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ben

Posted on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 10:56 pm:

hello,
I want to buy a analog record machine with effects (echo, delay, reverb...) but I don't know exactly wich one. However, I'm sure to want an analog one.
Can someone light my way ?

Irie !

interruptor

Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 01:27 pm:

If you really want one single recording machine including all the effects i can only think about digital workstations like the Roland VS-1824CD which can be used to record and mix including effects like echo, delay, reverb.
For dubbing however it is usually better to have the effects separately as this brings more flexibility and it's easyer to tweak them during mixdown.

Thinking of analog devices it's just stage mixers with built in spring reverb that come to my mind - but you cannot record with this alone - you need a separate multi track recording machine (reel to reel or 4-track cassette based) and more effect units.

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 03:00 pm:

ben, I was actually a bit confused by your question.
What do you mean "analog record machine with effects". Interruptor kind of stretched the idea for you here.
My guess was that you want some analog recorder, which is reel to reel or cassette. I don't know any w/effects. there're so-called porta-studios cassette-multi-track recorders with builtin some basis mixer. I would not recommend them. If you are really 'analog-head' then think of getting some older/used 4 or 8-track reel2reel, you can find some Teac/Tascams on e-bay (not really cheap thou). But again, you still need to have also some analog mixer and all your effects will be some extra boxes (especially if you want to use only analog effects), but 99% of all effect processors out there are actually digital.
I know there are some analog mixer-boards outthere now with built-in effects (but again, these built-in effects are DSP (digital). Mackie makes so called FX-series boards, checkout www.mackie.com, get there into products/mixers.... Also I believe behringer got some small boards w/digital efx-builtin... Also keep in mind, that having built-in effects would not do really good for dub production, just what Interruptor said, it is always better to have them as separate boxes, so you can route them around you board in vary ways.

well, man, if you be around back, post-up if you have any specific questions....

later,
respects,

/Mike Zee
zee dub lab

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2002 - 03:04 pm:

here's direct link to Mackie CFX series Mixsers

later,
/m z

Ben

Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 11:28 am:

Mike & Interruptor,

Thank you much for advice me so well.
I apreciate your care for me.

Sorry I'm french and I try to make the others understand me with the 3 english words I know !

I would want to ask you a question about the spring reverbs.

I want an analog one and I heard about the new "Demeter RV-1".

I don't know if it's the good one for me.
It's a little bit expensive (about 700$).

But may be you can suggest me an other one.

Thank you by advance.

Ben, the novice.

Looter

Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 05:16 pm:

I have a Furman RV-1 spring reverb, I havent seen the Demeter berfore. I got mine for $75 but I've seen then go for half of that price. They have a very nice sounding sweepable eq built in and dry/wet controls.

If you want an all in one, analog recording machine with a REAL mixer (sorry, no built in effects), I suggest the tascam 246 portastudio. If you look at the portastudios tascam makes today, the mixer sections look like toys. But, in the mid-80s when they developed the first generation of portastudios (144, 244 & 246) they had mixers with real faders.

I've had my 246 for 3 years now and I wouldn't trade it for any other 4-track. It's got a 4-buss, 6-channel mixer w/ sweepable EQ. I love it.

If you want 8-track analog all-in-one, get a tascam 388. It's the only machine of it's kind with a mixer and reel recorder in the same package. Or, there's the 488 cassette 8-track.

If you're just starting out and you want a basic analog studio setup, I'd recommend any of these.

Mike Zee

Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 06:20 pm:

Demeter RV-1 here Demeter RV-1,
some notes from Demeter users: here Demeter RV-1 feedback,
The site is here: Demeteramps.com
*****
more feedback on FurmanRV1: here Furman RV-1

*******
Ben, be sure to read posts about reverb/spring(s) issues here: Effects and Sound Manipulation, some usefull info there.

personally, I think it's absolute MADNESS to by Spring for $700 for dub production. I'd rather get get 10-20 different junkey ones and use them in a mad way...

, but I am not sure about it. If demeter is soooooo great, and you really just want to use state'of'the'art equipment, and you've got a big 'rubber pocket full of cash', then go for it

I know guys, buying old amp's springs for 5 bucks and use them very successfuly.
Be sure at least to check e-bay, at least for prices and variety available. Enter 'spring reverb' into search and click 'search'. Well, buying from a e-bay maybe a tricky, especially buying real old/used stuff, you never really know.

******

Ben, I've got your e-mail, so am sort of replying here, if you have more questions, e-mail me, or better yet just post here, Guys here may know much more about dub-related equipment etc...

best regards,

respects,

Mike Zee
zee dub lab

ben

Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 10:27 pm:

Hello evrybody,

Looter, thanks, I'm gonna check the references you told me.

Mike, respect for ebay !
I didn't hear about this nice dealing place.

I think I'm gonna find what I wish ...

Thanks for guide my way people

Ben

Dave Cook

Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 09:50 pm:

Hi all -
I found this place via a Google search. I have a TASCAM 246 portastudio for sale. I got it in 1987. It has had little use...maybe 120 hours +/-.
What is a fair price for such a thing?

Dave C
scripturerelease@sunflower.com

Looter

Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 12:59 am:

Check ebay, it varies. I paid what you would pay for a new "top of the line" tascam portastudio today for the 246 i bought a few years ago. But mine was a demo with no real recording time on it. What did you pay for yours in '87? $2k?

I would agree that most portastudios are not suitable for dub-style mixing but the 246 has 6 very useful channels of mixer. Its the only portastudio to fool the experts at the recording magazines. They swore material recorded on one was actually done in a pro studio.

I decided to start with a portastudio because the design simplifies the whole patching process down to flipping some switches and pressing buttons. It is also portable, this is good because I do not have a studio w/ a piano or a good space for recording the drum kit. Did i mention the media is cheap and available almost everywhere? And it's compatiable with most other cassette 4-tracks.

I would really like a 388, they are quite the machine. They are 80 some pounds so not quite as portable. But a very cool design, similar to the 246 but on a larger scale. Both machines are from the same era so that makes sense, i guess.

Kevin

Chad Contra

Posted on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 06:23 am:

I've got a 388 I'm looking to unload.

Tracks 2-6 work well with a bit of crosstalk.

Track 1 has terminal wow and flutter.

Track 8 just won't record.

Most of these problems stem from a reel table that's off allignment somehow. Someone with more experience and time than I could probably fix it.

I'd like to get about $450 for it, but I'm flexible.

Gimme some shouts at

contra@mixmail.com

Cool. Peace.

Chad

bobby keel

Posted on Wednesday, December 25, 2002 - 07:34 pm:

i recieved a tascam 246 for christmas but it has no manual. anyone who can help me would truly be blessed.

interruptor

Posted on Wednesday, January 01, 2003 - 05:26 pm:

from the tascam history:
1986 - The TASCAM 246 replaced the 244. It allowed the recording of all four channels at once, and had six inputs instead of just four. It also allowed the option of running the cassette at double speed or at the normal speed of 1 7/8 IPS.

here are links to people who claim they sell a manual:
link1
link2 (tascam 244)

try to find more yourself using a search engine (i.e. google.com)

greetings
the interruptor

Ben Nagari

Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 06:47 pm:

I have gone through the slow, and costly upgrades from sound on sound reel to reel, 244, reel to reel 8 track, and now I use just this box I'm typing into. With vst/dxi I can can have all the effects and instruments I need. The quality is excellent compared to the cassette based recorders.
As for price I would have thought a secound hand multi track would be dearer than a suitable sound card and computer.
Apart from a spring reverb, I cannot see the benefit of using 'real' hardware as apposed to virtual.

KoCha

Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 07:46 pm:

A part of the warmest of sound come from the support... it's because some people love analogu tape.

But with some magic box and settings you can change that on recording...

KoCha

aleph

Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 11:35 pm:

a difference between analog/digit :
i cannot go after 0db Whith digital
i go at 0db,+1db,+2db.... with analog and the sound
color change every time at the recorder the mix desk ,and especially with analog effect like valve EQ/Compression , PHASER
For me IT CAN'T BE EMULALTED ,engeeneers would
better foget this and experiment digit effect that
cannot be done with analog;

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 03:17 am:

engeeneers would
better foget this and experiment digit effect that
cannot be done with analog

yeah, it's waist of resources and at the end ours(consummer's, producer's) time and money. Companies don't care, however, as long as it is cheap to make and they can sell something quickly enough before the user realize that it is a "joke". For example, I have and used for sometime Opcode's Vocode and Filer Fusion software - ...thought it's a cool thing. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr - crap and waist of time and money.

I actually wish some major (like tascam) company get back to making some analog reel-to-reel multi-track machines again for home-studios, and I don't mean those cassette portas-junk (which are actually useful in someway)....

/Mike Zee

aleph

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 03:23 am:

I'm often agree whith you mike
It is like the real life(ana.)and virtual life(digit)

alph

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 03:29 am:

let the "proffessinnal" beleive in digital
and they 'll sell their old tascam ,studer,revox...
these machines seems to be built "for hundred years
ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ahahahahaha"

aleph

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 03:38 am:

I didn t tell you i owned a 3m 16track (2inch) recorder for only 1300euro in very good condition
perhaps because the french engeeners don t beleive
in tape recorder, they like very very clean sounds
but they forgot that life is dirty and not perfect

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 04:51 am:

wow 3m 16!!? heh heh it takes allotsa'space, man

nice one.
I've seen some real-deals on second-hand monsters. Two problems: shipping and you never know what you get. I am searching/waiting for something to jump-out locally so I could go and see for myself and pick-it up if I like it. It may never happen thou

Also, I think (but not really sure about it) that many producer's/studio owners actually do realize that their brand-new Pro-Tools all digital super-duper workstation/systems will have no value in a few yeras, while Studer still may be on 'most wanted list' ....
Even on my own little "experience" I have couple HardDisc Multitrack recorders which were over $3000, and now I can't sell them for nearly nothing, even thou there's no moving parts and all that... nobody wants them, 'cos new and better are cheaper... grrrrrrrrrr

oh, well...

/respects,
/Mike Zee

aleph

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 02:45 pm:

this monster is a blue m79 and his weight:250kg
An advice:put 2000 or 3000 under your bed and wait
,when u found it go for it like a vampire!
For the luxe cheap u got to be patient
A studio in nord of paris is selling a revox
24tracks (2inch and really marvellous) for 3100euro
whith 24t and 32t heads if your interressed i can
give you his mail

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 04:28 pm:

ahhhh... thanx, man,
no diz'is way too far away and too 'huge'-one ..heh heh

I'm hunting for some smaller beast. Something like 8-track and much cheaper and I DON'T want to spend a one single $ for shipping and insurance ... - no way, I've been wasting soo much money on this kind of stuff in the past... no more.
Also it is not a something I can not live without...

/Mike Zee

aleph

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 04:43 pm:

I though u were living in uk
We are lucky in france 'cos a lot of french sound egeeners are around 3years late than us or uk ones

KoCha

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 07:41 pm:

Next to support saturation... Vacuum tube is the way...

I have a real tube filter and a digital one (in a multi fx dsp box).. LOL!! fat sound only with analog i agree... you can't get any warm with ONLY digit hardware and only digit sound source.

But when we can use both technologi, why not?

I just hear today the "Culture in dubs by Scientist" IT's ALL DIGITAL MIX HORRIBLE!!!! (for me.. but no friend of my like it)

We hear the mix style of Scientist but where is the sound??

He say himself that no american studio have got the same sound than JA studio.. but why they do not a Jamaican studio.. in california where he live...

Perhaps it's better i ask directly to it...

KoCha

Mike Zee

Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 08:12 pm:

I have 'Scientist DUBs CULTURE into a parallel universe' CD.... and I can't stand it (from dubbibg 'style'(everything is sort of too pre-calculated, llots of delays are rather anoyingly complex, than pleasant) through overall mastering sound - it gives me ear-pain, way too harsh, not joyful, not warm. I would not criticize much, thou...many dubheads love it, I think it's just not for my taste or something.
And The 'interview' which is inside of the booklet is just filled with "Tubby and I !" - we know and we only can , while the rest is a sort of crippled joke ... heh heh

... what ever he had for breakfast on the day of that interview, but it all sounds way too ambitious and ME-ME-ME-chest-punching and far from reality, especially after you play the CD

.

/respects,
/Mike Zee

aleph

Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 01:19 am:

friend of me (high tone) uses digital and analog
device in studio ,the result is good but not
as warm as i like;
For me good digital box are too expensive(lexicon
pcm 90,h3000...), in fact I used a direct to disk fostex d2424 (my
ex drumer owned it)and the sound was good when i
was going thru analog effect ,but too mutch effect
kill the effect ,and when there was no effect(i like to cut all spring reverb suddenly and let all mutes off)the sound was poor i had to masterise all tracks with vacumm EQ/Comp but it bring sometimes too much saturation thru analog.effect..........;
the vicious circle(:-(
Whith tape rec. no problemo, dry sound is warm
EQ and effect seems to work more efficiently but
editing is the war .U got to be realy ready to record your part isn't it.

aleph

Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 02:04 am:

for Chad contra:
are u sure that your tape is not too old?
Try whith a brand new tape if you ve not tryed:
tracks witch are at the middle of the tape lives
always more longer.

KoCha

Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 04:39 pm:

Aleph... High Tones that was my neiborhood during last paléo festival!!!!!

... i don't really like his music but his personallity... i don't hear anything analog in this music. It's digi dub for me... but i have just hear few second of some tracks...

I will send soon some new good release.. you will be check the digitalanalogue power ;-)

See you.

KoCha

aleph

Posted on Saturday, January 11, 2003 - 12:41 am:

Kocha..they have some good hold style dub
but they make generaly "ethno electro dub";
My dub is roots and warmy but i can't
send mp3 ....
It would be cool to play at the same festival/concert (france is a small!)
My "reinjection style delay"are easy to recognize(j'suis po sure du tout que c'est de l englais ça!)(;-))

Looter

Posted on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 06:00 pm:

Here's a link to a thread in the tascam vintage/analog forum about the 388:

http://www.tascam.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25481

and there is a pic of my 246 portastudio-based mixing setup here on my site:

http://users.cis.net/roy/about.htm

Mike Zee

Posted on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 08:41 pm:

HAH! Looter, Very Nice set. - beautiful

/mz

aleph

Posted on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 03:26 am:

Dobly system wanted:
i looking for a dobly nr system for a old wood boxed teac 2Tack 1/4i AR-70 ,if someone could
help me:
I know i don't need it... but i like the sound
it produce(some guys hate it ).
I experimented a doblyc whith a 16tr 1/2 fostex
e-16 and, with very dry/clean sounds and a little
experimentation.... can pruduces good old style sounds for all inst,a sort off comp/record/exp effect............
I ve never tried dbx ,doblysr,A,B and others
if someone could talk me about a goodchoice perhaps it cant replace good mastering system (avalon)
but i'm not sure.

Looter

Posted on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 04:15 am:

Ask go to the forums section at tascam.com and select the analog and vintage forum. If you ask there the people will be able to tell you your options. Most teac/tascam noise reduction is dbx. I like the dbx on my portastudio, it helps elliminate a lot of the noise associated with narrow format analog.

aleph

Posted on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 03:58 pm:

In fact the format of the teac is enough large
to have a clean master(2track in 1/4)
But i love the compression style of dobly.
thank you for your interrest
respect. only good guys in this syte!!(:-)

jlh

Posted on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 12:12 am:

hi

tascam free online manuals are at:
http://www.tascamcontractor.com/ftp/index.html
(only recent machines... in pdf )

many manuals in all domains of electronics:
http://www.usermanual-online.com

any body has a TASCAM porta 05 ministudio hs manual? (it's an old machine but i'd like to have the book and i can't find it anywhere on the web.

cordially

louis

Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 05:16 pm:

I don't quite know what this means to me yet....but I was walking down 82nd and 2nd in NY and came across a Tascam 246 Portastudio in the street. I had no idea what it was at the time, until I started asking around my engineer friends - anyway, it plugs in and everything seems to work....except I can't get it to record!! Basically I really need to get hold of a manual (preferably in pdf format), so I can figure out if I'm just being an idiot, or if I do actually need to get machine fixed.....so if anyone can help??? p.s. 'interuptor' - the link for the 246 doesn't work at the moment

Mike Zee

Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:48 pm:

louis,
tascam forums now are here: http://www.tascamforums.com
I think it would be the best place to find help if get some problems with your Portastudio. You need to go to Tascam Analog Forum there.
goodluck
/Mike Zee aka Dr ZEE
ZEE DUB LAB

satan4swb

Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 12:38 am:

Geben mir bitte eine Brotchenswb

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