HPR2884: TASCAM Porta 02 MiniStudio 4-Track Cassette Recorder Demonstration

I discuss and demonstrate the latest retro gadget I found at the flea market last weekend, a TASCAM Porta 02 MiniStudio 4-Track Cassette Recorder. It was in a bin full of junk—filthy, lacking its power supply, and I got it for only $5. I hacked a power supply, disassembled it completely, washed everything thoroughly, and put it back together. It worked perfectly with the exception of the pause button. This has been one of the most fun projects I can remember, especially because my daughter is into it too, and she's learning how to make multi-track recordings. I always wanted a 4-track when I was in high school but never had one. Now I do!

Links to info about stuff I mentioned

• Flickr album with photos from this recording session
• Flickr album with photos from the TASCAM machine restoration
• My earlier episode about the Marantz recorder: hpr1844 :: The Marantz PMD 660 Professional Solid State Recorder
• My video of the TASCAM testing, power supply hack, disassembly, and cleaning: Watch on YouTube
• Multitrack recording
• Güiro (mine is metal)
• Clave (instrument) and clave rhythm (you heard the 2-3 clave rhythm on this podcast)
• Diatonic harmonica
• Chromatic harmonica
• Microphone types
• Phantom power
• Clipping
• EQ: Equalization
• Mixing
• Mastering
• Demo Recordings
• The TASCAM PortaStudio
• David Mead (his first two albums were with RCA, not Polygram
• My first test recording on the restored TASCAM Porta 02: Listen on Soundcloud

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