TASCAM DP-24 Reviews

Thomas Gustaitus
from Pennsboro, WV
April 28, 2013Music Background:
Hobbiest of 45 + years

Great Recorder

Such a GREAT recorder and at the right price too !!!
Very easy to use, just follow the book. Plenty of features. I received the unit in the afternoon and multi tracked our jam session that night with SUPER results !!!

Mike Schlicher
from Fairfield Ohio
April 5, 2013Music Background:
Live sound

Just plane WOW WOW WOW

Received Tascam DP-24 last week and was blown away with the quality and the ease of operation. My first time dealing with Sweetwater, but it will not be the last. The Portastudio is everything you said it was.

Eric Vaughan
from Sarasota, Florida
March 28, 2013Music Background:
Pro Musician... Music Store Mgmt

LOVE my Tascam DP-24

Not only am I blown away by the sound and especially the ease of operation but this is the first time I have done business with Sweetwater and could not be happier with their customer service during and after the purchase. This is my 4th Tascam recorder and it is taking my creative juices to a new level...

John Hoyt
from Conway, Nh
February 9, 2013Music Background:
Radio Announcer, Song Writer, Guitar Player and Vocalist

Tascam DP-24

This machine is AWESOME!!! I'm learning more each day I use it, but from box to use it was simple. The users manual is easy to undrstand and the features on it are incredible. I would HIGHLY recommend this unit for any voice over work, music enthusiast or band looking to record your music. I previously had a Tascan 2488 and LOVED that unit, but it went down and I wanted to upgrade so I researched and found that the DP-24 would (and does) fit all my needs. I have sent my 2488 in for repairs and will continue to use both units in tandem.

Charlie Fowler
from Clarksdale, Missisippi
February 7, 2013Music Background:
Songwriter/Singer/Guitarist/Producer

Unbelieveable

Thank you Robby R. for suggesting this instrument to me once I was able to explain what I was going to use it for.
I'm a DUMMY when it comes to reading a 'users manual', so I had to call TASCAM support with a stupid question. They were friendly, patient, and helped me get the ball rolling. AND, told me to call back anytime.
Our first ' test ' upload sounded GREAT on the internet.
Again, thank you Robby R. , SWEETWATER and TASCAM.

Stan Kimble
from Kansas City, MO
January 15, 2013Music Background:
Christian Musician

One Amazing Machine

First off, KUDO's to Michael at Sweetwater, I received it Lightning fast. As for the recorder, it's one amazing machine. Very user friendly and easy to start recording out of the box. I would suggest you purchase the Tascam approved dvd that was a HUGE help. I would buy this again. Great experience and great product. A++++++++

Russ Keeney
from Marion, Iowa
December 28, 2012Music Background:
Pro Musician

Lots of BANG for the buck

I've had this unit for just over a month now and really enjoy it. It is very easy to use and is layed-out nicely. It is very well built and I believe I got a lot for my $$$. If you want to get a song down and on to CD quickly, the DP-24 is the way to go. I also turn it on and record some of my jam sessions just to capture those inspirational momemts. I owned a Tascam 244 porta studio about 20 years ago and have always felt that Tascam puts out a quality product.

James R.
from MICHIGAN
September 29, 2012Music Background:
Musician, composer

Fantastic range

I recently had some demo material uploaded to a very popular DAW environment. Sure enough, it was surprising that this baby sounded great, levels, master, almost no effects or EQ. This machine is great !! Tascam struck gold on this one !

Scott
from Michigan
May 7, 2012Music Background:
Semi-pro/Hobbyist

Very nice

This is a very nice unit. The sound reproduction is on par with more expensive units. With the Audio-Tech 2050's IM using its a very nice unit. I cant find anything bad to say about this unit. Highly recommended.

Brad
from algonac / michigan
March 7, 2013Music Background:
hobbyist

After 3 months

First... I am a hobbyist.. My goal is to record an acoustic duo with some modest muilti-tracks and production values.
I have gone through 3 different software/computer interface recording systems and ended up frustrated with the complexity of them all. The Tascam DP24 was my last attempt at this hobby.
The DP24 still has a learning curve but for a self teaching rookie like myself, at least it's an achievable learning curve.
NOTE: the Tascam approved tutorial DVD is a must!
After a couple months I am very comfortable, and have had success with the recording aspect. I am now working on applying effects and mixing. This part is a little harder. What I like about recording with the DP24, and what is different from a software program, is that I can look down on a board and see what is going on. The effects and mixing on the DP24 are not quite as out in the open but is doable. It will just take some time & effort.
Sidebar: A have a long distance friend who is just the opposite. He is a knowledgeable pro with all kinds of experience. He purchased the new TP32 and is very happy with it. He is particularly impressed with the built in pre-amps. If he is pleased, I sure should be too.
.
From the start I have been looking for a system where you did not have to be a recording engineer to learn it. I think I've found one.

George Dreger
from Mesa, AZ USA
February 18, 2013Music Background:
Pro Musician (Drummer)

Very Cool!

I haven't totally explored everything on this machine but I am very happy with my purchase! The design of it forces one to individually optimize each track, which is a very good way to work actually. This is going to make mastering easy as you will have little to do- if one makes good recordings on each track one will pretty much be watching it play back at the end. Get good studio monitors to use for mixdown, I purchased some Tannoys- made a world of difference.I don't see an easier, less expensive way make semi-pro recordings at home than the DP-24.

Richard Kyser
from Olean, NY USA
January 7, 2013Music Background:
25 year musician

TASCAM DP-24 PORTABLE STUDIO

I've only just started using the TASCAM but already found it to be very user friendly and versitile. As a songwriter, ease of recording fundimental ideas before the thought vanishes, is a must. I enjoy all the things it will do and the ease at which I can do it. Thanks Tascam. R

Tim
from
January 3, 2013Music Background:
Hobby recording artist,broadcaster

I'm in love

I use this Portastudio for everything from recording LP's to CD, to producing radio shows and promo bits . Have not used it for live music or music recording from multiple instruments. Totally noise free recording ,great pre's ,very logically laid out . I was very intimidated when I first ordered it and was viewing the manual PDF online ,but once I got it I was pleased to find it was very intuitive . Though I did freeze it on the first day,but that was my fault for pressing TOO many wrong buttons at once . A simple reboot was all I did and no data was lost. For sure need a bigger SD card I only get 1.7 hours of audio on their before it's full. Minor detail and easily solved .LOVE the waveform scope for editing ,as I was coming from Audacity to this which made the transition easier . The ability to transfer files back to the computer with USB is fantastic .
For me the only drawbacks are the lack of some of the things that I have to use software to do after using the DP-24 . Like Fade In and Fade Out ,amplification factor editing , some of the stuff I use for effects . But I have no idea technically if they could incorporate those in at all.
I really love this thing and I hope it lasts a while . It looks and feels like something that should and so far so good ,but have only had it a few weeks.

Barney Fellure
from WV
April 29, 2013Music Background:
To go where no one has gone before. Still trying !!

Great recorder but...

I'm not going deep into this someone gets paid to do that but it's a great recorder the record 8 tracks at once is a blessing, the mixing is very good I like the EQ don't use any other effects from on board so I can't comment on them. It's easy to just plug in some gear and start recording, the CD burner has done fine also . So if you can live without automation you might take a look.

Charles
from Oakland, CA
February 15, 2013Music Background:
Hobbyist

Despite Some Limitations, Solid Recorder

I've had the DP24 for more than 2 months now, so I have a pretty solid grasp of what it can and cannot do. There's a bit of a learning curve at first (the online David Wills video is moderately helpful), but once you get the hang of it, the DP24 is very fun to use, especially if you're like me and prefer knobs and faders to mouse clicks.

Soundwise, the DP24's internal preamps are ok, a bit thin at times, but overall clean and transparent. What's nice is it doesn't have that digital harshness you hear from a lot of cheap interfaces these days. There is no way to bypass the internal preamps, but if you want to use your own fancy pres, just keep the DP24's trim knob at line level and boost with your outboard pre.

The headphone jack is slightly noisy/hissy. I actually exchanged the first unit I got because I thought the jack was defective, but the new unit still had some noise. However, it's just in the headphones; the mixdown files (as well as the signal from the monitor outs and stereo outs) are super quiet, so it's something I can live with.

My biggest problem with the DP24 was latency (resulting in noticeable phasing) when you use the external effects send. But I found a solution: after you assign the return signal to the stereo bus, don't mix down using the stereo bus; instead, record onto an open track using the same input(s) you assigned to the stereo bus. The new recorded track will not have the phasing.

Track editing is pretty easy on the DP24. Of course, it's not as precise as most DAW editing programs, but in a way, I wanted to get away from that kind of obsessive 1000% zoomed-in micro-editing. (I mean, how is that even remotely about making music?) You can still go pretty deep into the waveform, jog through, find precise points to mark and cut, move, copy, etc. It might take a bit longer than with software, but once you get used to it, it's not gonna hold you back.

The EQ is surprisingly useable (there's a sweepable mid) and sounds pretty good, and the DP24 saves your EQ settings on each channel for every song.

The dynamic effects (compressor, gate, de-esser, exciter) are fairly useable, but you can only use one at a time, and ONLY ON THE INPUTS. In other words, you can't record a track with no dynamic effects and then apply a dynamic effect later. Some folks are aghast when they learn of this. But there's a way around this using the external effects send: just run a patch cable from the effects send back into one of the DP24's open inputs, assign a channel to the input, and this time record with the dynamic effect engaged. It might sound phasey while you're recording, but the recorded track will sound fine.

The internal send effects (delay, reverb, chorus) are kind of cheap-sounding, and the DP24 doesn't allow you to use more than one effect at a time (but given that they sort of suck, this is no real loss). Amp sims in general are foul and unnatural creations, and the DP24's amp sim is no exception, but it's useable if you need to get a guitar idea down and don't wanna wake the neighbors.

After you mix down a song, hook up and engage the USB cable, find the mix file in the corresponding song folder, drag and drop it into your computer, and there you go. Very very easy to move files. You can also use the Audio Depot to transfer individual tracks to a computer for mixing, or even some good ol' obsessive 1000% zoomed-in micro-editing.

Mastering on the DP24 is pretty neat and simple. You can EQ, compress and normalize, and there are a lot of different compression presets in the library to choose from.

Ok, so that's a lot of information. The bottom line is this: the DP24 makes it easy to make music. DAWs are powerful, but sometimes they get in the way of the creative process. Once you get the hang of the DP24 (and find ways to deal with its limitations), it can become a useful tool in your creative process.

Tim
from
December 24, 2012

Lots of bang for the buck

Recording is great. Effects are not great but given price point cant have everything

Kurt Henry
from Lyonsville, NY USA
November 28, 2012Music Background:
Bandleader/Songwriter/Guitarist

Tascam DP-24

This portastudio is an inexpensive way to get up and running with good demos in no time at all. Between the clear manual and the Tascam video, most musicians will be quickly at home. I am using it to introduce songs to my band and as a tool for composition. Prior to going into an expensive studio I can try multiple guitar lines. Basically the fact that it's a dedicated device, it' fast when ideas happen. Amazing for on location recording.

Heinz Lips
from Greenback, TN
November 27, 2012Music Background:
Pro Musician (Pianist, Bandleader,Arranger)most Europa

Tascam DP-24

for my privat use the DP-24 is just right.

Bobby Harris
from Byron, GA USA
November 19, 2012Music Background:
Pro Musician

Good recorded with small drawback

This is a great little recorder and cd burner! The only consit is that 1) The input jack for the footswitch is a small 1/8" jack and not the standard 1/4 TRS. 2) It is very difficult to add vocal effects after the initial recording as they are hard to get to . I previously had the tascam 2488, and replaced it with the 2488. The 2488 is much better except for the two things noted above. This is a great recorder for a visually-impaired person.

Johnnie
from California
May 29, 2012Music Background:
Christian Singer, Songwriter, Composer

A Composer's Workhorse

Love this machine. Great for demos and auditioning parts, when song building. Easy to use and understand just from the quick guide. Knobs and buttons are laid out nicely too. A built in drum machine would have been a cool bonus but my DR-3 is picking up the slack. Sweetwater's price, service, and delivery are the best among internet retailers IMO.

Zella
from Albuquerque, NM
May 1, 2012Music Background:
Musician

Happy with Tascam

I've been playing around with our new Tascam it seems to do everything that I want it to do. I do wish it had 4 headphone inputs instead of 1. We had to purchase a multiple headphone unit. We did buy monitors but in our situation we wanted to use headphones when recording. I have no recording experience and it easy to use and learn from the manual. Good unit!

Studio 139
from Kalamazoo, MI USA
August 9, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer

Solid Portable

What I like, build quality is good, mic preamps are decent, assigning inputs to tracks is easy, in-line dynamic effects are usable. What I love, is the SD card recording as it is economic, and basically makes the unit light and quiet. The color screen is a nice addition. Recording to eight tracks at once is great. What I don't like, half the tracks are stereo only, the CD can only burn 16bit 44.1kHz master files, and there is no way to convert your tracks sample rate. So if you want to burn a disc, the whole project has to be done at that rate. There is no way to set the BPM of a song. You can set the metronome to a tempo, but it doesn't appear to actually retain that information as part of a song.
I got this to track outside the studio and it seems reasonable good, but it is no replacement for a good audio interface and a DAW.

Marc Chapman
from Rouses Point , NY
December 27, 2012Music Background:
Pro musician , recording engineer

Tascam DP24

I wish the instruction manual were a bit more user friendly , such as taking you thru a mock up recording session step by step.
You have to do do too much cross referencing to carry out some specific functions.

Lowell Palmer Hornung
from Los Angeles
December 13, 2012Music Background:
Singer/songwriter /Pro musician

Keep your tuner handy

This recorder seems to work well and is easy to use.However,be aware that the tuner feature is not functional in these units.I have had 4 of these so far, and the guitar tuner has failed to work in each one. Apparently it
is a firmware glitch for which Tascam is trying to come up with a fix.Still the DP 24 is a nice unit -since I have several tuners that work great.Just surprising since Boss /Roland makes some of the very best guitar tuners out there!

Dana Hales
from Ohio
November 12, 2012Music Background:
playing guitar for 30 years,contemporary bluegrass and finger style

Tascam DP24 vs Roland BR1600

I sold my BR1600 (version 1) because I wanted to try something different.I purchased the Tascam DP-24 and I began missing the BR1600 right away.One of the biggest disappointments is the Tascam will not record a cd to the hard drive unless its an r-w.The Br1600 recorded both r and rw.While I cant bash the DP-24 because it is worth the money and nearly half the price of the BR1600 it really is a matter of getting what you pay for.The Boss is more user friendly and offers quicker access to effects as well as simplicity in recording multiple tracks on the same song...

Customer Reviews

Great Recorder

Just plane WOW WOW WOW

LOVE my Tascam DP-24

Tascam DP-24

Unbelieveable

One Amazing Machine

Lots of BANG for the buck

Fantastic range

Very nice

After 3 months

Very Cool!

TASCAM DP-24 PORTABLE STUDIO

I'm in love

Great recorder but...

Despite Some Limitations, Solid Recorder

Lots of bang for the buck

Tascam DP-24

Tascam DP-24

Good recorded with small drawback

A Composer's Workhorse

Happy with Tascam

Solid Portable

Tascam DP24

Keep your tuner handy

Tascam DP24 vs Roland BR1600