Tascam DP01FX 8-Track Hard Disk Recorder with FX

8-tracks at CD quality 44.1kHz/16-bit. 2-track simultaneous recording. Built-in 40GB hard drive. On-board effects.

Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10

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"A Great 8-Track"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * . . . . . . . . 2 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
The biggest selling point of this unit for me initially was the dedicated physical controls for panning and EQ. It looked more like a mixing board than the other DAW's. After working with it for a couple of years now, I appreciate a lot more. It really is an incredible amount of technology packed into a small unit, especially if you're old enough to remember when cassette multi-tracks were the only option in this price range. It can operate as a MIDI master recorder, it has built in reverb and instrument effects that are adequate for project/demo recordings, it has non-destructive track editing, a built in master recorder independant from the 8 tracks, phantom powered XLR inputs, and USB connectivity so your recordings never have to leave the digital domain. Like others have already mentioned, a larger, backlit screen would have been an improvement.

Quality:
Like so much gear these days, DAW's are basically computers running proprietary software. So, as with all computers, if you have critical work you don't want to lose, SAVE SAVE SAVE! This unit has crashed a few times on me. The worst incident cost me hours of work because I hadn't taken 10 seconds to do a manual save. I eventually realized that each crash was caused by hitting transport control buttons in too quick a sequence. Since slowing my fingers down, I've had no crashes. Otherwise, the unit has functioned perfectly for two years now. I don't lug it around, so I can't speak to how rugged it might be.

Value:
Fantastic value. The amount of technology you get for the money is astounding.

Desirability:
I bought it for it's features. I don't care what it looks like, but fortunately it's not neon green or anything.

Sound:
The only thing I can compare it to is the ADAT I used before it. The high frequency reproduction is a **little** harsher, but managable. It produces quiet, uncoloured tracks if you keep recording levels high and transfer digitally.

Ease of Use:
The manual is well written, and once you spend some time with the unit, it's easy to operate. Making a cheat sheet of some of the more common functions and keeping it close by always helps with this kind of gear until you get familiar with it.

Support:
I phoned tech support after the bad crash mentioned above. It was not toll free from Canada, I was on hold for a while, and the guy I eventually got was unable to help me. Basically "Sorry it crashed. We have no idea what might have happened. Yes, it sounds like you've lost all your work." It was a waste of time and money. I suspect they don't know any more than what's written in the manual.

Overall:
It's great for what I do: record song demos. Yes, I wish it had more than 8 tracks so I wouldn't have to bounce. But then I remind myself that the Beatles recorded their Sgt. Pepper album on a 4 track. This unit is small & portable, inexpensive, well thought out, feature packed, and sounds great. A little gem.

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"How can you go wrong ?"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
The built-in effects are border-line useless. Vocal, bass and acoustic guitar are 'ok', but out of all the electric-guitar effects there's only 2 or 3 that produce something useable..all the rest produce lots and lots of noise. I have no idea who would use them. Built-in reverb is functional, a spring would be a vast improvement. A backlit lcd would be helpful. 40 gig hard drive seems like plenty of space. No need to run out and by more flash memory like some models. I really like the fact that it can hold its own master track, you don't have to mix to a different machine like the tape versions did. I don't have a problem having only 2 inputs, though some users might. Amazing how much stuff they packed into this little unit.

Quality:
Well, everything on it works like it's supposed to....have had no problems with it. Of course, one should be gentle with it. I've been using it for 9 months with no troubles. I wouldn't take it on the road...it should be treated like a laptop computer.

Value:
I'm amazed at how may features you get for the price. The extra $100 for the fx version seems worth it, for the phantom power and xlr connectors alone. If you get any use out of the internal effects then you're ahead of the game.

Desirability:
It's not much to look at, but that's not why i bought it. Ease of use and features made it appeal to me. And the fact that it's portable made it much more attractive than being forced to sit by my computer to record. I'll take real knobs and sliders over dragging a mouse anyday.

Sound:
The overall sound is impressive, what goes in..comes out.

Support:
I dont' know about support, fortunately i have not needed it ! From what i've read on other reviews, the support is not very good.

Overall:
I expect to use this for years, as long as it holds up. It makes a quality recording, with more features than i need. 40 gig of disk space is plenty, and everything can be exported to a pc so you'll never loose data. If you've ever spent time with a cassette portastudio, you'll appreciate the improved sound quality, the 8 tracks and the fact that you never have to wait for a tape to rewind ! It allows me to have fun, and create very listenable cd's in the process.

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"Bring it."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
i use it for recording dj sets, beat machines (midi is easy.), sing, and sound effects. its nice and simple to use. everything is right where u want it to bee. the one feature i liked was the data wheel. its in a great place easy to get around everything and labeled very well. i'm hyped to use the punch in later on down the line, havent used it yet but all hte other features are sounding and working great.

Quality:
feeels kind of soft. i mean it feels like it could break at any moment. i been thinking about buying a case for it but the inputs make that idea kind of weak. there is no rubber or anything for the faders. dust can fall in like nothing small little gap. the finish is nice.

Value:
this machine is going to be one of those things everyone should have got but never got it. i happen to belive that this and an AKAI can go hand in hand. thats just what i see.

Sound:
befor i say anything. if you havent read the manual then for sure you are missing out. read the manual from front to back and then use the baby or use the baby and the manual at the same time do something just get the manual read. serious. the sound quality is great. what it says on the meters is what is going to come out of this machine. it sounds good, then it records good. u have a nasty sound, oh, it will sound nasty. that simple. sounds good. even for those people that are like oh its a daw week pre amps its going to make noise, doesnt it all make noise? come on. it sounds good.

Ease of Use:
the menu... the fack that there is no back light almost kills this litte machine. backlikght would have been great. also the faders are very strong, i like that and the knobs are comfortable and on point. the inputs should have been put in the back, but for what i'm doning, bring in diffrent people it works great, just keep the wires close and DON"T FORGET TO TURN OFF A CHANNEL WHEN YOU UNPLUG A CABEL. that is a nice feature. the ear phones could have been on top of the console but thats just me. but a back light for sure. if a backlight one comes out and i still have this one i'm going to be sending emails thats for sure..

Support:
dont know...

Overall:
its a very good machine

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"top of the line."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
I would like to see a light in the LCD.

Quality:
For the price...........super. As good as Roland.

Value:
Excellent...this not rocket science.

Desirability:
The design is really cool and totally functional.

Sound:
I have owned a Roland studio work station and I'd rate Tascam as being equal in sound quality.

Ease of Use:
Take your time learning the basics of operation and you will find the dp-01 fx to be super easy to use.

Support:
They stand behind their products 100%. A real quality company.

Overall:
10

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"Great Sound for a Great Price"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
I really enjoy the copy and paste section where i can copy and paste parts so i dont have to replay them over and over again but everything on this is very useful.

Quality:
I have only had one problem with it and it was when my drummer dropped it didnt work so it can be pretty fragile other then that i have never had a problem with loseing information or haveing it just break for no reason. its always a good idea to be careful with it when takeing it on the road i would just make sure its in a safe place where it wont fall or get crushed or anything. Im hopeing it will last me a long time it all depends on how you take care of it.

Value:
I would deffenintly say this is worth the price. It has been one of the best investments i have made. Its not proffessional, but you get some pretty damn good sound out of it especially for the price. Very Worth it and ver good for makeing Demos.

Desirability:
haha well this is kind of a weird one but i guess its alright it just looks like a normal recording machine. It didnt really catch my eye when i first saw it but its a great product.

Sound:
Well i have owned the DP01 for over a year now. I play in a metal band Which is hard to get good sound becuase theres so much going on with drums vocals and guitar but this thing really handles it quite well i know lots of people who go in and pay alot of money for recordings and me and my band get a better sound out of this thing than most studios its great for its price and creating demo discs,and it works excelent for acoustic music.

Ease of Use:
Getting great sound can be kind of difficult, it takes some experimentaion and some testing before you can get the sound your looking for. As far as modifying sound to your personal taste its alright there isnt a whole wide range of variety. As far as useing it its very easy the manual can be a little confusing at times but for the most part you shouldnt have a problem working with it.

Support:
Support was great i did have some questions about it and they where able to help me figure it out very easily and quickly. When i dropped mine and broke it i brought it in under the warranty and they fixed good as new with in a short amount of time. I have yet to be displeased with the service i have gotten from the company.

Overall:
I am very satisfied with this product and im sure i will continue to be satisfied.

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"Works as promised, but mine has a glitch"

Overall:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Support:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
Lots of great features. I haven't tried to the PC upload yet, but I will. As mentioned above, the electric guitar effects are sketchy (hit and miss), but the acoustic effects work well and so do the voice effects (although they could use some additional voice effects). You can tweak the effects quite a bit as well, which is nice.

Quality:
Well, to be fair, mine has a problem (as noted above), so I am not overly enthused about the quality of the product at this point. I have only had it for four days.

Value:
Value is excellent (glitch aside). I don't thing there will be much debate on this one.

Desirability:
I think that for the price it is hard to beat this unit in today's market. A lot of people are going to want this one.

Sound:
I am monitoring by headphones and the sound is not bad. My unit has a glitch however and I am going to have to return it. There is a buzz (like a mosquito on distortion) that comes randomly in the headphones. It doesn't get recorded, so I am guess it's a loose/bad connection somewhere inside the machine. I even went out a bought a new pair of headphones to be sure it was just a bad set. I also changed all cords etc., so I know now that the machine is faulty. The sound of the guitar FX is disappointing, specifically any of the distorted effects, since they all have a very loud buzz/hum (like a bad cord) that you can't get rid of, so this is recorded. Makes for an ugly-sounding track.

Support:
I e-mailed Tascam with a question before I bought this unit. That was four weeks ago. They never replied at all. I hope I don't need to contact them with anything.

Overall:
Assuming that I can get one without a buzz in the headphones (and if I can figure out a way to make use of the electric guitar effects without the annoying background noise), then my rating will probably go up to an 8. If the export to PC and burning on CD goes well, then I may even bump to a 9.

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"Slide the Sliders! Tweak the Knobs! Express Yourself!"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
XLR inputs. Some decent on-board effects (once you tame them a little). Great digital editing features make this a winner!

Quality:
It's mostly plastic but it is sturdy and well-made. The sliders are solid feeling with just the right amount of resistance. Smae goes for the knobs.

Value:
It is worth the price. I got it used, which makes it an even better value.

Desirability:
It's rather nice looking unit. The color in the pictures does not d oit justice. It is a nice metal-flake silvery gray. this may not seem important but you will be spending hours looking at this thing so it might as well be easy pn the eyes.

Sound:
Sound quality is better than expected. Sure, it's only 16 bit sampling but it sonds great. It won;t make you sound like Frank Sinatra or Eddie Van Halen but you will sound like you. What you put in is exactly what you get out. There is some hiss when monitoring and mixing but it does not seem to be there when mastered to a CD. It is strictly a product of the components used for manufacturing. Quieter sound would have cost mor money and I'd be reviewing a different product.

Ease of Use:
If you've ever laid hands on a cassette four-track you will have no trouble. It actually took me less time to unpack the thing than it did to lay down some test tracks. It's that easy! Just select an input, select a destination track, arm the track, and hit record.

Support:
I have not had to deal with them at all.

Overall:
This should fulfill my recording needs for quite some time. I have access to a professinal studio full of high-end gear but I wanted somethign for home use that would be simple and hassle-free. No messing with a mouse, windows compatability issues and outdated drivers! No clumsy menus to page through. Lots of dedicated knobs and sliders to play with. Just plug and play!

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"Wanna plug in and play? Then consider this little beauty"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
I nearly bought the version without reverb. I'm so pleased I didn't, because the machine's reverb has proved itself to be invaluable, especially for making my less than great voice sound reasonable, and giving an almost 'Pink Floyd' quality to keyboards.

Quality:
It acts 100% perfectly, although I feel the need to treat it like a fragile flower, cocooning it in bubblewrap after use. I cannot envisage anybody being foolish enough to take it on the road, it just doesn't seem robust enough for that.

Value:
An absolute bargain.

Desirability:
Love the real knobs. It's all I ever wanted, although a 16 or even 32 track version of the same would interest me.

Sound:
Compared to horrible TAPE, this machine is quite simply the nuts.

Ease of Use:
At first, it would take me an hour or so to get it to work, sometimes to the stage where I was pressing buttons at random or thinking I'd broken it. Then, however, I realised the manual has ONE GLARING OMISSION in its set up procedure- it doesn't tell you to press the ENTER button after some of its otherwise clearly explained info. I still struggle a bit and always have the manual open.

Overall:
Real time controls are so much more useful to the type of musician who just wants to plug in and play, and this kit satisfies- no computing skills required. As I said earlier, I wuld like a 16 or even 32 track that is PRECISELY THE SAME as this 8-track (just wider, presumeably!) and would be prepared to pay the extra every day of the week.

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"Worth the price and does the job well it was designed for."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support: