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WTB: Tascam 4 Track Portastudio 414

JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
Doing a bit of an old school collaboration with a mate in Sweden, and for some reason it seemed a good idea to get an old cassette 4 Track each and do it by post. So if anybody has an old Tascam 414 gathering dust mice in the back of a cupboard (or anything similar that would do the job).....

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Comments

  • ellangusellangus Frets: 250
    I think I have an old 4 portastudio somewhere but I'm not sure of the model.

    I'll have a look tomorrow if you're still interested.

    What did you want to pay (or trade maybe)?
    Along with many others, I got Scammed by J Collingridge 'Award Winning' Photographer. Full details about his behaviour on this and other forums can be found on this thread. If you have been Scammed by J Collingridge 'Award Winning' Photographer, let us know and even if you haven't, putting a similar message in your own signature will help us warn others.
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    @ellangus I don't know to be perfectly honest- ebay is all over the shop and other than than that, who knows :)

    Still looking though so give me a shout if you find it, ta

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  • GizmoGizmo Frets: 1073
    I got an 8 track 424 MKIII thats been sitting around a while would that fit the bill?
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  • CacofonixCacofonix Frets: 356
    I have the Tascam 414 in blue. It has one of the best EQ sections of anything I have heard. 

    Trade offers invited.  A nice pedal would be cool.
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Cheers Chaps

    @Gizmo My only worry is that if we have different models (as we're swapping tapes by post) - would it work?

    Must admit I know nothing about the things other than long distant memories of recording into one. Compatibility never really raised it's head

    @Cacofonix I haven't got any pedals to trade unfortunately, as I don't use them. Would you consider flogging it for pedal vouchers with the queen's mush on them? :)

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  • GizmoGizmo Frets: 1073
    Hey Jooky

    Well i had a quick look about the web and could only find this post about compatibility between tascam multitracks,might be worth firing tascam a quick email to see what they have to say about moving tapes between models,might open up your options a little bit,almost forgot heres the thread on HR.com

    http://homerecording.com/bbs/user-forums-brand/tascam-user-forum/tascam-424-mkii-compatabilty-125894/
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  • johnnyurqjohnnyurq Frets: 1368
    If the are both Tascam and have the same tape speed (some have 2 modes for quility or quantity) it shouldn't be an issue. Also it is best to choose ahead of time whether it is with or without Wobbly Dolby or not.

    A band I was in years ago we used to have a few different Tascam units between us for songwriting and sharing, it worked OK with the above caveats.


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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Sounds like it should be fine then :) Cheers chaps..

    @Gizmo have you got a price in mind?

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  • CacofonixCacofonix Frets: 356
    edited May 2014
    Not sure an 8 track will do the trick, because you'll be playing 2 tracks per head on a four track machine.

    Don't know for certain, but as the 4-Track splits the audio across the tape, it stands to reason the 8 track will do the same.  Prolly won't matter if you record tracks 1,3,6 and 8 but there might be some overspill.

    There's a speed control to control pitch, IIRC.  I used mine for precisely this.  My mate had one so I scoured Ebay to get compatible. Worked ok.

    Edit:  See this.  P8 is your friend.  You'd need to record on 1, 2, 7 and 8.

    http://tascam.com/content/downloads/products/317/Porta_414mkII_manual.pdf

    Still available, say £30 plus postage?  I need to check it's still working, been a couple of years since it moved.
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  • JMP220478JMP220478 Frets: 421
    old fostex x15 ( i think ) - somewhere in the house ? any use?
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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    The original 144 and 244 Portastudios ran a double standard cassette speed, for better sound quality. I may but wrong on this but IIRC, the later, cheaper models ran at standard speed - so two identical machines would be a must.
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  • thermionicthermionic Frets: 9498
    I have played back and mixed tapes recorded on a Vestafire something and a Yamaha MT100 (?) on my 424 Mk II. As long as the tape speed matches (and it's either normal or double speed)  and also the type of noise reduction (if you choose to use it) I don't see you having much problems regarding compatibility.

    Last time I looked on ebay (a few years ago) 424s (a better machine than the 414) were going for about £25. Pretty sure they were more like 10x that new! 

    The only drawback to the old Portastudios is the lack of phantom power since cheap Chinese condenser mikes became available.
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Cheers for all the help chaps :) I've gone for one from Cacafonix, and will no doubt be back with plenty of 'WTF do I do with this' threads in the near future ;)

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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    Been watching this thread with interest, I have a Portastudio one like this.

    http://www.torridheatstudios.com/ftp/share/pictures/Tascam Cassette 4-tracks/Tascam Porta One.jpg

    It's not for sale until I copy up all my old stuff to digital format (one can't rush these things) but it's bringing back warm fuzzy memories. Mine is still in the original packaging, the box is faded, beat to all feck and held together with gaffers tape but it's original.

    Good luck Jooky.

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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Cheers @Esblonde - I'm looking forward to it. My Swedish friend is meant to be sending some backing tracks over, so should be fun if nowt else.

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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24208
    ESBlonde said:
    Been watching this thread with interest, I have a Portastudio one like this.

    http://www.torridheatstudios.com/ftp/share/pictures/Tascam Cassette 4-tracks/Tascam Porta One.jpg

    It's not for sale until I copy up all my old stuff to digital format (one can't rush these things) but it's bringing back warm fuzzy memories. Mine is still in the original packaging, the box is faded, beat to all feck and held together with gaffers tape but it's original.

    Good luck Jooky.

    Wow... that brings back memories !  I repaired one of those for a mate once, many moons ago.

    As for the OP's query.... why on earth are you doing it via cassette tape and 4-track ?  Surely it would be far, far easier to exchange digital mixes via the internet ?   I can't think of a single reason to do it the way you are planning !
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Emp_Fab said:

    As for the OP's query.... why on earth are you doing it via cassette tape and 4-track ?  Surely it would be far, far easier to exchange digital mixes via the internet ?   I can't think of a single reason to do it the way you are planning !
    Yeah, but that is easy.. Where's the fun in easy? (Apart from Weston super Mare, clearly)

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  • ChrisMusicChrisMusic Frets: 1133
    All fuzzy about those  (me too)  but...

    Get a man's machine, real home recording, was, well reel to reel.

    You would know when the tape arrived on your doorstep with one of these.


    :)

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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    Oh yes, my friends dad was a serving US army officer and had access to all the latest goodies via the camp PX store. He had a TEAC 3340 (the earlier model) in the mid 70s and recorded our school boy group. This was a BIG DEAL  as 4 track was relatively new and many pro studios only had 4 or 8 track at the time. I still have copies of those recordings somewhere. Within the decade studios had gone up to 16, 24 and even 48 track (two machines in sync so actually only 46 chanels as one on each machine had the time code).

    I've gone a bit misty eyed just thinking about the bad old days.
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  • johnnyurqjohnnyurq Frets: 1368

    ChrisMusic;241524" said:
    All fuzzy about those  (me too)  but...

    Get a man's machine, real home recording, was, well reel to reel.

    You would know when the tape arrived on your doorstep with one of these.

    http://www.classicaudio.com/forsale/misc/teac3440a.jpg


    After many iterations of Tascam Portastudios I got a Fostex R8 and loved it. needing room for 2nd child in a flat meant tata to it.

    Great thing though and leagues above Portastudios and in price too so not shock there.

    Tascam/TEAC and Fostex etc deserve a hallowed place in music though allowing bands to get (mostly) decent multi track recordings down.

    Bouncing tracks down was always a compromise, frustrating at times and fun all at once.
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