Fostex R8 user reviews ( 7/10) - 7 user reviews

• 03/03/09

  presentsalbum's review

  Overall Opinion

  This is one of the most influential 1/4' 8 track tape recorders within 90's electronic music, used most notably by Squarepusher and Aphex Twin.
  
  
  
  All in all it is a good piece of kit for the home studio, especially if your doing a stem mix from a DAW. I have been using it for a year now to add the warm feel of tape saturation to my mixes, and on the whole it has worked flawlessly although tape prices have sky rocketed recently but thats not the multi-tracks fault!
  
  I had used a Studer B67 which was on loan to me from a local studio but it didn't have hiss reduction and was an expensive venture to service and find parts for!
  
  
  
  Personally it was a rather large step up in price that what i had wanted to pay but i knew that the unit had been well looked after and was serviced regularly which was a great ease setter as when these things go wrong they can cost a lot to repair many times more than what they originally cost. After using it for a period of time i have started to feel that it is an integral part of my work process and my setup and would be greatly missed if anything were to go wrong with it.
  
  
  
  I think i would as i have grown to like the sound of saturation on my mixes and i think i would buy a replacement if it broke down and couldn't be repaired!
  
  
  
  Good Points.
  
  
  
  It really sets your mixes aside from the rest, adding a nice level of hiss to your mixes also it does give the ever so often said term 'warm' sound to your mixes. Plus it does look cool in the back of the studio with phono looms connected to it and the detachable transport.
  
  
  
  Bad Points.
  
  
  
  how ever much it pains me to say this there are some bad point to this piece of kit, first being the weight as it is a heavy one to carry around and although its said to be portable its unlikely that your going to be able to take it on the train to any sessions. the second and final bad point is the counter intuitive built in computer that allows you to set points in the track for fast forwarding and re-winding.
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• 02/12/10

  damaye's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  I used it for 10 years in the 90s.
  
  
  
  I had previously used 4-track to K7
  
  
  
  What I liked at the time: the 8 tracks! The sound correct, the correct frequency response. What I liked least: rembobinne wait for it, and the demonic prices to record 22.5 minutes.
  
  
  
  Seriously, this thing has now its place in museums. His age is not a guarantee of its vintage unless you like the sound a bit "narrow". It matures relatively poorly in the electronic age, which can quickly render unusable at the tape transport.
  
  
  
  The sound was not really good, pretty music though. Dolby C gave a good dynamic, but stifled the sound brilliance and quicker without Dolby C was windy! There was also a real problem repisse on adjacent tracks.
  
  
  
  That said, now I would use it * without * Dolby C, I copy all in 8-track digital and I would put the mute and compressors for each track to reduce the time, I think it would be interesting (to rock rough around the edges)
  
  
  
  The quality / price was honest at the time, it was still the stuff seriously.
  
  
  
  I had no choice (but now no! I bought a TSR-8 for fun, the sound is bigger, but I think the era of multitrack tape is still gone (good to agreement for a 24 track 2 "with Dolby SR and hundreds of new bands I think I will think twice).
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• 11/08/07

  downtown's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  Great tool ... I mean, great! I just take him (he will follow you everywhere) London studio pro to mix my songs and make a mastering, and is your exact height of my expectancy at. the guy in the studio (White Stripes) told me that catches taient cool, a little stiff, but easy to mount, yet I am not pro. I briefly for 2 years, I wanted something that is easy and reliable, I often clean and demagnetize all sessions, it works perfectly. I used it for me on the track by track, and I took one shot groups, no problem, and Fidler sparation good, even on the extreme channels.

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• 09/20/07

  3prod's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  What should not be read! When I read the opinions of afiens found over and over as the magnto, j'hsite between the schoolboy joke and not care .... Gueu of ... !
  
  This magntophone 8 tracks of end date of the beginning of the 90s and my humble opinion, it would not survive to their ...
  
  
  
  This has only magnto quality:
  
  - Reduces bandwidth
  
  - A signal / noise ratio calamitous
  
  - Trs a dynamic limit (band 1 / 4 inch is divided into 8 .... the same surface magntise an audio cassette of old!)
  
  - Fully assymtrique connectivity (absolute guarantee of quality ...)
  
  
  
  Do I REALLY need to say more about the quality of its gnrale this "trick"?
  
  
  
  In 1990, I put a 5 / 10 (from other magntos the same era)
  
  In 2000, compared to DDIS DTD, I put 3 / 10
  
  Today, I would put 1 / 10 ...

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• 09/20/07

  awks's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  Ok always agree with the previous ones opinion. In re numrique at all, even if the purchase of tape is more difficult, it gives an analog magnto pretty things to the result. Shuffled with numrique is plutt nice.
  
  Principal default: sync with one computer, but with a good song-pointer SMPTE has worked well.
  
  Today, the re numrique at all, it can just stepfather "has been", but no, it's still a good machine, especially if you like the sound a touch of vintage and warm analog.

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• 06/27/06

  diffy's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  Agree with the description below.
  
  
  
  this device is nice, just a little heavy to carry

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• 07/23/04

  Yannick le Nantais's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Overall Opinion

  Magntophone I use this for many years. It is a compact ultra high 8-track tape. He has a great sound, warm and dynamic, with virtually no noise thanks to Dolby C. Do not rely on plastic appearance "Fisher Price". This is REALLY a tool for professional performance, with all functions of a large multi-track studio (pre roll, locator, punch in / out, MIDI sync with a box and optional SMPTE), available on the table Detachable side.
  
  
  
  Previously, I had a Tascam 4-track 1 / 4 inch, 3 times heavier, 2 times more blast and two times less track! Ah, when I think that with this progrets magnto!
  
  
  
  I bought 12 500 Frs (It sold 19 900 Frs silent launch!). C'tait qualitprix good value.
  
  Sr is that I would do the same choice.

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