Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track

by Tascam

Product Features

• Two XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power for condenser microphones^Eight-track recording at uncompressed 44.1k/16-bit audio quality^Portastudio-based interface with volume fader, pan, effect send, high and low EQ controls per channel^EQ frequency button to access high and low EQ shelf frequencies^USB 2.0 interface for transferring tracks, mixes and backup files to a computer
• Two XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power for condenser microphones
• Eight-track recording at uncompressed 44.1k/16-bit audio quality
• Portastudio-based interface with volume fader, pan, effect send, high and low EQ controls per channel
• EQ frequency button to access high and low EQ shelf frequencies
• USB 2.0 interface for transferring tracks, mixes and backup files to a computer

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 16 x 6 inches ; 13.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00113ZULE
• Item model number: DP02
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,687 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #10 in Musical Instruments > Recording Equipment > Multitrack Recorders > Digital

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

With a classic, well-known interface that's easy to pick up by new users, the 8-track Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio sports dedicated controls for level, pan, effects send and EQ instead of the menu-cursor interface found on most other recorders. You can make music with two hands with the DP-02--just reach and twist a knob when your creativity strikes. The DP-02 records to a 40 GB hard drive, and it includes a multi-effect processor, stereo reverb and CD burner for CD masters and song backup.

A pair of CD-quality XLR mic inputs includes phantom power for condenser mics and a direct guitar input. High and low EQ controls for level and frequency are provided for every channel. It also includes a multi-effects processor, stereo reverb, even a dedicated stereo channel for recording your mix. You can transfer tracks and mixes to a computer using USB 2.0, or burn a master disc in the CD drive.

The easy-to-use, 8-track Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio with simple knobs and faders (see a larger version of the image on the right).

Key Features

• Two XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power for condenser microphones
• Eight-track recording at uncompressed 44.1k/16-bit audio quality
• Portastudio-based interface with volume fader, pan, effect send, high and low EQ controls per channel
• EQ frequency button to access high and low EQ shelf frequencies
• USB 2.0 interface for transferring tracks, mixes and backup files to a computer
• Dedicated stereo master track for mixdown
• Internal metronome and bar/beat display for song position
• Headphone output
• Stereo line outputs on RCA analog and S/PDIF optical digital connectors
• 40GB internal hard drive
• Multi-effects processor with guitar, bass, vocal and drum programs
• Stereo reverb processor with send/return controls for multichannel mixing
• Built-in chromatic tuner
• Built -in CD-RW burner for CD mastering and song backup

Product Description

The Tascam DP-02 makes recording simple by matching 8-track CD-quality recording with a Portastudio interface – so you can ditch the menus and concentrate on the music. A pair of record-quality Tascam mic pres features XLR inputs with phantom power for condenser mics and a guitar in for direct recording. Each channel gives you dedicated controls for instant access to fader level, record arm/track mute, pan, effect send, high and low EQ. There's also an EQ frequency button for finer control over the mix. Two effects processors are included in the DP-02. A multieffects processor on the input provides great-sounding overdrive, flange, delay and more for your guitar, vocal, drum and bass tracks. In addition, there's a reverb processor on a send and return for adding hall, room, plate or chamber reverb to your mix. The DP-02 is loaded with great Tascam extras like a chromatic tuner, metronome, and bar-and-beat display for getting around your song. The DP-02 records two channels at a time to a built-in 40GB hard drive. When you're satisfied with your production, arm the dedicated master track for your stereo mixdown. You can transfer your tracks and mixes or backup your song to a computer through a speedy USB 2.0 connection or burn it to a CD with the slot-loading drive. No other workstation makes recording so simple, affordable and fun as the Tascam DP-02.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 100% Happy with this recorder., June 30, 2009

By 

J. Healey (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track (Electronics)

This is an outstanding system for demo recording and I am sure it would also be useful for live recordings with some added components.

After much research, I purchased the Tascam DP02 Portastudio instead of the Boss BR900CD. I had previously used the BR900 with much success and had my mind set on it for quiet some time. I kept my options open and the DP02 seemed to be the most comparable system. Despite some reviews stating the DP02 did not allow you to hear the effects while recording, I decided on it due to the on-board high, low, and reverb adjustment options. (I did not want to transfer to a computer for mastering) I was going to add an effects processor and pre-amp for the mic, but found all effects do play through recording.

The system has a lot of built in guitar (acoustic and electric), drum, bass, and vocal effects. It took me only a few hours to record several tracks, master them, and burn them to disk. Only being able to record to 2 tracks at once is a small drawback, but if you are doing all of your own recording shouldn't be a problem.

READ THE MANUAL!
Although it is not the easiest to follow page to page, if you know how to find what your looking for it's in the manual. For those of you that want to sit down, push record, and be on your way, you may want to look for a simpler system. Once you get it down, the DP02 is quite easy to use, but not something you can just turn on and go without some instruction. The trickiest part would would be mastering, but it is by no means difficult if you follow the directions.

All around this is a great system for a home studio and possibly more.

P.S. Thanks to Amazon for having the lowest price, and quick delivery.


Just a quick update. May 29, 2010. I have put many hours onto this Portastudio and can say it has absolutely been worth it. The volume on the final track can be a little tricky, but nothing some time and patience cannot overcome. It has not given me any trouble and has never locked up as some people have said. Great piece of equipment for a very fair price.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track, March 31, 2010

By 

Vestige (PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track (Electronics)

This Portastudio is great, and exactly what I have been looking for. I have had no problems whatsoever with it, and it has worked like a charm. As far as other people, I'm sure they have gotten bad units. It happens with all electronics. Sometimes a bad batch of units gets sent out, or one out of ten has a defect, or sometimes they fix the problems but older versions are still being sent from store inventory. Whatever the case may be, it works amazing, unless you are one of the unlucky ones who gets a defective one.

I am a heavy metal guitarist, and I use this to write my own tracks, and lay down drums and all. This works great if you want to finalize the track and burn it to a cd, but most of the time I will send it to my computer for final mastering. Why don't I do it all through my computer, you may ask? This is hassle free, it has no lag in the sound, and I can start it up and start recording when I have an idea, rather than get my computer turned on and all set up. Plus this unit has great sound quality. Before this, I have recorded directly to my computer for a few years. I enjoy this a lot more.

The guitar effects are decent on it, and can be used by themselves without a preamp, but they do sound weak. Being a metal guitarist, the built in effects don't quite have the sound I need, such as heavy distortion, gain, and harmonics. It does have some metal tones on it, but believe me, not what I need. It would work well for acoustic stuff though, and for some light rock. So basically I still use a preamp in front of it, even while using built in effects, putting a preamp in front of it helps immensely.

This unit is only an 8 track, and you can only record 2 tracks ata time, but this shouldn't be a problem if you're the only one doing all of the recording, or if you're taking turns laying down your parts, like you should during studio recording. But if you wanted to record all 8 tracks, say as a live performance, it won't work. I use two tracks for rhuthm guitar, two tracks for lead guitar, two more for the second lead guitar, and two more for drums. Works great in that recording aspect. If you run out of tracks, just send them to your computer (for final mastering later) and then just delete them off of the unit to make more room.

Ok, to sum it all up, here are my final thoughts on everything:

* This unit works great, whether it be used as a standalone unit or mastered on your computer,
either way it IS COMPLETELY worth it.
* Although the amp effects in this are a little weak sounding for metal, you simply just add a
preamp in front of this and it sounds great. Plus the effects for acoustic or lighter
sounding guitar work great, since you don't need to use pinch harmonics or gain, etc.
* Works great for self recording, laying down ideas, or self creating entire tracks or albums.
I lay down my drum tracks, my rhythm tracks, then my lead tracks.
* Even though there is not a ton of final track mastering features, or barely any at all, what
it has works very nice. You CAN silence parts of tracks, such as in between where the guitar
is not being played, so you can take out all that unnecessary bad noise.
* You can hook it up to your computer and transfer all your tracks, so you can do final
mastering on your computer, back-up tracks, etc.

And most of all, it IS really easy to use. don't let everyone else convince you otherwise. Within one single weekend, you should easily be accustomed to it and be fairly familiar with it. Within a couple days, recording really is that simple. If you use built in effects, just remember what they are, so you can dial them in in the future easily. Just to give you a run down of my everyday operation, I want you to see how easy and fast it is. I plug it in, I start it up, I create a new track, I assign the guitar input to the tracks I want it to record on, I set my effects, and I record! Then whe nswitching to different tracks, you simply deselect the current ones, and select the new ones. It's that simple, and takes two seconds! What's better than this, is the fact that if you had a recording session going the previous session, and saved it (always save your session or you will lose it), then upon startup, it will load your previous used session, so all you have to do is turn it on and record! That simple!

So all in all, this IS completely worth purchasing, if you plan on using it the ways that I have mentioned. It really is an amazing piece of equitment, and I have looked at many many others before deciding upon this one.

The soft case for this DP-02 is well worth checking out, as I have also wrote a review on that to help out. If you have any questions, feel free to comment, and I will respond and answer them for you to help as much as I can!

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars To record or not to record?, November 16, 2010

By 

SDE71 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tascam DP-02 Digital Portastudio - 8 Track (Electronics)

First off, I am a life long musician and have been recording in my home studio and in major studios for over 25 years.
I bought this unit to record my music, expecting a great experience, as I had used Tascam's products before. All went well until I ran into this unit's notorious issues...
First was the units issue with freezing in play mode on occassion after you press stop. It doesnot continue playing, but ever button you attempt to push give you a "Not Stopped" message and the only way to resume is to unplug the unit and lose all that you have recorded since your last save.
Second was the most untolerable of all. With this unit you are given only a certain amount of recording time per song, which is not in real time. If you get to the end of your time you will loose everything you have done, period. I lost one completed 4 minute song twice due to this issue. Then I restarted with a new song just to see how the time measurement worked and was in shock! I did four takes of about 20 seconds each and everytime I pressed the undo button to start fresh. Afterwords I check the time counter and BAM!, I lost 17 or the 2300 alloted minutes of recording time just like that... 17 minutes! without even recording a thing.

How a company like Tascam can put out a unit with this fatal flaw is not only beyond me, but has made me lose all previous beliefs that I might of had that they were a solid company. I thought I got a deal, but after dishing out $400 for this unit all I really got was robbed. Not only for my money, but also for the time I spent learing of theses unexcusable flaws. WTF Tascam! WTF!