What is the Absolute Cheapest Simplest Multi-Track Recording Set-Up?

[VOODOO U]

Reaper

[jens]

OP asked for 4-track you talk about 8-track wwWWhhHHyyyyyyYYYYYYYY????????

OP asked for at least 4 tracks - you may want to read that again.

It literally never ends!!!

The mind boggles, huh?

[jens]

Yes, it's a no-brainer to leave it and go with an Tascam DP-006 for less instead.

Extra chump change for XLR inputs is a no-brainer.

Use shorter cables.

The point is that the DP-006 is a very cheap little DAW in a box (i.e. it includes basic DAW functions).

The Zoom however is a small, high-quality portable recorder (i.e. it doesn't include basic DAW functionality) - it's a different kind of device for a different purpose.
Zoom does however have several DAW in a box type of products as well too (some of which had been mentioned here already).

[VOODOO U]

Yes, it's a no-brainer to leave it and go with an Tascam DP-006 for less instead.

Extra chump change for XLR inputs is a no-brainer.

Use shorter cables.

Or I could use XLR. See how easy that is? And I get the length. God bless mother Mary.

The point is that the DP-006 is a very cheap little DAW in a box (i.e. it includes basic DAW functions).

The Zoom however is a small, high-quality portable recorder (i.e. it doesn't include basic DAW functionality) - it's a different kind of device for a different purpose.
Zoom does however have several DAW in a box type of products as well too (some of which had been mentioned here already).

Looks like you're the one that need to re-read. The OP wants a cheap multi track recorder set up with minimum 4-tracks (if 200 is expensive they need to stick with karaoke at the bar). There is no request for DAW features going beyond recording. If I.missed it somehwere that they need a full modular grid and a looping clip arena then gee sorry me I'll ask virgin mary to forgive me.

[mjolnir]

I used to own a TASCAM DP-6 (?) it was really wimpy and took a very long time to process edits.
It might be the cheapest, but to what end?

[dan_flash]

Zoom R8. Enormous bang to buck ratio. Honestly packed to the rafters with nifty features.

24bit recording makes using the onboard mics more feasible than the Tascam stuff which is only 16bit and quite shite in the SNR department.

Onboard DSP for fun shit like insert and send FX, amp/cab combos, mic modelling, etc.

Sampler and semi-decent drum machine included (has some sounds from the Zoom rt-123 which was a blast a couple decades ago) which sounds actually not bad when you render to stereo with some insert FX. Even comes with a few hundred MIDI loops ready for lift off to boot.

8 mono tracks but can be easily stereo linked and obviously bouncing capabilities etc. 2 ins with XLR for recording 2 channels at once. Phantom power, 1 in doubles as a guitar input, it's all there baby.

I'd bet good money the R8 could get you to the moon and back with a dozen AAs.

OK perhaps I wouldn't. But still.

Thus not exactly the cheapest nor simplest BUT it is almost the cheapest and simplest and certainly the best option.

Get a Zoom R8.

[sockofgold]

Zoom R8. Enormous bang to buck ratio. Honestly packed to the rafters with nifty features.

24bit recording makes using the onboard mics more feasible than the Tascam stuff which is only 16bit and quite shite in the SNR department.

Onboard DSP for fun shit like insert and send FX, amp/cab combos, mic modelling, etc.

Sampler and semi-decent drum machine included (has some sounds from the Zoom rt-123 which was a blast a couple decades ago) which sounds actually not bad when you render to stereo with some insert FX. Even comes with a few hundred MIDI loops ready for lift off to boot.

8 mono tracks but can be easily stereo linked and obviously bouncing capabilities etc. 2 ins with XLR for recording 2 channels at once. Phantom power, 1 in doubles as a guitar input, it's all there baby.

I'd bet good money the R8 could get you to the moon and back with a dozen AAs.

OK perhaps I wouldn't. But still.

Thus not exactly the cheapest nor simplest BUT it is almost the cheapest and simplest and certainly the best option.

Get a Zoom R8.

You seem well-versed on the R8, so maybe you can help: does it have even basic editing capabilities? e.g. Even just a really primitive copy-paste to duplicate sections?

I am also looking for a really simple 8-track recorder for scratchpad recordings as a writing tool so I don't have to turn on the PC. (Everything will eventually get re-recorded once I'm done writing.)

But a simple copy-paste to duplicate sections of a song is essential to help speed up basic arranging.

I have been leaning towards the DP-008ex because I'm not keen on relying on touchscreens on the newer Zooms, and from what I have been able to find, the R8 does bot have any editing capabilities.

[dan_flash]

You seem well-versed on the R8, so maybe you can help: does it have even basic editing capabilities? e.g. Even just a really primitive copy-paste to duplicate sections?

I am also looking for a really simple 8-track recorder for scratchpad recordings as a writing tool so I don't have to turn on the PC. (Everything will eventually get re-recorded once I'm done writing.)

But a simple copy-paste to duplicate sections of a song is essential to help speed up basic arranging.

I have been leaning towards the DP-008ex because I'm not keen on relying on touchscreens on the newer Zooms, and from what I have been able to find, the R8 does bot have any editing capabilities.

You can record audio loops (just mono I think), assign them to the 8 pads and sequence them if I remember correctly. Same for the drum tracks.

But it's not exactly the same as what you can do with a normal DAW. For what you describe, I believe you'd need a Zoom R12 but I'm not 100%.

At this point though, given that you also need editing, it may be best to consider a small laptop + interface with a nifty Linux distro on it tailored to basic audio work...? Something like that.

As far as I recall, the Tascam stuff doesn't have any sequencing capabilities either.

[sockofgold]

As far as I recall, the Tascam stuff doesn't have any sequencing capabilities either.

Well, not so much sequencing, so to speak—just copy/pasting recorded sections. e.g. From the DP-008EX specs: "Track edit functions（COPY PASTE, COPY INSERT, MOVE PASTE, MOVE INSERT, OPEN, CUT, SILENCE, CLONE TRACK, CLEAN OUT)"

I'm not looking for anything more complex than that, and I could do that in the late 90s with my primitive BR-8, so I'm surprised to find that many recorders these days don't include it.

Definitely not interested in using a laptop. The whole point here is to remove the reliance on a PC and have a small/simple/portable recorder to use for songwriting purposes. (I don't even care that the Tascams are only 16-bit, because these would only be scratch recordings that will eventually be re-recorded properly.)

[dan_flash]

Well, not so much sequencing, so to speak—just copy/pasting recorded sections. e.g. From the DP-008EX specs: "Track edit functions（COPY PASTE, COPY INSERT, MOVE PASTE, MOVE INSERT, OPEN, CUT, SILENCE, CLONE TRACK, CLEAN OUT)"

Holy cow, that's boss. Didn't realise the DP008 did anything like that. The Zoom R12 would be a good fit then in case that's within budget but if the DP008 is significantly cheaper and ticks all boxes for you, then by all means batter in.

I used to have a Tascam digital 4 track years ago and although basic, it was good for what it was. So no doubt the Tascam stuff is quality. I'd usually just recommend Zoom because I feel they're better value for money. But as this thread shows, everyone's use cases and needs are different.

[sockofgold]

I used to have a Tascam digital 4 track years ago and although basic, it was good for what it was. So no doubt the Tascam stuff is quality. I'd usually just recommend Zoom because I feel they're better value for money. But as this thread shows, everyone's use cases and needs are different.

Yeah, the R20 & R12 definitely have those features, but I'm very hesitant to buy a hardware unit that relies on a touchscreen for all of its controls. That usually means they throw UX considerations out the window in favor of "just put a button on screen," and it becomes a very clunky experience.

I also really don't want to overthink this, so I appreciate all your input already and really don't mean to keep pinging you. I'm thinking I'll probably just go with the DP-008EX and see how it fares. It's inexpensive enough that if it doesn't fit for my simple needs, it's not a huge loss anyway.

Thanks for all your input! Much appreciated

[syntonica]

The Zooms have a large variety of their effects on them, for better or worse, while the Tascams have reverb and a couple other things. I find the Tascams dead simple to use, while the Zooms are a pain with lots of menus for everything.

Anyways, they are all a far cry from my Fostex 4-track cassette deck that died in slow motion. Oh, and it sounded like crap, too! Yay!