Model 24 Possible Purchase

[robin courtenay]

Hello all,i'm thinking about getting a model 24 but want to know if it will be suitable for my needs. Ok here's what i want to do, record a track, record a second track while listening to the first track ,record a third while listening to the previous two and so on ,then mix down using any required effects to a stereo file and export to pc for cd burning.Allso as i play mostly acoustic instruments i often use combinations of mics most are condensers but i have one nice passive ribbon mic, as the phantom power on the 24 is global is there a work round so that i could use the ribbon at the same time as a codenser mic,i do have a focusrite scarlett interface so could i use that as a mic pre amp for the ribbon with the phantom power off and connect that to the 24 somehow.Thanks in advance any help will be gratefully recieved.All the best,Rob.

 

[Mark Richards]

The main advantage of the Model 24:

• Having tactile/visual access to all the tools (EQ, compression, etc.)
• Fairly straightforward operation.

The main disadvantage of the Model 24:

• It has very limited Editing capabilities.
• It has no Mastering capabilities.

Both of those require a DAW to accomplish.

If you don't want to get involved with a DAW, you might want to consider an "all-in-one" DP-24SD or DP-32SD Portastudio instead.

I suggest reading the earliest posts in this forum to get a better sense of the capabilities of the Model 24.

 

[robin courtenay]

Thanks for the reply i have looked at the dp32 but seems like you have to go through to many menus, so could i do what i mentioned in my previous post on the 24? Thanks again Rob.

 

[Mark Richards]

i'm thinking about getting a model 24 but want to know if it will be suitable for my needs. here's what i want to do, record a track, record a second track while listening to the first track ,record a third while listening to the previous two and so on ,then mix down using any required effects to a stereo file and export to pc

The Model 24 is designed as a 22 track FOH mixer with multitrack recording/mixdown capability.

The Model 24 has an on-board "MTR" (MultiTrack Recorder), and so has a straight forward "overdubbing" capability (which is what you're describing).

So if you don't ever foresee a need to bounce tracks, edit tracks, do post-production work or master your work without using a DAW, then the stand-alone Model 24 should get the job done for you easily, as described in this post and following.

The Porta-studios are stand-alone 24 or 32 track studio tracking/mixdown/mastering production consoles, all within the digital domain.

The stand-alone tracking, production and post-production capabilities of the Porta-studios far exceed those of a stand-alone Model 24, and are well worth the less convenient need to work with the primary menues (Assign individual Inputs to individual Tracks; Effects settings for each individual Input; Mixer settings for each individual Input and each individual Track; Effects selection and parameters; and Song creation, selection, and maintenance). In addition, phantom power is available selectively for Inputs 1-4 and 5-8.

Once you decide what you're needs are now or may be in the future, pick the tool that best meets them.

 

[robin courtenay]

Thanks Mark ,i have been using Reaper for my recordings but would rather use real faders etc instead of a mouse so i thought the model 24 would be ideal, its not that i dont want to use a daw at all i realise i would need to use it for cd burning.May have to take another look at the dp32.Thanks again.

 

[Andy R.]

Mark Said:
"So if you don't ever foresee a need to bounce tracks,"

I about went crazy with my Roland 880 assigning tracks etc so I'm attracted to the Model 16 and 24 for their simplicity. Couldn't you bounce 3 or 4 drum tracks onto one track by playing them back, panning to one side and sending it to a recording track? That's the way bouncing was done on the old Tascam 234 cassette recorder.

 

[Mark Richards]

As I've mentioned in other posts, I don't own a Model 24, and so must rely on the Owner Manual and Block Diagram.

Those indicate there's no built-in mono or stereo Bounce function, such as the DP-24/32 Portastudios have (and which on the DP24/32 stay entirely within the digital domain and do not require any external patching).

The Model 24 Owner Manual and Block Diagram also indicate that the individual Inputs are hard-wired to the specific Tracks (Input1/Track1, etc.), so unless there's a menu option to do so, it appears multiple MTR playback tracks cannot be assigned internally to a separate track or pair of tracks to facilitate recording a bounce on an available blank track.

Absent some form of menu driven internal track routing, the only way to bounce on a stand-a-lone Model 24 that I can see requires leaving the digital domain by using the analog stereo submix bus out, or one or a pair of the analog aux bus outs, and using external patch cable(s) to return the analog signal(s) back into the Model 24 via an available analog Input (1 for mono / 2 for stereo).

So if using a stand-a-lone Model 24 and staying completely within the digital domain is important, then that wouldn't be an acceptable solution.

On the other hand, if staying completely within the digital domain isn't a significant consideration, then yes, there's a cobbled up way to bounce tracks.

 

[Blue Monster 65]

Here’s the Tascam video for bouncing tracks. I’ve tried it on my Model 16 and it works just fine. I’m not crazy about having to use patch cables, but I can live with it.

 

[Mark Richards]

Here’s the Tascam video for bouncing tracks.

Like I wrote in the last three paragraphs of post #7 above, do-able but requires a D/A conversion and then another A/D conversion. That may be ok for some; may not be ok for others.

It's one data point among several in arriving at a purchase decision.

 

[Blue Monster 65]

Yep! Just thought showing the video might help. Thanks!

 

[-mjk-]

Clearly, it's designed to be used as a live sound mixer where you can record tracks for mixdown later. It's not really meant for overdubs.

 

[Blue Monster 65]

You may be right. I look at it as a multi-track that I mix down to an external 2-track. I’m really enjoying it! Reminds me of my old 246.

 

[Andy R.]

Blue Monster 65 said:

"I look at it as a multi-track that I mix down to an external 2-track."

Well that would work for me and I can handle a patch cord every once in a while.

 

[-mjk-]

I'm asking because I don't know, but,

It seems that if the Model 24 has a USB interface that will process tracks from the DAW, wouldn't bouncing tracks in the DAW be better because it keeps the audio in the digital domain? Because of the routing limitations of the internal SD recorder, I would think it's probably easier to do the overdubs and bounces in the DAW, and use the mixer for the mixdown.

I really would like to study one of these. They haven't been imported here yet.

 

[-mjk-]

Yep! Just thought showing the video might help. Thanks!

Where is the video, please?

 

[Blue Monster 65]

That’s odd - I was sure I posted it. Sorry, everyone!

Of course, you are correct about it being easier to do the editing, etc., that most are used to doing now by importing the tracks into your daw.

 

[-mjk-]

Thank you!

Of course, you are correct about it being easier to do the editing, etc., that most are used to doing now by importing the tracks into your daw.

True, but I was only considering the overdub and bouncing workflows.

 

[Blue Monster 65]

You are welcome! Sorry about the mix-up earlier.

 

[-mjk-]

@Blue Monster 65 oh, there's no need to apologize!

 

[Blue Monster 65]

Hope you get to play with one soon!