- 8-track Portable Multi-track Recorder
- CD-Quality Recording (44.1kHz/16-bit)
- Built-in High-quality Stereo Condenser Microphone
- Two XLR mic/line with +48V Phantom Power
- 2G SD Card and AA Batteries Included
I have already worked on a couple songs and was surprised how well they turned out. The DP-008EX has adjustable input compression for all tracks which is a new feature on this model as far as I know. It is a nice feature, but cannot be used at the same time as the other two new features, the exciter (a treble/harmonics booster) and the de-esser. Not a big deal. The old two band EQ feature is nice for removing some unwanted frequencies or boosting others. There are some other small things on this series of recorders that make it easier to use like the auto punch in/out and the track silencer in the edit functions. Just like the previous models the ease of use has not changed and you almost don not even need the instruction manual.
The only dislike I have is that it does not seem to be as rugged and sturdy as my DP-004. The input level knobs seem a little loose. I have only had it a fairly short time and haven't really had any problems so far.
The brand new and probably the most important feature on the DP-008EX when compared to the older model is the mastering section. There is an automatic mastering option and a manual mastering option, which gives you another two band EQ, compression and normalization. These three options only affect the mixdown and not the individual tracks. The manual mode is a little complicated and requires a little more time to figure out how to get the sound you are looking for, but once you have figured it out I think it will greatly improve the quality of your song. It really depends on how much detail and time you are willing to put into the song. Most recorders probably have more options as far as effects and mastering tools, but you can spend hours on these types of things.
I myself am not a producer. But, the DP-008EX allows me to be able to create a fairly decent CD of my own recordings and cover songs without costing me a lot of time and money. The best thing about the DP-008EX like its predecessors is that it is easy to use and you can record tracks very quickly.
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Amazing what features can be packed into a tiny unit in 2013, my first 8-track recorder was 60 pounds and used ¼" tape on 7" reels in 1987.The Scoop:
Built in condenser mics on a unit that records up to 8 tracks, has built-in effects and dual XLR inputs that provide phantom power to condenser mics. Wow. Long way from the 4-track cassette PortaStudios in the 80's.
The size alone makes this an amazing unit on the field. Runs on 4 AAs and a standard SD card, yet records CD quality (16bit/44.1kHz). I ran this up with the built-in condenser mics to test sound quality, and it performed nearly identical to my TASCAM DR-100mkII which is what I would expect, as the mics seem identical on both units. I then recorded test samples my AKG C414, and the performance was quite admirable. The preamps aren't quite as robust as what's in the DR100MKII (The DR100MKII preamps blow the doors off of the noisy Zoom H4N) but nonetheless are still clean and usable for production. Phantom power worked flawlessly, there was no perceptible loss of fidelity from the provided power beig in adequate. Awesome unit.
Mixdown and "Mastering" is a little quirky given the shortage of real estate (therefore lack of normal controls such as low and high shelving EQ). But the fact that you have a usable reverb, plus options for bouncing tracks down to a stereo mix does allow for more than 8 tracks in a pinch. Theres also a built-in metronome and tuner. Talk about the ultimate songwriting tool while on the road!
For cons, none really, given what this was designed for and for what it's priced at, what as awesome little unit. ONE WARNING: the 2GB SD card that they include does in fact have sample mixes on it for you to hear and study. Don't do what I foolishly did: formatted the SD card as soon as I pulled the unit out of the box! Later I read that there was sample music on there. Oh well! If anyone posts the sample file(s) on a blogpost, etc, please reply and let me know. I have zero clue what they sound like, lol.
Enjoy! Write some winners!
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What I like best among the many things I like about this unit is the size. It's so portable, yet it has so many features and it also has a nice, solid construction feel to it. So much versatility built into a compact package.This is something I've always wanted. Even back in junior and high school, I wanted tape decks that had a "sound on sound" feature so I could record tracks and layer them with new tracks. Problem was each successive layer degraded the quality, using analog reel-to-reel tape. Not so with a digital unit like this. I know these have been around a while but I'm just now getting started on it. I'm far from a professional and just use it to dabble and everything works just like it is supposed to.
The unit comes with a 2GB SD card that contains a sample track to be used for a tutorial. Never having used anything like this before, I took the tutorial and found it very helpful to acquaint me with the features. The built-in mics work very well and are of good quality. You can always use external mics as well if you want something better but for my purposes and tastes, the built-ins were fine. Data is displayed clearly in the small screen on the face. It takes a while to get used to the features and I had to keep referring back to the manual but once you get the hang of it, the controls are very thoughtfully laid out and it gives you a powerful set of options to use.
I know these days most recording is done via software on a PC or laptop but I like this unit because of its portability and all-in-one configuration. It has so much packed into a small package and it does just what the manual says it does, and does it very well. I feel Amazon offers it at an excellent price for its value and quality, too.
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...for this multi-instrumentalist who writes sappy little songs and arranges them and wants to record all the tracks herself! It's the very thing she's been wishing for and is finding her way around on. Impressed with quality and versatility and portability. Is learning. There is a curve to the learning. No complaints. Been wanting to do this for years. In fact it's an important part of the retirement plan. She (me of course) will report further but so far is most impressed and is having great fun. Recommended.Save 51% Off
Disclaimer: I am reviewing a unit I received for free through the Vine program.Wow, what a lot of functionality squeezed into such a small low-cost device!!
I have a Boss BR1180 8-track hard disk recorder that I got back in the early 2000's; it cost roughly 5 times as much as this DP-008EX does now, and the Boss didn't do a whole lot more than this unit does.....
Mainly all the Boss BR1180 has over this DP-008EX is that the BR1180 can read and write audio CD's and CD-R's (with this DP-008EX you have to transfer your audio files back and forth to your computer and read/write CD's there if you still need them these days...); also the Boss is bigger so you have more room for your fingers to spread out when performing the physical actions of mixdown, so there are more knobs and a bit more screen real estate to see what's going on etc. Also the Boss had 3-band EQ on each channel, more than this unit does......
Now I've only barely begun to experiment with this DP-008EX, doing a few test projects, after having studied the manual. I also bought an external power supply for it, and another memory card for it.
I'll come back and revise this review after I've had some more experience working with this unit, since there are things that come out in actual use that aren't just written down in the manual... and there are so so many functions, and a lot of them are "overloaded" using the same knobs/keys in different "modes", so it's going to take me some time to get comfortable with it..... I worked with the Boss BR1180 for a few years.
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