TASCAM DP-008EX 8-Track Digital Pocketstudio Multitrack Recorder, Built-in Mics, Songwriting, Battery Operated

I'm coming to multi-track recording late in the game - doing it for the first time in my mid-30's and having actually learned to do it first on my iPad and iPhone (using a variety of interfaces for guitar and audio sources into a DAW). So it's a little hard to articulate why I was drawn to the TASCAM DP-008EX, when it arguably offers far less editing capability and flexibility than a DAW. But, for me, I found the affordability, variety of input options, and simplicity for capturing ideas quickly to be very appealing with the DP-008EX. It even motivated me to purchase a dynamic microphone (SM-57 copy) and mic stand to finally attempt to mic and record some of my amps at home!I will keep this review short, since I'm somewhat of a novice user and haven't put in the hours yet to fully explore this device. But I found relatively simple to get working "out of the box". There are a few design choices that feel archaic, such as the way inputs are assigned and pretty much anything having to do with the LCD interface. But keep in mind that those choices are part of what keeps this an affordable product for people who might not have used a multi-track recorder before, and for whom basic functionality (off a set of batteries, nonetheless) is more important than bells and whistles.I found that the purchase of the DP-008EX led to a few other inexpensive purchases, including a 1/8" to 1/4" mono cable and the XLR cable for the aforementioned dynamic mic purchase. (I've actually heard the on-board condenser mics aren't half bad, but positioning those in front of a guitar amp while trying to start a recording seemed like a non-starter to me). One early concern I've read about and experienced with the use of an external mic is that the recording levels seemed low. However, there are a number of settings that impact this, including a switch on the back of the device, and a series of recording levels you can designate in the LCD menus. So, come to think of it, I might not have explored all of those options, in addition to being a total novice when it comes to mic placement and recording levels. I did record some other audio sources (iOS instruments and Korg Volca synths and drum machine) and had little problem getting the levels where I wanted them.So, why buy a DP-008EX when you can purchase a $10 DAW and an interface and record directly on a mobile device? For me, it's much the same reason why I still enjoy playing real life guitar amps and effects pedals versus modeling software offering far more variety in sounds...it's just a much more satisfying experience working with physical gear. In my case, I already had the guitars, effects pedals, and even preamp "direct" pedals, so the DP-008EX was an affordable way to capture recordings without getting bogged down in a bunch of software.The lack of an included power supply is a bit disappointing at this price point, but I might try using Eneloop rechargeable batteries for awhile in lieu of being tied to a wall plug. Really liked the level control, pan, and reverb send knobs laid out physically on the display. Getting content off of the device sounds a little harder than it should be in 2016, but I'd rather have difficulty on that end than hassle on the front end when I'm trying to record ideas.

This is a great and much cheaper alternative to using a laptop. I normally record on a PC, but I needed some mobility in order to record in other rooms and locations. I was using a laptop, mixer, and usb interface, setting up every time was getting pretty annoying. With this I can ditch all the equipment.It's simple to use, the only thing I needed the manual for was to figure out how to mixdown and master. Everything else should be self explanatory if you have ever used a DAW before. If you are new to recording, then you will probably need to study the manual. The built-in condensers sound surprisingly good, I thought I wasn't going to use them, but they sound best with acoustic guitars. The preamps are quiet and give enough juice to drive my microphones.I normally use this to record the tracks, then export them to my PC and to do post-processing on my DAW, but the recorder has enough decent tools (reverb, 2 band EQ, compression, DeEsser), that you can completely forgo using a PC and mix and master with the unit alone.My only cons are, you will absolutely need good rechargeable batteries or a power supply, this thing eats up regular batteries very fast, especially when using phantom power. The exporting process is very slow, you can't just pull out the SD card to drag and drop the WAVs onto the PC, you need to export them first which takes a few minutes, then plug in the unit to the PC. It does 16-bit/44khz recording only, at least 24-bit would be nice, if you plan to load pre-recorded tracks onto the unit, you will need to mix them down to 16-bit WAVs otherwise the unit will not recognize them.Wish I had something like this when I was younger and could not afford equipment, this is the perfect solution for people who want to record on a limited budget, or people who just want to ditch using a computer.