Tascam X8 Pros & Cons, From A Non-Audio Person

Ғылым және технология

The Tascam X8 is my new audio recorder of choice, let's go over the pros and cons of working with this recorder (as a non-audio person!).
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0:00 Tascam X8 Introduction
0:30 Recording Options
1:20 Zoom H6 vs Tascam X8 Thoughts
2:22 The Screen & Controls
2:45 Size
3:18 Connection Options
3:40 Powering
4:12 Microphones
4:35 Power Options
5:21 Battery Life
5:54 Monitoring Audio
6:04 The Price & How I Justified Buying The X8
7:10 The Learning Curve
7:55 Storage Options
8:28 My Biggest "Con" of the Tascam X8
9:11 File Sizes
9:40 Audio Solutions for Filmmaking

Пікірлер: 44

  • @keith-knittel
    @keith-knittel2 жыл бұрын

    What do you guys think of more conversational videos like this? Like them or dislike them? Thinking about moving around and doing a more vlog-style video for the conversational videos?

  • @DavidWalker-wz9rl

    @DavidWalker-wz9rl

    2 жыл бұрын

    It was great, very clear, concise and from the perspective of an average user, I think. Subbed!

  • @door57productions83

    @door57productions83

    Жыл бұрын

    I think the video was great! Very informative and to the point. I personally prefer conversational videos like these over blog style. That’s just me. Keep up the good work.👍

  • @aarongrooves
    @aarongrooves Жыл бұрын

    As a sorta audio guy, my only issue was the strong room resonance at 370hz. That really stuck out to me lol. But your mic setup sounds fantastic! I know this video was from a while ago, so you may have already found and lowered that frequency. Regardless, great video and thanks for the info! I'm thinking of getting an X8. I've been trying to find some honest reviews (Tascam has so many sponsored videos), and this was helpful. Thank you! The cheap mic build quality is really worrisome. I wonder if they'd replace them if broken. :/

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey Aaron, thank you for the feedback! Ironically, I took down my sound treatment and was moving my office around when I made this video. I'd love if you could check out the video I just posted and let me know what you think of my audio! I'd love to improve my audio in any way possible, and I'm not an "audio person", I'm just experimenting around with what works! Thanks for the kind words and glad to help! For what it's worth, my mics havent broken yet. They feel plasticky, but are fine if you take care of them. I leave them off until I have to use them (which is rare since I mostly use an XLR mic, but I still take them around with me).

  • @aarongrooves

    @aarongrooves

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@keith-knittel Oh, that makes sense, with the sound treatment temporarily down. I looked at the latest video, and it sounds much nicer. I notice a few small things, but it sounds great overall. Easy to listen to. Bravo! Thanks for the response. I just received a Zoom AMS 44 in the mail yesterday, but the thing is, I discovered the Tascam X8 the following day. I really need the four inputs (for recording drumset quick and easy), but the AMS 44 doesn't have builtin mics, and that's a huge loss. Looking forward to receiving that X8! And I'll definitely take good care of those plasticky mics. Lol

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@aarongrooves Thanks for the feedback, if you have any advice on how to imporve my audio with my current setup.. I'm all ears! When it comes to audio, I want to set something up and not have to worry about it, and the X8 has been great so far!

  • @franklong6269
    @franklong62692 жыл бұрын

    I own the Tascam X8, and just a suggestion. It is MUCH quicker to use the Tascam X8 as your card reader than to pull out a full size SD card or micro-SD card. I just plug my X8 into my computer with a USB cable and select card reader and it creates a folder with all of your recordings in it. Just copy the Tascam folder over to your laptop folder and voila, you're done. This is far easier than pulling out cards and plugging them back in. Once you transfer your audio files to your laptop, then you can do whatever you want with them and unplug the X8. The X8 will still retain the original copy if you need it or you can delete them. You can also use the Tascam X8 as a real-time audio interface for your laptop in the field, but it won't record 32 bit audio when doing that. I have not done this yet but I am probably going to try it in the future. As far as batteries. if your recording is in one place, you can use a portable battery bank (like an Anker 26 mAmp) and it will automatically switch to that power source and save your batteries. These portable battery banks are small and they will run the X8 for several days before they need charging. You can also use a 1.5 Amp brick that you plug into a wall outlet to power the recorder.

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 жыл бұрын

    When I'm in the studio, I have my Tascam mounted on an arm and just take the memory card out. I'll have to use it as a card reader next time I use it in the field though! Thanks for the heads up there. I'll try to use the tascam as an audio interface, I have a dedicated one for my PC setup, but as a mobile solution that would work great. And I love using the recorder with power banks/batteries. Sometimes its easier to use it with batteries in it, but for longer shoots for multiple days, it's easier to use a bank / wall power. Thanks for the insight on the X8! Like the title suggests, I'm not an "Audio person" - so I'm open to all the help I can get!

  • @MBJanus

    @MBJanus

    Жыл бұрын

    If you have many wires plugged, use rather powerbanks than wall bricks. Many bricks are cheap and of poor quality, even branded, and send electrical sounds through your wires. More sensitive too are the mics using HF. But if you tried these bricks before in difficult conditions, you can be quiet.

  • @jambononi

    @jambononi

    Жыл бұрын

    It now does have 32 bit while as an audio interface with the new firmware update by the way 😊

  • @franklong6269

    @franklong6269

    Жыл бұрын

    @@jambononi Thank you for letting me know. I had not heard about this update. I probably won't use 32 bit recording because I have heard it is difficult to master in videos, but as the industry moves forward, that will probably change.

  • @franklong6269

    @franklong6269

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MBJanus I don't use a power brick much because it is so convenient to just plug in a small rechargeable battery bank. But the power brick I use is Zoom brick. I have not had any problems with noise introduction. With most bricks, this shouldn't be a problem because 1.5 amp is a relatively low amount of power. As far as "many" wires plugged in, audio recorders are designed for that - obviously. For example, in the X8 can be connected to six mics as well as BlueTooth and other connections.

  • @enriquemartin8655
    @enriquemartin86557 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your presentation.

  • @alan.macrae
    @alan.macrae Жыл бұрын

    Great vid, thank you. I just got an X8 and am in the learning curve. I’ll be feeding a Deity TC-1 into the external in jack. What I’d like to see is the ability to name the user presets.

  • @ginogiove3122
    @ginogiove31222 жыл бұрын

    Very helpful video, thanks a lot! :)

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @jakesouthard9175
    @jakesouthard9175 Жыл бұрын

    The last software update improved boot up time even more

  • @FnhP
    @FnhP Жыл бұрын

    I think audio example would be a great addition to the videos!

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    Жыл бұрын

    This whole video was an audio sample! Haha - i know what you mean though. Will keep that in mind for future videos! Thanks for the feedback

  • @ciekaweurzadzenia
    @ciekaweurzadzenia2 жыл бұрын

    Is it possible to simultaneously record sound to an SD card in 32 bit quality on the tascam device and record the sound of the camera on the smartphone when it is connected via usb c, when the smartphone automatically recognizes it?

  • @jeffparryncc1701
    @jeffparryncc17012 жыл бұрын

    Can you record to the mobile phone as a back up? Thanks.

  • @andrewmason8691
    @andrewmason86912 жыл бұрын

    Good review. I agree with everything you say. We have followed the same audio path. Zoom H4N, H6 and now Tascam X8. Have you found a good KZread tutorial on how to set up and use the X8? I’m getting by, but I’m not sure I’m using it to its full potential.

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 жыл бұрын

    It seems like thats a pretty common audio path with those devices! As far as setup and use, "who is matt johnson" has a great video about setting it up here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Zmd_3MeYoa28YLg.html He has a ton of other helpful videos too!

  • @andrewmason8691

    @andrewmason8691

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@keith-knittel I just watched Matt’s video. It was very helpful. Thanks, Keith.

  • @PetrPodaril
    @PetrPodaril2 жыл бұрын

    Is it possible to switch the display off? Or, does it X8 automatically? Anyway, thanks for your review.

  • @NetvoTV
    @NetvoTV7 ай бұрын

    Is there a way to attach 2 pencil mic directly, do you think Line Audio CM4 will able to fit? Is there a joint adaptor to able to rotate the mic so it can be 90,120 or other form of stereo mix? Do you think it's worth all that or just get a Sennheiser MKE 440 stereo mic? Is it possible to record these 2 XLR as individual track and also the 3.5mm line in as its own track so 2 stereo tracks? I want to record stereo walk video with my behind the camera commentary on a camcorder, I can use the Sennheiser MKE 440 as stereo mic and a single Pencil Condenser CM4 facing backward to me that way, but can it be achieved and can I line all this out to the camcorder so I don't have to sync but still able to record to the Zoom F3 internally as a higher quality and also a backup? Are these build in rotatable stereo mic like Sony A10, many of the Zoom recorder and Tascam X6 good and don't need to make your own stereo pair and don't need Sennheiser MKE 440? MKE 440 marketed as it can get more focused at the centre of the video while other traditional stereo mic make the centre sound less focused, true? Is there reason to attach 2 pencil Condenser directly into the 2 XLR ports on the Zoom F3 which is direct stereo but it's so close to each other, what's the ideal distance between them? Or should I just get the MKE 440 stereo and MKE 600 shotgun for video and Zoom F3 / Tascam X6 / Deity HD-TX with Line Audio CM4 and MKE 600 for audio capture for musics and games? I'm new to music making but I not sure where to start, there are so many type of device, tracker, sampler, comproser, sequencer and so on, I think M8 Tracker is good for me to start and bring anywhere but then I see people don't do all in just one device but connect a few, one say he will connect this to the M8 but why, how about those MIDI keyboard like the OP-1 Field and OP-Z, I love these design as well but not sure where to start, I want to make futuristic modern music, soundtrack from something like Tenet, Tron and Blade Runner plus game like Wipeout flying car games and also want to make game element effects, is there benefit to get any of these and not just use Garageband and Logic Pro with their virtual synthesizer and library of sounds already recorded over the internet?

  • @MartinKoss
    @MartinKoss Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this video (especially that you didn't have distracting music in the background). I appreciated the thorough explanation of the differences between Zoom H6 and Tascam X8. One thing I don't like on the H6 is the preset folder names and I'm wondering if the X8 can have customised folder names for different projects? Thanks.

  • @richieringga
    @richieringga Жыл бұрын

    What kind of power adapter you used to connect to wall charging?

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm using a regular-old USB C cable and a USB power brick for the wall or if I'm not in my studio or by wall power, a USB power bank

  • @teodoroassunik1376
    @teodoroassunik1376 Жыл бұрын

    How much increase the file sizes using 32bit? Can you tell how much increase 1 min or more with 24 and 32bit, i appreciated! Great vid bro! tks

  • @creo_one

    @creo_one

    2 ай бұрын

    Im a year late, but maybe someone still needs an answer. 24 or 32 bits is the binary size of the single sample, so logically 32 bits is 33% larger than 24bits. To put that into perspective we can calculate the end size of uncompressed (WAV format) single minute recording: - In X8 maximum recording frequency is 192kHz, meaning that in one second there are 192 000 samples. - 24 * 192000 * 60 = 276,480,000 bits per minute or *34.56* megabytes per minute - 32 * 192000 * 60 = 368,640,000 bits per minute or *46.08* megabytes per minute I hope it helps

  • @teodoroassunik1376

    @teodoroassunik1376

    2 ай бұрын

    @@creo_one Very helpful man, tks for the explanation.

  • @mml42
    @mml422 жыл бұрын

    low noise test please

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 жыл бұрын

    Will keep that in mind for a future video! Anything else you’d like to see?

  • @jeffparryncc1701
    @jeffparryncc17012 жыл бұрын

    Has anyone come across a hard case for the X8?

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 жыл бұрын

    I haven’t come across any hard cases for the x8 but you could get a hard case with the “pick foam” blocks and make a custom case. Or are you looking for something smaller and custom fitted? Those pick foam block cases are usually pretty big

  • @nogoodnecktie12
    @nogoodnecktie12 Жыл бұрын

    its 399 now you still recommend the x8?

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    Жыл бұрын

    You've GOT to be kidding me! That's $100 less than what I paid.. Even so, I've loved my x8. Used it for talking heads, weddings (DJ/speeches), interviews, recording audio with the mics and it's been great. There is a Zoom F3 that is also a 32-bit float recorder $350 if I remember correctly, but if the x8 is 399, in my experience, I'd say go for the x8! It's been a great recorder for me.

  • @nogoodnecktie12

    @nogoodnecktie12

    Жыл бұрын

    @@keith-knittel yeah they have a 100$ off sale until oct 31st

  • @DitiPeng
    @DitiPeng Жыл бұрын

    ProRes RAW’s 12-bit files are actually smaller than ProRes 422’s 10-bit files (which are bigger because they are demosaiced), so the comparison at 9:20 is not very true.

  • @alikaboglu
    @alikaboglu2 ай бұрын

    first, You said you charge with USBC cable then you said it takes 4 ABatteries???????

  • @keith-knittel

    @keith-knittel

    2 ай бұрын

    You can use it with batteries or power it with USBC

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