ZOOM R16 Vs. TASCAM DP-24SD

[The Chuck]

I was ready to pull the trigger on the Zoom but then got thinking that for the extra $50 that the TASCAM looks to be at least a step up in both ease of use and features.

If you have any information or experience with either of them, I sure would appreciate knowing about it.

Thank you.

 

[rudy4444]

Research the Tascam to find out exactly what it's using for internal storage. The ads say "internal hard drive" and that would be a deal killer for me; that translates to noise from a cooling fan. I have the Zoom R24 which is a similar recorder that uses a memory card. It's totally silent and can be used anywhere without fan noise problems.
I've done 4 full CD projects with small bands and the R24 has performed well. They have gone on sale in the past at $100 off which would put the R24 lower in price.
If you decide on the Zoom I'd personally opt for the R24 to get phantom on 6 inputs, a bit larger display, and the additional bank or tracks.
I only use the R24 for 24 bit audio capture and usb everything to the PC for editing. All the other stuff it offers is just window dressing to me.

 

[RustyAxe]

I have the DP24 (the one with CD burner). The Tascam uses SD or SDHC cards (I'm using a 32gb card). It is noiseless. You can have phantom power on all eight inputs (in banks of four). I love it. It is not, however, an audio interface to your DAW. The USB is used for file transfer only. Effects are good. There's a learning curve, but that's to be expected. A$20 DVD available on line is well worth it if you're new to recording. Worth just to understand how the FX processor works, too. I usually record to the DP24, dry, and then EXPORT and do my editing, mixing and mastering in a DAW (Reaper).

 

[The Chuck]

Thank you both for the information- I have researched and I am going to purchase the TASCAM.

I am looking forward to doing some recording again- it's been a quite a while.

 

[RustyAxe]

Thank you both for the information- I have researched and I am going to purchase the TASCAM.

I am looking forward to doing some recording again- it's been a quite a while.

One thing ... the DP24SD dropped midi support. The original DP24 (mine) has midi.

 

[ofajen]

An internal HD may not be that much of an issue. I have a Yamaha AW1600 with an internal HD and it does not have a fan. There is the noise of the HD itself, but it's not really an issue as far as recording and mixing goes.

Otto

 

[The Chuck]

One thing ... the DP24SD dropped midi support. The original DP24 (mine) has midi.

I read about that but for me that isn't going to matter. Thanks.

 

[RustyAxe]

I read about that but for me that isn't going to matter. Thanks.

Doesn't matter to me much, either. I play keys, but usually record audio rather than midi.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Having been a guy who's thrown a lot of money away on recorders, I'm curious what the advantage is to having one of those things as opposed to just having a cheap interface, and even some simple recording programs? I'm not asking this as a challenge, but an honest question.

I started out with a Tascam porta 1, when digital recording was just born I lost over $5000 on a Session 8 that became obsolete in about a years time :/, then I owned a Korg D16, a ZOOM 8 track, and another I can't remember. All of the standalone units were ridiculously difficult for me to navigate, and I dreaded doing any recording with any of them. What I kept coming back to was a limited edition version of Cubase that I got for free, and whatever interface I had at any given time (most zoom pedals work as interfaces, currently using a toneport). Anyhow, I recorded everything on the cd below with Cubase LTD. Never completed a recording with any stand alone unit, because I could never get that far without wanting to throw it out the window. Curious what the benefits are to people that use them?

And PS - all the above doesn't mean I still don't get gas for one of those things when I see them . Saw the ZOOM and thought, dang! I want that! It's a sickness, I tell ya !

Get Real, by Joe Nerve

 

[The Chuck]

Having been a guy who's thrown a lot of money away on recorders, I'm curious what the advantage is to having one of those things as opposed to just having a cheap interface, and even some simple recording programs? I'm not asking this as a challenge, but an honest question.

I started out with a Tascam porta 1, when digital recording was just born I lost over $5000 on a Session 8 that became obsolete in about a years time :/, then I owned a Korg D16, a ZOOM 8 track, and another I can't remember. All of the standalone units were ridiculously difficult for me to navigate, and I dreaded doing any recording with any of them. What I kept coming back to was a limited edition version of Cubase that I got for free, and whatever interface I had at any given time (most zoom pedals work as interfaces, currently using a toneport). Anyhow, I recorded everything on the cd below with Cubase LTD. Never completed a recording with any stand alone unit, because I could never get that far without wanting to throw it out the window. Curious what the benefits are to people that use them?

And PS - all the above doesn't mean I still don't get gas for one of those things when I see them . Saw the ZOOM and thought, dang! I want that! It's a sickness, I tell ya !

Get Real, by Joe Nerve

For me right now it is about the money. I don't have a PC/laptop that I can dedicate to recording at the moment and the cost of buying a good one would be twice what the TASCAM will cost let alone the added cost of software, interfaces and so on.

I want to start small and go from there.

 

[Joe Nerve]

For me right now it is about the money. I don't have a PC/laptop that I can dedicate to recording at the moment and the cost of buying a good one would be twice what the TASCAM will cost let alone the added cost of software, interfaces and so on.

I want to start small and go from there.

Got it. What I'd strongly advise is to commit to learning whatever you get, inside out, as soon as you get it, and commit to using it as much as possible. The learning curve on a lot of those stand alone units is pretty steep, and I failed at them because every time I went to use them, I'd have to navigate the owners manual all over again. It can get frustrating. I'll note also that I'll never buy another Korg product, because their owners manuals are horrendous. If you haven't already done so, you might want to read through the manuals and read them both first before making your final selection. Being able to use what you buy is a lot more important IMO than what it's capable of.

 

[Deleted member 264575]

Having been a guy who's thrown a lot of money away on recorders, I'm curious what the advantage is to having one of those things as opposed to just having a cheap interface, and even some simple recording programs? I'm not asking this as a challenge, but an honest question.

I started out with a Tascam porta 1, when digital recording was just born I lost over $5000 on a Session 8 that became obsolete in about a years time :/, then I owned a Korg D16, a ZOOM 8 track, and another I can't remember. All of the standalone units were ridiculously difficult for me to navigate, and I dreaded doing any recording with any of them. What I kept coming back to was a limited edition version of Cubase that I got for free, and whatever interface I had at any given time (most zoom pedals work as interfaces, currently using a toneport). Anyhow, I recorded everything on the cd below with Cubase LTD. Never completed a recording with any stand alone unit, because I could never get that far without wanting to throw it out the window. Curious what the benefits are to people that use them?

And PS - all the above doesn't mean I still don't get gas for one of those things when I see them . Saw the ZOOM and thought, dang! I want that! It's a sickness, I tell ya !

Get Real, by Joe Nerve

I started on a Tascam 4 track cassette recorder, back in the prehistoric age. I've tried some DAW stuff, but I get latency, clipping and just the feel of a mouse isn't as satisfying (for me) as a fader, or a dial. Also, my PC fan is whining, just trying to keep up with ads on TB, or a You-tube video. I like the fact that the Tascam DP24SD is a self contained unit. Real knobs and dials for us old-school guys. Funny, I found this thread while researching the DP24SD, after already deciding to order one (tomorrow). It's more expensive than a DAW (I already have like, 3 copies of Cubase) and an interface, but I like it's simplicity. Plug in and go. Looking forward to getting it (maybe by the weekend!). From the reviews I've read and watched, it's pretty much issue-free. From the recordings I've heard, it's stellar. I can pop back in with a review, once I get it. It looks pretty intuitive, if you ever done recording before.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I started on a Tascam 4 track cassette recorder, back in the prehistoric age. I've tried some DAW stuff, but I get latency, clipping and just the feel of a mouse isn't as satisfying (for me) as a fader, or a dial. Also, my PC fan is whining, just trying to keep up with ads on TB, or a You-tube video. I like the fact that the Tascam DP24SD is a self contained unit. Real knobs and dials for us old-school guys. Funny, I found this thread while researching the DP24SD, after already deciding to order one (tomorrow). It's more expensive than a DAW (I already have like, 3 copies of Cubase) and an interface, but I like it's simplicity. Plug in and go. Looking forward to getting it (maybe by the weekend!). From the reviews I've read and watched, it's pretty much issue-free. From the recordings I've heard, it's stellar. I can pop back in with a review, once I get it. It looks pretty intuitive, if you ever done recording before.

SOB!

Now you guys have me really, seriously, bigtime gassing for one of these. I think for me it would be the ZOOM though. Would make recording easy when I'm not around my computer. And then I could plug it in and still use Cubase. And have all the faders and stuff. I'm in trouble...

With the Tascam, what's the deal with editing wave forms? Is it possible, and can you hook that up with Cubase also? I just looked kinda quickly, but didn't notice anything regarding that. I got very used to editing like this:

 

[Deleted member 264575]

With the Tascam, what's the deal with editing wave forms? Is it possible, and can you hook that up with Cubase also?

See below:

I have the DP24...... I usually record to the DP24, dry, and then EXPORT and do my editing, mixing and mastering in a DAW (Reaper).

 

[rudy4444]

Having been a guy who's thrown a lot of money away on recorders, I'm curious what the advantage is to having one of those things as opposed to just having a cheap interface, and even some simple recording programs? I'm not asking this as a challenge, but an honest question.

I started out with a Tascam porta 1, when digital recording was just born I lost over $5000 on a Session 8 that became obsolete in about a years time :/, then I owned a Korg D16, a ZOOM 8 track, and another I can't remember. All of the standalone units were ridiculously difficult for me to navigate, and I dreaded doing any recording with any of them. What I kept coming back to was a limited edition version of Cubase that I got for free, and whatever interface I had at any given time (most zoom pedals work as interfaces, currently using a toneport). Anyhow, I recorded everything on the cd below with Cubase LTD. Never completed a recording with any stand alone unit, because I could never get that far without wanting to throw it out the window. Curious what the benefits are to people that use them?

And PS - all the above doesn't mean I still don't get gas for one of those things when I see them . Saw the ZOOM and thought, dang! I want that! It's a sickness, I tell ya !

Get Real, by Joe Nerve

Looks like with the ability to use SDHC cards that the DP24 and the Zoom R24 are similar machines. I don't have experience with the DP24 but the R24 is only slightly more difficult to operate than an old cassette recorder. I DETEST menus and there's not much menu use if you just want to do audio capture with the R24. The big advantage in using a stand alone recorder is it is first and foremost designed to record audio. No hiccups, clicks, pops, etc.

The problem with these machines is folks become enamored with their supposed capabilities and they proceed to spend a lot of time trying to get to those higher-level attributes. Forget that stuff and use them at what they excel at; recording audio.

Use them as an audio capture device, doing overdubs if you like, and transfer to a honest to gosh DAW to do the editing. THAT'S where they shine.

Don't know about the DP24 but the Zoom R24 works on batteries if you like. That means you can take it out under a shady tree with a mic or 2 and a set of headphones and record to your heart's content. Plus it's TOTALLY silent, unlike recording with a computer.

Hope that sheds some light on what I consider to be a stand alone recorder's strong points.

 

[ofajen]

I still track on an Otari 8-track for similar reasons. It is simple and designed only for tracking and playback. Interacting with it is more like dealing with an appliance than a computer, so I can remain a musician, not turn into a computer operator.

In theory I could port to a digital system, but I generally track with so much malice aforethought that the tracks pretty much mix themselves and I can go straight to the Otari 2-track and then port over the mix.

Otto

 

[Deleted member 264575]

I picked up my Tascam DP-24SD tonight. It works very well. Incredibly intuitive and the playback is crystal, which I could never get from a DAW. I recorded 7 tracks simultaneously with no latency, noise or clipping at all. I made a mixdown master and it produced a finished product, 4 hours after picking it up. Now I think I might read the manual. Color me impressed!
Into the rabbit hole I go!!

Oh, I got the foot controller and a dust cover, too.

 

[The Chuck]

I picked up my Tascam DP-24SD tonight. It works very well. Incredibly intuitive and the playback is crystal, which I could never get from a DAW. I recorded 7 tracks simultaneously with no latency, noise or clipping at all. I made a mixdown master and it produced a finished product, 4 hours after picking it up. Now I think I might read the manual. Color me impressed!
Into the rabbit hole I go!!

View attachment 975937

Oh, I got the foot controller and a dust cover, too.

View attachment 975940 View attachment 975939

I am glad to hear it! I will be placing my order when I get back from a trip later this week.

I can't wait to start recording.

 

[whatizitman]

Having been a guy who's thrown a lot of money away on recorders, I'm curious what the advantage is to having one of those things as opposed to just having a cheap interface, and even some simple recording programs? I'm not asking this as a challenge, but an honest question.

I started out with a Tascam porta 1, when digital recording was just born I lost over $5000 on a Session 8 that became obsolete in about a years time :/, then I owned a Korg D16, a ZOOM 8 track, and another I can't remember. All of the standalone units were ridiculously difficult for me to navigate, and I dreaded doing any recording with any of them. What I kept coming back to was a limited edition version of Cubase that I got for free, and whatever interface I had at any given time (most zoom pedals work as interfaces, currently using a toneport). Anyhow, I recorded everything on the cd below with Cubase LTD. Never completed a recording with any stand alone unit, because I could never get that far without wanting to throw it out the window. Curious what the benefits are to people that use them?

And PS - all the above doesn't mean I still don't get gas for one of those things when I see them . Saw the ZOOM and thought, dang! I want that! It's a sickness, I tell ya !

Get Real, by Joe Nerve

I would get a ZOOM if I could justify the price and GAS. From what I see it is more straight forward for exporting files for editing, and can even be used as an interface. Plus, my experiences with TASCAM in the past have been mixed. Too much proprietary technology that always quickly goes obsolete. All portable digital recorders suffer that, but TASCAM just seems to rise above (sink below?) the rest in that category. It would be for tracking only. I see little reason to edit/mix directly on the recorder. For the time it would take me to figure out how, I could have driven home, dumped the file to my PC, get a rough mix done, and gone to bed. So the most straight forward approach for dumping files to DAW is the selling point for me.

But the real reason I stick to interface/computer is purely financial. I usually have, or at least have access to, a laptop or PC adequate to do some basic recording and editing. All I really need is an interface, cuz good software can be had for "free" or reasonable price (Reaper). Plus, I'm talking budget/bedroom production standards (with low end mics, limited channels, untreated room dynamics, etc...). At my level I can justify NOT spending the extra on a separate recorder, since any added convenience is pretty much canceled out by lack of overall quality in recording (and ability!).

Costs aside, some of the benefits I think are having less proprietary crap to deal with - less to go obsolete. WAV files and linear WAV editing and MIDI engines, for example, have been around for decades, and surely don't show any signs of going out of style. These are harder to come by in standalone portable recorders. And most computers can withstand at least a few cycles of operating system turnover before dying (apart from major architectural upgrades like 32 bit to 64bit). For standalone devices, once the firmware is unsupported, you have a toxic door stop.

But tracking to computer has its drawbacks. Dealing with latency is probably the biggest. But you still have to deal with software and driver updates that have nothing to do with your project, and the computer may still need to be optimized for recording. By that I mean not just processor-wise, but the environment and workflow. A general computer is not set up to be a DAW by default. And particularly in the case of tablets and smartphones, you have to do a lot to keep other things from getting in the way of your tracking (wireless issues, phone calls, texts, alerts, screen auto-off, etc...). These can be a real hassle. For me, the extra money toward a ZOOM would eliminate a lot of hassle by being solely dedicated to tracking, and separate from the computer I will eventually have to use for DAW. But again, I can't really justify it my mind financially, so I stick with the interface/PC.

 

[Deleted member 264575]

I transferred the files on the Tascam to my PC and edited them in Cubase, no problem.