Originally Posted By: Jim Fogle
Boss (Roland) BR-1200CD or BR-1600CD, digital multi-track recorder, TASCAM DP-2488 or DP-01FX/CD digital multi-track recorder, Zoom MRS-802CD or HD-8 digital multi-track recorder. All of these units are desktop digital recorders with built-in CD burners. In some cases the CD burner is an optional feature. All of these units are discontinued but available through online sources such as Craigslist, eBay and Amazon or in person at garage sales, pawn shops and the consignment area in music stores.

CDs burners are dying out. It's even getting difficult to find them on computers.

Your brother may enjoy a dedicated hardware based recorder. TASCAM, actually the US based affiliate Teac, invented affordable home based recording with the cassette based porta-studio series of products. Their products have few bells and whistle and are still designed to operate similar to a cassette player.


The Tascam DP-24 and similar DP-32 ( I own and recommend the DP-24 - There is not sufficient benefit or differences between the 24 and 32 to warrant the additional cost.)

The DP-24 is Tascam's flagship recorder and EASIEST to operate. It can be as easy to operate as recording to a cassette deck. You can be up a recording in minutes and simply ignore the editing. It is as easy to record to as Audacity. The first generation DP24 has a CD burner. Be somewhat wary of the older units like Boss 1200 and Tascam 2488 that use hard drives rather than SD. They are old enough to worry about hard drive failure.

Preparing a song for CD with a DP-24 is a three step process but doesn't require going into menus unless you want to. 1. Arm/record 2. Mix 3. Master
There are dedicated buttons to do each and real faders to move if you want to mix your recording. Hit the mix button again, your song is mastered and ready for CD.

Fx are there if you want to use them. Virtual channels are there if you desire. Bouncing is available. Dynamics, EQ, Panning, Reverb, etc. There if you want them, ignore them if you desire. You can use existing hardware if you have a piece you want in your recording chain.

The cheaper, smaller Zoom 8,16,24 and Tascam 02,04,06,08 models all rely heavily on menus.

BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.