Boss 1600cd vs Tascam 2488

Kenny Yates · From: Hattiesburg Mississippi

I was just ready to buy the Boss 1600cd then I see the Tascam 2488 for $400.00 less money with more tracks and twice the hard drive capacity.....oh I'm so confused Question

anyone got any experience with these machines, where is Big Bob when I need him

Ken

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

I only have 2488 experience so I can't compare.

Here's the same question asked at another forum.

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=1754022#post1754022

I like my 2488. I suspect either would do all you need.

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

I did the same and just purchased the Tascam 2488MKII from http://www.fullcompass.com/

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to the 2488 Bandwagon, Jim.

This could turn into a 2488 support group.

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hi Kenny, I have to tell you that I have had a lot of dealings with the Boss/Roland recorders and they are hard to beat. With that being said there's a lot to be said for a bunch of guys having the same recorder on this forum. You can all help each other with the steep learning curve. Be prepared to do a lot of reading and takings things one step at a time and try not to learn everything in one day.

One thing to consider is your eye sight. If you have what I call old eye syndrome like I have I would go with the one that has the biggest and brightest on board screen.

I don't think either one has the ability to use a computer monitor with them. A lot of the Roland/Boss units do but I think not in this price range. I could be wrong. I'm pretty sure the Tascam doesn't either.

Think about staring at a little window for 7 or 8 hours after a while it's about which one is easier to read.

I know that Boss used the green screen with black fonts and I think Tascam uses the light blue with dark blue fonts. Correct me if I'm wrong Joey.

If it were me I'd go to the local music store and see which display was easier to read.

Lets face it both of them are going to be fine recorders and will be capable of recording everything you'll ever want to record.

So remember these things which one has the biggest screen and which one has the most features you are looking for.

The rest will be up to you. Good luck.

Bob

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

In response to Bob's comments:

The Tascam does not allow you to use an external monitor. I don't know of any units in this price range that do.

You can see a good screen shot of the entire unit here:
http://tascamforums.com/index.php?showtopic=16228

The one in this picture is the newer MK II.

They claim the screen is brighter than mine.
I've never seen the new one, so I can't verify that.
My fonts are black.

I find the screen usable. Larger would be nice.

It's definatly not as tiny as the new Zoom Handheld units. My old eyes would really have a problem with those.

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

My 64 year old eyes don't have any problem seeing the 2488MKII screen. I didn't even use the contrast adjustment.

That's with my glass on of course Shocked

Jim

Joey: I like that support group idea. Once I get the input thing down I'll be calln' ya about the mixing, mastering, blending, bouncing or whatever ya call it. Maybe you can walk/tutor me through it with the machine in front of me. I did get the guitar on it so I'm happy with that accomplishment. I'm just taking it slow.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Jim,
I'd be happy to step you thru things on the phone.
Email me in advance so I'll have my 2488 setup by the phone.

Once you've recorded a few tracks, learn how to name them. That's an important step that will help you understand the 250 virtual tracks.

Joey

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

Thanks Joey. I really appreciate your help.

I will e-mail you when I have gotten a few songs on the thing.

Jim

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I also use a 2488.

Kenny Yates · From: Hattiesburg Mississippi

I finally got around to ordering a Tascam 2488MKII yesterday from Musician friend. I'll let you know what I think of it in a few days.

Ken

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hey Kenny, you know what's funny? As you probably know in secret and without bragging on it or even hardly mentioning it I see myself as a digital effects/recorder/computer and many other things of high tech guru and I'm only saying this now to poke a little fun of myself.

Anyway I've put a lot of time in over the last 20 years learning technology and I really do enjoy it. So about 2 years ago a pal of mine who plays steel bought a Yamaha 16 track recorder that was pretty hot at the time and had trouble figuring it out so he asked me if I had time to check it out and then show him and I did because I was not able to work because of my illness.

Well I got that thing and it had a window about the size of a stick of gum that was the 1st hurdle. So I have what I call a jeweler's light with a (I think) 20 times magnifier on it. Many folks use them in their shop to solder small parts and work on small things like watches.

So after rigging it up to where it made the small screen look about the size of a 13 inch TV I went to work by the way if you've ever used one of those magnifier lights it puts a funny curvature look to everything but it does work a little distorted but very usable. Anywho I get to work and work and work and on and on.

Man I'll tell you I had never run in to so many deep deep menu's just to get to some of the simplest edits like eq and routing functions.

I had that darn thing for over 2 months before I ever recorded one note. I finally found the secret to learning the darn thing and mostly that is the purpose of this elongated post as well as to poke a little fun at myself for not being the big time guru I always thought I was. (I guess I needed being brought down a notch or two:-)

You ask what the trick was? Taking it slow and read and reread and read some more and then when you get tired read some more that was basically the big secret. Now there is the option of going online to a 2488 user group and asking questions and searching their database but I think you will find that a lot of those user groups will hate to answer basic questions from a new user and even ridicule you for asking and end up telling you to read the manual. Now not all of them but a big majority of them will be that way. So until I learn the basics I stay away from them and when I have mastered the simple functions and need to dig deeper I'll go to them. For some reason they usually don't have a lot of patience with new users.

Do not follow the manual from front to back use the contents directory pages at the front of the manual to jump from one learning process to the next in the order of importance to learning all of the functions. Say like the 1st important thing to learn for me was how to hook it up to my existing system. In your case it might be as simple as just hooking it up to your monitors or maybe that as well as hooking the USB if it has one to your computer.

The manual does not always follow the same route of learning that is best for a picker to learn in. Some manuals come with a quick start guide and if yours does try starting there they usually can get you started.

So the next function I learned what inputs were for what instruments and if any of them were made especially for hooking guitars directly to it and not needing some sort of a direct box or preamp. Then learning how to route your input to the track you want to record on because the guitar input may be on lets say input 4 but you want to start out with your 1st steel track on track 1.

Then I learned how to add non destructive effects to my guitar meaning reverb and other effects built in that will not be recorded but you want to hear them so you can be inspired to pick. There's nothing worse than plugging directly into your recorder and playing your solo completely dry unless of course you are use to playing that way.

Then I learned how to add EQ to my signal to sweeten it up just a bit again so it will sound good to me but not be recorded. You see the direction I'm headed in always try to record a complete sterile/dry signal so you can mix and add whatever effects in the end and not be stuck with one sound from the beginning.

Next I think I was finally ready to learn how to actually record a note hehe. I also would forget the 1st thing I learned while learning the next 3 or 4 steps so I finally started a note book with my own explanation for each step so that at any point I could instantly refer to that step I was wanting to do to refresh my memory because believe it or not there is so much to digest that unless you have a photographic mind these notes will be the best learning tool you will have.

Mainly because the manual very seldom explains it in a reader friendly form and I had to read it several times to finally understand it. Remember most of these manuals are written by a Japanese writer then translated to everyone else's language.

Also the reason for the notes is the manual almost never follows the order you need to learn in and you end up shuffling thru that manual from one section to another until you are dizzy and usually have the manual all tore up Smile

So after I learned how to record my guitar I then learned how to overdub and fix mistakes and punch in.

I'm going to stop here because this post is turning into a novel and Kenny there's not a lot of folks that I would do this much typing for Smile

but You know you gave me my 1st job when I got to California as well as my 1st professional gig. Of course it wasn't my 1st gig because I had been playing weekends for several years but I moved to Ca. to play professionally so you got me started in this mess LOL.

If you run into trouble you can always email me or even call me but I have to be honest with you. All of these digital recorders have their own proprietary systems and I've never used the 2488.

With that being said I think you made a wise move due to so many folks having one here on the forum. It looks like its shaping up to be a small 2488 users group to help support each other and that is always a good win win solution.

If you have lost my Telephone number just email me and I'll send it back. Also the next time you come to town I'm going to make it to see you no matter what unless I'm sick. We have a lot of catching up to do. Good Luck!!! and happy recording!!

Bob

Kenny Yates · From: Hattiesburg Mississippi

I hope to make it up that way sometime this year....but right now we have some serious illness in the family and I can't get away for a while.

I saw this and I'm thinking of ordering this manuel.

http://www.tascam.com/Products/2488/2488_manual.pdf

Anyone else tried this.

Ken

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hi Kenny, that looks like the manual that should have came with you machine. Also it's a PDF format so you could download it and keep it on your computer for reference or print it out on your printer. Good luck. Sorry to hear of the illness in your family. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Bob

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

Kenny,

That is the manual that came with mine. I downloaded and printed some of it before mine arrived. I was kind of pre-prepared when the 2488 arrived.

As I said in a previous post, I knew absolutely nothing about these things before mine arrived. By reading the manual and taking it slowly step by step I was able to record BIAB and my steel within a week of part time learning.

Jim

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I bought the official Tascam DVD that explains all the features. It's a pretty good production, but they go through a lot of material.

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