscenities.
ogata@leviathan.cs.umd.edu (Jefferson Ogata) (02/23/91)
We just had a discussion about the Tascam 688 on I.can't.remember.what.group and over email. I have used this thing, so I'll pipe up now; I hate it. I think the 688 is a complete blowout, except that the recording quality is decent. The 688 has the most insane mixer on the planet and the midi scenes are actually of almost no use whatsoever. There aren't enough effects buses for a 16-channel mixer, and 8 of those channels are very difficult to use. The mon/fx bus knobs are queer as all hell. I don't know what the architecture of the 488 is like, but I hope it's not like the 688. What a pain. A guitar player I work with has a 488; he brought in a tape he made with it the other day and it sounded great. He said he likes the machine. He also said that it has dbx (does Tascam make another non-midi 8-track cassette machine besides the 488? Perhaps what the guitar player has is not the 488; Tascam does not have the most mnemonic naming scheme.) I note that the original post in this thread said the 488 has Dolby C, which I think would be a grave injustice. -- Jefferson Ogata ogata@cs.umd.edu University Of Maryland Department of Computer Science