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TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder White

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Have a Question? Call Our Experts: 866-462-9472 TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder White 
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TASCAM

24-bit/96kHz handheld recorder with adjustable microphones for more accurate recording patterns.

The compact TASCAM Linear DR-08 PCM/MP3 Portable Digital Recorder packs serious audio quality into a handheld dynamo you can carry in your pocket. The DR-08 captures audiophile-quality 96kHz/24-bit WAV files— or web-friendly MP3 files—to robust MicroSD media.

The TASCAM DR-08 recorder's built-in microphones have a unique mechanism to change the width and angle of the elements, allowing you to tailor the pattern for the perfect recording. There's even a built-in kickstand for placing the DR-08 recorder right where you want it. A pair of AAA batteries enables you to record for hours to the included 2GB card, then transfer the recording to your computer using high-speed USB 2.0.

Like TASCAM's other best-selling portable recorders, the DR-08 has features like auto level control and a low-cut filter for clear recordings. Add your own microphone or line-level source using the 1/8" stereo input. The DR-08 has loop and variable speed on playback, allowing you to slow down speed without changing the pitch to learn new music. There's also noise canceling and EQ functions for improved playback timbre.

The TASCAM DR-08 is an ideal portable recorder for songwriters, live performers, business leaders, and even sound designers.

Features

  • Portable digital recorder
  • WAV recording from 44.1/16-bit up to 96kHz/24-bit
  • MP3 recording from 32k-320KBps
  • Records to MicroSD media (2GB card included)
  • Two cardioid microphones with variable angle mechanism to adjust width and angle of microphone elements
  • Variable Speed Playback: adjust the playback speed from 50% to 200% without changing the pitch to learn new music
  • Auto recording mode starts recording when the input reaches a certain sound level
  • Timer recording mode for beginning recording at a certain time of day
  • Manual and automatic gain control modes
  • Low cut filter and noise cancel functions for clearer recording and playback
  • Built-in foldable stand for desktop recording
  • Pre-recording buffer (up to 2 seconds)
  • 1/8" stereo mic/line input with plug-in power
  • 1/8" stereo headphone/line output
  • Playlist and folder management
  • Built-in speaker
  • Transfer recordings to computer using fast USB 2.0 connection (Micro-USB, B-type connector)

The DR-08 is enough to fill your life with lovely recordings. Order today!

DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder Specifications:

  • Powered by AAA batteries (included), USB power
  • Dimensions: 1.45"W x 5.41"D x 0.59"H (37mm x 137.5mm x 15mm)
  • Weight: 2.72oz. (77g) including batteries
Customer Reviews
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Review Snapshot®

by PowerReviews
TASCAMDR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder
 
4.3

(based on 53 reviews)

Ratings Distribution

  • 5 Stars

     

    (29)

  • 4 Stars

     

    (18)

  • 3 Stars

     

    (0)

  • 2 Stars

     

    (3)

  • 1 Stars

     

    (3)

91%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Compact (30)
  • Easy to use (27)
  • Excellent sound (22)
  • Low distortion (14)
  • Versatile (13)

Cons

  • Poor quality construction (4)
  • Weak (3)

Best Uses

  • Amateur recording (25)
  • Performances (20)
  • Outdoor events / games (17)
  • Home studio (14)
  • Professional recording (4)
    • Reviewer Profile:
    • Experienced (18), Professional musician (10), Novice (7)

Most Liked Positive Review

 

FIELD (recorder) OF DREAMS

I used a Yamaha PockeTrak G2 for about 2 years before buying the Tascam DR-08. Controls, settings and menus on the DR-08 are very intuitive - more so than on the G2....Read complete review

I used a Yamaha PockeTrak G2 for about 2 years before buying the Tascam DR-08. Controls, settings and menus on the DR-08 are very intuitive - more so than on the G2.

The DR-08 does an amazing job for field recording as well as for "quick capturing" jam sessions, school music programs, etc. It's so easy to throw this little recorder into your pocket or bag and be ready to record at a moment's notice.

The Tascam DR-08 gives you the option of selecting one of 15 encoding formats ranging from mp3/32/mono on the low end to PCM/24 bit/96/stereo on the high end. To give you some file size comparison, using an 8Gb microSD card the PCM/24/96 setting provides just over an hour of recording time. The setting I most often use is mp3/128/stereo which allows for more than 24 hours of recording (the remaining recording time available indicator on DR-08 maxes out at 23:59.59).

The LOW-HIGH-MANUAL recording level options are really handy. The LOW setting is ideal for loud venues or those with high SPL recording. The HIGH setting works very well for situations where you want to capture more delicate sounds. I rarely use the MANUAL setting because, 1) The LOW-HIGH options cover just about every recording type I care about, and 2) because I also have neglected to press the record button twice to switch from audition to record. (with the LOW and HIGH level selections, when you press REC you're recording)

I have used my PockeTrak and the Tascam DR-08 for recording my son's attic band in both outside concert and indoor practice venues. Both recorders do a remarkable and, to my ears, an undistinguishable job in the outdoor setting. When recording indoor practice sessions however, the DR-08 (set on LOW rec level) pulls easily into the lead with NO distortion from the unbaffled acoustic drums or screaming guitar - Crazy! I was always fighting distortion and clipping with the G2.

I also used my DR-08 as a proximity recorder at an outdoor wedding. I placed it to capture the typically inaudible "I do"s and was pleasantly surprised at how well it picked up bird chirps and the wedding party's footsteps across a wooden bridge - Very cool. I ended up using the DR-08 recording as the master audio track for the finished video.

I do NOT share most of the concerns expressed by some of the other reviewers (plastic case, built-in speaker quality). The DR-08 doesn't come with any type of protective case but I use an old eye glasses hardcase to store the recorder, earphones, USB cable and spare batteries. Speaking of batteries, I strongly recommend using Ni-MH (be sure to change the battery setting in System Settings), which will nearly double your runtime.

Bottom line . . . I sold my PockeTrak G2 because this Tascam DR-08 does everying the G2 did and it does it easier and a little bit better.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

 

DON'T BUY THE TASCAM!

Every one of these Tascams I've purchased eats batteries like nothing I've ever seen. I kid you not ...you cannot get even two complete songs recorded before it needs new batteries and I'm ...Read complete review

Every one of these Tascams I've purchased eats batteries like nothing I've ever seen. I kid you not ...you cannot get even two complete songs recorded before it needs new batteries and I'm talking Alkaline batteries at that. I am not joking one bit and once you buy it, good luck getting GC or MF to take it back for that reason. I'm not going to lie just to get what I paid for and/or good service, and when you tell them the reason you want to return it, they claim that doesn't qualify ...even though they never mention it only records 8 minutes or less at a time before you have to put new batteries in it. I purchased this so I would never lose another song idea...well guess what...not only do you lose your song ideas because it simply quits in the middle of the song...you get to spend all your stew on batteries in order to obtain that level of aggravation. Tascam has always been a leader in the studio ...just not in mobile recording devices. BUY THE ZOOM or ANYTHING ELSE...JUST NOT A TASCAM! ...don't say I didn't warn you.

Reviewed by 53 customers

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(1 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

 
2.0

Not Good For DJs

By mw247

from San Diego

About Me Experienced

Pros

    Cons

      Best Uses

        Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

        Input signal will be too hot going into line input and will cause distorted and useless recordings. The recorder is best suited for mic'd situations or for a mixer out that has level controls. Recorder will work well on "booth out" of mixers. Had to get a 1/8" headphone volume control in order to attenuate the signal from a "rec out" on a mixer to the line input on the recorder for use when the booth output is actually being used to run the booth.

        Comment on this review

        (1 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

         
        1.0

        DON'T BUY THE TASCAM!

        By Mix

        from SC

        About Me Professional Musician

        Pros

          Cons

          • Eats Batteries Like Crazy
          • Poor Quality Construction
          • Weak

          Best Uses

          • Professional Recording
          • Recording Song Ideas

          Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

          Every one of these Tascams I've purchased eats batteries like nothing I've ever seen. I kid you not ...you cannot get even two complete songs recorded before it needs new batteries and I'm talking Alkaline batteries at that. I am not joking one bit and once you buy it, good luck getting GC or MF to take it back for that reason. I'm not going to lie just to get what I paid for and/or good service, and when you tell them the reason you want to return it, they claim that doesn't qualify ...even though they never mention it only records 8 minutes or less at a time before you have to put new batteries in it. I purchased this so I would never lose another song idea...well guess what...not only do you lose your song ideas because it simply quits in the middle of the song...you get to spend all your stew on batteries in order to obtain that level of aggravation. Tascam has always been a leader in the studio ...just not in mobile recording devices. BUY THE ZOOM or ANYTHING ELSE...JUST NOT A TASCAM! ...don't say I didn't warn you.

          Comment on this review

          (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Great Tool for Recording

          By jjpepk

          from Kilgore, TX

          About Me Novice

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Compact
          • Easy To Use
          • Excellent Sound

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • Amateur Recording
            • Events
            • Home Studio
            • Performances

            Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

            This is my first portable recorder and I am so excited to have it. It has been a great tool for songwriting and recording ideas. I was able to start using it right away without reading a huge instruction manual. The compact size makes it easy to record on the fly.

            Comment on this review

            (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

             
            5.0

            Excellent Performance at Low Cost

            By Boomer Bill

            from Oxnard, CA

            About Me Professional Musician

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Compact
            • Easy To Use
            • Excellent Sound
            • Low Distortion

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • Amateur Recording
              • Performances

              Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

              Remarkable Battery life, veryeasyto use excellent sound. few frill, who cares?! Replaces a Zoom H4 for recording rehearsals and testing new songs. Totally satisfied and delighted.

              Comment on this review

               
              4.0

              Nice little recorder

              By rara56

              from Indiana

              About Me Novice

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Compact
              • Easy To Use
              • Low Distortion
              • Powerful
              • Versatile

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Amateur Recording
                • Events
                • Home Studio

                Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                This is my first recorder so I'm still learning. I like the sensitivity and how well it picks up. The size makes it easy to forget your even recording a session so you can get impromptu performance from your friends. Play back volume isnt very high but you have other playback options besides the internal speaker. All in all, I like this recorder.

                Comment on this review

                (1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                4.0

                My New Toy

                By Tommy Torpedo

                from Cleveland, OH

                About Me Experienced

                Verified Buyer

                Pros

                • Compact
                • Easy To Use

                Cons

                • None

                Best Uses

                • Amateur Recording

                Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                This is about a quarter the size of my DR-07. It fits in my pocket, so I actually carry it. I also like the micro SD card. I have not used it that much so I can not comment on the quality of recording.

                Comment on this review

                (1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                5.0

                Best Bang for the Buck

                By sastowers

                from Hills of West Virginia

                About Me Professional Musician

                Verified Buyer

                Pros

                • Compact
                • Easy To Use
                • Excellent Sound
                • Good Value
                • Small size
                • Versatile

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                  • Amateur Recording
                  • Events
                  • Home Studio
                  • Performances
                  • Quick Capturing Events

                  Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                  This may have been the best deal I've ever taken advantage of!! I've done semi professional audio/video recording for almost 20 years, but only tried to do portable audio recording using a laptop. I needed something to use at the drop of a hat when doing location recording, and thought I'd give this a shot. Wow! what a joy it was to just take it out of my shirt pocket, turn it on, and record!!!. The micro sd card was easy to access and change when I needed, the audio was way above the built in mic of the camera and I was able to sync the audio and video and blend the 2 different audio sources for a "quality" multimedia presentation. I wish I had bought 10 of them at this price and given them as gifts!!! Don't let the little complaints in the "Cons" section dissuade you from purchasing. This isn't designed to be an audiophile recorder, but way exceeds the old cassette type of recorders in quality and features. Time will tell how durable it is, but heck, I bought the extended warranty cheap also, so I'm not even concerned.

                  Comment on this review

                  (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                   
                  4.0

                  Great working recorder

                  By Jeff

                  from Matthews, NC

                  About Me Novice

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Compact
                  • Easy To Use
                  • Excellent Sound

                  Cons

                  • Light construction

                  Best Uses

                  • Amateur Recording
                  • Home Studio

                  Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                  I'm an amateur for sure in this regard, which makes it perfect for me to use at home and at friends house to record mostly guitar get together's. My biggest complaint is it's size. It's a small device and I'm afraid I'll break it because it's so tiny and light. The display window is small but readable. Functionally, it's great for beginners like me and easy to use. Sounds great and has adequate storage space.

                  Comment on this review

                   
                  4.0

                  Deal of the Day Score

                  By sliding_billy

                  from North Texas

                  About Me Experienced

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Compact
                  • Easy To Use

                  Cons

                  • Poor Quality Construction
                  • Weak

                  Best Uses

                  • Amateur Recording
                  • Home Studio
                  • Performances

                  Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                  Good unit for the price (especially Deal of the Day price).

                  Comment on this review

                  (0 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

                   
                  4.0

                  Nice micro studio recorder

                  By CrazyD

                  from Studio City LA

                  About Me Novice

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Compact

                  Cons

                    Best Uses

                    • Amateur Recording
                    • Events
                    • Home Studio
                    • Performances
                    • Professional Recording

                    Comments about TASCAM DR-08 Linear PCM/MP3 Recorder:

                    Well....the pro's and con's wouldn't permit my proper input.

                    Excellent product....amazing recording capabilities. You will need magnifying glasses..or ...20/20 vision."....that display will cause you to get dizzy. So, just hit record...and wait till you get to your home studio to read the screen.

                    How can you make a case that will allow you to hear your fingers holding it while recording?...".needs an outboard modification so you can alleviate this aspect of the product.

                    Otherwise.....it's worth every penny...

                    Comment on this review

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