BR1600 Still a good investment?

[Geir]

I saw a 1600 for sale for ~350£ (3500NOK) ......

Is is a good investment ?

They are some years now ... how long can I expect it to live?

any thoughts ??

oh the GAS !!!!!!

[bruno]

Well if I saw one for 350 i'd buy it as a backup. I love my 1600 :-)
B

[AndyR]

Same here

Is it new or second hand? New, and I'd buy it without even thinking or wondering how to justify it.

[Geir]

It's second hand, some scratches, everything should be working according the ad, but I've sent a message with some questions to confirm.

If it's version 1 there's no other difference than an upgrade to get it to v2 ?

[Hook]

The real question is how much is it to buy a new tascam DP 24 or maybe even DP 32 SD.
It sounds like a great deal on the 1600 but after thinking about it and research and I think I'd rather have the DP 24.
Rock on!

[Blooby]

I have actually seen them cheaper in good condition. I still love mine but really only use it for tracking where up to eight inputs are required.

[Greeny (No longer active)]

I need the portability of my MBR to record in different locations, but for the basis of a more permanent recording space, the 1600 would get my vote.  I assume there will be some MBR / 800 consistency with it's functionality.

I would get it. Leave the 800 in your cabin and use the 1600 as your home studio..!

[64Guitars]

The real question is how much is it to buy a new tascam DP 24 or maybe even DP 32 SD.
It sounds like a great deal on the 1600 but after thinking about it and research and I think I'd rather have the DP 24.

Good point.

You can get a brand new DP-32SD for £435.00.

http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Tascam_DP-32SD_32-Channel_Digital_Multitrack_Recorder/TASC-DP32SD

I think the DP-32SD is better than the BR-1600 in many ways. Although, the BR-1600 has more effects and a drum machine. Still, I'd prefer the DP-32SD.

[Geir]

The dp32 looks fab except for the lack of a drum machine of some kind. A static metronome is a poor substitute.

[AndyR]

Actually, I think I need to add a caveat to my reply (and I guess Bruno might say the same) - I would buy a new one immediately because... I'm used to it as my main machine... I don't want to change yet... and I'd like a back-up. If I didn't have it already and was after a biggie like this, I might well be thinking like 64 and Hook instead...

I looked at the 800 when it came out, and didn't like it enough - the changes to my workflow (from BR1600) would have been too large for me to think of using it as a "more portable" option.

I love the 1600 for a variety of things that the others don't seem to have. Eg dedicated compressors and 3 band Parametric EQ on every play-back track (Not checked the tascams on this) - those were the main reasons I went for it (plus the number of playback channels) over the MBR I still have.

I mix and master on the BR1600 and have no desire to do anything else at the moment (the *only* thing I feel is missing, after my years of using it, is a lo-pass filter...). When my 1600 dies, there's no way I'm going to an 800 - and, if the replacement (if there is going to be any) for the 1600 is positioned like the 800, I'm unlikely to go for that either.

Unless they "redo" the 1600 in the same "all-in-one-box" fashion, I think it's highly likely I'll move to a DAW. I switched from a DAW because all the options meant I was spending more time as a "nutty professor" than actually making the music. But the MBR and the BR1600 with their "restrictions" (and superb audio-digital) have taught me a bunch of solid recording know-how and given me a lot of valuable experience. I'm actually ready to move back to a DAW now and not get distracted by all the guff on offer... (basically, I now know what the guff does and which bits I want!!)


NOW - Geir, 2nd hand... I'd be slightly wary of a second hand BR1600. It feels like a machine that could suffer from anything other than complete love and care... and it's capable of hiding any inherent issues on a brief glance... eg I think my CD drive is going (and that's the fastest way of getting stuff off if it).

It's a fabulous machine... but I have to admit it's feeling like "old technology" (one of the reasons I like it! )... if I didn't have the history with it, I would be looking at newer things.