Customer Reviews

TASCAM PORTA/02MKII 2 Input, 4-TRACK Cassette Recorder

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As long as you understand what you're buying -- then this is a terrific unit.

What you're buying is the ability to do four-track recording, two tracks at a time.

You can then mix those tracks down and dub them to stereo -- likely a cassette tape player or our computers' audio card to burn a CD or MP3.

There will be two main people interested in this unit:

- Singer-song writers who use a recorder to help them compose.

- Budding musicians (even your kids) who want to produce simple demo tapes while learning the basics of multi-track recording.

DO NOT buy this unit to record your next chart-topping hit!

Buy this this unit if you want cheap, easy, good-enough multi-track recordings for your own purposes. Don't expect studio-quality -- this is basically a consumer quality recorder, reconfigured for musicians.

I think Tascam deserves praise for keeping a model like this on the market. There are certainly more powerful and better-sounding multi-track recorders but there are times when you just want cheap and easy.

For cheap and easy, this unit is a good as it gets.

i got this item for christmas it is very good the only thing is when you play back what you have recorded when youve finished there is a slight buzzing noise. When you are playing the electric guitar if you plug it straight in to the porta studio you will get a clean sound but if you want to have a distortion sound you can by a pedal and have that between the porta studio and the guitar

overall very pleased with item

If you are a serious musician, this product is not for you (unless you are a strict adherent to the "lo-fi" movement). Most of the following should be obvious from the product name but just in case...

It is a four track mixer/recorder but it only has two inputs at a time. Not bad if you are just recording guitar and vocals, but a hassle if you want to do more. Patience will come in handy to layer the tracks into a decent song. Also, this requires special cassettes to record. Not that analog is bad, just be aware of the cost of tapes and try to think of how many garage/bedroom demos you can fit on a 30 minute tape.

In conclusion, this is a good little mixer. To use it for more than a very basic recording takes patience and a lot of effort. I did use this in an interesting daisy chain of equipment in order to get a stereo recording of a drum track into my MacBook. And besides, the Beatles recorded most of their material on only four tracks.

I've had this product for about 3 years and it just sits on the shelf. Given all the modern technology out there, this system is pretty ancient. The tape recordings are very noisy. The only useful way I've used this is as a basic two-mic mixer that feeds into the mic jack on my PC. From there I record with Windows Sound Recorder. For the money, it's just not worth it.

This Unit Is Great For Accoustical Recording , such as Anolog Instead Of Digital
reason i give it a 3 star is its only 4 tracks and i think you have to buy special tapes
However IF you Like Warm Recordings This Is For You

I would Buy This or Songs I Recorded Professionally but Want To make A Unplugged Track Of a song

This is Anolog Recording Instead of Digital

I bought this item from R. L. Parker Equipment and needed to return it. Let's just say.....it was a pleasure doing business with them. They refunded the entire purchase amount plus the return shipping. I would definitely do business with them again in the future!