Tascam Model 2400 review: A satisfying throwback with modern flair£1,699 / €2,059 / $1,999, tascam.com
I started my recording career with a Tascam PortaStudio 424. Because of this, I’ve always had a soft spot for Tascam gear and the sound of its preamps. In fact, I was still using my original PortaStudio as a mixer (the tape transport stopped working a few years ago) up until this past summer.
Of course, like most people, I’ve embraced digital recording and the conveniences of a DAW at this point. But, I’ve been curious about Tascam’s modern Model series of recording mixers; they combine the hands-on comfort of a traditional mixing desk, with the conveniences of digital recording, plus, they just look stunning.

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The £1,699 Model 2400 is Tascam’s flagship. It takes the core features of the Model 24, specifically a 22-input analogue mixer, 16 preamps, three-band EQ and the ability to either record directly to an SD card or be used as an audio interface, and then expands on that with more connectivity options and a host of features tailored to live mixing.
I am not a live audio engineer, however. Nor do I run a commercial recording studio. I’m coming at the Model 2400 from the perspective of a hobbyist musician who largely works with synths, drum machines, plugins and occasionally tracks some live guitar. And, while using the Model 2400 is an absolute pleasure that transports me back to my youth capturing demos in my basement on a four-track, it’s also absolute overkill for my needs.
Image: Terrence O’Brien
Using the Tascam Model 2400 is like coming home
Using the Model 2400 is sort of a tale of two different devices. There’s the analogue mixer and the basic recording functions, and then there’s everything else: the effects, the DAW control, the audio interface, and the like.
The positive news is that, if you’ve ever used a PortaStudio before, the Model 2400 should seem extremely familiar. It doesn’t take me long to find my footing, even without the aid of a manual. I plug in my Polybrute, Digitone and guitar and I’m able to immediately start tracking an (admittedly pretty awful) pseudo industrial track. My exposure to Tascam recorders may be limited to turn-of-the-century cassette technology, but the core workflow hasn’t changed dramatically, and that is a pleasant surprise. The one exception here is bouncing tracks down (a necessity for working within the limits of a four-track recorder) is a bit more convoluted but, with 22 inputs at your disposal it’s unlikely you’d need to bounce down that often.
The Model 2400 also represents a return to linear, largely destructive recording which might be something of a shock for anyone who came of age in the DAW era. These days I’m used to playing parts through a few times then looping the best chunk, rather than tracking a full three minutes of live guitar. Actually sorting out an arrangement before I sit down to record is a bit odd at first. It’s something I haven’t really done in countless years.
Image: Press
Making connections with the Tascam Model 2400
The access to 22 inputs is huge in my studio. Unsurprisingly, I have amassed a pretty solid gear collection over the years and swapping things in and out has always been a huge hassle that I never wanted to deal with. It’s why, no matter how many synths or drum machines I own, I often just end up relying on the same few over and over; I just don’t want to deal with unplugging things and plugging new ones in. (Yes, I realise this is incredibly lazy and spoiled sounding, but there we are.)
With room for 11 stereo sources (or 12 mono plus five stereo sources) I’m able to leave a significant chunk of my studio permanently plugged in. In fact, the barrier becomes finding room to actually set up instruments, instead of having enough inputs to handle them. The first 12 channels also have their own insert jacks for easily adding external effects at the capture stage. To demonstrate how incredibly handy the inserts are, I’m currently testing an enormous pile of reverb pedals. Pulling them off my board or climbing behind my desk to deal with setting up sends and returns on my audio interface seemed annoying and time consuming. But with a single cable and power supply I can quickly test half a dozen pedals on the Polybrute without having to bend over, crawl on the floor or fight with velcro strips. Additionally, in contrast to some other models in the range – and the closely-competing Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK– inserts can also be used to send recorded signals out to analogue outboard; a big win for users wanting to get serious about hybrid mixing.
Image: Terrence O’Brien
The 2400 also has a MIDI out jack which means I can use it as a master clock to keep all my gear in sync. Obviously it doesn’t give you the deep control over controller data that you’d get with a DAW, but it does mean if I wanted to change the tempo of a track I don’t have to move to a different piece of gear. I simply turn a knob on the mixer and, voila, my mid-tempo indie rocker becomes a dance punk party tune.
One thing that proves difficult is getting the 2400 to talk to my MacBook. On first connection, my computer detects it just fine. The Model Mixer companion app accurately detected incoming audio, but I can’t actually get any signal in or out of Ableton. A reboot seems to solve the issue, but it is still slightly vexing.
DAW Control is also frustrating. You’ll definitely want to check how to set it up for your software of choice in the manual, as it’s not necessarily obvious. More frustrating still, the smaller Model 12 is far more capable as a DAW controller. To make the most of it really requires a significant amount of effort. Even after I properly map all mixer channels in Ableton, I still end up having to use the mouse and keyboard for most things. Being able to arm a track and start or stop recording from the mixing board is handy, but for deeper DAW control you’ll likely want to look elsewhere.
Image: Terrence O’Brien
Further reflections on the Tascam Model 2400
There are a few miscellaneous things worth talking about, if just quickly for the sake of completeness:
The Model 2400 has built-in effects — you should ignore them. Maybe they’d do in a pinch, in a live situation where the difference between a high-end plate algorithm on a Meris pedal and the frankly mediocre one on the 2400 would be less obvious. But I definitely wouldn’t rely on any of them for recording.
The preamps sound great. They’re crisp and clear and add a touch of warmth to anything you run through them once you turn the knob past nine o’clock. They also have a ton of headroom, which is both a blessing and a curse. You can run a really hot signal through the Model 2400 with little worry about clipping. Unfortunately, it also means you can run a really hot signal through it, and you have to try really hard to make it clip. One of my favorite tricks with my old PortaStudio 424 was plugging a guitar straight into an input and cranking the gain on the preamp to get some deliciously fuzzy tones. But with the 2400, I can only get that effect from my highest-output humbucker pickups.
The built-in analogue channel compressor is pretty decent on drums, but less so on guitar and synths. It can get flabby as you crank it and anything past 12 o’clock requires considerable makeup gain. There’s also a digital compressor and EQ on the master. These are useful for gluing a mix together. The compressor doesn’t add a ton of character, but it also doesn’t really detract from anything. Use it with moderation and you should be happy with the results.
Build and hardware quality is generally excellent, but there are some worrying inconsistencies. The Model 2400 is heavy and feels like it would take some serious effort to damage. The faders aren’t the smoothest, but they work well enough and all the buttons feel solid and click reassuringly. The knobs are also excellent… except when they’re not. Most of the pots on the 2400 I received are smooth and offer the right amount of resistance to help you fine tune things. But then there are a few that are noticeably looser than the rest that feel flimsy, and even one that is a bit too hard to turn. This inconsistency is especially noticeable with the preamp gain knobs.
Image: Terrence O’Brien
The Tascam Model 2400 is a satisfying throwback in many ways. Its PortaStudio-inspired workflow feels less anachronistic than you might expect. The hands-on controls are truly timeless and the analogue signal path brings an appreciable amount of warmth to what is ultimately a digital recorder. It is also freeing to not turn on my computer to record an idea. You can capture a jam straight to an SD card and quickly move on with life.
Considering its size and price, though, it’s going to be a tough sell to anyone with a limited budget or studio space. If you’re a literal bedroom producer or mostly work with a handful of synths you’re probably better off with a desktop audio interface or one of Tascam’s smaller mixing decks, like the Model 12 or the Model 16. If you want a mixer, but don’t demand an analogue signal path, there are digital options from Zoom that can do a lot of the same things, though they feel and look cheaper.
If you’re fleshing out a home recording studio in a spacious basement or garage, and regularly track a full band, the Model 2400 makes a ton of sense. While it might be tempting to save money and opt for the Model 24, it’s probably worth splurging at that point. The 2400 offers a lot more connectivity options, including 10 more insert points and two more sends, MIDI in/out and it can handle basic DAW control. Plus it has newer, cleaner sounding preamps.
But, the Tascam Model 2400 is clearly designed for live recording larger groups. It’s not for folks like me who mostly compose alone, in a cramped multipurpose room after the kids go to bed. For the hobbyist electronic musician it’s ultimately aspirational, not practical.

Key Features

22-input mixer
24-track SD recorder and USB audio interface
Up to 24-bit/48 kHz recording
16 analogue preamps
12 insert points
5 aux sends
MIDI in and out
Bluetooth audio input
DAW control
3-band EQ with sweepable mids per channel
16 built-in digital effects
4 stereo subgroups with separate outputs
Compressor on first 12 channels
Weight: 14.0kg
Dimensions: 68.1 x 13.3 x 56.8 cm

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