Loving My DP24SD

[Philster]

Hi Folks
Hope you don't mind me posting this (and I know most people only post when they need help with an issue) but I just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying recording with my DP24SD. I was slightly wary at first (especially after watching "that" series of videos on using the beastie) but it has been a fairly straightforward process and takes me back to the days of my first tape cassette four tracker (from Tascam!!). The only thing I am missing is hiss
I've been making little demo songs using EZ Drummer for the drums and my real drummer is chomping at the bit to start recording so time to take it to the rehearsal space and get stuck in!
Cheers
Phil

 

[Vonryanx]

Yes it is fun and quite easy. the manual does a nice job of getting you started. I love how easy the bounce track feature is compaired to my previous 488 MKII. I went to the DP both because of tape hiss and you can't find good cassettes anymore..

 

[David Porter]

Totally agree, guys. Once you get the hang of it - these machines are fun and easy to work with. Absolutely LOVE the user friendly format/layout.

 

[-mjk-]

I love the speed at which I can work. I can lay down tracks very fast, and spend time on the performance instead of clicking around.

 

[Philster]

Yes, the speed at which you can work is a good point - I have a good PC music rig with 8 inputs but the problem I find is the plethora of plug-ins ends up slowing things down with so many choices (my problem, I know). The DP gives you a simple set of choices forcing you to work in a speedy manner. I also want to get away from the "copy-paste" way of working......that second chorus was the tightest so lets copy-paste that over the first and outro choruses.
Last time I was in a proper studio we wasted days editing the drum track into time to end up with a track that was "correct" but devoid of feel and awkward sounding. To just hit record again and capture a better take would have taken four minutes.....something I'll forever regret. So my aim is to capture good performances rather than spend hours piecing it together note by note. I don't mind editing out some noise (did that on he DP last night, much easier than expected) but SD cards are way cheaper than days of my free time

 

[-mjk-]

@Philster that's how it was done on the old days. The only editing was with a razor blade. I record on the DP-32 and I use my mixing desk for mic pres and EQ.

 

[Findlay]

Glad you are enjoying your DP24-sd Philster. My first multitracker was a Tascam 244 and using my DP-32sd takes me back to those days too. But I never, ever, heard any tape hiss with the 244 - in fact I'm loading a few songs I recorded in '82 onto the DP-32 to re-mix and am stunned by the quality of the old tapes. It is so good that I will be able to add some instruments and vocals to the old songs in a way nobody would ever notice!

 

[hilltopstudios]

Hey Findlay, can you bake a 36 year old cassette without melting the shell.

 

[Mark Richards]

Yes, you can bake a 36 year old cassette without melting the shell.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US5236790
"It has also surprisingly been found that the heat treatment according to this invention can be carried out with the magnetic recording media such as tape in its cassette, on its reel or retained by other tape housings without causing the layers of the tape to stick together, in the cassette, on the reel or in other housings. After the heat treatment, according to this invention, the tape is nonsticky, exhibits little if any shed and is usable in the recording and playback equipment as desired."

 

[Findlay]

Hey Findlay, can you bake a 36 year old cassette without melting the shell.

Luckily I've never had to do this. I've never had a problem with old cassettes - even those dating back to '71. They also sound as good as ever to me - even better if you play them back on a 3-head machine. Mark has the definitive answer in his post. I guess if I were to bake a cassette I'd still take it out of the shell (wearing cotton gloves) and take the hubs and leader off.