Great video! Your detailed walk through really brought back memories of how much fun these units were when they first arrived on the scene. I first purchased my Teac 144 in Dec 1979, when I first moved to New York from Birmingham, UK after parting ways with my band, and needed to make demos on the cheap in my apartment without having to hire additional musicians. Amongst other things, I wrote and recorded a Top 3 song with Cyndi Lauper on it ("She Bop") and wrote and recorded the theme song from The Goonies with her ("The Goonies 'r' Good Enough") when I upgraded to the Tascam 244. I still have all the 4 track multi-tracks somewhere in my attic but, sadly, no longer have the 244 to play any of them on. Thanks again, mate.
Thanks for watching. I'm familiar with those songs...I saw the Goonies in the Cinema when it was first released in the UK and again on VHS with my friends on my 9th birthday, so it was a big part of my childhood. I rewatch it every couple of years. And a high school girlfriend was really into Cyndi Lauper so we listened to her records a lot - probably on cassette! Kudos, sir.
Nice overview - this unit was definitely less frightening when I opened it up for the first time than the 144. One other great thing about this unit is the instruction manual (which of course is free for anyone to get their digital hands on). I’ve not seen a manual on ANY recording device before or after this unit cover so much ground on the origins of analog sound reproduction. I even learned how to read electronic schematics reading that thing. The 246 has it beat with features in the mixer etc, but this guy has some real mojo 🤘🏻
I can't thank you enough for all of the videos related to the 244. Your passion for the 244 is apparent. I was given one this week that needs some love. According to your videos and the symptoms, all I need is a rubber kit and a new pinch roller. Parts are on the way now and I feel super confident that I can get it back in working order next week thanks to your videos.
Thank you for your words of encouragement! It can be hard to say whether there are any electrical niggles until the cassette player is working reliably but I do hope that's all your unit needs, have fun recording.
Great overview and thanks for the maintenance videos. My tape-chewing 244 has been lurking unused under a desk for 20 years. I was too scared to tackle the idler fix after viewing the rat's nest of wiring surrounding the transport. However, after watching your videos yesterday, I removed the transport and swabbed out all the "manky" goo inside. Then fitted new belts, idle tyres (sanded plumbing O-rings) and pinch roller. It is now working beautifully and I'm enjoying digitising 20-odd "lost" masters I recorded solo and with bands back in late 80s and 90s. I am blown away by how punchy and pleasant they sound. Also you have solved the mystery of the Cue pan knobs. Despite what the schematic shows, unless my unit has a fault, the headphone CUE feed is mono - those pans only affect the CUE OUT. Thanks again, luv yer werk.
The pre fade send option can also be used to set up an independent Cue mix for the Talent if you're tracking someone else, of course (normally you'd set the Monito mix to imitate the levels of the main mix).
I can't believe that I got rid of our 1980's band's Tascam 244 a few years ago. The rubber belt drives had disintegrated and I thought that was and end to it. Still have a lot of original 4 track Cassettes recorded on it that would love to hear again if not transfer to digital. I work solely digitally these days with Logic Pro X; Wavepad and Alberton.
Any Tascam that runs at double speed and uses DBX should let you listen to your tapes and mix them down to digital if functioning 244’s are too expensive to pick up 👍🏻
From what I've read this is actually Kevin key of skinny puppy / downloads first portastudio back in the early eighties he recorded all of the original back-and-forth demo as long with a bunch of other home recordings they dubbed the braap sessions back in the early to mid 80s I subscribe to his patreon and he actually releases exclusive demos from that era ripped personally from his 244 onto his logic DAW the sound quality is actually quite amazing for the tapes being that old and of course being Kevin key the tracks are fuckingawesome!!!👌 Rivet heads for life
@@Tetrakan you're quite welcome👍 I would definitely check out there back and forth series he recently came out with one a couple years ago called "brap and forth" volume 8 I think, maybe 9?
Thanks. Not yet, I'm sure I'll cover it eventually thought. I think that one has the generic GEC transport in it? If om right I gave a series of videos on refurbishing that cassette player.
Thanks for this - excellent overview. Just picked one of these up, but it doesn't have the metal jumpers for the four access points at the back. Do you need these? Could you use small rca cables in place of the metal jumpers?
thank you for your work. I love the tascam 244! best multitrack cassette machine I know of.The sound is rough but very clear and very stable at the same time. Nothing compares to it. Only the tascam 388 multitracker has a equally distinctive sound. But that machine is a r2r tape machine.
I've watched this video a couple of times and it made me want to pick up one of these units out of curiosity. I'd also like to try a hand at repairing one of these units myself. The one I received already has issues with the play/rec function and some cosmetic defects as well as needing some decent cleanup. I realized that it was also 240v 50hz and I'm located in North America, so I found another unit that is for spare parts and I'll see if I can make at least one full unit out of the two. The mixer sliders on the former unit are very sluggish like on my Fostex X-15 and I'm wondering right now if I will need to treat the output and input jacks with some deoxit, those get to look too matte and not very shiny.
I don’t think the jack sockets need to be shiny to work properly. I’m not sure what you mean by the faders being sluggish but it’s certainly possible for dirt to build up in the recesses, in which case disassembling them for a deep clean can be helpful, check the cleaning playlist on my channel home page.
how can you take a mastered on-the-machine tape and put it into a digital file? i’m not talking about taking each of the tape tracks and putting them in a software, but basically duplicating what’s playing in the headphones by the end of the mastering and mixing, and turning that into a singular (or multiple, whatever works) audio file or completed song.
Attach the line out sockets to a recorder with two inputs. I use a zoom H6 for this, but Imagining you are using a desktop computer, you can set up free software such as audacity to record two inputs from a sound card as the left and right halves of a stereo .wav file. You can then make a copy of that in .mp3 format etc if that's what you prefer.
Thanks for the great video. For some reason on my 244, when I record on track 2, the playback has only about 1/3 the volume, as when I recorded. Even though the VU meter shows up to the red, while recording, when I play back, the needle barely comes up. Any idea’s? Thanks
I don't actually know! I could probably take on the work in late January, but you'd have to post it both ways, I'm in the Highlands. Message me on Facebook if you're interested....
Hello there, just a quick question! You mentioned you can either record 4 tracks or 2 at the same time, but not 3. If I record with the 4-track mode active, but keep one of the tracks on "off": will this track be "empty" overwritten? or since it doesn't get a signal, nothing will happen? I hope it's clear: let's imagine I keep Track 1 on "off", and 2/3/4 on "Mic/Line". With the 4-track mode active, will Track 1 be "blank" overdubbed? Thanks in advance for the great review! Cheers from Italy!
Hi, it's important to distinguish between channels (mixer) and tracks (cassette)...in 4 channel record mode the tape track with no mixer input will still receive bias from the erase head. So, if you are recording on a blank tape, it is no problem to record 3 tracks simultaneously, because applying erase bias to a blank tape makes no difference. But if there is a recording on the 4th track of the cassette, the mixer input set to off doesn't matter, the information on the corresponding track of the cassette is still erased. I hope that clarifies... thanks for watching!
Great overview and break down Calum, I love the 244's! I have to crank the trim pots on track 1&2 pretty high on mine to match track 3&4. Any ideas whats going on there??
To clarify, has the unit been calibrated? Are you monitoring inputs 1 and three using meter one, or is this in 4 track recording mode? ( So input 3 shows up on meter 3?) Are we talking only about the meter reading during tracking, or about the relative levels you saw between tracking and playback of the recording?
@@Tetrakan The unit has been serviced and had new belts, but he didn’t mention calibration. It’s in 4 track recording mode. Its the actual level of gain which is really low unless cranked up. The Vu meters seem to reflect the correct levels.
If the Meters pb amps and record Amps haven't been set, and in that order, then do that...if the problem persists you could replace the opamps and electrolytic caps pertaining to the mixer Ch 3 and 4 gain controls, it'd add to the longevity of the unit even if it didn't sort your niggle.
Great overview. I was wondering, do you know of any other units that will play tapes that have recorded material from the 244, or can those tapes only be played back on the 244?
The main thing is tape speed - tapes recorded at standard speed (1&7/8 ips) will sound ludicrously fast in a 244...a recording with no noise reduction or dolby encoding might have some pumping artefacts but you'll get audio off the cassette no problem.
@@Tetrakan Okay. Here’s my issue. I had a 244 decades ago. Although I don’t have the machine anymore, regrettably, I was lucky to find loads of tapes of recorded music. I’d love to listen to them again, but I don’t have my 244 anymore. What can I do? Is there another machine, that you are aware of that can play these tapes that were recorded on my 244? It would be so great to hear them again. In appreciation, and thanks for your speedy response. Rick
@@Tetrakan Thanks for taking the time to make your videos and for answering my questions. I will check out the machines that you mentioned. I’ll also be checking out your other video’s. In appreciation!
Thanks, remember 3&3/4 IPS and dbx are the two important specifications -fostex, Yamaha et al may make compatible units as well, I'm just not as familiar with their stuff, good luck!
Hey there great video. Sounds like a silly question but iam a complete novice with this way of recording. I've just bought one of these units and it's in complete time warp condition like it's almost come out of the factory. It does need new belts but I have you're video to hand when I attempt this procedure next week. The question I was going to ask is can you add compression or reverb to a track after you have recorded it or do you need to add it before you start to record. As I said I'm a complete novice but I'm getting into this method of recording and iam trying to learn as much as possible before I attempt a track. Thank you for your videos they are really helpful.
Hi, you can add parallel compression or parallel reverb to the tracks after recording via the effects send, or you can print the compression or reverb to tape during tracking, or you can record without effects, but print the compression or reverb during a bounce. If you scroll down on my homepage there is a playlist called “using your multi tracker” or something like that, and that includes several tutorial/demo videos I made on a 244, 246, 464 and 424 mk ii which will be relevant to you because they demonstrate those different approaches to applying effects. It’s also worth having a look at Andy Pickering’s channel because he uses a blend of these approaches, albeit on a Marantz four track.
You can, it'll work, nothing will break. Things to be aware of, though. Type 1 sheds more, so you'll want to clean your tape path more. Type one has worse hiss and treble response anyway, and since the 246 produces bias for type 2 tapes, recordings made on a 246 on type1 tapes will be overbiased, leading to even poorer treble response, hiss etc. But it sounds a certain way, and I'm aware of a bunch of folks who actually prefer this sound to the more audiophile results you'll get with Type ii. Experiment!
Hi Tetrakan! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! So helpful. Question- I'm currently experimenting with the 244 and ribbon microphones. I'm using an XLR to a 1/4 converter into the 244 inputs. Seems like i really have to crank the trim gain to get any type of healthy signal from the mic. When I'm cranking the trim.. I'm also hearing a considerable amount of hum in the recordings. Do you have any go-to tips in regards to recording with dynamic and condensor mics? Are there better converters XLR to 1/4 inch converters? What's the best way to get decent mic levels? Thanks ahead of time! Greg
For something like a ribbon mic that needs a ton of gain I'd get a dedicated external mic pre amp, let's say one of those ART tube guys, and plug that into the receive rca socket on the back, bypassing the 244's internal preamp altogether.
@yellowshoots7397 yeah. Basically the 244 preamp doesn't have enough clean gain to handle a ribbon mic. I think you can get mic pres with a voicing switch or some high end boost which would also suit a ribbon mic cos they sound fantastic but they're so, so dark in my experience, especially the less expensive ones. So on a portastudio with high and low shelving eq I'd be tempted to boost the highs and cut the lows during tracking but the parametric eq on the 244 and 246 can't do that, so a preamp that'd cover those bases would be ideal
@@Tetrakan awesome. I actually have a TASCAM M30 that could eq it going into an audient preamp - TASCAM PORTA .. lemme try that see if it works. That Art preamp looks awesome too!
If the 246 was in high speed mode and had DBX turned on during recording, the cassette should sound the same played back on a 244. If the 246 had DBX turned off you'll get a muffled sound with some subtle pumping artefacts (with the 244, DBX is always on). If the 246 was in low speed mode, the tape will sound like the chipmunks on the 244 because the 244 is high speed only
I got a Tascam 244 about 6 months ago and the audio that I record has a ton of noise and the quality isn't too great. I'm not sure how cleanly this machine records in the first place but I've heard demos that seemed much better in quality that my own. Also, the tape cue controls don't work but that doesn't prevent me from recording. It's probably irrelevant. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Well, that definitely sounds faulty, but I'd need more information before I could give you advice very specific on how to remedy the situation. The signal passes through the cue board after the noise reduction, but before branching off to the mixer, so I might begin by cleaning, probing and possibly replacing coupling capacitors and opamps around that cue board but it's hard to say without having the unit on my bench. I've got a bunch of videos on those sorts of topics on this channel if you'd like to start learning those sorts of skills.
@@Tetrakan Ahh I see. So that very well could be the issue. I actually discovered in your other videos how to clean all the old belt goo from the machine and replace the belts which worked magic! Thank you for that! I thought that was all that had to be done but it's more apparent that the audio it produces is lacking. I would be down to open it back up again and clean/replace whatever it needs. I'll dig around for some more info in your videos, thank you!!!
@collapsibleentmt. Actually, I'm not too much of a cork-sniffer. I tend to use any old type II tape I can get on the cheap. If it sounds OK, it sounds okay #fuckit #YOLO #iwasdrunkwheniwrotethis #sorrynotsorry
Hello there. I have been left a Tascam Teac 244 that I am selling. I can't use it and wish to find it a home where it will be loved. I am in Ireland. Do you know how is the best way to show that it is for sale.
Hi There, probably go with eBay, list it as spares or repairs if you're not sure of the condition, charge the cost of transport directly to the customer, in addition to a flat asking price. It's been a couple of years since I brought and sold these regularly, but 2 years ago spares 244s were fetching £80-150 depending on cosmetic condition, excluding postage. You can check current prices by searching for Tascam 244 in eBay UK and using the refine search boxes to find completed listings etc.
Seal apparently composed the entire "kiss from a rose" from this machine back in the 90's Watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/Hhgoli8klLA/v-deo.html Time: 9:20 onwards
The 414 mk I also has analog eq. Every one of the 40+ cassette based multitrack recorders I’ve used had a 100% analog audio signal path - the only digital tech on any of these units uses of a very primitive type and used with functions like cassette player control or the counter display on some units. This is just because of the age of the technology - they are 20 to 45 years old and at that time there would be no cost benefit to the manufacturer to add digital to analogue to converters etc to these machines. In a way what you’re asking, although it’s a sensible question for products being produced in 2022, is a bit like asking if a commercially produced car from the 1960s runs on hydrogen, the answer will definitely be no, cos they ALL ran on gasoline at that time. I’m not meaning to sound cheeky btw, I’m just trying to give you a framework to think about the options available to you assuming you’re in the market to buy one of these….FYI they ALL have analogue EQ! :) Thanks for watching.
Great video! Your detailed walk through really brought back memories of how much fun these units were when they first arrived on the scene. I first purchased my Teac 144 in Dec 1979, when I first moved to New York from Birmingham, UK after parting ways with my band, and needed to make demos on the cheap in my apartment without having to hire additional musicians. Amongst other things, I wrote and recorded a Top 3 song with Cyndi Lauper on it ("She Bop") and wrote and recorded the theme song from The Goonies with her ("The Goonies 'r' Good Enough") when I upgraded to the Tascam 244. I still have all the 4 track multi-tracks somewhere in my attic but, sadly, no longer have the 244 to play any of them on. Thanks again, mate.
Thanks for watching. I'm familiar with those songs...I saw the Goonies in the Cinema when it was first released in the UK and again on VHS with my friends on my 9th birthday, so it was a big part of my childhood. I rewatch it every couple of years. And a high school girlfriend was really into Cyndi Lauper so we listened to her records a lot - probably on cassette! Kudos, sir.
Nice overview - this unit was definitely less frightening when I opened it up for the first time than the 144. One other great thing about this unit is the instruction manual (which of course is free for anyone to get their digital hands on). I’ve not seen a manual on ANY recording device before or after this unit cover so much ground on the origins of analog sound reproduction. I even learned how to read electronic schematics reading that thing. The 246 has it beat with features in the mixer etc, but this guy has some real mojo 🤘🏻
Brilliant Video... I bought this machine back in 1984... I needed 25 gigs to cover the cost, It was worth it. Thanks...
I can't thank you enough for all of the videos related to the 244. Your passion for the 244 is apparent. I was given one this week that needs some love. According to your videos and the symptoms, all I need is a rubber kit and a new pinch roller. Parts are on the way now and I feel super confident that I can get it back in working order next week thanks to your videos.
Thank you for your words of encouragement! It can be hard to say whether there are any electrical niggles until the cassette player is working reliably but I do hope that's all your unit needs, have fun recording.
Great overview and thanks for the maintenance videos. My tape-chewing 244 has been lurking unused under a desk for 20 years. I was too scared to tackle the idler fix after viewing the rat's nest of wiring surrounding the transport. However, after watching your videos yesterday, I removed the transport and swabbed out all the "manky" goo inside. Then fitted new belts, idle tyres (sanded plumbing O-rings) and pinch roller. It is now working beautifully and I'm enjoying digitising 20-odd "lost" masters I recorded solo and with bands back in late 80s and 90s. I am blown away by how punchy and pleasant they sound. Also you have solved the mystery of the Cue pan knobs. Despite what the schematic shows, unless my unit has a fault, the headphone CUE feed is mono - those pans only affect the CUE OUT. Thanks again, luv yer werk.
Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad the videos were helpful.
hahahah I was watching your x15 review and immediately looked for your 244 review last week….then look what pops into my feed today! Thanks
The pre fade send option can also be used to set up an independent Cue mix for the Talent if you're tracking someone else, of course (normally you'd set the Monito mix to imitate the levels of the main mix).
Good point
I can't believe that I got rid of our 1980's band's Tascam 244 a few years ago. The rubber belt drives had disintegrated and I thought that was and end to it. Still have a lot of original 4 track Cassettes recorded on it that would love to hear again if not transfer to digital. I work solely digitally these days with Logic Pro X; Wavepad and Alberton.
Any Tascam that runs at double speed and uses DBX should let you listen to your tapes and mix them down to digital if functioning 244’s are too expensive to pick up 👍🏻
From what I've read this is actually Kevin key of skinny puppy / downloads first portastudio back in the early eighties he recorded all of the original back-and-forth demo as long with a bunch of other home recordings they dubbed the braap sessions back in the early to mid 80s I subscribe to his patreon and he actually releases exclusive demos from that era ripped personally from his 244 onto his logic DAW the sound quality is actually quite amazing for the tapes being that old and of course being Kevin key the tracks are fuckingawesome!!!👌 Rivet heads for life
Forgive the spelling errors I actually press send accidentally before I could fix them 🤣 the actual spelling is "cEvin Key" and "BrAp"😂🙏
@maxmatson1578 honestly I'm aware if skinny puppy but not familiar with the music, sounds like something to check out, thanks for the heads up!
@@Tetrakan you're quite welcome👍 I would definitely check out there back and forth series he recently came out with one a couple years ago called "brap and forth" volume 8 I think, maybe 9?
Your videos are a blessing have you come across a yahmaha mt400 before
Thanks. Not yet, I'm sure I'll cover it eventually thought. I think that one has the generic GEC transport in it? If om right I gave a series of videos on refurbishing that cassette player.
Thanks for this - excellent overview. Just picked one of these up, but it doesn't have the metal jumpers for the four access points at the back. Do you need these? Could you use small rca cables in place of the metal jumpers?
love the videos man! keep it up
thank you for your work. I love the tascam 244! best multitrack cassette machine I know of.The sound is rough but very clear and very stable at the same time. Nothing compares to it. Only the tascam 388 multitracker has a equally distinctive sound. But that machine is a r2r tape machine.
Glad you enjoy it!
I've watched this video a couple of times and it made me want to pick up one of these units out of curiosity. I'd also like to try a hand at repairing one of these units myself. The one I received already has issues with the play/rec function and some cosmetic defects as well as needing some decent cleanup. I realized that it was also 240v 50hz and I'm located in North America, so I found another unit that is for spare parts and I'll see if I can make at least one full unit out of the two. The mixer sliders on the former unit are very sluggish like on my Fostex X-15 and I'm wondering right now if I will need to treat the output and input jacks with some deoxit, those get to look too matte and not very shiny.
I don’t think the jack sockets need to be shiny to work properly. I’m not sure what you mean by the faders being sluggish but it’s certainly possible for dirt to build up in the recesses, in which case disassembling them for a deep clean can be helpful, check the cleaning playlist on my channel home page.
how can you take a mastered on-the-machine tape and put it into a digital file? i’m not talking about taking each of the tape tracks and putting them in a software, but basically duplicating what’s playing in the headphones by the end of the mastering and mixing, and turning that into a singular (or multiple, whatever works) audio file or completed song.
Attach the line out sockets to a recorder with two inputs. I use a zoom H6 for this, but Imagining you are using a desktop computer, you can set up free software such as audacity to record two inputs from a sound card as the left and right halves of a stereo .wav file. You can then make a copy of that in .mp3 format etc if that's what you prefer.
Thanks for the great video. For some reason on my 244, when I record on track 2, the playback has only about 1/3 the volume, as when I recorded. Even though the VU meter shows up to the red, while recording, when I play back, the needle barely comes up. Any idea’s? Thanks
Hi Calum, where can I get my 244 repaired/serviced in Yorkshire? Appreciate any recommendations. Thanks
I don't actually know! I could probably take on the work in late January, but you'd have to post it both ways, I'm in the Highlands. Message me on Facebook if you're interested....
How about a comparison between 244 and 246?
Great video!
Hello there, just a quick question! You mentioned you can either record 4 tracks or 2 at the same time, but not 3. If I record with the 4-track mode active, but keep one of the tracks on "off": will this track be "empty" overwritten? or since it doesn't get a signal, nothing will happen?
I hope it's clear: let's imagine I keep Track 1 on "off", and 2/3/4 on "Mic/Line". With the 4-track mode active, will Track 1 be "blank" overdubbed?
Thanks in advance for the great review! Cheers from Italy!
Hi, it's important to distinguish between channels (mixer) and tracks (cassette)...in 4 channel record mode the tape track with no mixer input will still receive bias from the erase head. So, if you are recording on a blank tape, it is no problem to record 3 tracks simultaneously, because applying erase bias to a blank tape makes no difference. But if there is a recording on the 4th track of the cassette, the mixer input set to off doesn't matter, the information on the corresponding track of the cassette is still erased. I hope that clarifies... thanks for watching!
@@Tetrakan very clear, thanks a lot for the kind answer, all the best!
I have a 144, lo e the sound of it
Ever compared it to the 244?
Great overview and break down Calum, I love the 244's! I have to crank the trim pots on track 1&2 pretty high on mine to match track 3&4. Any ideas whats going on there??
To clarify, has the unit been calibrated? Are you monitoring inputs 1 and three using meter one, or is this in 4 track recording mode? ( So input 3 shows up on meter 3?) Are we talking only about the meter reading during tracking, or about the relative levels you saw between tracking and playback of the recording?
@@Tetrakan The unit has been serviced and had new belts, but he didn’t mention calibration. It’s in 4 track recording mode. Its the actual level of gain which is really low unless cranked up. The Vu meters seem to reflect the correct levels.
If the Meters pb amps and record Amps haven't been set, and in that order, then do that...if the problem persists you could replace the opamps and electrolytic caps pertaining to the mixer Ch 3 and 4 gain controls, it'd add to the longevity of the unit even if it didn't sort your niggle.
@@Tetrakan great i'll give that a shot then, many thanks for your advice!
Great overview. I was wondering, do you know of any other units that will play tapes that have recorded material from the 244, or can those tapes only be played back on the 244?
The main thing is tape speed - tapes recorded at standard speed (1&7/8 ips) will sound ludicrously fast in a 244...a recording with no noise reduction or dolby encoding might have some pumping artefacts but you'll get audio off the cassette no problem.
@@Tetrakan Okay. Here’s my issue. I had a 244 decades ago. Although I don’t have the machine anymore, regrettably, I was lucky to find loads of tapes of recorded music. I’d love to listen to them again, but I don’t have my 244 anymore.
What can I do? Is there another machine, that you are aware of that can play these tapes that were recorded on my 244? It would be so great to hear them again.
In appreciation, and thanks for your speedy response.
Rick
Anything from the 424 range would work, 464, 414, 644 probably others…like I say if it does 3and 3/4 ips and has DBX noise reduction it’ll work.
@@Tetrakan Thanks for taking the time to make your videos and for answering my questions. I will check out the machines that you mentioned. I’ll also be checking out your other video’s. In appreciation!
Thanks, remember 3&3/4 IPS and dbx are the two important specifications -fostex, Yamaha et al may make compatible units as well, I'm just not as familiar with their stuff, good luck!
Hey there great video. Sounds like a silly question but iam a complete novice with this way of recording. I've just bought one of these units and it's in complete time warp condition like it's almost come out of the factory. It does need new belts but I have you're video to hand when I attempt this procedure next week. The question I was going to ask is can you add compression or reverb to a track after you have recorded it or do you need to add it before you start to record. As I said I'm a complete novice but I'm getting into this method of recording and iam trying to learn as much as possible before I attempt a track. Thank you for your videos they are really helpful.
Hi, you can add parallel compression or parallel reverb to the tracks after recording via the effects send, or you can print the compression or reverb to tape during tracking, or you can record without effects, but print the compression or reverb during a bounce. If you scroll down on my homepage there is a playlist called “using your multi tracker” or something like that, and that includes several tutorial/demo videos I made on a 244, 246, 464 and 424 mk ii which will be relevant to you because they demonstrate those different approaches to applying effects. It’s also worth having a look at Andy Pickering’s channel because he uses a blend of these approaches, albeit on a Marantz four track.
So I can make a song in protools and hook this up and record my songs to the tape ? If so that’s dope !!!!
Yes you can.
@@Tetrakan dope
Cool stuff, thinking about buying one!
Can you use type 1 cassette or is The high bias type 2 cassettes the only option?
You can, it'll work, nothing will break. Things to be aware of, though. Type 1 sheds more, so you'll want to clean your tape path more. Type one has worse hiss and treble response anyway, and since the 246 produces bias for type 2 tapes, recordings made on a 246 on type1 tapes will be overbiased, leading to even poorer treble response, hiss etc. But it sounds a certain way, and I'm aware of a bunch of folks who actually prefer this sound to the more audiophile results you'll get with Type ii. Experiment!
Thanks for the explanation! Im going for a more lofi, granular durty sounds so type 1 cassettes might work well for me then 👍
Hi Tetrakan! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! So helpful.
Question- I'm currently experimenting with the 244 and ribbon microphones. I'm using an XLR to a 1/4 converter into the 244 inputs. Seems like i really have to crank the trim gain to get any type of healthy signal from the mic. When I'm cranking the trim.. I'm also hearing a considerable amount of hum in the recordings. Do you have any go-to tips in regards to recording with dynamic and condensor mics? Are there better converters XLR to 1/4 inch converters? What's the best way to get decent mic levels?
Thanks ahead of time!
Greg
For something like a ribbon mic that needs a ton of gain I'd get a dedicated external mic pre amp, let's say one of those ART tube guys, and plug that into the receive rca socket on the back, bypassing the 244's internal preamp altogether.
@@Tetrakan got it - would the signal chain be as follows ?
Ribbon MIC-> XLR -> ART PREAMP -> 1/4 inch to RCA -> PORTASTUDIO RECEIVE 1 ?
@yellowshoots7397 yeah. Basically the 244 preamp doesn't have enough clean gain to handle a ribbon mic. I think you can get mic pres with a voicing switch or some high end boost which would also suit a ribbon mic cos they sound fantastic but they're so, so dark in my experience, especially the less expensive ones. So on a portastudio with high and low shelving eq I'd be tempted to boost the highs and cut the lows during tracking but the parametric eq on the 244 and 246 can't do that, so a preamp that'd cover those bases would be ideal
@@Tetrakan awesome. I actually have a TASCAM M30 that could eq it going into an audient preamp - TASCAM PORTA .. lemme try that see if it works. That Art preamp looks awesome too!
@yellowshoots7397 yeah I think the m30 would probably cover your bases, let us know how you get on
Can you play a mix recorded on 246 onto a 244?
If the 246 was in high speed mode and had DBX turned on during recording, the cassette should sound the same played back on a 244. If the 246 had DBX turned off you'll get a muffled sound with some subtle pumping artefacts (with the 244, DBX is always on). If the 246 was in low speed mode, the tape will sound like the chipmunks on the 244 because the 244 is high speed only
I got a Tascam 244 about 6 months ago and the audio that I record has a ton of noise and the quality isn't too great. I'm not sure how cleanly this machine records in the first place but I've heard demos that seemed much better in quality that my own. Also, the tape cue controls don't work but that doesn't prevent me from recording. It's probably irrelevant. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Well, that definitely sounds faulty, but I'd need more information before I could give you advice very specific on how to remedy the situation. The signal passes through the cue board after the noise reduction, but before branching off to the mixer, so I might begin by cleaning, probing and possibly replacing coupling capacitors and opamps around that cue board but it's hard to say without having the unit on my bench. I've got a bunch of videos on those sorts of topics on this channel if you'd like to start learning those sorts of skills.
@@Tetrakan Ahh I see. So that very well could be the issue. I actually discovered in your other videos how to clean all the old belt goo from the machine and replace the belts which worked magic! Thank you for that! I thought that was all that had to be done but it's more apparent that the audio it produces is lacking. I would be down to open it back up again and clean/replace whatever it needs. I'll dig around for some more info in your videos, thank you!!!
Hi and thanks for the video. I'm not sure I understand. Can i go in DAW with the the 4 tape output of 244 ?
Yes, though you will need a sound card which can record 4 inputs simultaneously
@@Tetrakan thanks!
What are the best tapes for the 244 and 246?
TDK SA or Maxell XLII 60 minutes or under are recommended in the manual.
@@Tetrakan thank you! Those are your favorites? Seem hard to come bye 😅
@collapsibleentmt. Actually, I'm not too much of a cork-sniffer. I tend to use any old type II tape I can get on the cheap. If it sounds OK, it sounds okay #fuckit #YOLO #iwasdrunkwheniwrotethis #sorrynotsorry
@@Tetrakan haha. Right on brother! Thanks again 🙏
Hello there. I have been left a Tascam Teac 244 that I am selling. I can't use it and wish to find it a home where it will be loved. I am in Ireland. Do you know how is the best way to show that it is for sale.
Hi There, probably go with eBay, list it as spares or repairs if you're not sure of the condition, charge the cost of transport directly to the customer, in addition to a flat asking price. It's been a couple of years since I brought and sold these regularly, but 2 years ago spares 244s were fetching £80-150 depending on cosmetic condition, excluding postage. You can check current prices by searching for Tascam 244 in eBay UK and using the refine search boxes to find completed listings etc.
Brilliant thank you for that. Very helpful 👌
Seal apparently composed the entire "kiss from a rose" from this machine back in the 90's Watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/Hhgoli8klLA/v-deo.html
Time: 9:20 onwards
Are the EQs analog or digital? thanks
Analogue.
@@Tetrakan that's great, thanks for the fast reply! Do you know is this also true for rhe 414 mkii ?
The 414 mk I also has analog eq. Every one of the 40+ cassette based multitrack recorders I’ve used had a 100% analog audio signal path - the only digital tech on any of these units uses of a very primitive type and used with functions like cassette player control or the counter display on some units. This is just because of the age of the technology - they are 20 to 45 years old and at that time there would be no cost benefit to the manufacturer to add digital to analogue to converters etc to these machines. In a way what you’re asking, although it’s a sensible question for products being produced in 2022, is a bit like asking if a commercially produced car from the 1960s runs on hydrogen, the answer will definitely be no, cos they ALL ran on gasoline at that time. I’m not meaning to sound cheeky btw, I’m just trying to give you a framework to think about the options available to you assuming you’re in the market to buy one of these….FYI they ALL have analogue EQ! :) Thanks for watching.
@@Tetrakan hey, thank you for this. Really useful info 👍