All user reviews of 3/5 for the Tascam Porta 02

4-track cassette tape recorder, classical and effective if you crop the time of its release.
I bought early 1990 for about 800 francs (€ 120). It allowed me to do a lot of models, it was my first step in the multi-track recording.
No effects, no selector tape speed (some more elaborate models offered two recording speeds, knowing that the fastest speed gave better results with a "good momentum".
If I remember correctly this should be 4.75 to 9.5 cm / sec. This model has revolves 4,75cm / sec.
The bore 02 does not propose any effects (some did)!
The power supply is external (12v transformer).
It can record two tracks simultaneously.
For controls: Trim to select mic or line input and the volume and pan for each track. A meter of tape running and a volume for headphone output. More conventional buttons on a cassette player.
The recording level can be controlled via four LEDs (2 red and 2 oranges), recorded simultaneously on two tracks.

It goes without saying that this material is now completely obsolete. But he has done a service to large numbers of musician at the time and it was necessary to equip home studio. And have a PC, it was expensive: a 486 Dx with a 66MHz processor with 500MB of disk and 32 MB of RAM cost 10.000Fr (1,500 €). The CD 2x cost 1.000fr ... So we can say that a great leap forward has been made since then. I still wore my studio 02, keep it, yes because it is not salable, and it reminds me of that time "magic" where we still had time to do everything from A to Z without copy / paste DAW on a screen with a piece of compound 3 minutes ... Nostalgia ....