Need Help Selecting a Digitel Recorder

[Legacyman]

To those of you who use stand alone digitel recorders, I'd like to ask you for your opinion an a good entry level digitel recorder?

A few things I'd like to have are:

Drums
Guitar Effects w/ overdrive and making my guitar sound like a bass guitar
Onboard CD writer or USB to burn from the computer.
USER FRIENDLY - That's very important to me. I hope to have something design more for a musician than an engineer.

Writing and playing music is a hobby for me and I only want to record myself one or two channels at a time. I am in the market for a good stand alone and a good value in the price range of $400 to $700.

Thank you!

[Smokey Joe]

I'm thrilled with my Tascam DP-02CF and would recommend it's brother: DP-02 should tick all your boxes!

Differences between the 02 and the 02CF:
- CF doesn't have effectprocessors onboard (but does support external effectproc's);
- CF doesn't have onboard CD-writer (but does have USB 2.0);
- CF records to CompactFlash, 02 records to internal harddrive (40GB);
- CF is a LOT cheaper.

Have fun selecting, and remember:
"Let it rip!"

Smokey Joe

[Bootstrapped]

I have the ZOOM HD16CD and really enjoy the ease of use and it has by far the best integration with any DAW if you decide you want to start building a hybrid system with your computer when you are ready. I still prefer writing and recording with the ZOOM over the computer but find it the best of both worlds if i want to edit automate tracks in the DAW. THe tactile feature of the HD16CD allowas you to control the included Cubase LE or any other Software for that matter from the FADERS and transport controls of the ZOOM.

THe Drum machine is great and you can import your own samples to build some super kits.

If you don't need the 8 XLR inputs the HD8CD is less money.

I also really like the meter bridge and rotary encoders. Its more like a real mixers than most portables i have used.

Hope that helps.

check it out it rocks.

[C. Hanson]

I second the above poster re the Tascam unit.
Until last year, I had a DP01FXCD and was very happy with it (I believe the DP02 is the newer version). The reason I upgraded to a Yamaha AW1600 was to get a little more editability and more inputs. But for the solo musician in the home studio, the Tascam is a fine machine, with the added benefit (God bless them) of a user-friendly instruction manual.

[cosmicbassman]

Originally Posted by Legacyman

To those of you who use stand alone digitel recorders, I'd like to ask you for your opinion an a good entry level digitel recorder?

A few things I'd like to have are:

Drums
Guitar Effects w/ overdrive and making my guitar sound like a bass guitar
Onboard CD writer or USB to burn from the computer.
USER FRIENDLY - That's very important to me. I hope to have something design more for a musician than an engineer.

Writing and playing music is a hobby for me and I only want to record myself one or two channels at a time. I am in the market for a good stand alone and a good value in the price range of $400 to $700.

Thank you!

I reckon a second hand AW16G or AW1600 if you can find one for the right price. Will do exactly what you want with 16tracks and effects and dynamics on every channel.

I used to have 2 of them until a few years back and they were solid, reliable and were easy to operate. They also do 8 track simultaneous recording IIRC

[TheMusicMan]

Hey dude,

I hate to see your question go unanswered.

I personally enjoy using sequencers to do my MultiTracking, as I have proven myself to be fairly expressive using MIDI input on a synth. I did a little research though, and I found this baby.

HD16CD Digital Multitrack Studio | Sam Ash Music 1-800-4-SAMASH

The Zoom series is a reliable one, in my experience. Affordable, effective, and useful. I myself use a Zoom H2 for field recording, and I love the sensitivity and quality of recordings I get with it. I hazard a guess that more of their products should make you similarly happy.

I'm also interested to know if you picked something on your own since this post. I hope I was helpful!


Edit: Whoops! didn't read all the posts... I still recommend Zoom!

[bcoulton]

I am more into playing every track with musicians as opposed to midi and sequencing and have found the Roland line awesome...I currently have an old 1880 found relatively cheap on Ebay these days and love it!

[Stela Irwin]

y don't you make an attempt to search it on a search engine i think you will get many helpful links...

Stela Irwin
Technical reviewer
Laptop Q

Originally Posted by Legacyman

To those of you who use stand alone digitel recorders, I'd like to ask you for your opinion an a good entry level digitel recorder?

A few things I'd like to have are:

Drums
Guitar Effects w/ overdrive and making my guitar sound like a bass guitar
Onboard CD writer or USB to burn from the computer.
USER FRIENDLY - That's very important to me. I hope to have something design more for a musician than an engineer.

Writing and playing music is a hobby for me and I only want to record myself one or two channels at a time. I am in the market for a good stand alone and a good value in the price range of $400 to $700.

Thank you!

[john67elliott]

I've looked at 'em all - well, a lot of 'em - and the AW1600 has kind of ****ed my heart. GC's used equipment section has them for $5-700. Plan on picking one up. I haven't heard of any MTR's that have consistent problems. Oh, there are individual lemons in any line, but a Tascam would do ya nicely, I think. (but don't forget.... I'm only going on what my individual research has found.... I could be dead worng! hehe).

JE

[lespauluk]

I thought I read the Aw1600 didn't have drums?

Anyhow I had a Boss br900cd and liked it a lot but needed more tracks and wanted a prorammable bass too

I now own a Zoom HD16CD and although I'm still learning at the moment its a great machine with all the features you mention and loads more

I would definately recommend checking them out

Samson - Zoom - HD16CD