Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

[toejam]

On the little portable multi-track recording systems, can you only listen through headphones or are there built-in speakers or some way to hook up to an external speaker? I've never used one before and am thinking of picking something up soon to mess around with.

[jgcable]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

Don't bother. Use your PC with free software or go with a hard disc.

[guitarsjb]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

Your 4 track will have monitor out jacks..or it should...

[toejam]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

Thanks.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

I agree with doing the PC thing.

stand alone units will have outputs that can be fed to a tape deck, power amp and speakers, headphones etc..

The box that your using to view this forum has way more hoirsepower than a four tracker and you can get 32 digital tracks for next to noting.

[Newc]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

Yeah but try toting your home PC to a buddy's house to record some jams because he doesn't have a PC that's capable of recording [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Get the 4/8-track - they're cheap enough. If you get a cassette unit, make sure you don't use tapes that are longer than 60 minutes. 90 minute tapes and above are thinner, and can snap. They also can't take as much fluctuations in Gain when recording without fluttering.

And yes they have RCA outs for external speaker/amp connections, which means you can run them into your stereo.
You can also find speakers that are made to plug into a headphone jack without melting the headphone circuit (Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, etc).

Newc

[Ace]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

A headphone jack is pretty much a stereo 1/8" line out with a VU knob. With the right stuff, and it ain't expensive, you can pump whatever you hear on headphones into just about anything that records.

[Twisteramps]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

I record on my PC, but also on a Fostex VF16 digital multitracker. It records 8 tracks at once, and holds 16 tracks, with each having it's own fader. It's portable, easy to use, and records on an IDE hard drive. You can get em for around $500 or so used - well worth it for recording live jams or band rehearsals. I just mix it at the fostex and run it through headphone outs to my PC to convert to mp3 for web or burn CDs. Here's a few samples of things I recorded with mine:


http://members.cox.net/musicfiles/cryinweb.mp3
http://members.cox.net/musicfiles/fortheloveofgod.mp3
http://members.cox.net/vht50/beck.mp3

Pete

[toejam]

Re: Stupid 4-track/8-track recorder question

Cool. Thanks, guys! I think I've got something to add to my Christmas list. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]