TASCAM DR-40

Sacred Synthesis

TASCAM DR-40
« on: August 16, 2016, 08:24:37 PM »
At some point in the near future, I'd like to buy a decent portable digital recorder.  This would be for recording a digital piano, as well as outdoor sounds, so I would be recording directly as well as by microphone.  The Tascam DR-40 gets good reviews and, at about $160, is reasonably priced.  Can anyone here who's used one offer a few positive or negative comments about it?

Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2016, 10:51:34 PM »
I have the DR-40 MkII. It's served me well. Makes good field recordings, and I've recorded feeds from mixers at shows using their tape out into the 1/8th in. No qualms about the sound quality at all. The only negatives I can think of is that the plastic is a bit creaky so if you're using the built-in mics you have to be a bit careful how you handle it.

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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2016, 06:35:51 AM »
Thanks, Kisielk.  Do you think recording directly from the output of a keyboard to the recorder's input would sound respectably good?

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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2016, 07:50:54 PM »
It's been a few months, and I don't know if you're still interested in this sort of product, but I just got a DR-05. The audio specs are the same as the DR-40, but the DR-05 has a pared-down feature set in a smaller package.

The sound quality seems to be about the same as that of my audio interface, and the convenience is well worth the price. I don't know what your normal process is like, but I think the fewer barriers you have, the better. It's common for home studios to have a computer or recorder set up and ready to go. I didn't have that. When I only recorded from notation software, it wasn't much of a hardship to set up the computer and audio interface. But now that I'm using synthesis differently (e.g., I can't save patches, and everything is transient), setting up the computer is a barrier. These little recorders really fill a gap. I'll be able to bring the recorded files into my recording software at my convenience, or send them directly to SoundCloud.

Also, I've got a couple middle school recitals to record next week.
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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2016, 08:12:29 PM »
Actually, I was just looking at this recorder again tonight, wondering if it would be worthwhile.  I wouldn't need many features.  My may concern would be audio quality.  I'll be interested to hear any recordings you might make, and any comments regarding the quality of sound.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2016, 08:51:15 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2016, 08:58:49 PM »
Actually, I was just looking at this recorder again tonight, wondering if it would be worthwhile.  For some reason, I was convinced the 40 was worth the extra cost over the 05, but I can't remember why (It wasn't multi-tracking.) .  I wouldn't need many features.  My may concern would be audio quality.  I'll be interested to hear any recordings you might make, and any comments regarding the quality of sound.

I think with the DR-40, the big thing is multi-tracking, while the DR-05 records only in stereo (with rudimentary overdubbing). I think it also has more effects (the DR-05 has only a few types of reverb). The DR-40 also has stero XLR and 1/4" inputs, while the DR-05 has only a single stereo 3.5mm input. Also, the DR-40's mics can be positioned as X or Y configuration, though I'm not really clear about the benefit of that.

The DR-05 is on sale at B&H and various other places right now, so it seemed like a good buy. I'll have some recordings with it pretty soon.
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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2016, 09:08:21 PM »
I also considered getting a Tascam DP-006, which is similar to the DP-004 that I used to have. However, I had good reasons for parting with the DP-004: Its non-backlit screen was hard to see indoors; recording required an input-to-track assignment process typical of multi-track recorders; and mixing down and exporting to WAV files was a real-time operation requiring more work than I wanted to do. The DR-05 solves all of these problems.
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Re: TASCAM DR-40
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2016, 09:14:19 PM »
My ultimate goal is to get the Tascam DP-24SD.  That's as high end as I'm willing to go for music.  The 05/40 portable Tascams interest me for field recording, as in nature sounds, but I'd also be interested to hear their audio quality for direct in recordings.  I don't know if it would be a waste of time and money to use them for synthesizer music, but I'm curious to find out.  I've heard plenty of 05/40 recording samples that have only a limited frequency range, but synthesizers would be an entirely different case.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2016, 09:19:05 PM by Sacred Synthesis »