So I posted a month or two ago about hitting the studio only to find out that many producers/engineers in my area don't get what I'm going for. If you want something done right, sometimes you just gotta do it yourself.

So, I purchase this 8 track monster, the Tascam 80-8, an analog 1/2" tape deck. The beast weighs at least as much as it's model number, maybe more. I then get a Tascam Model 5 mixer. Another monster, I now think I need a bigger house.

So, I'm looking at my setup only to realize I don't have a mixdown option. I've got a 2 track Teac mixdown deck but it's low on the IPS. So, I was wondering your opinion, if I could just run it into a digital recorder? I lack a good computer and figure that if I run stereo into a digitall recorder at a high sampling rate and bit quality that I may be on the right track. Tell me what you think...

Hi,

Actually you will probably be able to find someone who does 100% analog if you look for it.

Ask the guys who do the mastering/writing on the lathe - they're the guys who really do your vinyl mastering and if the guy knows what he's talking about he'll be able to use a stereo 1/4 inch machine that goes straight onto your vinyl from your own master tape (the guy I work with unfortunately for you is in Paris but he knows how to do it and has since the 60's).

I recorded last week-end with a Tascam TSR-8 which is a more modern machine than yours but it works great just the same. I'll mix down going through a standard mixing deck using auxed out spring-reverbs, boosts and tube preamps in the inserts and master straight into to a revox A77.

Make sure you boost your input signal on the TEAC and use those nefty saturations that the stereo deck plays you - that's where you're mastering.

Regarding the speed, for a stereo you're on a standard with 7 1/2 so no worries. The idea is that the speed increases the quality because you're writing on a wider area of tape. So a 1/4 stereo @ 7 1/2 IPS is the same quality as an 8 track 1/2 inch @ 15 IPS (add it up, you'll see it works...).

Any mastering studio today (unless you're in with the rare guys who still do it) will use digital. So you want to master yourself really. Your mastering is actually on the stereo 1/4 inch and the pre-amps take all the peak signals in (doesn't work on digital and you have to cut stuff out to get it to sound right). Hence the advantage of mastering yourself on that sweet stereo deck of yours.

Once you're on a 1/4 inch tape, then you can stick it into a soundcard if you want the digital version and - wohay - it's already mastered.

The HD-P2 is probably a useful machine (check out SoundOnSound for review: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul06/articles/tascamhdp2.htm... SoS is a great resource for sound engineering – use it!), but (unless you plan on sending the final mix on the HD-P2's Compact Flash card) if you want the mix on a CD, you still need to transfer your mix files to a computer (via Firewire or a card-reader), which in turn entails some sort of audio software... Not necessarily a DAW (I'm a Mac user, and as an example their included iTunes software would be sufficient to create a digital file), but for the mastering stage, this software should allow 24bits.  Maybe something like Audacity?.. http://download.cnet.com/Audacity/3000-2170_4-10058117.html

To get the most for my money, I always try to figure out exactly what features I need, or don't need in a piece of equipment, so in this case you should ask yourself if you want to pay for the portability and the ability to record to a CFlash card – great features for live recording, but superfluous if you're just buying the HD-P2 for AD conversion.

So; if you already have an adequate computer, your money might be better spent on an audio interface (needed for the AD conversion) with a couple preamps/channels, and a DAW.  This will give you added editing possibilities, and also provide an entry into the world of digital multitracking.  Incidentally, most interfaces will come packaged with software. 

DAW simply refers to software designed for recording and editing audio... http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/the-15-best-daw-software-apps-in-the-world-today-238905

Don't think you need to worry about the mysteries of AD as long as you get yourself aquality audio interface... : http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/computer-audio/audio_interfaces/

(e)

Ryan Thomas LeGere said:

I figure I'll invest in something that will make my life a little easier after the recording stage. A digital mixdown option is sounding like a better option than the 2 track machine Then I can just throw the songs on Cd and send it over to the mastering house.

 

dubiE: Is there anything I should know about A/D converters? I hear that you need a good conversion to take place when transfering between "mediums." To me, the concepts of bits and sampling rates make sense but are a little alien because I never had to worry about them 'til now.

I'm looking at the the Tasam HD-P2 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HDP2/?utm_source=Google&...

 

What do you think? Overboard? Also, what is DAW exactly? I just associate it with digital audio but don't have a clear definition.

I figure I'll invest in something that will make my life a little easier after the recording stage. A digital mixdown option is sounding like a better option than the 2 track machine Then I can just throw the songs on Cd and send it over to the mastering house.

dubiE: Is there anything I should know about A/D converters? I hear that you need a good conversion to take place when transfering between "mediums." To me, the concepts of bits and sampling rates make sense but are a little alien because I never had to worry about them 'til now.

I'm looking at the the Tasam HD-P2 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HDP2/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=recording&utm_term=tascam_hd-p2&adpos=1t1&gclid=COjPk_2AsqwCFYbrKgodinIXIw

What do you think? Overboard? Also, what is DAW exactly? I just associate it with digital audio but don't have a clear definition.

Yeah – try a mixdown to your 7.5 ips Teac... it might be perfectly adequate for your needs.  If not, you'll still have your 8-track takes.

Still, you might want to consider some sort of future solution for transfer to the digital domain... these days I'm not sure if you can get around that, even if you're planning a vinyl release (released a 7" in the late 90's, and even then the record plant preferred a master on DAT).

(e)

Ryan Thomas LeGere said:

7.5 IPS is alright but I'd like to get as good a sound as possible. Maybe I should go for it, huh? At least experiment before throwing down on something I might not even need?

dublÉ said:

Sorry, missed your reply, and was unsuccessful at editing my own... 15 ips is fine, and actually some engineers preferred/prefer 15 over 30, for supposed better low-end response.

And yes, 7.5 sounds a bit scant... transfer to digital (24 bit) will be fine.

dublÉ said:

Currently have a Mac-based 16-track ProTools rig, but worked on a 15 ips (/7.5) 16-track 1/2" Tascam (msr16) in the nineties, and still have my old 8-track Tascam 688 (compact-cassette format!) which apparently runs 13 3/4 ips... both worked and sounded great at those particular speeds.  Are you talking lower speeds than this?..

7.5 IPS is alright but I'd like to get as good a sound as possible. Maybe I should go for it, huh? At least experiment before throwing down on something I might not even need?

dublÉ said:

Sorry, missed your reply, and was unsuccessful at editing my own... 15 ips is fine, and actually some engineers preferred/prefer 15 over 30, for supposed better low-end response.

And yes, 7.5 sounds a bit scant... transfer to digital (24 bit) will be fine.

dublÉ said:

Currently have a Mac-based 16-track ProTools rig, but worked on a 15 ips (/7.5) 16-track 1/2" Tascam (msr16) in the nineties, and still have my old 8-track Tascam 688 (compact-cassette format!) which apparently runs 13 3/4 ips... both worked and sounded great at those particular speeds.  Are you talking lower speeds than this?..

Sorry, missed your reply, and was unsuccessful at editing my own... 15 ips is fine, and actually some engineers preferred/prefer 15 over 30, for supposed better low-end response.

And yes, 7.5 sounds a bit scant... transfer to digital (24 bit) will be fine.

dublÉ said:

Currently have a Mac-based 16-track ProTools rig, but worked on a 15 ips (/7.5) 16-track 1/2" Tascam (msr16) in the nineties, and still have my old 8-track Tascam 688 (compact-cassette format!) which apparently runs 13 3/4 ips... both worked and sounded great at those particular speeds.  Are you talking lower speeds than this?..

Currently have a Mac-based 16-track ProTools rig, but worked on a 15 ips (/7.5) 16-track 1/2" Tascam (msr16) in the nineties, and still have my old 8-track Tascam 688 (compact-cassette format!) which apparently runs 13 3/4 ips... both worked and sounded great at those particular speeds.  Are you talking lower speeds than this?..

Well, the 8 track runs at 15 ips. The master deck runs at 7 1/2 ips. If I were to use it for mixdown I'd be sacrificing high frequency sound waves.

and how low would that be?

Ryan Thomas LeGere said:

Inches per second. The faster the tape, the higher the quality.

dublÉ said:

what do you mean by "low on the IPS"?

I haven't started recording yet. Basically, I am in the planning process, getting my ducks in a row.

That tascam recorder looks pretty cool. However, I couldn't find any specs on it. I'd like a high sampling rate so I can get a piece of goodness coming out of my analog deck.

The Ills said:

This little thing,
http://tascam.com/product/dp-03/

is really cool.  Tascam dp-03.  Its a little digital 8 track, and has mix down options.

 

Do you already have the recording done or are you looking to start from scratch?

-Erika

Inches per second. The faster the tape, the higher the quality.

dublÉ said:

what do you mean by "low on the IPS"?

what do you mean by "low on the IPS"?

This little thing,
http://tascam.com/product/dp-03/

is really cool.  Tascam dp-03.  Its a little digital 8 track, and has mix down options.

Do you already have the recording done or are you looking to start from scratch?

-Erika