Need a little product help

It's a nice piece of kit Zurf. It will do what you want. The mics must have 1/4" jack connecters.
After you have mixed down on the Tascam you will have the song recorded on its memory (SD) card.
You can connect the Tascam to your computer via the USB cable and transfer the song from there to your computer software.
If your computer has a card reader you can take the card out of the Tascam and plug it into the computer.
What you won't ever need to do is play the mix from the Tascam through the computers mic input and record it that way, as the song will already be digitally recorded on the memory card. This is the advantage of memory card over cassette tape.
I've been thinking of getting one myself.

Thanks Restlessspirit - that is the very one. 

Thanks Stonebridge - it's what I needed to know.  It looks like they don't do the four track on cassette any longer, and so I have to pick something that is an appropriate current replacement unit.   I had a Tascam trainer ruined too, and it looks like the current trainers now use MP3 rather than CD's. 

Geoaguiar - It's kind of fun spending someone else's money. 

- Zurf

I guess that's why my wife is so happy all the time

Ha Zurf soaz!

From what you say I think the answer to your question is "No!" based on the fact that it only has 2 inputs (and on 1/4" jack AND they're unbalanced)

Yes you will be able to record on that, mix on that (although most mixer functions are software rather than hardware i.e. menu driven) and/or import to computer for further processing (mixing)/all processing, but you will only be able to get 2 signals at a time (i.e. 2 mics or 2 guitars or 1 mic and 1 guitar). The balanced thing is not an issue for many, but this thing is designed more as a rough notepad than an attempt at a semi-serious recording tool.

The Behringer Xenyx mixer I recommended a while back will only be able to send 2 signals at a time to go to your computer, BUT all inputs will be balanced connectors and you will have a fully functioning mixer. I'm basing this on what you said you wanted in your earlier post and the fact that to do all you want will require an up grade of EVERYTHING rather than using/integrating this Tascam unit into your future set-up.

Balanced signals: When you look at an XLR connector on a Mic it has 3 connector pins (the plugs on the ends of the lead have 3 corresponding pins or holes depending on which end.) 1 pin takes the earth, the other 2 both take the same signal but 1 pin/wire is "Phase Inverted" or "flipped over" so that if you were to look at a graph of the signal where + (positive/original signal) is going up the - (negative/phase reversed signal) is going down in the exact opposite way.

If you were to play the original signal through one speaker and the phase reversed signal through another speaker, when the 2 soundwaves met they would cancel each other out leaving silence; the same would happen in your mixer or your computer.

The beauty of this situation is that any noise picked up on the cable's travel will be the same phase on both the + and - so when it gets to the mixer and the - signal is flipped back and added to the original + signal, the noise becomes phase reversed/inverted and the 2 signals cancel each other out leaving you with a clean noise-free signal!

Hope this helps and remeber that shops want to make a sale, Chordians want to steer you right!!!

PS Tascam/TEAC products are superb, I own a DA 38 and it has always given me broadcast quality results!

I agree with Stonebridge keep it simple and easy to use as a persons knowledge increases with experience upgrading is a option however I have been useing the same recorder for over 12 years and still discovering new tecniques to use and improve the end result

Hi Zurf
I agree your thoughts for a modern replacement for Tascam recorder as sound. The Tsacam can also be used as an interface for a guitar and mic for simple recordings using Audacity software which is a simple way to record directly to your PC and converting to an MP3 for uploading to website.
If moneys tight then you could just replace your old Tascam with a similar one from ebay there's lots on there. I did myself and works ok for me.
Just my thoughts
ark

Ha Zurf soaz!

I still think if you are getting less than what your 4 track would do something is amiss.

As technology has moved on and other technologies have been abandoned there is a plethora of units which will purport to be able to do what your Portastudio did and other things that it could never dream of doing.

This unit will record 4 tracks simultaneously, only to get 4 tracks at once requires using the built-in mics. It has balanced inputs, internal effects and mixing, a wire to connect to your computer, a copy of Cubase LE to do more than 4 track projects in your computer and it works as an audio interface (soundcard) to your computer.

http://www.samsontech.com/products/prod … rodID=1994

With the choice of either, I'd get the Zoom!