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Multitrack recorders still a thing?
- Thread starter Knavery
- Start date
I bought a Tascam DP 32 SD. I went from a BR600 about 10 years ago to a DAW. I'm now back to SITB (studio in the box) You can always master using a DAW. The DP32SD ( sansdisk w/o CDr) for under $500.
I like Splicit Reel Audio Products but there are several other sites that sell tape these days.
atrtape.com is another one.
but heck, you can buy tape on Amazon these days!
Weirdly the old Tascam cassette multi-tracks are actually "vintage" equipment now, and highly sought after!
You too can make authentic, terrible-sounding trashcan demos of your basement punk band!
$600!! [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
You too can make authentic, terrible-sounding trashcan demos of your basement punk band!
$600!! [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I understand the simplicity of the old school multitrack recorders. DAWs are “better” but there’s so-o-o much more that you can do with them that gets in the way of simply laying down a track. I’ve recited for years, “The wonderful thing about computers is all the stuff you can do with them; the horrible thing about computers is all the stuff you have to go through to perform what used to be a small task.”
They are certainly not as popular, but IMO the reliability and focus one gets with an MTR has not, and can not, be matched by software.
I jumped in back in 1999 with 24-bit recording via software, with a gorgeous sounding PC card. I still have that, a Gadgetlab 424. I like using a DAW.
But a Multitrack recorder never needs a Windows or iOS update that causes fundamental breakdowns on a regular basis; that removes support to force you to buy a new device, a MTR never gets spyware issues. Most of them have no fans. MTRs, for the most part just work. The modern ones run on AA batteries, and have a stereo pair of acceptable mics. It is the post-Golden Age for MTR's right now, the features are everything I could have dreamed up in the 90's.
After decades with no MTR, I picked up a Boss BR-800 last year. This is the only Multitrack in that size / cost range that has 4 XLR inputs, and can record 4 tracks simultaneously. It has enough features to get lost in, but can also be a very fast setup. Choose your inputs, select an FX mode (or off), and press record/play. The orange monochrome LCD is 70's tech. Love it : )
One potential downside to look out for is - many of the lower end multitrack recorders (including Boss BR-800) still only record in 16 bits. If your recording level is decent, IMO you are not going notice a difference in outcome, but its something the manufacturers will not disclose up front. Check the manuals / specs for anything you are looking at buying.
I jumped in back in 1999 with 24-bit recording via software, with a gorgeous sounding PC card. I still have that, a Gadgetlab 424. I like using a DAW.
But a Multitrack recorder never needs a Windows or iOS update that causes fundamental breakdowns on a regular basis; that removes support to force you to buy a new device, a MTR never gets spyware issues. Most of them have no fans. MTRs, for the most part just work. The modern ones run on AA batteries, and have a stereo pair of acceptable mics. It is the post-Golden Age for MTR's right now, the features are everything I could have dreamed up in the 90's.
After decades with no MTR, I picked up a Boss BR-800 last year. This is the only Multitrack in that size / cost range that has 4 XLR inputs, and can record 4 tracks simultaneously. It has enough features to get lost in, but can also be a very fast setup. Choose your inputs, select an FX mode (or off), and press record/play. The orange monochrome LCD is 70's tech. Love it : )
One potential downside to look out for is - many of the lower end multitrack recorders (including Boss BR-800) still only record in 16 bits. If your recording level is decent, IMO you are not going notice a difference in outcome, but its something the manufacturers will not disclose up front. Check the manuals / specs for anything you are looking at buying.
I had an older Tascam one years ago and am planning on buying a new one. I miss the simplicity and how it was more organic. We’ve been recording all our stuff on protools for years now and I’m over it. The number of options drags the process out so much that before we can finish recording one album I’m fed up with it and wanting to write another. Our last album cycle the guys didn’t want to break out the new songs until the album was out and they took their sweet time recording guitars and vocals in particular and by the time it was my turn to track bass I hadn’t played some of the songs on that album with the band in 6 months. There are some great studios in my area that keep the process rolling well but the problem with them is cost. Spending like 4 grand on a recording eats up an entire years worth of profits for us and prevents us from being able to do things like hire people to shoot music videos. Maybe the recordings are marginally better than using a multitrack but these days the sound quality of everything takes a hit anyways because everything is YouTube and other social media, streaming, and digital downloads all of which have Audio limitations.
My former 16-track 2-inch Studer is in a museum now, and the display is labelled "Multisaurus Rex"... 
I have a functional Portastudio Mk III. I hated recording on it, and it's hard to find high-bias tapes.
Those little digital multi-tracks haven't sounded great in my experience. M-Audio Fast Track 8R into a DAW like Reaper would be cheaper. If you want analog 'summing,' you could buy an old mixer like A&H, Mackie, etc., and run it into an interface. I do that using the direct outs and an audio snake.
Yep. Depending on your musical style and scene it can even give you some lofi indie cred.
Jokes aside I know quiet a few garge rock bands that used them to try and get away from the DAWs and the pro tool sound.
Don’t let me pigeon hole then either, you can get some decent recordings out of them for all styles. Most importantly, sometimes getting away from a computer and having limits will speed up productivity and result with some good music
Jokes aside I know quiet a few garge rock bands that used them to try and get away from the DAWs and the pro tool sound.
Don’t let me pigeon hole then either, you can get some decent recordings out of them for all styles. Most importantly, sometimes getting away from a computer and having limits will speed up productivity and result with some good music
i still have my tascam 4 track cassette unit from the 80's.
I still have my Fostex X18 Multitracker Cassette Recorder...
The pro tools sound. That's very funny. People out here selling records with nothing but silence on them to get away from all the various sounds of using a DAW?
I was getting at having everything adjusted to a grid and tuned to perfect pitch. That “pro tools sound”
still have my fostex fd4 I received for my 16th birthday. can't tell if I've never used it correctly, but I've always gotten at least some bit of hiss from it, which shouldn't happen with a digital multitrack but it seems to
I did use it about five years ago, along with an analog drum machine, to record the instrumentation for a grindcore-esque ep while binge watching entourage in my living room (daw is not nearly as portable). bounced it to stereo and recorded the vocals in pro tools, but the lofi edge was certainly nostalgic
I still have some embarrassing bedroom demos on it lol
I did use it about five years ago, along with an analog drum machine, to record the instrumentation for a grindcore-esque ep while binge watching entourage in my living room (daw is not nearly as portable). bounced it to stereo and recorded the vocals in pro tools, but the lofi edge was certainly nostalgic
I still have some embarrassing bedroom demos on it lol
Pro tools has whatever sound you decide to make it have. If you don't want to quantize your tracks then you just don't do that.
I intend to pick up either a Livetrak 20 or Tascam model 24 later this year...I love going into the real studio but for making song demos/getting ideas down the last thing I want to deal with is Pro Tools etc.
