Tascam model 12

JCA2550

This looks like a rather nice bit of kit



I had a Porta one back in the 80s, still have it somewhere and this is appealing to my guitarist brain as more straightforward than Reaper etc.. Any thoughts, comments or  better still, experience?

spark240

It serves a purpose as you say for straight recording, Ive tried this sort of thing but soon got fed up with the small screen editing.

Chris_J

I've got the Model 24 which is basically the same but has more channels. 

I use it as a live mixer and a way of multi track recording gigs to sd card which i then take into reaper to play with them after. 

I've used it as an interface before too, but,  with covid etc my 2 input interface is sufficient for home use. 

Great bit of kit, and I like than it has a more traditional channel strip setup, although I concede a digital mixer/recorder is maybe more flexible, this is just so straightforward to use.

WiresDreamDisasters

That looks like quite a nifty bit of gear. Rather than carting all of my equipment into a rehearsal space, just grab of them ... 

Will be useful when we finally have a rehearsal space again!

Stratavarious

I can plug an ipad with Auria app into our live desk with its 22 way interface and get a much better multitrack editing experience.

For capturing practices or gigs, or location stuff it could be useful,,, but the screen limitations will impact editing.  I have a Tascam DP32 and i never edit on it - sounds great though.

You will still want to move files.    As a rehearsal/practice mixer.. it was tempting when it came out.

Funkfingers

JCA2550 said:

I had a Porta one back in the 80s, still have it somewhere and this is appealing to my guitarist brain as more straightforward than Reaper etc.. Any thoughts, comments or better still, experience?

If you want to keep things simple, I have a Yamaha MD-8S eight track MiniDisc recorder.

thermionic

I got one of these a couple of weeks ago. I first heard about the Model 16/Model 24 - which are analog mixers with a built-in USB interface and an SD card recorder, the Model 12 just looks like an analog mixer but in fact is a fully digital device and has the potential to be used in different ways to the Model 16/24. I also grew up on 4-track tape machines and the hands-on approach really appeals to me - flicking/pressing switches, turning knobs, pushing faders. The Model 12 has replaced my mixer and audio interface - everything is plugged into the mixer (Pod, a couple of synths, Lexicon effects return, with two channels spare for mics) and is ready to record straight into Logic without any of the unplugging/plugging in I was previously doing.

Although I haven't really experimented with standalone recording to SD card yet it will also replace the portable iPad/interface setup I was using occasionally. The DAW control mode I will experiment with, but maybe not use that much. It has so much potential in terms of how it fits in with your setup, it just seems like one of those great products that you're glad somebody makes - it's hugely versatile. There are a couple of quirks - the worst I can think of is phantom power is switched to all channels or nothing, so I have to check if this is only applied to the XLR ins, in which case it's safe to leave everything on a TRS jack plugged in. The headphone outputs (usefully, there are two) were initially set post the main fader, so when you turned the main fader down the headphones were turned down as well - useless when tracking acoustic guitar or something. There were workarounds possible with a monitor controller, running the sub outs into a separate headphone amp etc, but Tascam fixed it in a firmware update - strange that's how it was initially, but as it's a purely digital device and not an analog mixer with an interface and SD card bolted on, these kinds of things can be fixed in software.

andy_k

Zoom R16/24 are the cheaper, more plastic alternatives.
If I had the spare cash, the Tascam looks a nice bit of kit, very versatile idea.