Feature:
Great for a $100 Recorder. The pan is nice if you want bass on one side guitar on the other.

Quality:
It fine its great. will last me years if I treat it like a 100,000 dollar car

Value:
Such a score I paid $100 Thats great if you want a good low end multi track recorder like this

Desirability:
MUST GET IF TOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND OVER 100 ON A MULTI TRACK RECORDER PERFECT IF YOU ARE JUST STARTING TO MAKE DEMOS FOR YOUR BAND

Sound:
The sound its great for a tape. Great for demo's. I might use it for an LP if that all we have

Ease of Use:
You have to be blind to not know most of the stuff you can do with it. The manual good to have if you don't know you could hook it up with a stero

Support:
The best support is if you never need to make the call

Overall:
I AM SO HAPPY WITH THIS EVERYBODY MUST BY THIS IF YOU WANT TO MAKE CHEAP DEMOS I ONLY WISH YOU COULD RECORD ALL 4 TRACKS AT A TIME BUT WHO CARES THAT NO BIGGIE BECAUSE IT TELLS YOU HOW TO IF YOU READ THE MANUAL

Feature:
You dont really need that many features

Quality:
It doesnt seem like its going to break.

Value:
I paid only $89 for mine on ebay from a closeout. This was probobly the best investment in musical equipment I have made.

Desirability:
Its blue. Blue is cool

Sound:
Its really good to get an old 60's type recording sound with. A good thing to do is record the drums and bass. then put it into a computer program like cool edit pro. and then get a new tape, and record 2 guitars and vocals. Put that in the computer. This way you can still mix it however you want as long as you keep the tapes. Remember, Sgt. Peppers was recorded onto two four track machines

Support:
Never dealt with them

Overall:
I will use this for a while. Hopefully uprgrade to an eight track reel-to-reel some day. That would be nice.

Feature:
Each of the 4 tape return channels has pan controls. This allows you to create a great stereo image of your recoding. Each track has its own volume control so it is easy to get a ballanced sound. All of the inputs are 1/4" so you will need to purchas TS (Tip Sleave) 1/4" - XLR adapters or 1/4" - XLR cables if you want to use most microphones, which have XLR connections.

Quality:
Every thing is made of plastic, which is ok. It sames on cost. The only worry that I have is that a knob might break off on a cable as I pull it in and out of my equipment bag.

Value:
I haven't tried other products that are similar to this but recorder has been recomended to me by a fellow artist that says Tascam recorders in this price range sound better that the others. I don't like how much tape hiss is picked up.

Desirability:
Simple and not too futuristic looking like a lot of products. Metal construction and retro styles are more appealing to me.

Sound:
The quality is great for use as an audio sketch pad. I like running my electric guitar directly into it. The trim controls that are used for mics act as gain controls when you plug in guitars. Running instruments direct allows me to work on song writing projects without bothering my room mates. A lot of tape hiss is picked up when you record so I wouldn't recomend using it to record music that you intend to distribute.

Overall:
I expect that by takeing good care of it by cleaning the tape heads, keeping it free from dust, and not smashing it some how, it will last a long time.

there are times when my digital machine is just too much to deal with for simple musical sketches. This little cutie is very very simple to use and actually has this nice old analog sound (and for some kinds of music, it sounds way better than my zoom mrs). Since it is so simple, it keeps me away from playing with too many effects and keeps me focused on the song and my vocals. You may not want it for "wall of sound" stuff, since you can't really bounce tracks (unless you use a separate recorder), but if you only need 4 tracks, even the mixdowns can sound pretty damn good. For the money, it's a very handy tool that you can stuff in your messenger bag quite easily . It'd be nicer if it had battery power, but still I am not complaining. It comes in red, but harder to find, and i wish it came in silver like the little brother PO1.

Feature:
would be nice to have balanced mike inputs,and to be able to record 4 tracks at once,but you cant have it all at this price,it is a good sketch pad for songwriters.

Quality:
had mine 3 yrs and no problems yet..(keep the heads clean)

Value:
fair price,but if I had to do it again I would step up to the next model,at least,to get 4 track simultaneous recordability,balanced mike inputs,and noise reduction...

Desirability:
it works,but I would not call it "sexy"...

Sound:
pretty good sound for the money (unless tape hiss aggravates you)great for hard rock guitar and drum recording,seems best with TDK pro cassettes..I use it for vocals,elec.guitar direct from my marshalls,and run a boss drum machine into it.

Support:
never had to contact them...

Overall:
I will replace it with something that can record 4 tracks at once....probably the "mk III"

A fantastic machine at a fantastic price. The porta02 simply cannot be beat!
The manual is well-written and easy to use, along with the features the porta provides.

Recommened to musicians of any styles!

Feature:
This is a basic unit with few features, but it's easy to use.

Quality:
I used a Porta 02 pretty heavily for three years without a problem. I've had other Tascams, though, that have fallen apart. I wouldn't assume, though, that different models are made in the same facility.

Value:
Great value.

Sound:
I record acoustic music, and the sound of the Porta 02 is good, although the wow and flutter is audible a little bit. I don't recommend using a low impedance mic like the SM57 or SM58 and a transformer with the Porta 02. A good quality high impedance mic will sound much better.

Ease of Use:
It is VERY easy to use. I own a Tascam 414 also, and the Porta 02 is far easier to use.

Support:
I've written to them in the past, when other Tascams fell apart, and they were dismissive and said it was my fault.

I bought it and after I record I simply run the tape into my computer. The unit has RCA outs. You can eliminate tape hiss with a good program like reason or wave lab or even use a simple program like creative sound. You can get your sound on cd and on the net to get people to hear it.

Feature:
Wish I could record all 4 tracks at a time,but you get what you paid for.

Quality:
The quality is outstanding!I was pissed off at it one day and kicked it against a wall and OMG it still works.Probably even better than before lol. This thing might be platic but it sure is dang durable.

Value:
Its fantastic for the buck

Desirability:
This thing is fugly,but its ok in the inside.

Sound:
Its ok for what it is..Um...I would say this is the best recorder for novice musicians. Dont get the first model because theres a huge sound difference(I had one for a week and I hated it). Save up a coulpe more bucks and buy this bad boy. It has an old school type of sound where you can still here that his even if you had some kind of noise gate. I would highly recommend this to begginers before they go onto using the digital recorders.

Support:
never really had to call.

Overall:
I think there are better recorders out there but Im really satisfied with this one. Its probably the best way to record a good quality demo.

Feature:
For the price it was about right. I didn't expect too much for the price paid. It's quick and easy to learn how to use. No complaints.

Quality:
I'd give it a ten but I havene't had it long enough to know for sure. Seems well made on the outside, though.

Value:
For the price paid, and considering its ease of use - and taking into account its awful sound quality, for which there is really no excuse, I'd say it offers reasonably good value for the money. A bit more spent on a dolby noise reduction circuit for the tape and I'd have given it a ten.

Desirability:
Sex appeal??? The overall 'look' of the product is, to my eyes, very attractive aeshetically. Sexually??? No piece of musical equipment looks sexually attractive to me. It 'looks' like it's easy to use, and as it turns out...it is.

Sound:
It gets a low grade because, even for a tape machine, it should offer better sound quality. The least expensive cassette player sounds better than this does.

Support:
There should be a rating for "haven't had the need to call support", but there isn't so I gave it a rating of half way. I have noticed that most companies I've had to deal with, that sell music-related items, have what I'd label as mediocre support. I hope this company offers better. Though what I really hope is that I never have to find out!

Overall:
I'd like to rate it higher but, because of the lousy sound quality - mostly, I suppose, from the tape hiss - I'm rating it lower. I'm already looking for something else that is easy to use but offers better sound quality. Unfortunately I suppose it means looking into those way-too-complicated digital recording studio thingys that I've been trying to avoid.