Mid-price Tape Deck Before Garageband ? Options

[pat38]

Hi all

Anyone could give me advice on a non reel-to-reel tape deck ?

I would record guitar and voice on tape, then playback/feed the tape out into garageband ... I don't want to spend too much on it though..

Thks for any hints !
Patrick

[deaconblue]

Hi all

Anyone could give me advice on a non reel-to-reel tape deck ?

Hey Patrick,

I assume that you could be referring to a cassette based system of some type. I have used a Yamaha MT-100, circa 1988, to both record directly onto or used as a 'tape pre-amp" before bringing the audio into my DAW. There are a multitude of good 4-8 track cassette recorders of varying vintages in the market. Depends on what you need or want that deck to do.

I bought my original MT-100 new. Price was about $199 if I recall. I used it for years. Then sold it in a garage sale for $125 (this was in 2000; when I got my first DAW and audio interface, MOTU 828). Didn't think I'd ever have a use for it again. DOH! I had a quite a few multi-track recordings of both early solo stuff and long dispersed bands and I wanted to digitize them and remix and master them in DP.

I would record guitar and voice on tape, then playback/feed the tape out into garageband ... I don't want to spend too much on it though..

I ended up hitting ebay and looking around for one and found one for $65 plus shipping. This was about two years ago. Prices for similar rigs on ebay now are pretty low for most of the ones I saw. But, these can range anywhere from a Yamaha MT4X Multitrack recorder or a Yamaha MT2X on ebay for 1¢... ending March 10th; up to a tascam 246 portastudio 4 channel casette recorder

I think that for a lower end or older system $50 to $75 would be a good price for one in good shape. For newer (relatively speaking) systems with a lot of 'console type' features, I'd expect to pay a little bit more, say $150. But $250 is a little bit of a high price. There are newer ones like the Tascam 488MkII portastudio 8 track Multitrack recorders without a "sell now" button, but which are also sitting at $26 now and are open until March 10th.

Thks for any hints !
Patrick

One recommendation, regardless of which type of cassette deck you choose, stereo RCA based up to 8 track 8x8 set up, make sure that the deck that you get has the correct hook up for your audio interface (RCA -> 1/8th " mini plug; 1/4" TRS; XLR, whatever) and that you can mix, bounce or bus down your sends on the deck to the maximum number of inputs on your audio interface (1x1, 2x2, 8x8, 8x64, whatever) that way you can get the most benefit out of which ever deck you find.

Hope that helps. Good luck getting that tape saturation tone. It is definitely a cool tool for tone.

peace.

This post has been edited by deaconblue: Thu 6 Mar 2008, 07:09

[Mac Daddy]

pat38... Tape Deck? I remember those... Whatever you buy, you have to add another hundred or two for service... It's like a used car it will probably need an oil change, filters, tires, spark plugs, points, shocks, alignment, wiper blades, fuel pump, oil pump, water pump, body woork, etc... But then you will have a nice car until the transmission, drive shaft, rear-end, cam shaft goes... If you are really lucky you might find a Cherry in perfect running order, but you will probably only want to drive it on Sunday...

I'm being a jerk, again... If they work they are great. Good luck. Deaconblue had the best advice.

You will still need to have it Serviced and that is EXPENSIVE probably cost more than the machine will cost.

[pat38]

guess i'll buy used pro cassette decks like 1990's tascams or denons for all instrument takes to feed into garageband either via a mixer or an audio interface

thks all for such a nice quality input here Deaconblue !




and macdaddy

[deaconblue]

ç'est mon plaisir. bonne chance Patrick.

[Mac Daddy]

pat38... Thanks. I know I went a bit CRAZY, I am crazy, but I try not to be STUPID... things get lost in the translation, I try to be funny, but I KNOW it comes out DUMB.

Please whatever you do, get it Checked First... If the SELLER is "Fo Real" they won't mind, they might even adjust the price when they see the Service Report, Shipping, Parts and Labour Costs... But, But, But... Ask the Seller if you could send it to an Authorized Service Center BEFORE YOU BUY... Please???? Then and only then will I feel that I have been of and REAL assistance...

pat38, the plans you have for creating your music is how the really SMART MUSCIANS used to do it when I was growing up twenty or thirty years ago... Damn I'm old!!! Most musicians dreamed of Recording in the 24 or 48, 48 was the Holy Grail of Recording. The Studios were massive, impessive, comfortable and LOUD... Heaven, amen. But, They were EXPENSIVE!!!!!! Damn. But, there was always a Stand-Out Person who could figure out what you are doing... Some Musicians, they were usually the Synth Playing Rich Kid you could barely see behind a wall of Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Yamaha D7, Moog, Oberhiem, Hammond B3 with a mahogany, no we were not green back then... sorry kids, plant a tree, don't do drugs, or the Guitar Player, with all those pedals and switches on the floor... Perhaps that is why I never did well as the Front Man... I was too busy watching what those two were doing... That was far more interesting than Singing to a crowd of people who were waiting for the Headline Act and just wanted you to get the hell off stage anyway...

You are very much like deaconblue... He's SMART "Fo Real" and really decent and a great musician... gave it all up to be a family man, husband, daddy thingy... Sigh...

Also, please keep us informed... Good Luck Grasshopper pat38.