Tape 4-track recorder for sale or loan, please !

[snakehips]

Would anyone here have an old tape cassette 4-track tape recorder ? Anyone willing to loan or sell me theirs ?

I used to have a Yamaha MT120 in the 1990's - which you could record on ALL 4 tracks/channels at the same time.
I'd love an exact replacement, as that would be most ideal.

I have lots of 4-track tapes to sift through as I'd like to digitise them before the tapes deteriorate (if they haven't already !).
I loaned my machine to a good friend about 15-20yrs ago - and never got it back !
He moved down south, so threw it in the trash as part of the moving process, rather than give it back to me !!!!

He's still my friend though ! Actually he found me a replacement 4-track tape recorder but it's not the same model.
Crucially, it doesn't have individual outputs for each track, like the one I had did.

I have a relatively modern digital multi-tracker (Zoom R16) that I hope to transfer each tape track to an individual digital track.
The original tape multitracker I had, had 4 individual "Tape Out" outputs. The replacement I have doesn't. I'd have to mix down on this old thing.

So, has anyone got a tape 4-track recorder that has 4 individual track "Tape Out" outputs
Ideally, a Yamaha MT120 would be exactly what I'm after, but anything with 4 individual track outputs (as well as the usual Monitor L&R and Master L&R outputs).
I've had a listen to one tape so far and found a cracker of an Elmore James cover, from circa 25yrs ago.
The Yamaha MT400 replacement I have is a bit flaky - the dials are scratchy and intermittedly cut out audio at the slightest touch of a dial. Not ideal.

Many thanks in advance !

Oh, also, the Yamaha models used DBX noise reduction - so ideally another Yamaha using DBX would be most ideal, then secondly another recorder brand that still uses DBX. I think Fostex machines use Dolby, which won't sound good with my tapes, as I think I always used the DBX facility.

[snakehips]

I believe the Yamaha MT4X also has 4 individual track "Tape Out" outputs - so that model would do nicely instead.

[Deleted]

There's umpteen HERE Looks like they're in demand.

[snakehips]

Yes, thanks, I just started checking for MT4X's after I found they would do what I need them to do - and found those on ebay.

[Deleted]

Hey Snakehips...I read your post about the MT120...I have one that I have never used...dont remember when where I got it. Tried it out a few years ago and the tape wouldnt move. But after reading your post, took it apart today and found a slipped belt. So it seems to be working.

Can you really get a decent quality audio recording on that thing? Something you could play alongside a commercial recording? What kind of microphone and tape did you use? Thanks for any info.

[snakehips]

Many thanks for your help,

I bought a used Yamaha MT4X - which seems to have been about the best 4-track recorder they made - a step up from the one I had.
I just need it to play my tapes into my digital multi-tracker. I'll mix and try to improve,in the digital domain after that.
Just wanted to transfer my old tapes before they deteriorate.

I'll likely sell the tape multitracker after I'm done with it.
I highly recommend the MT4X if anyone is looking to do similar to me.

[Deleted]

Just seen this - are you sorted?
I have a tascam 4 track cassette recorder you could borrow, only 2 outputs though.
TT

[snakehips]

Nah, the thing I was given only had 2 outputs.
That thing is mince !
The MT4X is definitely the best I've ever used - happy with it.
Plus the DBX noise reduction is working well with my tapes recorded with same DBX in my last machine (MT120).

[Deleted]

If its the MT4X you'll be selling after, I'd be interested (if it has 4 outputs that is).
TT

[snakehips]

It does have 4 "Tape Out" outputs. Only the EQ pots seem to have an effect on the "Tape Outs" outputs - so the master volum & channel volume faders are at zero and the sound still comes out, direct from the tape.
I'm downloading each track onto separate tracks of my Zoom R16 multi-tracker.
I'll mix & stuff later in the digital domain.

I also recorded some stuff with my cheap "music system" player I got for Xmas, when I was about 15 or 16yrs old.
It had a record player and twin cassette decks, and two mini-jack mic inputs (Left & Right).
You could record from one cassette deck, into the other.
I would record with one mic in the L channel, on one cassette. Then that play back and record on a 2nd cassette in the recording cassette deck, with a mic in the R mic input, resulting in say vocal & harmonica on R track, and guitar in the L track.
Even with "Normal" cassettes, the sound coming from this circa 30yr old cassette, played on the MTx4, into the Zoom R16, and it's outputs into my Yamaha monitors, is surprisingly good.

I don't know now, I might just keep the MTX4 - in case I need to go back to those tapes in the future and transcribe them again. (My first attempts at doing this might be terrible !).

Anyway, I highly recommend the Yamaha MTX4 for anyone needing to buy a used 4-track tape cassette recorder, for anyone with old 4-track tapes.
I haven't tried recording on it.

Next project after this one, is to find a decent quality Mini-Disc player.
I had a good portable Mini-Disc recorder that I used to record some gigs, straight off the PA's Phono L&R outputs.
Don't currently have a working Mini-Disc player to copy those onto modern digital format on my PC (laptop) - I'd like to share those recordings with my bandmates.
Things to do before I pop my clogs ........... !!!

[Deleted]

Out of interest, are you sending all 4 tracks to digital simultaneously, and does panning impact on this?
I had trouble sending synching two tracks out then two more tracks out to digital, because the tape speed is never 100% accurate.
TT

[snakehips]

I'm just sending each tape track to it's own digital track, no mixing or panning.
I think if using the "Tape Out" outputs, you can't pan any of one track into another - each output ONLY sends what was on that track - which is handy.
My friend that gave me the cheap multi-tracker with only L&R main outputs, was suggesting I pan tracks 1&2 to far left and far right, and send the Main out L&R to tracks 1&2 of my Zoom R16, then send my tape's track 3 to the Aux Send 1 output, and track 4 to the Aux Send 2 output, and plug those outputs into tracks 3 & 4 of my Zoom R16.
It seemed a complicated way of doing things - and I wasn't confident that panning tracks left & right would result in each track panning 100% and not receiving some audio from another track.

That's why I needed 4 outputs.
Yes, I could download one track at a time, but then I'd need to sync the tracks together so they are all at the same start time.
I don't have software to do that, and doubt I'd know how to do it correctly, even if I did.

Playing the whole tape together, if I can keep each tape track separate, into digital tracks, seems the best way, as any tape flutter will affect all the tracks, so they will stay sync'd together.

I've converted about 20 tunes into my Zoom R16 now - but haven't done any mixing yet and listened to a finished track.
I really should try it before I load any more tracks in.
I'f I'm doing it all wrong (too much distortion introduced, or signals too weak, I'll be wasting my time loading more tunes, UNTIL I get the process right.

Also, as it turns out, despite the cheaper unit I was given by my friend having DBX noise reduction too, it either doesn't work, or is a different version, because it sounded terrible with it ON. I was beginning to thing I originally recorded everything with the DBX set to OFF, on my old MT120. As it turns out, with my "new" MT4X, the sound is great with it's DBX on - so I must have used the DBX noise reduction after all, when I originall recorded stuff (on my MT4X), if you follow that ? !!

I'm no expert with this, ha ha ha !!!
Hence why I may keep the MLX4 until I'm sure that I've digitised everything as well as I could do.