Most Powerful Cassette Recorder on Earth!
Рет қаралды 66,907
2 жыл бұрынIs this Portastudio the best Analog home studio recording device ever made? Is it the most rare, and the most flexible? With eight recordable tracks, grouping, phantom power, 8 preamps, all kinds of routing, and more, the Yamaha Mt8xii might be the best Cassette Recorder Ever made. Let's find out.
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The Yamaha MT8x2. This thing sounds clean as heck. With the DBX turned ON (Yes I'm breaking all the rules), it sounds super duper clean. Drums sound punchy, there is almost no audible hiss, phantom power makes my u87 clone sound super pristine. It's kind of almost like recording to digital. With analog features. It's like an anlog digital hybrid.
Because you don't get a super amount of sponginess. As you will notice, it does not compress the way a tascam 388 compresses, or how a squashed portastudio compresses. BUT it has more of an analog vibe than a lame plugin. Those plugins never sound right to my ears. This thing has a really interesting sound. It's not as colored as a tascam portastudio.
You might argue that there's no point in using this machine, because in Today's age if you are recording to tape you want to get real legit colored analog sounds. You might be right. But historically speaking this is a pretty impressive engineering feat for an analog cassette machine. This must have been really impressive at the time. It sounds straight up crystal clear. Dawless, Braless, and flawless. Not bad, Yamaha!
If this machine was fully functional, I would be WAY more jazzed about it. But this has got one of the most messed up intermittent temperamental motors I've ever dealt with. It messed my pocket all up. Recording was difficult because the pocket and rhythm drove me crazy.
What do you think?
#dawless #cassette #analog
Studio Guitarist & Virtual Guitar Teacher
www.TravisRaab.com
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Get Analog vibe in your DAW (free) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nqyTlKWLl5_Jipc.html
@djgeorgieporgie7862 2 жыл бұрын
Better than the TASCAM 688 MIDISTUDIO ? Sacrilege 😮😳
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
@@djgeorgieporgie7862 no offense to all the 688 lovers but that thing is too nerdy even for me
@ralphfurley4217 2 жыл бұрын
I recorded on a Tascam 238 8 track cassette for years. I hated when I switched to DAW. There is too much visual info. There's something about just hitting record and playing without the option to look at a computer screen or the option to do infinite edits and punch ins. Music recording and production is way more organic and human with limited recording technology.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
yeah i hear you. i grew up using the computer so i feel like i'm flying blind without the visual for reference. but yeah it's way better without the distractions
@dirkpehrke9909 2 жыл бұрын
Have a look at the Tascam Model 12!
@BeforeTheDarkAge 2 жыл бұрын
Try a modern tascam. Similar workflow I use a dp24 sd.
@francisard1488 Жыл бұрын
Not to mention it sounds better, to me at least
@Tomalo-Dub 8 ай бұрын
I would have to agree. I think one of the biggest things that is lost today is having to bounce the songs down to continue adding. I have a two track tape machine and I am going through a phase where I am filling it up and then bouncing it down. Then I return the bounce back and keep adding. I actually have the porta 02 which is 4 tracks but records 2 simultaneous. I think musicians having the luxury of as many takes as they want and over dubbing in has killed the magic that bouncing brings with a good performance
@nothinglikeasongbird 2 жыл бұрын
The chaotic energy this video manages to have while still managing to be informative is really impressive
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
i hope you were for the new york times
@shyharmonic 2 жыл бұрын
This brings back so many memories of the mid-90s! Just seeing the buttons and faders made me smile, awesome video!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks shy maronic!
@vitortalhadas 2 жыл бұрын
This brings back memories. I had a Tascam 8 Track where I'd record a sync signal on CH8 and slave my old Roland MC500 sequencer. Done wonders with so little!!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Sounds fancy! I like it
@lundsweden 2 жыл бұрын
I owned one of these from '97 till '05. I think half the appeal of these is the ease of use. I often use simple 3 band EQ in Ableton to get a similar level of simplicity. If I roll off the top end and use a tape simulator, I can get a similar sound to the MT8X. Still, the MT8X is more grungy!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
very cool andy!
@yoann_ 2 жыл бұрын
I own Portastudio 488mkii and I love it. Like you said, there no point to use this kind of recorder today. But I don't know why I always come back to it. I like the picthcontrol, i like the little flickering, I don't even use DBX, etc... :)
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
i'm living the past. gotta have me that analog sound Yoann! i love that pitch control too
@yoann_ 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Me too! Sure I will do some more analog recording.
@NiallEveritt 2 жыл бұрын
That was great. Love your videos and tunes man!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks so much niall!
@SangerStudios 2 жыл бұрын
Another fun video! You're making me nostalgic for my Fostex X18 though... 25 years gone but not forgotten.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Sanger! fostex x18 i'll have to check it out
@SangerStudios 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab it's pretty basic! Man I loved it though
@o.b.7217 2 жыл бұрын
Oh, I loved my F-18. Had to sell it a few years ago, because I needed money. Sucks, but what can you do?
@phatpocketjaz2920 3 ай бұрын
Dude your performance was spot on!!
@trapguitarteacher1680 2 жыл бұрын
This guys quality is great, deserves more subs but no doubt hes gonna get em soon 📈
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks so much!
@cederickforsberg5840 2 жыл бұрын
I also had one. Can confirm tempo drifting. On my so much I sometimes need to turn off and on because the pitch shift was making it impossible to double track guitars etc.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
wow that's a couple now who have mentioned tempo drift. i had no idea it was a common issue among these and it's not just this machine.
@derekspitz9225 2 жыл бұрын
Tascam 488 MkII was the best damn multi-tracker I ever used.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
id like to mess with one of those!
@ryanfreese2031 2 жыл бұрын
I own something very similar to that which I’ve been using the last 22 yrs. It’s the Yamaha MD8 digital multitrack MD recorder.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
oh that's a cool machine. i'd love to mess around with one of those. people seem to love them
@JohnDuncanAVLFiddler 2 жыл бұрын
fun video. the pacing feels frantic and great. its inspiring to see your process and hear this stuff too.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it John!
@Watts660 2 жыл бұрын
I've got one of these in the loft. Awesome multitrack, had it for about 20 years now. I recorded a couple of albums on it back in the early 2000's, so easy to use and a great overall sound, I always used TDK SA 90's for recording. I use a DAW these days but I still miss the days of cassette based recording, you've got to be a lot more inventive when you've got limited recording technology. These days everything is just a click of the mouse away. Also got a Yamaha MD8 and a Tascam 464 as well keeping the MT8X company in the loft! Great video, thanks for posting it. Nice to see some people still have an interest in cassette multitracks.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
your loft is epic
@Watts660 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Thanks.
@prodteague 2 жыл бұрын
It's a crime this man only has 4.7K subs.. I've been looking for a channel like this for years im telling ya!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool to hear! Thanks for being here 😊
@TheWilliamBogart 2 жыл бұрын
The rest of us oldies cannot handle the supercuts.
@ericmulder5057 2 ай бұрын
Great little jams man. 🤘
@christopher9000p 2 жыл бұрын
Most Powerful Cassette Recorder on Earth? It's a great one for sure, easily among the top 5 cassette multitrackers ever made, but I'm afraid the #1 spot goes to none other than the Tascam 688 Midistudio. Still enjoyed the video, though. :)
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
🙏
@user-gq6sf4si6j 5 ай бұрын
Tascam 688 has poorer fidelity than a 4 track recorder
@napynap 2 жыл бұрын
I used to bounce background vocals to cassette with Dolby OFF, then sample them from there to get that airy sound.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
that sounds cool napynap! i'll check that out
@Andybaby 9 ай бұрын
The drums sounded awesome! (More details please!)
@RichardJNeo 2 жыл бұрын
Sounded really great, man. Clean but warm.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Much appreciated, Richard!
@Govier Жыл бұрын
This was an awesome video Travis. You're freakin hilarious. I love the drum sound you got. Was that all the 57 on the snare and a bass drum mic? I've recorded quite a bit with the mt4x over the years and have always loved the sound of dbx on it as well for whatever reason. I usually use either my tascam 488 or marantz pmd 720 these days to record. Thanks for the video.
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
I've always wanted to mess with a tascam 488. Very cool. No that was a shure Beta 52 on the kick
@TheUnthaw 2 жыл бұрын
wow, I had one of those in early 1990's. Loved it!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool!
@Dolle_Man 2 жыл бұрын
just subbed because of your edit skills and humor, hahaha
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Welcome aboard Dolleman! some people tell me how much they hate it lol
@KarlMiller-DjKarl 2 жыл бұрын
I find that recording percussion and drums on cassette gives it a sound that stands out better... ☮️🔥
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
It does! I agree
@robbergin9586 8 ай бұрын
Have one,still use it,great old machine.....
@mafronverizonnet 2 жыл бұрын
My band had four of these. We loved them. They served us well until we switched to DAW’s around 2001.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
oh man that's cool! very cool to hear. cool machine it is
@RR-ho5ek 2 жыл бұрын
I own an old tascam 424 portastudio I bought with my graduation money, that's when I learned the difference between high bias, and non high bias cassettes. It always had a warm sound, unlike my modern digital 2488 neo. Man did I have fun trying bounce as many tracks as I could on to only 4. We are spoiled nowadays.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Maybe one day they'll say "you had to actually play your instrument back then? I just program it with my computer which has every sound known to man"
@guitarded430 9 ай бұрын
Hey @travisraab love this video! Did you record the drums with just a sm57 on the snare and a bass drum mic and no overheads? And then record the whole track on the mt8xii? I’m currently recording with one of these things and love your sound. Not sure if it’s possible to use the DAW to bounce tracks and then get more than 8 tracks.
@travisraab 9 ай бұрын
Just kic and snare mics. I didn't do any bouncing to daw to get extra tracks.yes You can do that on any tape recorder.
@Barflew1 2 жыл бұрын
Love the DBX sound-put those meters in the RED..1st 4 track was a MT1X..Have a MT4X now on a slide out shelf.Still put the Denon tapes in it once in a while.30+ years later,Denon tapes still sound great and were well worth the money...Me and a buddy did a lot of Analog recording at 1 time.Used the direct outs in the back to go to my interface..And saved a lot of good memories to digital..Hope you can Fix channels 7&8..Sometimes simple really is better...Really enjoyed your video.Understood that Joy when you showed us what you had..Best Regards...👍👍
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
very cool. thanks barflew!
@Sean-uo5ef 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Travis! Love your videos. Always fun to see what you're getting into. If I may make a suggestion: a cheap tone generator will make mic / line checking your analog gear a whole lot easier than plugging up that 57 and saying "check" a hundred times over. I snapped one up by Rolls a few years back. For that matter ...there's probably one in your DAW already. Regardless- keep the videos coming!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Sean great suggestino thanks!
@kevingregoire2764 2 ай бұрын
I do find on these older tape machines you have to stretch the tape before you record. Fast forward it to the end the rewind it all the way again and that will help fix the tape drift or warble.
@clutch4141 2 жыл бұрын
It really sounded warm and comfortable 👍
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it coop414
@CoolDudeClem 2 жыл бұрын
I would have KILLED for something like this back when I was a kid. I was always modding tape recorders, trying to improve them or add new features.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
what kind of mods
@CoolDudeClem 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab All kinds of things, like adding a variable speed control, adding sound on sound, even replacing the internal recording circuits with something better.
@manhattanfl 2 жыл бұрын
I have the minidisc version of this and I will never go back to using computers for music
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
really? does it sound better>
@manhattanfl 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab better than tape Idk but definitely better than PCs
@djmattpositive 2 жыл бұрын
I didn't realize how similar (form and features) the MT8x2 is to the MD8, which is the minidisc version..technically for 8 tracks it uses MD Data which are rewritable minidiscs with 140 mins rather than 74/80 . I'll stop before this rollercoaster of multitrack fun goes off the rails though
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
@@djmattpositive yeah that's a cool looking machine the md8!
@djmattpositive 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab on the whole, I think the MD 8 multi tracks can be found in much better condition and for 1/4 the cost of it's cassette cousin
@jtrade34 Жыл бұрын
This is pure genius, That demo you recorded was killer, Is this track available for download?
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
thanks Joe! I think I'm gonna spend a day and make all my youtube songs available on spotify if there's enough interest.
@rookmarlin 2 жыл бұрын
Watched for the world's most powerful cassette recorder. Stayed for the world's most entertaining jump cuts...
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
i just had to look up what a jump cut was. turns out i invented it back in 1972. thanks rook!
@stueyapstuey4235 2 жыл бұрын
I had the mt-6x for years - it was awesome. Still love the sound of those analog tape recordings... pity the recording gear I was plugging into it was so bad (not to mention my playing in the olde days... 😞 ) but the recordings were great fun...
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
never heard of that ! the search begins, stuey....
@flyonwall360 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome and then some. Back in the 80s I the Yamaha MT2X and remember reading about the MT8X in Recording Magazine. The MT2X was a great machine and I imagined what I could do with the MT8X. The 2X was a 4 track with a 6 channel mixer. I had the MIDI module and would sync it up with a Rolland 626 or an 808. Good times. A friend of mine owned a music store and was friends with Fran Cosmo. Fran traded in his MT8X and my buddy gave me first dibs on it. Fran used it to make demos before he joined Boston. Unfortunately, I had fallen on hard times and was unable to buy it. That year I sold all of my gear to make ends meet. The MT8X is a bitter sweet memory.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
whoa! quite a tale. you've had all the gear
@flyonwall360 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Well, I wouldn't say all. In the 90's I went through a nasty divorce and sold everything. The one of a kind Hamer Chaparral Custom, the 1960 Ampeg B15-XY and all the other trinkets that I had collected since 1976. I never went back to recording. Now days I work for the phone company and play in a band on the weekends. Come to think of it, I've never owned a wah pedal... that may be next.
@LovelymaidenJacki 8 ай бұрын
that looks fun like have own mini house just for music-so cool
@LovelymaidenJacki 8 ай бұрын
that part that said sounded bad i thought sounded good like so nice and 80's or 70's pleasantness tune to it nice and nostalgic except better
@pcmactek 2 жыл бұрын
I had the TASCAM 388 in my studio years ago - it was a beast for it's time! - miss it
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
it truly is a beast. not portable, bill!
@SJones-er6rt 2 жыл бұрын
Quite a learning curve on this machine..
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
yup haha
@VirginiaWolf88 2 жыл бұрын
Nice Video!!!! I like your music!!! I used the Tascam 424 from like 1990 through to 2000??? till I finally got a Roland Digital Recorded. Had many good times with all of that cassette recording, You could get a level of distortion on the tape.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool! 424 is a cool machine as well
@12opsynths 2 жыл бұрын
Good stuff. I also liked the Yamahas a little more than the tascams.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
they clean!
@waynethorpe1341 7 ай бұрын
Sounds good
@sharonraizor2839 2 жыл бұрын
I loved opening a new TDK SA90 back in the day.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
there is no greater feeling, sharon
@muzikman2008 2 жыл бұрын
I used a Tascam 488 MkII 8 Track Cassette portastudio for years in the 90s, still got it, I recorded a lot of stuff with that thing, but was glad when DAWs came later, digital was king lol... It's just nostalgia i think, but that tape saturation, and DBX had it's place for sure. 😉👌
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
yeah using a computer is a lot easier lol
@molekulaTV 2 жыл бұрын
Sounded really great. The chords on the wowow guitar mmmmmmmmmm so gooooodddd
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks that's the real mccoy wah wah!
@djwiggles2835 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Travis, I have an unrelated question. Do you record bass direct or through an amp? I don’t have a bass amp and usually just record direct and was wondering what you’d recommend as far as that goes. Thanks!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
yep I do record bass direct typically. i turn down the tone knob a bit. i typically avoid recording guitar direct
@djwiggles2835 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab thanks for the reply, knowing you record base direct is comforting because you have some pretty great bass tone lol
@soulslip Жыл бұрын
Technically the Tascam 688 is superior as it can record 8 simultaneously tracks all at once as this one only records 4 at a time. Still really really fun and it sounds amazing! I have both and find the Yamaha MT8XII is faster and easier to use. I have made more music with the Yamaha although the 688 can sync up to another machine or even multiple 238’s!! Tascam, ATR, and RTM all have or still make new high bias cassettes that sound amazing! A trick though, ;), is to use good old tape like scotch or type 1 as it will saturate easier and you can get some really cool vibes... welcome to 8 track cassette recording! Cheers!
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
You are next level! I love it
@CannedFunkMusic 2 ай бұрын
Did you check the switches to make sure they're armed to accept the audio on tracks 7 and 8?
@JavierCarrilloMilla 2 жыл бұрын
The performance was alright man! xD
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
you're too kind, javier!
@TheRealTeebz 2 жыл бұрын
I was born in '69 and discovered music in or around '76. There were reel-to-reels and vinyl records but as I entered my teens none of my friends wanted to lug a moving crate full of records or reel-to-reels to teach others house for music listening sessions. Enter the glorious cassette magnetic tape. Oh me Oh my. What glory. So much easier to pack around 60 cassettes in a briefcase style tape holder. Who can forget rewinding with a Bic pen? You know what I'm talking about. Mix tapes? I was the king of splicing and looping cassette tapes. I also had a little cheapass 4 track recorder probably gifted to me from my parents who bought it from Sears for 99.99 CAD. Now, almost 40 odd years later and a studio full of synths and controllers and MIDI gear and wires and mixers and you know what I'm talkin' about, I want to get back into playing and making music with cassette tapes. Thanks for the reminder. Great video. Keep on rockin in the free world.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
i love your story derrick! thanks for sharing
@collapsibleentmt. 6 ай бұрын
Any idea if there are special screws in the back of this thing or if I’m just dealing with stripped
@travisraab 6 ай бұрын
idk I sold it
@FrettingProductions Ай бұрын
I used to record into DAW dry and add the effects after unlike old take recording where to try to reproduce the sound you want to tape but now I tried to get the sound and record that and use the powerful digital options to clean up and edit I think that's best
@chrispeterson73 2 жыл бұрын
Those are awesome! If that's a Tascam 388 Porta studio behind you, could you please do a video demonstration? 👍🙂
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Take a look around my channel man!
@Beelzybud 2 жыл бұрын
I have a Yamaha 4 track cassette with dbx. It sounds wonderful.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
very cool, beezlybud!
@MichaelGSCruz 7 ай бұрын
Tchaikovsky Symphony 6 Intro for the win 🔥🔥 🙏
@kevinsturges6957 Жыл бұрын
I had one of these way back. Wish I would have kept it.
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
easy come easy go
@saren6538 9 ай бұрын
Can I ask a noob question. I’m getting into hardware using samplers etc can I just use these 8 track portastudios as my main mixer or would it be best to get say a mackie 8 track ? I would need 3 aux sends etc thanks
@travisraab 9 ай бұрын
These portastudios are generally a mixer that can be used standalone but it's coupled with a tape recorder. I think 3 aux sends is either rare or non existent. Generally it's one or two.
@FoxtrotHillRock 2 жыл бұрын
Ahhh....man that was a beast... miss it and also the tascam ones i owned...
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
you had a lot fo these huh
@waynethorpe1341 7 ай бұрын
Reel to reel machine Had an amazing sound Recording Guitar. I yet i had to appreciate That i was one of a few Who could hear that
@ralphfurley4217 2 жыл бұрын
Sounded good.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks ralph!
@captaindoeverything 2 жыл бұрын
I had a teacher like this in high school . . . it was the only class I didn't skip out of . . .
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
only thing missing is the handlebar moustache
@zackorr421 2 жыл бұрын
I love the fact that you were like “I’m so fucking tired and I don’t want to do it again.” Subbed lol
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks man thats the type of excellence I deliver
@zackorr421 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab lol. Keeping it real.
@quieora1789 9 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video! I have found a YAMAHA MT8X first version. I want to try to record a blues trio in cassette. Do you recommend to buy Yamaha mt8x first version ?
@travisraab 9 ай бұрын
It might be cool! It it's cheap sure. But I think it has less dynamic range than a 4 track.
@quieora1789 9 ай бұрын
@@travisraab thanks so much!
@travisraab 9 ай бұрын
@@quieora1789 nessun problema
@waskerbasket9601 Ай бұрын
I just got the 4track version, I also think I'm stupid because I completely forgot how to use theses things. Any tips?
@travisraab Ай бұрын
I would def download manual and follow it!
@shardsrecordingstudio-matt2247 7 ай бұрын
I got one of these from a polka hall of fame inductee, it rules so hard, despite the hiss, harmonics, crust, etc, it sounds like whatever you record is RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM
@travisraab 7 ай бұрын
Best news I've heard
@Jerkyhammerstopwatch Жыл бұрын
any plans on acquiring a independant reel to reel...seeing as you already record on 388. #4comparisonsake #thanks
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
it would prob sound a lot cleaner to have a wider tape! maybe someone will donate one idk lol
@TheBinaryWolf 3 ай бұрын
Does the MM30 mixing board that comes with the MT44 have 48VDC phantom power, so a condenser microphone can be used?
@travisraab 3 ай бұрын
no
@TheBinaryWolf 3 ай бұрын
Thanks.
@WilliamLithgowGuitars 2 жыл бұрын
Wanna hear something kinda amusing? So I got a Tascam 488S/H so kindly gave my older brother my tasty old Tascam Porta 5! Few weeks later he visited me winging about how "when you turn the tape over it just makes a racket"! Went to try and explain you DONT turn the tape over but he just winged and said "It doesn`t matter" like HIS feelings where hurt! Thicker than a bucket of rocks that guy!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
haha
@JuanMotta 2 жыл бұрын
I like this type of "experiment" videos of You, sooo fun!!!! 🤣🤣🤣 It must be a very enriching experience to be able to use all that classic equipment you have, congratulations!!!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks Juan. i dont use this stuff hardly enough at all. im gonna sell it all lol
@JuanMotta 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab At least you have the experience left and if you can earn more money, the better!
@momentos-juntos 2 жыл бұрын
I have been using this machine for a year now. It's pretty cool but tempo always goes off. Different amounts of stretching on different tapes. It can be exhausting if you record live drums. Mostly using mine for recording the final mix from the daw into it. And also planning to record some ambient synth music with it. Love the dbx sound but cuts off all the high frequencies.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
no kidding. so it's not just my machine? this mt8xii has worse motor than the others? yeah i literally cranked the treble on some tracks
@jem2017 2 жыл бұрын
I got a lot of mileage out of my MT2X 4-track back in the late 80's and early 90's, but some recordings suffered from momentary dropouts or mysterious fluctuations in the recorded level of instruments. It turned out that the unit had some cracked solder joints that needed to be resoldered. I eventually got it fully repaired, but my respect for the build quality of the unit took a hit. Maybe something similar is going on with the recorder in the video. It might not even be the seller's fault, if the shipping subjected the unit to mechanical stress. About the 8 track: Jyoti Mishra (performing as White Town) recorded the album "Women in Technology," including the song "Your Woman," on a Yamaha MT8x. Whether the mark 1 or 2 I do not know.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
I used to love that song when I was a kid! super cool
@periurban 2 жыл бұрын
To track down pitching issues you can use an oscillator app. Fire that onto each track and playback into something like Audition. Use the spectral display and you will visually see what the tape is doing to your signal. Guaranteed, there will be nothing good about it.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
sounds fancy
@periurban 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Um. It's a perfectly normal diagnostic for checking a recording set up. It's why all studio masters in the old days used to carry a 1kHz sine tone at 0dB on a leader. So the playback machine could be calibrated to account for tape speed variation when cutting. If you do identify slowdown, then it's probably to do with the tensioning of the tape spooling, or possibly a slipping capstan. All fixable.
@stillnessinmovement 2 жыл бұрын
saw one of those at local guitar store. they had a couple of similar ones. yes, they are totally cool. I like to record to tape...
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
cool, richard!
@toddgreenwood9631 2 жыл бұрын
I thought your groove was fine ... kinda perfect ... kinda vibed.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
you are kind you flatter me
@papablue3015 2 жыл бұрын
I still have my old Korg-4track cassette recorder! I now use 2-2488 tascam recorders! Fun thanks!
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
that 2488 looks fun! i wonder how the converters are
@papablue3015 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab audio converters are good for a little 2488 recorder! Can get muddy if you try mixing to much stuff together! But you can mix down and bounce tracks and come up with some pretty incredible sounding music! Thanks!
@HumbleTrader001 2 жыл бұрын
I sold the MT8X (original version) on Ebay in 2020. Hadn't used it for anything but a mixer since maybe the year 2004, and stopped using it as a mixer in around 2006.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
you have the timeline memorized ! I believe you
@howtodoitdude1662 Жыл бұрын
I still have my Tascam 688 eight track recorder. It was great 30 years ago.
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
very cool!
@frizell10 Жыл бұрын
I just bought a fostex 280 off marketplace. Upon playback sometimes all the highs will cut out for a period of time, up to 15-20 seconds even. It seems to be sporadic (not the same part of the song every time). Any knowledge on that issue? Thanks and love your videos !
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
Hi Bowl thanks for watching the channel! I actually have never messed with the fostex 280
@frizell10 Жыл бұрын
@@travisraab do you know the issue im talking about though, with your gear? i wonder if it's a generic belt issue or something.
@travisraab Жыл бұрын
@@frizell10 I haven't had that issue, but I'm not sure if highs being cut out would relate to a belt. Did you try a different tape?
@buddhiaudioparadise6925 2 жыл бұрын
I love your performance travis ..
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
thanks!
@buddhiaudioparadise6925 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Dude is it better than the tascam 246??? I mean Yamaha's machine?
@buddhiaudioparadise6925 2 жыл бұрын
haaa...when you talk & work You like a country man!. Do you?
@Manemlp 8 ай бұрын
i bought a yamaha mt120, and all but channel 3 were not working, idk what to do about it
@travisraab 8 ай бұрын
You could use it as is, fix it, or get something else.
@kniferideaudio5145 2 жыл бұрын
I had one of those as well as a Tascam 8 Track Cassette recorder. I never liked how they sounded compared to the 4 tracks. The bandwidth when you are only using 1/8th of a 1/8' wide piece of tape is just really lacking. You gotta run them maxed out speed and do the treble boost while record, Cut while mixing trick helps.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
ah ok!
@aliasname602 7 ай бұрын
I have the Yamaha MT4x; similar except 4 tracks. It is a very clean almost digital sounding machine. Very different from the tascam sound.
@hansmemling2311 5 ай бұрын
would you say it's better or worse? I want to get my drumsamples to sound vintage I am thinking of getting a multitrack recorder to record to casette.
@aliasname602 5 ай бұрын
@@hansmemling2311 I have the Tascam 234, And I'd describe it's sound as hazy, saturated, colored. Maybe a 1970s Deep Purple or Black Sabbath character. The Yamaha MT4x is cleaner, crisper, probably more like a 90s Blur or Oasis. I love the way drums sound on the Tascam 234. I also greatly prefer the workflow on the Tasacm simple and intuitive. If I a haven't used the Yamaha in awhile. I have to watch a tutorial video to remember how it works. Perhaps that's indicative of more routing capabilities. Check out some videos of the models you're interested in, and that will give you an idea of the drum sound character. Ultimately the best 4 track cassette is one that works, and can still be serviced obtain parts for. It's tough to find people that can repair them so that should be considered as well. Maybe experiment with cassette software emulations 1st, before buying a deck.
@consciousmushroom 8 ай бұрын
7:05 I honestly don't know what you're whining about :D sounded fine to me 👌 also, there are people like my cousin (he loves abstract electronic music) who just love irregular and/or hard to follow rhythms. So if you really feel like you can't pass your song on as being "pop" you could always send the tape as a mixtape to some obscure label or something 😁 Great video btw dude! Loved it ✌️
@kniferideaudio5145 2 жыл бұрын
Question, at the end you talk about DBX like it is somehow not analog or interrupts your Analog flow somehow. What do you mean? Most Dolby and DBX types found on any 4 or 8 (or even 16 and 24 ch Reel to reels decks) IS an analog path.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
I think there is a misunderstanding. I said a lot of people complain about dbx and say it sounds bad and prevents you from getting tape saturation etc. Is that the part you're referring to?
@kniferideaudio5145 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Yeah. Just sounded like you were saying it wasn't Analog Tape sound. I think a lot of people confuse tape sound with saturation. well balanced high end machines are relitively saturation free.
@Mute67 2 жыл бұрын
Btw; how do you think it sounds compared to Yamaha MT44?
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
mm mt44 sounds pretty unique.
@CHayden07 10 ай бұрын
Nice surprise to see a Michael Joly mic out in the wild! I have 3 pairs of his mics - MK319s, M179s and Apex 205s. A real shame he gave up the mic modding business.
@travisraab 10 ай бұрын
yeah I realized i have 2 hulks. It still sounds really good to me.
@alexwestconsulting 2 жыл бұрын
the prob with those 8 track cassette recorders (whether Tascam or Yamaha or anyone else) is that they partitioned the tape so heavily that they suffer from noticeably reduced dynamic range vs the 4 tracks. It's literally impossible for them not to have reduced dynamic range.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
yeah true. but i mean you're listening to it right now. do you notice that it has reduced dynamic range?
@mafronverizonnet 2 жыл бұрын
We can’t compare these to what we have today. But, there was a time when we were buying albums on cassette. No one complained about the dynamic range. It was two track stereo, but we thought they were great. Also, these tape decks didn’t have any of the many issues that we battled when we first started using computers. Hit record and go. What we have now is a lot better, but the MT8X at that time allowed us to step into the recording world which was very enjoyable. 🎧
@alexwestconsulting 2 жыл бұрын
@@mafronverizonnet Again, a standard cassette had four lanes of tape, right/left side A, and right/left side B. A 4 track multi used all four lanes (effectively "side A, 4 channels"), so no inherent degradation in quality as the tape lanes were the same size as a standard cassette. An 8 track, however, further split each each of those lanes in 2, giving physically less space on tape for each lane of encoded audio. I switched from a Tascam 464 to 488 mk2 in the 90's and the 8 track had a noticeably duller sound (with the dbx making it even worse). Frequency response of 40 Hz ~ 14 k Hz on 8 and 20 Hz ~ 20 k Hz on the 4. That's a big difference, and those specs are being kind to the 8. And I had to constantly degausse the 8. Don't get me wrong, having 8 tracks in a portable, easy to maintain unit was amazing, but the 4 tracks were around many years while the 8 tracks were short-lived before digital recording made them obsolete. I started with a Yamaha MT 4 track and found that the 464 sounded just as good. But the 488, no. I can't believe that Yamaha found a way around the inherent limitations of lack of tape real estate. I've still got both Tascams because I have so many tapes I still haven't got around to digitizing, but an iphone makes a much better dawless multi-tracker these days.
@dougfa3515 2 жыл бұрын
That makes sense. Limits... always limits...
@misza0666 2 жыл бұрын
@@alexwestconsulting hey, what app you would recommend for iphone?
@DavidMorley 2 жыл бұрын
Yamaha gear was ALWAYS solid. I have an MT8X mk1. Excellent unit. The MK2 is pretty rare..
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
everyone keeps commenting that the 8 track cassettes were compromises and that yamaha only went down to 40hz and dbx sucks... i mean who cares? it's all about what our ears tell us. my ears tell me that there is very little compression happening, that the kick and bass tones are really nice, and that just by using the full range of the eq i was able to get a happy mix.
@hrorm 2 жыл бұрын
Even if ther song was werid the sound was fcking ace man. Keep that thing. It is wonderful for drums and synths.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks HR!
@hrorm 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab Im replying to the wrong comment, but look for video called "Dimebag Darells wild guitar philosophy" Knowing the instrument is much better then knowing a lot of music theory. The ones I know who have studied music all sound the same , like a typical guitar teacher in any city in the world.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
@@hrorm that's your opinion not a fact lol. I've studied and I sound good..
@petergedd9330 2 жыл бұрын
I had one, trouble with those cassettes tho was such a small area to record on, even on the highest metal tape, it wasnt too good.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
gotcha thanks peter
@jbonillaguitar 2 жыл бұрын
I have an MT4x but the lid won't close when I put in a tape!! I had someone look at it and we couldn't figure it out. I won't give up on her
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
duck tape?
@jbonillaguitar 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab might be sensor error I'm thinking. I will report back
@electrosonicnebula 3 ай бұрын
It's a nice hippie funk composition, maybe like the Dead a bit
@Evan-uv8pd 2 жыл бұрын
How do you fix the scratchy pots in one of those I have a porta studio and I dont want to dissemble it
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
simply turn the pot 100 times. fastest way. if that doesnt do it, try a little canned air. then turn 100 times.
@spencersmallbridge1496 2 жыл бұрын
@@travisraab deoxit works like a charm
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
i would not advise the use of deoxit if exercising a pot, and canned air will do the trick. to each their own.
@joeyday1252 2 жыл бұрын
A while back, I got one of these for free. I haven't tried it out yet.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
oh nice congrats, joey
@markharper6787 2 жыл бұрын
I had one of those through a trade and then sold it. It sold very quickly, and the guy was stocked to get it.
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
easy come easy go!
@michaels5166 2 жыл бұрын
I liked the music..period..I like when things get weird and you have to solve something,.I like having my own gear,and I like the fact I have a lefty guitar and bass so the chances are no one else but me wants to play them..I have the 6 track Sansui cassette deck but I never used it..it was given to me..
@travisraab 2 жыл бұрын
those 6 track sansuis are siiick michael
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