I came here for the mixer and stayed for the beautiful song and performance, I do love the sincerity of the analogue sound, to me it sounds rich, balanced and easy on the ear. Great work.
The fact that you can scale it all the way down from reel-to-reel, and get such a beautiful, smooth analog sound by splitting 1/8" cassette tape into 8 separate tracks, seems like it should be impossible! That sounded really nice. And I can relate to this situation i. I finally bought a 238 a couple years back, had the motor board replaced, and unfortunately haven't used it since. Not because I don't want to, but because I picked up a Model 24, and it's hard to argue with the quality and convenience. Still, I wouldn't want to give up the analog stuff. But I am starting to notice that for me, my love of analog is not as much about the sonic quality as I thought. The most important thing seems to be how the gear makes me feel. And they did a pretty good job of making these mixers look and feel right. The semi-vintage look pulls me in, and using it almost feels like there's a magical transport tucked inside which never runs out of tape. It sort of pulls off digital without any computer feeling, and definitely has a good sound. If only more of the channels had inserts so you could split off and also record onto tape. I do wonder, though, since it records so cleanly, if bouncing tracks to tape and back might give it enough of the character? Sorry for rambling! That is an awesome setup you have. And you definitely made the right choice, especially considering the price difference and the fact that cassettes are still plentiful. The recording sounds beautiful. I hope everything stays running nice for a long time, and that you keep ALL of it!
You said exactly what I was thinking - it’s not the sound as much as how it makes you feel. For some reason, I don’t get the same vibe when I use the M12, but I know I’m going to end up using it alone some day since the equipment for cassette recording is so big and heavy. I really am torn which way to go, but for now I’m just having fun finding this stuff and exploring music without computers. I found the M308B sitting at a pawn shop outside of Philly and it freaking worked without needing anything!
@@4Ever4Track Wow, what an amazing score! It must have been very well cared for. Yeah, who am I kidding, there is no substitute for the vibe of the real thing! I would be using that M308B in a heartbeat. My pawn shop Carvin FX1644 has the nice V.U. meters and the unbearable weight, but not the grace or perfect functionality. I eventually gave up, put away the RCA snake, and ordered the M24. I guess I've been trying to kid myself that it scratches the itch, but it's really just convenience. Maybe I've been spoiled by portastudios for too long. I'm just glad that in 2021, the universe safely delivered a working M308B & 238 to the right guy ;)
Years ago I had a Tascam 388 studio 8 that you showed in your vid. I bought it used for $250 but, it was not in great shape. I had it for a few years and the condition got worse. I didn't have the money or ability to get it fixed. Switched over to a Korg D3200 digital recorder. Then, 10 years ago I lost my full time job and had to get rid of virtually all of my gear. So, that's it.😁
This sounds simply amazing! Listened on my studio monitors, really rich sound. As someone starting to put together an analog studio myself this is very inspiring to hear. Good job
@@4Ever4Track Sorry , I missed your reply. I have just bought a Tascam 22-2 reel to reel which I'm restoring. Will be used for mixdown. I've been tempted to stick with DAW recording and just bounce tracks to the reel to reel to get the sound but something is really drawing me just using tape alone. I'm thinking of getting a 4-track cassette unit to see if it will work out for me and if so get a reel to reel multitrack in a year or so. There's a Yamaha MT4X for sale in good condition I might pickup. How are you getting on with the Model 12? The workflow and convenience of the unit really appears to me but I agree with what you said in this video that there is a softness to the tape that really helps with the track that I find really hard to achieve with digital recording. Cheers, look forward to seeing more of your videos
I had to smile to myself as I read your 308B story, as I also had one I was using with a Fostex A8 reel to reel. In my small spare bedroom studio, the size of the 308B took up half the room, and then with the reel to reel, outboard gear, I eventually felt overwhelmed with this equipment taking up so much room, so off to Reverb they went, and luckily a local guy picked up the mixer. Sometimes it's all about the journey, yes, I will sometimes become nostalgic and miss gear I've sold, but you can't hold on to those thoughts, or it'll make you buggy. You are a terrific songwriter, player and your production sounds wonderful. No matter what gear you use, your songs are going to sound like you, your soul and your writing, and to my ears from listening to the different gear you've used, it all captures your "magic". I don't think we ever find the perfect studio. Especially for us on a limited budget and space. We are fortunate to live in a time when home recording gear can give pretty professional sounding results. Buying vintage analog gear can be a rabbit hole you fall in to which can turn into a money pit. I like what I've heard from you using the Tascam Model 12. I have the DP24SD which has wonderful A/D convertors in it that gives it a analog sheen to me, but I''m also very interested in the Model 12. I'm mainly using Cubase 6 these days with a Presonus Studio 1824C audio interface. I keep my Tascam DP24SD in the box, and when I feel like I need to work out of the box, I pull it out and record something. Whatever you do, don't sell any of the analog stuff you love but think it's past it's keep date. I think your digital/analog hybrid setup works best for you. Maybe pick up a couple of outboard things like a ART VLA II compressor to add color. Thank you for sharing your journey using your gear, but even more for your wonderful songwriting, and dude your vocals are amazing!
Dude. Thanks so much for the kind words. You’re also totally right about the analog gear and the journey. I recently put all that stuff in storage and started using the M12 with some outboard 500 series preamps and compressors. The journey through analog gear was well worth because of how much I learned about signal flow and sound in general. I feel way more competent now to track on the M12, export to protools and mix using only a few plugins that serve specific purposes.
Absolutely killer. Great song, great playing and fantastic sound.The best set-up yet I think. I may be doing something wrong but after nearly 20 years of digital recording I still can't quite get that beautiful warm sound that you've achieved here. To my ears it seems that any number of interfaces, plug-ins, converters & pre-amps can't beat an SM57, an analogue desk and some tape. Great stuff.
Well I must say this sounds wonderful, and thats after it been streamed through TH-cam's compressors etc. I think the combo of the 238 & 308B sounds like a winner, although it'd be interesting to hear the same song on the M12 in a direct comparison.
Using the 238 myself as well, and got a 644 also. Settled for a 19” mixer due to space, but found the excellent soundcraft promix for cheap which can switch between tape/monitor path and also aux and inserts are switchable! Sounds awesome, especially the 238 does some magic.
I have a Tascam M-320b and 80-8 reel to reel as well as daw and honestly, sound wise I always prefer the analog but for making fast fun infinite changes to something or for weird and odd arrangements I prefer the DAW. One doesn’t necessarily sound better per say, each has its merits. and flaws.
Sounds great! I’ve got a Teac A-3440 and a couple Teac Model 5 boards, (which are also the front end to the main Pro Tools rig at my small studio.) I think analog forces musicians to be their best, though it can be frustrating. Great song and sounds!
I had a 388, bought it for 300 euros 2008, recorded one album on it and then sold it two years later for 500. its a great machine, great workflow. sound is ok, but thats it. it is not worth the overhyped price of today. your song sounds great btw, no matter on what medium you would record it.
I have a tascam 308 and right now I have it hooked up to my daw and basically just use it for the micpre's... and it sounds great! However, I would like to (possibly) mix through it as well. Like run a dry snare track that's already recorded into the daw and send it through the console to mix and back into the daw. Can I do that? Or is that just dumb?? hahaha... I really would like a video showing how to mix through this console and also explaining this console itself. I can't find anything on it :( Can you help me out?
You can definitely run tracks out of your daw through the console and back. You need to have some basic knowledge of how your specific daw handles that process in terms of latency and routing. I don’t have time to make a video on that, but I’m sure you can find a vid somewhere on YT about it.
accuracy is going to be better with the Model 12 but accuracy doesn't always sound better to us. the 238 utilizes dbxII, which no matter what anyone says, affects transients and compresses the signal slightly in playback. the effect the dbx imparts coupled with tape head bump, tape compression and the frequency response rolling off at 15k is the difference you're hearing.
I came here for the mixer and stayed for the beautiful song and performance, I do love the sincerity of the analogue sound, to me it sounds rich, balanced and easy on the ear. Great work.
The fact that you can scale it all the way down from reel-to-reel, and get such a beautiful, smooth analog sound by splitting 1/8" cassette tape into 8 separate tracks, seems like it should be impossible! That sounded really nice.
And I can relate to this situation i. I finally bought a 238 a couple years back, had the motor board replaced, and unfortunately haven't used it since. Not because I don't want to, but because I picked up a Model 24, and it's hard to argue with the quality and convenience.
Still, I wouldn't want to give up the analog stuff. But I am starting to notice that for me, my love of analog is not as much about the sonic quality as I thought. The most important thing seems to be how the gear makes me feel. And they did a pretty good job of making these mixers look and feel right. The semi-vintage look pulls me in, and using it almost feels like there's a magical transport tucked inside which never runs out of tape. It sort of pulls off digital without any computer feeling, and definitely has a good sound.
If only more of the channels had inserts so you could split off and also record onto tape. I do wonder, though, since it records so cleanly, if bouncing tracks to tape and back might give it enough of the character?
Sorry for rambling! That is an awesome setup you have. And you definitely made the right choice, especially considering the price difference and the fact that cassettes are still plentiful. The recording sounds beautiful. I hope everything stays running nice for a long time, and that you keep ALL of it!
You said exactly what I was thinking - it’s not the sound as much as how it makes you feel. For some reason, I don’t get the same vibe when I use the M12, but I know I’m going to end up using it alone some day since the equipment for cassette recording is so big and heavy. I really am torn which way to go, but for now I’m just having fun finding this stuff and exploring music without computers. I found the M308B sitting at a pawn shop outside of Philly and it freaking worked without needing anything!
@@4Ever4Track Wow, what an amazing score! It must have been very well cared for. Yeah, who am I kidding, there is no substitute for the vibe of the real thing! I would be using that M308B in a heartbeat. My pawn shop Carvin FX1644 has the nice V.U. meters and the unbearable weight, but not the grace or perfect functionality. I eventually gave up, put away the RCA snake, and ordered the M24. I guess I've been trying to kid myself that it scratches the itch, but it's really just convenience. Maybe I've been spoiled by portastudios for too long. I'm just glad that in 2021, the universe safely delivered a working M308B & 238 to the right guy ;)
Years ago I had a Tascam 388 studio 8 that you showed in your vid. I bought it used for $250 but, it was not in great shape. I had it for a few years and the condition got worse. I didn't have the money or ability to get it fixed. Switched over to a Korg D3200 digital recorder. Then, 10 years ago I lost my full time job and had to get rid of virtually all of my gear. So, that's it.😁
This sounds simply amazing! Listened on my studio monitors, really rich sound. As someone starting to put together an analog studio myself this is very inspiring to hear. Good job
Thanks man. What type of analog system are you going to use?
@@4Ever4Track Sorry , I missed your reply. I have just bought a Tascam 22-2 reel to reel which I'm restoring. Will be used for mixdown. I've been tempted to stick with DAW recording and just bounce tracks to the reel to reel to get the sound but something is really drawing me just using tape alone. I'm thinking of getting a 4-track cassette unit to see if it will work out for me and if so get a reel to reel multitrack in a year or so. There's a Yamaha MT4X for sale in good condition I might pickup.
How are you getting on with the Model 12? The workflow and convenience of the unit really appears to me but I agree with what you said in this video that there is a softness to the tape that really helps with the track that I find really hard to achieve with digital recording.
Cheers, look forward to seeing more of your videos
It sounds superb, awesome job! The Model 12 is all digital, the Model 16 and the Model 24 are hybrid.
I had to smile to myself as I read your 308B story, as I also had one I was using with a Fostex A8 reel to reel. In my small spare bedroom studio, the size of the 308B took up half the room, and then with the reel to reel, outboard gear, I eventually felt overwhelmed with this equipment taking up so much room, so off to Reverb they went, and luckily a local guy picked up the mixer.
Sometimes it's all about the journey, yes, I will sometimes become nostalgic and miss gear I've sold, but you can't hold on to those thoughts, or it'll make you buggy.
You are a terrific songwriter, player and your production sounds wonderful.
No matter what gear you use, your songs are going to sound like you, your soul and your writing, and to my ears from listening to the different gear you've used, it all captures your "magic".
I don't think we ever find the perfect studio. Especially for us on a limited budget and space.
We are fortunate to live in a time when home recording gear can give pretty professional sounding results.
Buying vintage analog gear can be a rabbit hole you fall in to which can turn into a money pit.
I like what I've heard from you using the Tascam Model 12. I have the DP24SD which has wonderful A/D convertors in it that gives it a analog sheen to me, but I''m also very interested in the Model 12.
I'm mainly using Cubase 6 these days with a Presonus Studio 1824C audio interface.
I keep my Tascam DP24SD in the box, and when I feel like I need to work out of the box, I pull it out and record something.
Whatever you do, don't sell any of the analog stuff you love but think it's past it's keep date.
I think your digital/analog hybrid setup works best for you. Maybe pick up a couple of outboard things like a ART VLA II compressor to add color.
Thank you for sharing your journey using your gear, but even more for your wonderful songwriting, and dude your vocals are amazing!
Dude. Thanks so much for the kind words. You’re also totally right about the analog gear and the journey. I recently put all that stuff in storage and started using the M12 with some outboard 500 series preamps and compressors. The journey through analog gear was well worth because of how much I learned about signal flow and sound in general. I feel way more competent now to track on the M12, export to protools and mix using only a few plugins that serve specific purposes.
@@4Ever4Track That's great news. Will enjoy watching your continuous creative journey. :)
Great job on music composing and audio, congrats, sir!
Very nice, beautiful song brother. I got the Tascam midistudio 644, Tascam 238, and a Fostex B-16.
Absolutely killer. Great song, great playing and fantastic sound.The best set-up yet I think. I may be doing something wrong but after nearly 20 years of digital recording I still can't quite get that beautiful warm sound that you've achieved here. To my ears it seems that any number of interfaces, plug-ins, converters & pre-amps can't beat an SM57, an analogue desk and some tape. Great stuff.
I use a spl analog transient designer with my tascam 688. Really really helps with the transients when recording drums...
Well I must say this sounds wonderful, and thats after it been streamed through TH-cam's compressors etc. I think the combo of the 238 & 308B sounds like a winner, although it'd be interesting to hear the same song on the M12 in a direct comparison.
Fantastic recording! In my ears, the all-analog way of recording is such a beautiful sounding piece of production. Keep it analog! :-)
Yeah, it’s not as convenient or easy to setup as new gear, but the sound and the feel of working this way just feels right to me.
Using the 238 myself as well, and got a 644 also. Settled for a 19” mixer due to space, but found the excellent soundcraft promix for cheap which can switch between tape/monitor path and also aux and inserts are switchable! Sounds awesome, especially the 238 does some magic.
Tell me more about this mixer. Sounds ideal.
Great track my friend. Nicemusic for driving. Kind regards. Paul.
Great sound, true music! But you recorded this on cassette-tape? How can it sound so broad?
Video is 4:24. Coincidence?
Ha! Yeah I totally edited this for hours trying to line that up.
I have a Tascam M-320b and 80-8 reel to reel as well as daw and honestly, sound wise I always prefer the analog but for making fast fun infinite changes to something or for weird and odd arrangements I prefer the DAW. One doesn’t necessarily sound better per say, each has its merits. and flaws.
Sounds great! I’ve got a Teac A-3440 and a couple Teac Model 5 boards, (which are also the front end to the main Pro Tools rig at my small studio.) I think analog forces musicians to be their best, though it can be frustrating. Great song and sounds!
Thanks. I just picked up a TSR-8 in new condition. Next videos will be using that!
Very nice song!
I had a 388, bought it for 300 euros 2008, recorded one album on it and then sold it two years later for 500. its a great machine, great workflow. sound is ok, but thats it. it is not worth the overhyped price of today. your song sounds great btw, no matter on what medium you would record it.
I have a tascam 308 and right now I have it hooked up to my daw and basically just use it for the micpre's... and it sounds great! However,
I would like to (possibly) mix through it as well. Like run a dry snare track that's already recorded into the daw and send it through the console to mix and back into the daw. Can I do that? Or is that just dumb?? hahaha...
I really would like a video showing how to mix through this console and also explaining this console itself. I can't find anything on it :(
Can you help me out?
You can definitely run tracks out of your daw through the console and back. You need to have some basic knowledge of how your specific daw handles that process in terms of latency and routing. I don’t have time to make a video on that, but I’m sure you can find a vid somewhere on YT about it.
I think ADAT sounds the best of all formats
Interesting. Can you still find tapes for those?
Lawrence Ramus
You're joking, right?
accuracy is going to be better with the Model 12 but accuracy doesn't always sound better to us.
the 238 utilizes dbxII, which no matter what anyone says, affects transients and compresses the signal slightly in playback. the effect the dbx imparts coupled with tape head bump, tape compression and the frequency response rolling off at 15k is the difference you're hearing.