From: g_house@goes11.enet.dec.com (Greg House)
Subject: Re: 8 track suggestions, please
Reply-To: g_house@goes11.enet.dec.com (Greg House)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Colorado Springs CO
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 22:36:11 GMT


In article <1993Jan8.163517.8805@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>,
 cooper@kdx200.enet.dec.com () writes:

|>FWIW - A good friend of mine has the predecesor - a MODEL 80, and he
|>is very please with his also (perhaps Greg will speak up, Greg??).

Well, I'm not qualified to compare my deck to a 8-track cassette, since 
I've never used one of those, but yes, I'm very happy with my Model 80 so 
far.  I'm still in the middle of my first real project with it right now 
(the holidays took a big toll on our recording schedule), but so far it 
sounds great!  

One of the biggest things that helped with my decision to go with this 
particular deck was my ability to get this one used for a really good price.  
I also got the optional 4050 Autolocator with it, making it a very flexable 
package.  

Without the 4050 (I believe the new model is the 4033), doing MIDI 
synch type things would require an external synch box.  I don't do much
of this, but that was one of the things which I recall were interesting to
the person who made the original post.  Perhaps for his purposes, a 688 might
actually be better.

|>About the only difference is the R8 has a removeable transport controller,
|>while 80 doesn't, but then the 80 has a couple more segments on the 
|>meters.

The R8 has some of the extended location parameters available from it's 
front panel that require something like the 4050 with the Model 80.

|>I went back and forth between getting used gear and something new, and also
|>looked long and hard at the 488/688 from Tascam.  The used 1/2" R2R's out
|>there are nice, but the media is expensive.  The ADATs cost too much, and
|>I'm the kind of person who likes a modular type of system (for ease of 
|>upgrading etc...).    

Like I said before, the cost involved was a major factor in my decision.  I
have a lot to learn and do before I move up in terms of equipment cost and 
capability.  I believe that the Model 80 is an excellent for my situation, 
since it allows me reasonably good quality, with inexpensive media (~$11/reel)
and it was comparatively inexpensive for me to purchase (less then I would 
have paid for a new 8-track cassette based machine).  When my engineering &
production skills improve, then I can justify purchasing better equipment.

Another advantage of the timing of this particular purchase for me is that 
the affordable consumer market level digital 8-tracks (ADAT, DA-88) are just 
becoming available and I believe as they come more into vogue that the prices
on the analog recording gear (which I prefer the sound of) will come down 
somewhat, allowing me better performance for the price I have to spend then
I could have gotten a year or so ago when I was shopping for the basis of
my studio.  Fortunately I got a board of sufficient quality and facility that
I can upgrade my deck without having to change much of the rest of my studio.

I think a lot of the decisions involved with the purchase of studio equipment
have to do with your goals and capabilities.  If you simply want to record a
demo for your band, the price of demo studios is very competative.  I drew up
a cost comparison showing that an average band could record at small demo 
studios for something like 10 years before they even came close to breaking 
even on the cost of equipment with similar capability.  For me, I wanted to 
learn, grow, and gain experience, so it was worth the purchase, but I know it's
not for everyone.  Plus, I like to record my own music, and my playing skills
are fairly suspect, so it sometimes takes me many many takes to get a part 
sounding the way I want it to.  That adds up to a lot more studio time and 
the viability of owning the stuff myself comes up a lot faster for me then it
would for someone who's a really good player and can nail their part quickly.

There are a lot of considerations!  Good luck!

Greg
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.synth