![]() In my opinion, the autolocator with its return to zero function is a very useful addition to any recorder and as its name suggests, it rewinds the tape to the point marked 0000 on the LED tape counter. However, because the head is being forced into contact with the fast moving tape, this function must also be used with caution as excessive use greatly accelerates head wear requiring the heads to be 're-lapped', which can prove a fairly expensive undertaking. Hopefully it is the section of tape which requires editing! The cue lever provided below the headshield can be used to cue or review a signal on tape, for example, in trying to find the start of a recording. When the Edit button is depressed, the take-up reel motor is disengaged and then on pressing 'Play', the capstan motor is activated and the tape spools off the recorder. The only safe way to operate this function is from the Stop mode. The 'Edit' switch is 'dynamite' and must be treated with utmost caution, unless you wish to find your tape careering onto the floor at 11 metres per second. Pitch is variable by +/-12% of the normal 15ips tape speed, and although simple harmony effects are possible it's main purpose is to correct for any instrument which happens to be recorded flat or sharp, such as a piano. Ignoring the more obvious tape transport select controls, the Tascam 38 boasts a variable pitch control, edit switch, cue lever and a single memory return to zero autolocate function. The reason being that the phono inputs at the back of the machine are calibrated to accept nominal input levels of -10dBV and maximum input levels of +18dBV, yet the average voltage output from a microphone is only in the order of a few millivolts, so for those of us just starting off on the multitrack trail, don't forget to put some money aside for a mixing desk. The design philosophy behind the particular model was to remove all unnecessary features such as headphone amps, output volumes and microphone inputs, often duplicated on a mixing desk, hence it is not possible to use this particular recorder without a mixing desk. ![]() ![]() With Tascam's ten years of multitrack experience behind it, the 38 is possibly the most advanced semi-professional 8-track recorder on the market. The tape format is 8-track ½" running at 15ips with a 10½" NAB reel. The 38 is not a portable multitracker by any means and once in position it is unlikely that you will want to move it until future re-calibration or service. The machine is surprisingly heavy, being about the weight of a standard TV, at 56lbs, and is quite awkward to carry due to the absence of any suitable handles. From the front it looks very similar in size to any stereo tape deck, however its depth, 12½", makes a wide shelf or table essential. Finished in a brownish-grey matt plastic, displaying a number of function controls, it is capable of complementing most living rooms. The idea being that it makes more sense to find out exactly what you are getting for your money before it actually leaves your pocket.Ī pretty nifty looking machine, is the way I would describe the Tascam 38. This report is designed to indicate the sort of advantages and disadvantages one is likely to encounter during the first year's ownership of a Tascam 38 multitrack tape machine. ![]()
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