SP-FORUMS

I was just wondering if there any benefits of getting a like a Tascam Portastudio. I chain all my samplers together so I only have one out. Right now I just record the a tape deck with one in. Is there any benefit of a getting a portastudio?

i got a 414 mk1 couple of months ago.firstly i was like "how am i going to make this thing work??" but i assure you man,its totally fun playing with this machine!
but you have to know that it plays and recs on double speed.thats means you cannot normally play a tape,caus it will sound like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5CcYDVOYiM (that is done in order to record on higher resolution if you get a chrome tape for best results)
probably you have to get an other normal cassette player to sample tapes

on the other side!you may do plenty of experimentation except of just recording a beat.you can even pitch down or up your tapes speed (although it will remain 2x,you get the analog timestretch )

and there are still 4 tracks also
when i got mine i though maybe i shouldn't have bought it,mainly because of the double speed feature.but after being a while on my secret lab trying new formulaz i realised for sure,i dont regret buying it actually i use it like a sampler

i would just go for it man! and then maybe trying to get a good cheap deck,i found a double tape technics deck for 40 euros
f*king Gear Acquisition Syndrome

rak wrote:i got a 414 mk1 couple of months ago.firstly i was like "how am i going to make this thing work??" but i assure you man,its totally fun playing with this machine!
but you have to know that it plays and recs on double speed.thats means you cannot normally play a tape,caus it will sound like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5CcYDVOYiM (that is done in order to record on higher resolution if you get a chrome tape for best results)
probably you have to get an other normal cassette player to sample tapes

on the other side!you may do plenty of experimentation except of just recording a beat.you can even pitch down or up your tapes speed (although it will remain 2x,you get the analog timestretch )

and there are still 4 tracks also
when i got mine i though maybe i shouldn't have bought it,mainly because of the double speed feature.but after being a while on my secret lab trying new formulaz i realised for sure,i dont regret buying it actually i use it like a sampler

i would just go for it man! and then maybe trying to get a good cheap deck,i found a double tape technics deck for 40 euros
f*king Gear Acquisition Syndrome

I have full gear acquistion syndrome since I got my tax return.

happened the same to me when i broke up with my girl haha!
after getting a stanton and porta,i felt like getting back together tough hehe
but yea man,collecting money to buy vinyls and gear for me is dope.much better than drinking or buying clothes n shit

BUT always have to stay focused on making beats.feels easy to get stuck on G.A.S.

rak wrote:happened the same to me when i broke up with my girl haha!
after getting a stanton and porta,i felt like getting back together tough hehe
but yea man,collecting money to buy vinyls and gear for me is dope.much better than drinking or buying clothes n shit

BUT always have to stay focused on making beats.feels easy to get stuck on G.A.S.

Yea man, I just turned 20 and the concept of actually having money to spend is new to me growing up fairly poor! People always wondering why I'm dressed in goodwill shit and have no tattoos, my money goes to vinyl and gear lol

if you re like one out ok, then a 4 tracks is not necessary, a "normal"recorder is ok...if you like to build tracks then a 4 track could be interesting, to mix, eq, post fx etc...

My fruend had a 4 track and got rid of it. He asks to use mine all the time cus he can't play his old tapes on a regular deck.
So if you get one, stay committed to it and never let it go.

I have a regular cassette recorder and a 4track. To be honest, I don't use the 4 track too much as generally, I don't need the extra tracks and just want the tape saturation or need a scratch pad to record a pattern to sample somwehere else or something.

I'd say if you're just looking for some analog-ness to add to your music, a simple recorder would be best. The 424mkiii I have actually sounds a clean as a digital recording (maybe even cleaner!) when using the DBX noise reduction to make your track and is great for having good audio quality while experiencing the joys of physical track building. It just depends on what your needs are. Just keep in mind that a 4 track recorder only records to one side of the tape, so something you make on it has to stay within 2 channels (L/R) if you plan on distributing it..and turn off DBX because it requires DBX on playback to sound right.

Also, plus side to getting either, you can start digging for cassettes...those pawnshop/thriftstore TDK90's from someone's personal recordings always have crazy shit on them.

Currently looking for advice on modern cassette decks for listening purposes.

I have an Akai CS-702DII that is absolute gold to me but I don't feel comfortable using it for daily listening (as it is my "master recorder"). She still chugs along but I am not willing to risk breaking it so I can rawk out to yalls tapes.

Not looking for a 4-track or a vintage piece. I have seen the TASCAM stuff but not sure if that is the only contemporary option.

Holler @ homie
Peace

Older ones are made better. Just spend good money on a nice old one and make sure there's a support group for repairs. You're gonna have to repair it at some point, that's a given for mechanical devices with motorized parts. The parts are only ever made to a spec of 'projected life of the product' not forever.

So go with a used pro system for cheap because whatever you pay on that used system you'll definitely hear the difference over getting some new cassette player made with cheap shit to cash in on hipster dollars and will break in 2 days.

Likely, the only repairs you SHOULD have to make to any cassette recorder should be 'replace the heads' and 'change the belts'.

Both of those are time consuming, but if you choose the right system with good support, you should be able to find step by step instructions for doing such repairs. Generally too, systems that peopel find are worth the time to document repairs and upkeep on are also systems that are just widely agreed on to be really good, which is one of the reasons I picked up the WM-D6C...i couldn't find a single negative word about it and there's tons of information, including upgrades and mods...I'm never going to mod mine, but the repair information will definitely be used one day, even though right now, my system's running like a champ.

However, this is all just my opinion and I have no peer reviewed research papers to back up this claim.

All too familiar with repair. ('63 Impala and '82 Camino has taken up a whole fuckwad of time.) That walkman looks pretty nice, reminds me of an older, boxy Toyota truck!

I am looking to buy nice, not buy twice but I 100% appreciate the re-warning. Going to have to keep looking around.