BR 800 is Nine Years Old — Still worth considering?

[IanR]

Hi Ted,

I didn't realise that you are in Madagascar.

Sorry for debating you but using a computer is only time consuming if you let it be. They can take you down multiple rabbit holes if you want.

However, if you keep it it simple, they actually save you lots of time with navigating, setting up songs and editing, etc,  because all the menus are always on the screen and you don't have to switch screens and make selections and navigate back and forth. I found that extremely tedious using the BR800 and the micro BR before that. As well as that, when using a DAW the monitor screen allows you to see all your tracks and channels, as well allowing better access to control the effects and plug ins. These are the same features that you will be using in the BR800.

There is a certain lo-fi romance using stand-alone machines like the BR800 and I get that. But DAW based recording is much quicker and easier.

Best wishes,

Ian

[Oldrottenhead]

I have the exact opposite experience of using PC for recording Ian. I started recording on computers way back in the day. I still have a good version of Cubase on my windows laptop, my pc runs on Linux and lots of good DAWs available for that too. However I find it a real bother setting everything up. However with my MicroBR I can plug in and go and get ideas down quite quickly. Then with my BR800 I can spend more time and get far better results than I can on my pc. My musical abilities are pretty poor and naturally lo-fi but I get much better results on my BR800 than I ever could from my pc. That said if I had a MacBook (Santa are you listening) my opinion might change. At the end of the day whatever you are comfortable with the principles are pretty much the same whichever approach you take.

[Ted]

Using a computer is only time consuming if you let it be. They can take you down multiple rabbit holes if you want.

Let me clarify: I actually have experienced the time-saving aspects of using a DAW. I totally agree. It's not that a DAW takes a lot of time, it's that using a DAW means additional time on this cursed machine, over and above the hours it already sucks from my life for work.

A long time ago (before my MBR) I got set up with some DAW software and hardware on my old Windows laptop. I was excited to dig in and use it. After a long work day, I thought, Finally! Now I'm going to get in some creative time for music. An hour later, I was thinking, Fuck this. I've been in front of this same screen all day already.

I still use GarageBand for certain things (keyboards usually, sometimes drums, sometimes because rearranging parts is just easier), but I almost always export the tracks and import them into my MBR. In fact, one thing I like about the BR800 is that (I think) I would be able to compose drums in GarageBand, and then export the MIDI files into the BR800.

[T.C. Elliott]

I bought a BR900CD in 2007 or so. I love having the drum machine to write to. I usually use one of two beats to track to, record, and import into the computer and mix in Reaper.  I love the effects and the way it makes me commit to a sound right off. In the DAW I can record clean and then go through a dozen different guitar sounds which sounds great, but really just takes up time. Sometimes this bites me in the ass where I have too much distortion on a guitar part (or two) but mostly it's a time saving device.

I've thought long and hard about going direct into the computer and I even bought a couple of used interfaces that I've never tried out. But I love my 900 and think I'll stick with it.

That being said, I have had several buttons go bad on the 900 and moved the buttons I don't use often over to the ones I use a lot. I also bought an old BR machine that does work, but I'll never use just for spare parts in case I have to replace more moving parts. I've thought about getting another used 900 to have, but if this one goes bonkers then I think I'll go direct to computer... maybe. I'd love to have 4-8 simultaneous recording tracks but I would only use it rarely so it's not really worth the investment.

Also, 64guitars has been invaluable in his help over these past many years. I always take his advice seriously. For me the drum machine is much needed, but using something like superior drummer in a DAW would be just as easy. I just don't know if not having one on the tascam machine would be too big of a miss for me to seriously consider it. Best of luck with your decision.

[Hook]

I'm with you Ted, the computer sucks me dry of all creativity. I love my ipad and apps though, thats more of an instrument however. You need a BR800, they are awesome.
Rock on!

[StephenM]

for anyone who cares I have a Zoom R24.... it is easy to use and I really like how light it is.  You can power it by batteries too...and it records to SD or Thumbdrive... looping is easy....but...but...but.... it doesn't produce the kind of masters i can get on the Boss 1600 I have...and it doesn't have anywhere near as good of compression, mastering, or guitar sounds etc...can't speak of the drums because I use an Alesis Performance Pad ( which I really like btw).  The Zoom comes with DAW software but I haven't tried it....

[Ted]

for anyone who cares I have a Zoom R24.... it is easy to use and I really like how light it is.  You can power it by batteries too...and it records to SD or Thumbdrive... looping is easy....but...but...but.... it doesn't produce the kind of masters i can get on the Boss 1600 I have...and it doesn't have anywhere near as good of compression, mastering, or guitar sounds etc...can't speak of the drums because I use an Alesis Performance Pad ( which I really like btw).  The Zoom comes with DAW software but I haven't tried it....

Thanks. I've never seen that model before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc8OXiMKSBk

After a quick look at it, I'm still thinking this is not what I'm looking for. But I'll come back and take a closer look before I pull the trigger on the BR-800.

[StephenM]

for anyone who cares I have a Zoom R24.... it is easy to use and I really like how light it is.  You can power it by batteries too...and it records to SD or Thumbdrive... looping is easy....but...but...but.... it doesn't produce the kind of masters i can get on the Boss 1600 I have...and it doesn't have anywhere near as good of compression, mastering, or guitar sounds etc...can't speak of the drums because I use an Alesis Performance Pad ( which I really like btw).  The Zoom comes with DAW software but I haven't tried it....

Thanks. I've never seen that model before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc8OXiMKSBk

After a quick look at it, I'm still thinking this is not what I'm looking for. But I'll come back and take a closer look before I pull the trigger on the BR-800.

LOL.... after watching that demo video you posted I think I'll just sell all my stuff and go back to watching TV....good golly miss molly!  I find I do alot of recording with both my decks and end up mastering on my BR1600... I really need to try that DAW software with the Zoom...it could be a game changer and I have had this thing 3 or 4 years and never used it...My boss stuff I love though...i can imagine the BR800 is really good....

[Pete C]

I did make a comment on this thread last August as I wanted to move on from my BR600 due to compatibility issues. I was very tempted by the Zoom 24 but finally decided to go for the BR800, as it seemed similar in operation to the BR600. I managed to get a new one for £319 here in the UK. I've not done much with it yet as it arrived the weekend before my furlough finished but from what I've done so far, I don't think I'll have to go through a lengthy learning curve to get used to it.

Pete

[Ted]

« Last Edit: Today at 08:23:54 AM by 64Guitars
Reason: Fixed quoting
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Nothing gets past 64Guitars! That was quoting bugging me, but I was going to let it slide.