analog 8 track and traveler

[justinentz]

today i bought a used tascam trs-8 track reel to reel recorder in mint condition (under 40 hrs of use not a scratch mint condition) from a little old lady for $50 ( i know i am going to hell as these things are fetching close to a grand on ebay) i have a powerbook with two gigs of ram and a motu traveler dp 4.5. do i keep this thing and learn about analog recording or sell it and buy a distressor or fatso jr. i just finished a associates in liberal arts recording degree and we used performer reason pro tools etc. we did not use or learn anything about analog except that it is a pain in the ass. that was the teachers take i am so deep into performer etc i dont know if i should just sell the tascam and get the outboard gear. i would just use it to track with then dump to performer

[pcoleman]

Try it and see if you like what it imparts to your music. YMMV.

Your teacher's opinion is just that...an opinion. I daresay that it's just another tool like DP is a tool that's no more of a pain in the ass than DP would be to someone who's never used it before. There's going to be a learning curve either way.

I have a question...for this recording degree, did you at least track through an analog console and use some outboard gear??? Or was that too much of a pain in the ass for your teacher? For your sake, I hope you did get to use some non-virtual gear.

[justinentz]

yes we did use out board gear and analog mixers our main board was digital 02r 96 a decent board but not a ssl by any means this was at a very small jr college one teacher limited budget but there where only about 8 people per class and we had 4 g5s and a couple of dual g4s a bit of focusrite outboard gear and pres but mainly he did have us using performer i learned much more by doing jobs with my own gear but this all will transfer for my music business degree i learned alot about everything except analog reel to reel machines i just ordered a snake and some tape and i am going to run it through my digimax lt into the tascam and then dump it through lightpipe into my traveler any tips ? thanks for the reply

[gearboy]

Here is my opinion: Get it cleaned up, if needed, buy a reel, and track some sessions on it. See if you like it.

My dream is to have a 16 track 1" machine refit with an 8 track head so that it's a 8 track 1 inch machine (or, of course, find a sweet 8 track 1/2" or 1" machine). I would track all basics to this and then fly those tracks into DP. I love the sound of analog, and having worked with 24 track 1" and stereo 1/4", I feel that tape is a great "effect" to have at your disposal. Also, these machines are great to mix down to, especially if you are coming out of your traveler and hitting all 8 tracks as four stereo pairs. Use the full width of the tape.

If you paid $50 for it you can at least check it out, form your own opinion, and then sell it if you're not into it.

My $.02.

Jeff

[Saintmatthew]

And you could at least use the Tascam in the mixing/mastering stage to play with tape saturation, something sadly absent from the world of digital and virtual music.

[draudio2u]

You should keep it. With this machine you can lock it to DP via smpte (is this the half inch unit with separate smpte input so you still have 8 tracks?) If not, just strip a control track on track 8 and record to the other seven. When you record drums and bass to this thing you will learn real quick how pushing the levels on analog can have an effect on the lushness of your sound. Then again, if you don't like it, I will buy it from you for $100.

[Jim]

Dump it. Analog is so dead. Whatever perceived "warmth" and noise you experience can be replicated through software. People who prefer tape are members of a cult or private club... like owners of classic cars. The only reason they hang on to that old crap is for nostalgia or membership into a community of like minded weirdos.

Your $50 investment is going to cost you plenty in terms of routing, cabling, tape and a/c to cool down the room when it's running and generating heat.

Put it on ebay, take your $950 profit and don't look back.

[qo]

Tape used to be the only way to record (except direct to disc). Now, it's an optional color. It's still valid, but I consider it just another gadget in our toolbox. I used to record to a Tascam 1/4" 4-track reel to reel, and I use a Fatso on some things. The Fatso doesn't compare to my memory of the Tascam. Not better, not worse, just different. The best religion is no religion.

I'd say keep it. Try it. You'll probably like it on certain things and not on other things. You may even try using it on select tracks, like drums, rather than the whole mix.

[joconnel]

Analog is great, but this isn't a studer we are talking about. Maintenance and tape cost are hardly worth it. Ebay it and make some cash for mic pres and mics or whatever. Those things will have more of a meaningful impact on your recordings. that is my .02

[markwayne]

IMHO - Anyone planning on working in commercial studios should have at least a basic grasp of analog recording and know how to maintain and calibrate an analog deck. Grab some tape, tone generator, head cleaner and a demagnatizer and learn. This is not a "collectible" deck by any means. But it's a perfect learning vehicle.

In spite of the general public's perception, analog is not dead and one day you just may encounter an analog deck if you work in a commercial (esp. rock) recording environment.

just my opinion,
Wayne

[joconnel]

I agree, analog is definitely not dead and this would be a good "learner". He is also going to need an MRL alignment tape ($100 to 200) if he really wants to do it right. Oh, and a service manual...

[markwayne]

Besides, when you are done learning, you can still sell it as a clean, recently calibrated deck with a spool of tape.

Wayne

[Jim]

Film isn't dead either, but it's definitely in death's throes.

I do concur with the sentiment that analog has a place as a color in the palette, but look at the cost!

A virtual tape emulating plug-in takes up far less space and has less maintenance and is close enough to fool Joe Blow. I'm trying to get rid of all my analog crap and minimize my gear's footprint. As soon as I get my valued multi-track tapes transferred to digital, I'm going to heave my decks towards the nearest manure pile.

So, that accounts for my recommendation to dump it, and any other heat-generating, moribund, outmoded technology. I don't share the same nostalgia as some others, perhaps.

When you compare the cost/benefit ratio, I hold that logic dictates the use of modern technology. Most music consumers can't tell the difference between real and emulations. The distinctions, nuance, and variations are so slight as to weigh in the favor of whatever's easiest, and as time passes, this only proves more so.

It's not that I don't care. It's that the general buying public doesn't.

[lonesomehank]

You should keep it. With this machine you can lock it to DP via smpte (is this the half inch unit with separate smpte input so you still have 8 tracks?) If not, just strip a control track on track 8 and record to the other seven. When you record drums and bass to this thing you will learn real quick how pushing the levels on analog can have an effect on the lushness of your sound. Then again, if you don't like it, I will buy it from you for $100.

...have never done this before but want to try....i have a motu 2408 MK 3...i know i can generate TC with it.....i also have a 2" 16 track ampex machine.....can someone talk me through burning TC on one track of the 16 track and then slaving?.....how do i send TC to the 16 track?....does DP lock to the transport of the 16 track or vice versa?.....what are the connections i need to make on both machines.......how do i do this?.....thanks in advance for any help.......

[taggart]

(i know i am going to hell as these things are fetching close to a grand on ebay)...Why would you think you're going to hell? You made an awesome deal! I think everyone needs to start learning that making money is ok! Hopefully your teacher didn't tell you that money is evil, too!
Anyway, keep the deck. For all the reasons stated above AND you could make some extra money (there's that word again!) doing analog to digital transfers for dudes (like me) who've got a bunch of projects on reel, but don't have a machine. Think about it!