Tascam DA-88

The Tascam DA-88 is an old eight track DAT machine. These used to be pretty popular before the DAW age and you can still see some floating around out there. Of course, this is pretty obsolete technology at this point, but it's still worth discussing a bit. The DA-88 uses digital audio tape that can handle recording eight tracks at a time. It's an all in one system that's rack mountable and takes up about four spaces in a traditional casing.

UTILIZATION

I don't have too much experience using the Tascam DA-88, but the studio I work at does indeed have one. It certainly doesn't see very much use but it was recently brought out for some tests to see it's state. I think the owner of the studio is going to sell it and he asked if I would test it out. I didn't find it to hard to navigate around it as it's easy enough to playback tapes and shouldn't be hard to record right over them as well. I can't say that I know anything about a manual for the DA-88.

SOUNDS

The sound of the Tascam DA-88 is by no means bad at all. In fact, it's a pretty good sounding medium as it's digital just in a different form. The problem with DAT really comes with editing and manipulating. If you recorded on this and transferred it to Pro Tools it would be easy of course, but using the DA-88 as an all in one recording device is not exactly convenient by modern standards. So while it sounds good, in the modern day it's really not worth using.

OVERALL OPINION

While good for it's time, the Tascam DA-88 is pretty obsolete at this point. Those who do still have them have most likely been keeping them in storage for years as it's just not reasonable to work with in the day of the DAW. If you're interested in learning about it and can find one super cheap it would probably be fun to mess around with, but not really ideal for modern recording.

Hello
When a device of this type you buy, you take a screwdriver, the cards are dismantled, the air compressor is out and removes dust Kg there inside. Once clean we see that the chassis is copper. I think it is more profitable to sell it for scrap so there is copper (just kidding). Otherwise unpleasant side I found a battery soldered on a map (hs battery) so more memory. I unsoldered the battery, I put an adapter and a new battery. Useless now to take a soldering iron to change the battery. Otherwise it works perfectly RAS. I sell the remote control as unnecessary for 8 tracks. It's beautiful.
Hi8 cassette, XLR and RCA. It records and plays 8-tracks (very large VU meters)
Audio quality nothing to say. You can not criticize a device that would listen to an arm when it was new. But we can say that today the quality is still there.
Do not ask me the technical characteristics but if you want to treat yourself at the lowest price, I recommend it especially since it is lighter and less bulky than my FOSTEX 16 tracks which is also a beautiful baby.
jean yves

UTILIZATION

English manual. I do not speak English. I had heard at one time a law was passed so that the manuals are in French. There are lots of laws that are not enforced. Damage, in the world of technology would be very helpful.

SOUNDS

Yes filters are effective, the momentum is good.

OVERALL OPINION

I am a small collector. Yes I saw spent a lot of material and I love this type of recorder about the audio quality or there is nothing to say. It is affordable, not too heavy 8.5 kg, easy to use, there is the K7. For now I keep it.
jean yves