4-track tape question

Dirty Mosquito

Hello guys. Quick question. I currently am using a Tascam 4 track recorder with TDK Professional "Studio Quality" tapes. Does anyone know if there are better quality tapes for 4 tracks than these? To be honest they are pretty decent, but am looking for the best sound possible from a 1/8 inch cassette tape. Obviously better mics and what not will help as well, but speaking just from a tape perspective, these are the best I've used.

IDgotI

Theoretically you will get the best sound from an MA or metal tape. The trick is to follow what the tape is made of... not whether or not it says "Studio Quality". Tapes start with Ferris Oxide... then Cromium oxide (CrO2) and then metal. What kind of Tascam? 424? 244? The 244 is an old bird... but built like a TANK. Got some of my best recordings off that thing back in the day.

Dirty Mosquito

IDgotI wrote:

Theoretically you will get the best sound from an MA or metal tape. The trick is to follow what the tape is made of... not whether or not it says "Studio Quality". Tapes start with Ferris Oxide... then Cromium oxide (CrO2) and then metal. What kind of Tascam? 424? 244? The 244 is an old bird... but built like a TANK. Got some of my best recordings off that thing back in the day.

It must be discontinued. I bought it like 2-3 years ago. I think it's the 424. It looks like this one, but has six channels or outputs and is much larger, with a lot more features.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/document?cpd=85911&doc_id=100343&base_pid=240781&index=1

ledhed43

you probably already know this, but make sure you use 60 minute(30 minutes on a 4 track) tapes. the longer tapes are thinner and have a tendency to stretch i am told.

Dirty Mosquito

ledhed43 wrote:

you probably already know this, but make sure you use 60 minute(30 minutes on a 4 track) tapes. the longer tapes are thinner and have a tendency to stretch i am told.

Yeah, I just recently learned that, thanks though. I have found I can do more takes with the shorter tapes before the quality really starts to diminish. I think around 5 or so I can start to notice a difference in quality.

Dirty Mosquito

Another thing I have found interesting about my recorder is that it appears that the Panning controls have crapped out on me. They were really noticeable changes when I first got it, but now it doesn't pan so well; which really sucks because I need those to break up the music a little bit and make each instrument sound more professional.

Dirty Mosquito

WOW!! I think the tapes I have will surfice until I get my digital/analog setup. I was doing some searching for the Metal tape quality and not only are they virtually extinct, but the ones I found were about $7-10 a piece. Too rich for my blood. LOL Thanks for all your help guys.

IDgotI

Yeah, I'd say investing in a computer rig would be a better way to go at this point. It's not that you can't make really cool sounding recordings with a four track... especially the Tascams w. old school dbx. But once you've made that recording... then what? I mean... chances are at some point you'll want it on a CD or as an Mp3... so if it's just going to wind up being digital anyway... why not have access to the amazing features you can get w. digital editing?

If you do step up to digital, I'd recommend going with a full on computer based set up as opposed to the table top hard drive digital recorders that are a bit like four trackers.

Those aren't bad... but they are one trick ponies. With a computer rig, you also get a computer, and the flexibility of plugins, different software etc.

Anyway... Enjoy!

Dirty Mosquito

IDgotI wrote:

Yeah, I'd say investing in a computer rig would be a better way to go at this point. It's not that you can't make really cool sounding recordings with a four track... especially the Tascams w. old school dbx. But once you've made that recording... then what? I mean... chances are at some point you'll want it on a CD or as an Mp3... so if it's just going to wind up being digital anyway... why not have access to the amazing features you can get w. digital editing?

If you do step up to digital, I'd recommend going with a full on computer based set up as opposed to the table top hard drive digital recorders that are a bit like four trackers.

Those aren't bad... but they are one trick ponies. With a computer rig, you also get a computer, and the flexibility of plugins, different software etc.

Anyway... Enjoy!

Cool thanks man. Yeah, I definitely am going to go with the full computer/mixing console setup, but everything I want is going to run me around $10k, so I am just trying to go with what I have now...THanks everyone.

Evacuation Rules

Dirty Mosquito wrote:

Hello guys. Quick question. I currently am using a Tascam 4 track recorder with TDK Professional "Studio Quality" tapes. Does anyone know if there are better quality tapes for 4 tracks than these? To be honest they are pretty decent, but am looking for the best sound possible from a 1/8 inch cassette tape. Obviously better mics and what not will help as well, but speaking just from a tape perspective, these are the best I've used.

The best tapes to use for a Tascam are Maxell XLII high bias cassettes. They are the "coca cola" of cassettes. Someone mentioned that you should only use 60 minute tapes but 90 minute tapes are just fine. I've been using the XLII 90 minutes since the early 90's and I've never had a problem once, and the sound is always top notch. I buy mine from tape.com because they aren't easy to find anymore.

Also, I don't think "metal" tapes are compatible with Tascams. They only work well in tape decks with a bias adjuster. Tascams are automatically set up to use high bias tapes.

The ones to look for are the Maxell XLII's with the gold wrapper and grey cassette shell.

Dirty Mosquito

JWBusher wrote:

The best tapes to use for a Tascam are Maxell XLII high bias cassettes. They are the "coca cola" of cassettes. Someone mentioned that you should only use 60 minute tapes but 90 minute tapes are just fine. I've been using the XLII 90 minutes since the early 90's and I've never had a problem once, and the sound is always top notch. I buy mine from tape.com because they aren't easy to find anymore.

Also, I don't think "metal" tapes are compatible with Tascams. They only work well in tape decks with a bias adjuster. Tascams are automatically set up to use high bias tapes.

The ones to look for are the Maxell XLII's with the gold wrapper and grey cassette shell.

Thanks for the tip.