Ideal frontend for a RTR 4-track?

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:23 am

I'm curious what small mixers people like to use for recording, monitoring, and mixing a reel-to-reel 4-track. I recently got a 3440 again (don't know why I sold the first one) and would like something with 4 decent pres and a bit of routing flexibility. There is always the 1202, one of the new ones or the old classic, all quite affordable. Anything else?

By the way, hi. I haven't been around.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:45 pm

Funny, a search indicates that I was asking this question five years ago and still haven't answered it. Unless I am given some brilliant advice pronto I will probably go Mackie. God knows it is always handy to have one of those around.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:18 pm

Api 3124mb+. Doesn't seem like that's your budget range, but it would probably be sweet. Not much routing flexibility, but the sonics might make you forget about that.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 3:20 pm

Hahaha, oh my, no. This is for demos. But goddam yeah I want one of those.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:49 pm

I don't know that I can make a brand suggestion but as a rule I always prefer to have twice as many console channels as I have tracks on the tape machine. A console with 8 or more channels would let you run 4 as input and 4 as output when tracking and give you the option running effects on a fader with eq available during mixdown. It would also give you the chance to split one track onto a few different faders if you end up with a catch all track that has back-ups, guitar solo and tambourine all happening at different parts.
Depending on your price range you could look at an A&H Mix Wizard, or something Mackie, or a smaller Yamaha or Soundcraft. I used the Mix Wizard a few times back in my 8 track days and really liked it. Every now and then I see old 8 channel Soundcraft 200 series (like this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soundcraft-Se ... 500wt_1204 ) at the pawn shops. Those could be great but might be overkill for what you need and a maintenance headache.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:21 pm

I dig the "twice as many channels" approach too. I wish I could recommend my Ashly mm-508, but they've skyrocketed in price on eBay.

dubold · Post by **dubold** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:05 am

coughcough-hillmultimix-cough

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:35 am

Haha Dave I totally forgot!!! Another thing I never should have sold. Good call.

David, very good advice, I do intend to have 4 channels to use as inputs and 4 for monitoring, so I only need pres on the first 4. A 1202 will give me that. So will a Multimix though!!

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:48 am

i have a warm place in my heart for a tascam series 5b.

markjazzbassist · Post by **markjazzbassist** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:00 pm

i have a teac 3340s that i use with a ramsa wr-133. so i'm in the exact setup you're talking about.

the ramsa has 8 channels and 4 outs (L,R,Effect,Monitor), and if you take off the racks ears it's pretty small and portable. the mic preamps sound big (had a tascam 388 which sounded nice, but these sound beefier) and you can monitor LR, Effect or Monitor so you're flexible there too. I paid $100 for mine on ebay, just make sure it's the wr-133, the wr-130 only has 2 outs.

here you go, i almost bought this one (he has it labeled wrong, it's the wr-133)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-Ramsa ... 500wt_1205

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ramsa-By-Panaso ... 792wt_1190

Dominick Costanzo · Post by **Dominick Costanzo** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:47 am

Shure M68

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:46 am

No direct outs.

Ordered a 1202 for now but am going to be on the lookout for a Hill Multimix or Minimix. Kind of tempted by a Tascam m208, too but now we are getting kinda huge.

Judas Jetski · Post by **Judas Jetski** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:49 pm

Tascam M30. That's what I've currently got in front of that 40-4 I tried to sell you a few years ago...

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:50 pm

I did that for a while with a very similar model of Tascam. I actually had the manual for your model but actually had the next model over.
I used to use a Mackie 1202 then a Ramsa WRS8112.

They dont have the most brilliant high end response, but they are fun to mix on, and they have great routing, and tons of patch points.
Cons are that htey are effing huge.
My second choice would be a Soundcraft 200B. I've seen smallish configs of those in 8x4x2 or similar.

markjazzbassist · Post by **markjazzbassist** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:17 pm

selling my ramsa wr 133 for a sony mx-20. i'm looking forward to that little setup with my teac 3340, nice old discrete tape machine and mixer, the finer things in life

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Ideal frontend for a RTR 4-track?

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