4-track vs. Cheap Computer

[brainfreezebob]

A friend of mine and I are talking about doing some long distance collaboration. He's thinking about buying a Tascam 424, but I'm thinking a cheap computer would be more worth it. I record to computer already, but I use a MOTU, and I don't really know anything about soundcards.

What would be rock-bottom, cheapest thing he could get that would allow him to record a track at a time, and not sound like Starscreamer form Transformers?

Do others agree that a computer will do the job better, and possibly cheaper? I've got a 4-track as well, so we can go with that. Thanks.

[jajjguy]

No, I think the 424 will be cheaper no matter what, unless you get the PC for free. The computer will allow way more flexibility, obviously, and good sound quality but only if you pay for it. My sense is that the audio interface to the computer would have to cost a few hundred bucks to be as good as the 424, so the computer would have to be free -- which is sometimes possible.

I'm not absolutely sure about this, as i haven't done the rock-bottom PC thing, though i did look into it a couple years ago.

[XXGABEXX]

Whoah. Talk about weird. I record on a MOTU 828 regularly and I just agreed to do a long-distance 4-track project with a friend too. Are you stalking me?

-GABE

[brainfreezebob]

His dad is a computer junk collector, so he may very well be able to put a computer together. For some reason, I thought that you could record straight into some sound cards, without an interface (MOTU type thing -- I'm a retard, please understand). We are talking about writing, not recording an album (for that we would get together). He wouldn't need to use more than one mic at a time. So basically, I'm looking for the best/cheapest collaboration tool.

[bobbydj]

Multi-track tape. Cheap and cheerless. 424 - and get 'em while y'can 'cos Tascam've stopped makin 'em.

[spiral]

I think a digital 4 track would be easier and cheaper. Then you can send memory cards to each other... Or if you have a media reader you can post the files online or do a realtime transfer. Computers are annoying for a recordist/musician ... too much akward setup to get rolling ... recording is distracting enough.

[Jackson Michaels]

one being easier than the other would most likely depend on what both of you are used to recording with. If the both of you have more experience recording with computers than 4-tracks then that would probably be easier for you.

I personally would much rather use a 4-track for making demos of songs, a 4-track does not have to load an operating system, and recording software to be able to record on, on a 4-track you just have to fast forward to a blank portion of tape. Also a 4track is much smaller and portable than a computer and it only takes one power outlet.
I don't really have much experience with multi-tracking on a computer though so I'm really biased, it would seem to me that the advantages of a computer would be sound quality, non-linear editing and a theoretically endless number of tracks. But if it's a cheap computer without a lot of RAM and Hard drive space you might not be able to have practical use of the infinite tracks at a high sound quality. Non linear editing would absolutely rock my socks off on demo making though.