Hello,
I am thinking about getting an 8 track 1/2 inch tape machine. Right now I only have experience recording digital, so I know very little about this stuff. What would be a good machine to get? I have looked at the the Otaris mx5050 mk111 on ebay, and I know Tascam made some models.
Other than that I don't really know what's out there. I just know that I don't want something thats going to break down all of the time.
Ok, thanks.
Donny

How much are you looking to spend?

Do you have a mixer?

I previously owned a Tascam 38 and currently own an Otari MX5050 MKIII-8. I also have four BII-2 machines (in various levels of disrepair).

I can tell you without a doubt that the 5050 is better than the 38. The 38 is not built as well, doesn't sound as good and generally isn't worth the money.

The 5050 can sound very good in top shape. It's easy to maintain and align and parts are readily available. Just make sure you gat a manual with it; a new one from Otari will set you back about $65! Also make sure you test the machine before you buy it.

If you have any specific questions about either the Otari or Tascam machines, just ask.

...On the other hand Tascam 38 is cheaper to get (in Europe!) then OTARI, also the parts are cheaper to get and it is good sounding machine.
I had it for ten years, never had any trouble and made some very nice recordings...never used dbx noise reduction on that machine!
Main drawback is that it's -10dB unbalanced toy...so plan ahead your connectors!

I have a Revox C278 8-track 1/2 inch machine and it is fabulous. Very high quality and it sounds really good. Unfortunately, they tend to be really expensive for an 8-track.
The larger C270 series remote is really great too. They also made a C274 4-track 1/4" machine that is just as nice.

I just wish that I could convert mine over to 2-track, but I haven't been able to find any information on that. Even after contacting John French. He did state that the electronics could probably handle it though. Now if I could only find a headstack...

Maybe, if you got really lucky, you could swing an MCI 1" 8-track. Those are pretty nice!

Thanks For the recommendations...
Luckily my friend just offered to let me borrow his Tascam 48 for an upcoming recording, I'm excited, It sounds like it will be a pretty good machine for my needs. I know absolutely nothing about tape machines, if he doesn't have a manual, where would be a good resource to go to learn about biasing, and maintenance.
Also, what is a good brand of tape to get. I know everyone has their preferences, but as I said, I know nothing about tape gear. I pretty much taught myself on my Mac thus far. I going backwards I guess.
Thanks.
Donny

There's a guy who hangs out on the homerecording.com bbs who has a vast collection of vintage Tascam analogue recorders. If you have any questions just post them on the Analog or Tascam board and there's a good chance that he'll be able to answer them.

dfm3 wrote:Thanks For the recommendations...
Luckily my friend just offered to let me borrow his Tascam 48 for an upcoming recording, I'm excited, It sounds like it will be a pretty good machine for my needs. I know absolutely nothing about tape machines, if he doesn't have a manual, where would be a good resource to go to learn about biasing, and maintenance.
Also, what is a good brand of tape to get. I know everyone has their preferences, but as I said, I know nothing about tape gear. I pretty much taught myself on my Mac thus far. I going backwards I guess.
Thanks.
Donny

The absolute best thing is to have your friend show how to go about doing that sort of stuff. You can probably find a downloadable manual on the web somewhere. You will most likely need it.

Yeah, The problem is, my friend knows very little about the machine. He bought it a while ago but it has sat idle in his house because he got a Powerbook with an Mbox shortly thereafter. He knows that my ambitions run a little higher than his, thats why he is loaning it to me.
Thanks for the info.
Donny