Tascam 388 any good ?

[sedohr]

Hey guys.

I have this old 388 tape/mixer machine lying around. It´s a 1/4" 8 track recorder. It´s smpte capable and has dbx noise reduction. It was my first multitrack. Now that I have a HD Pro Tools rig I was wondering if I could use the tape to warm it up a bit for the digital world.

Or isn´t it worth it, is a bad tape machine worse than none ?

I´d try it myself but I'd have to get it repaired before and maybe it´s just better to throw it away because it takes up some space in my studio.

Kalli

[MAProTulz]

Bad tape machine. Kinda novel, but 1/4" 8 track has the same track width as cassette. Not a whole lot there. It may give you some of that tape effect if you want the saturation/distortion to mix in under the original sound, but I don't think it'll give you "warm".

If you want "warm" start at the source, tape isn't a panacea that "warms up" everything you put through it - a lot of times, it sounds pretty close to what came thru the preamp - with a little bit more noise and distortion.

[Mark]

Shame this board doesn't have a "Watch Thread For Replies" option.

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by MAProTulz

Bad tape machine. Kinda novel, but 1/4" 8 track has the same track width as cassette. Not a whole lot there. It may give you some of that tape effect if you want the saturation/distortion to mix in under the original sound, but I don't think it'll give you "warm".

If you want "warm" start at the source, tape isn't a panacea that "warms up" everything you put through it - a lot of times, it sounds pretty close to what came thru the preamp - with a little bit more noise and distortion.

Hmm, thanks. Good idea about blending in the saturation channel, still doesn´t justify the space it would be taking in my humble studio.

Kalli

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by Mark

Shame this board doesn't have a "Watch Thread For Replies" option.

What! Why?
You know it has, you can subscribe to any thread you reply on.
Or are you being sarcastic? Something I did ? Or didn´t do ? Oh, paranoia

[willythekid]

Originally Posted by sedohr

Hey guys.

I have this old 388 tape/mixer machine lying around. It´s a 1/4" 8 track recorder. It´s smpte capable and has dbx noise reduction. It was my first multitrack. Now that I have a HD Pro Tools rig I was wondering if I could use the tape to warm it up a bit for the digital world.

Or isn´t it worth it, is a bad tape machine worse than none ?

I´d try it myself but I'd have to get it repaired before and maybe it´s just better to throw it away because it takes up some space in my studio.

Kalli

Hm, I've only heard good things about the Tascam 388. It's a friggin' cool machine and I would love to have one! Check out the reel to reel section on the homerecording forum, they're all crazy about this recorder!

[Mark]

Originally Posted by sedohr

What! Why?
You know it has, you can subscribe to any thread you reply on.
Or are you being sarcastic? Something I did ? Or didn´t do ? Oh, paranoia

Yeah, but I wanted to watch the topic without replying.

Why don't you try doing some test recordings on the 388 and see if you like the results? Surely that's far better than asking a bunch of strangers?

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by Mark

Yeah, but I wanted to watch the topic without replying.

Why don't you try doing some test recordings on the 388 and see if you like the results? Surely that's far better than asking a bunch of strangers?

True! thumbsup

But some of you are so experienced and are so damn clever.

[Mark]

You too can become experienced and clever.

Simply send €500 to...