Can't decide which hardware to keep/use: Tascam DP-32SD or Tascam Model 12

[Ugly Bunny]

TLDR: Both units have a lot to love. Debating on which one to keep or maybe even both.

First of all, thank you for you help with my other connectivity thread

Anyway, I'm looking to move away from DAW recording for a number of reasons, but mainly because I want the immediacy and physical controls of a hardware recorder. My buddy, who's recorded several phenomenal prog albums suggested the DP-32SD. After owning it for a few weeks and really not using it at all due to lack of MIDI, I decided to pick up a Model 12 to see if that might better suit my needs, and then I can just return it if I don't like it or sell the DP-32SD if I choose the Model 12 over it. I spent all evening yesterday, testing each out in turn for workflow, ease of use, sound quality, versatility, and just to generally see how they might fit in my setup and help/hinder inspiration.

My thoughts so far:

DP-32SD:

• The lack of MIDI is the most concerning thing to me, since I eventually will want to sync my drum machine and synth arps/seqs. That said, I found I had a lot of fun manually playing the drums into my track, so this may not be as big of an issue as it seems in my mind.
• I love having 32 tracks to play with, especially when it comes to layering stereo guitars, keys, drum machine, etc. I feel like my possibilities are endless.
• I like the huge number of stereo tracks.
• Workflow is fairly intuitive for routing, monitoring, recording, and playback. You don't need to even really touch the manual if you just want to use it as a basic "4-track" recorder.
• VERY nice full-color screen compared to the 12's smaller, monochrome display.
• It's both annoying and convenient that there aren't a ton of physical knobs; just "select" buttons that make the few knobs it does have pertain to the selected track. But that means you can't quickly see channel settings at a glance without going into a different mode and selecting each channel in turn. Not a big deal in practice, I'm sure.

Model 12:

• Beautiful piece of hardware.
• Has MIDI, both DIN and USB, so syncing drum machines and synths will not be an issue.
• Definitely a little confusing in terms of sound routing, but I was eventually able to figure out what I needed to do to monitor, record, playback, etc. both from a live source and via USB from my computer.
• Bluetooth is nice to have, although I'd typically just play music and stuff through the computer, but if I ever used it as a standalone mixer for an event, that would be ideal, rather than having to have a separate input and BT receiver.
• I love that this can be a nice physical control surface for Logic (I don't intent to NEVER use a DAW, just move away from it for songwriting/jams/capturing inspiration).
• This also is an audio interface; so I can ditch my Motu M4. I can play my standalone NDSP plugins and record directly to tracks on the Model 12 itself, which is super handy. It's a nice hybrid option between just using the standalone plugins and having to open Logic set up a channel strip to record (although that's admittedly more versatile, but my 2018 Mac Mini is starting to show its age in processing power).
• There are only two dedicated stereo track pairs, so to have more, I'll have to move things around and pan pairs of mono tracks. Not ideal, but workable, but it also reduces my effective track count to 5, since two of the tracks (to make 12) are the main outs (which I feel is a little disingenuous marketing, IMO).
• Can be used as a PA mixer, should the need arise. (You know how it goes; when people learn you're in a band and do sound, they ask you to do events/meetings/ceremonies here and there)

I'm tempted to keep both, honestly, even though it's not a great time financially for me to do that (tax time, ugh). But, as mentioned above, the Model 12 can replace my interface and be a recorder all in one for less complicated/busy recordings. The DP-32SD is a much more robust recorder which can easily handle any number of layers and any amount of sound design I'd want to do. The Model 12 is clearly meant to be a FOH mixer that can record, not a recorder that can act as a FOH mixer, but it looks like it serves both functions admirably.

What do you think? Anyone here owned both and chose one over the other or even kept both? I kinda feel like keeping both would be overkill, but they both excel in different domains - the only thing they have in common is that they can record tracks to SD cards lol.

 

[-mjk-]

@Ugly Bunny I put the word out through my personal contact/follower base, and someone found me an original DP-32 with MIDI. If you found one of those, I think your Quest would be over. They are are around and are worth searching for.

 

[Ugly Bunny]

@-mjk- Yeah, I looked on Reverb and Guitar Center and found a couple DP-24s; I inquired to make sure they're no the SD versions, but haven't heard back. That said, even if I did have that one, that would solve my initial issue of syncing MIDI gear with them, but that ability to use it as an interface (AND record my NDSP plugins directly) is mighty tempting. I think if I had initially gotten the DP-32, I would not have kept searching for anything, but now that I've tasted the sweet life...

Honestly, I'm leaning toward keeping both. I can probably recoop some of my investment by selling the M4 and possibly some other items, so it's not largely a money issue.

...besides, my cat likes to sleep on the DP-32SD (covered by a towel, of course lol)

 

[dctdct]

I see your dilemma. I have the DP-24(CD/MIDI) and like it for its complete track-mix-master workflow with a lot of editing capabilities. This covers all my needs for a one-man-band and a patch bay helps assigning all instruments to any external FX and to any DP input channel.
I occasionally have some small jams in my basement and use it for live mixing. 8 inputs are enough.

Would I still have more live performances or a band studio, where I needed a lot of parallel input channels, I would opt today for a Model 24 live mixer (or similar other brand) in front of it. Still keeping the DP-24 (or a DP-32) for the DAW-less follow up work.

Let us know your decision!