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Wondering if anyone had suggestions on what to do with a couple of reel-to-reel tape decks and a patchbayI have.

Tascam 32 - 2 track
Tascam 38 - 8 track w/remote
Tascam PB-32P patchbay

Since I've gone to all digital these beasts sit quietly like beautiful antiques from a time gone past.
I was wondering if anyone here still uses RtoR and more importantly...should I bother trying to re-incorporate these into a digital setup?
They sit there beckoning. .use us...we want to record too.
Maybe someone out there has had a similar experience?

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Davedog Sun, 08/09/2009 - 12:43

Are they in good condition? Aligned properly? Do you have incredibly good outboard for drums and guitars?

I used a 38 until a couple of years ago as an option for capturing drum tracks and things I wanted that bit of natural compression that tape gives. I did not use them to mix from. Generally I would drop the recorded tracks into the digital recorder as soon as the tracks were captured to reduce any lossy problems relating to number of passes over the heads and such. I know these units arent on the level with Studer, Ampex, Otari and such, but they do sound quite good for this kind of recording and can enhance an otherwise basic sounding digital capture.

If they are in good condition and arent taking up too much room and you arent needing to get rid of them I would keep em.

After I move, and I get a chance to reconfigure the studio, I will entertain the purchase of a tape machine for just this feature.

djmukilteo Fri, 12/09/2016 - 12:39

Yes, still have them!....haven't been doing any recording but I still come here to read new posts...LOL
I didn't get any alert or email notification on this thread though, Your post came up in New Posts and the Tascam title got my attention! I was surprised to find out it was my thread started back in 2009!
Nice to hear from you!
Cheers

audiokid Sat, 12/10/2016 - 10:39

djmukilteo, post: 445619, member: 35891 wrote: Your post came up in New Posts and the Tascam title got my attention!

(y)

djmukilteo, post: 445619, member: 35891 wrote: Yes, still have them!....haven't been doing any recording but I still come here to read new posts...

I always like seeing your name around here. Do those reel to reels still work?

KurtFoster Sat, 12/10/2016 - 13:14

no i'm not doing anything any longer. i'm still interested in the subject of recording but i've retired from the business. my ears are pretty much toasted. still at times i think it would be cool to have a little 8 track set up but i doubt i would ever get going to use it unless someone came to me begging me to record them and that's not going to happen.

djmukilteo Sat, 12/10/2016 - 13:41

I'm kind of in a similar situation!....had a stroke last year and lost all my motor function on my left side (and I'm left handed)....I've managed to slowly regain most of it back but still a big struggle.
So all of my recording stuff and tape decks etc. sit unused these days.
I used to fix and repair this stuff and I try and work with my tools a little to help get my dexterity back to normal but sometimes it just doesn't work.
Maybe one of these days someone will come along and want it all and it will go to good use. I just can't see managing any of it myself right now.
It's still fun and interesting to come here though (and other audio forums) to read all the different topics and stuff online. My typing is slow but I seem to manage...