Tascam1970s-80s8-trk reelMultitrack Studio$$Mid-Range($250–800)
Tascam 80-8
Small project studios wanting genuine half-inch 8-track recording, a real step up from home 4-track formats.
Find on ReverbUsed-gear listings, graded conditionCheck prices on eBayBroader inventory, live auctions
Calculate pitch & speed changes for the Tascam 80-8
Free tool — see the exact pitch shift and BPM change using this deck's real supported speeds.
Strengths
- A genuine half-inch 8-track project-studio workhorse, bridging the gap between home 4-tracks and full professional 2-inch multitracks
- Half-inch tape gives meaningfully better fidelity headroom than the narrower-track 8-track decks in this database
- Became a real budget-professional standard for small studios throughout the late 70s and 80s
Trade-offs
- Considerably larger and heavier than home-format decks, needing genuine dedicated studio space
- Half-inch 8-track tape running costs are real, ongoing expenses compared to quarter-inch formats
Full Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Tascam |
| Model | 80-8 |
| Era | 1970s-80s |
| Typical Price Tier | Mid-Range ($250–800) |
| Tape Speeds | 7.5 IPS / 15 IPS |
| Track Count | 8 |
| Reel Size | 10.5" |
| Tape Width | 0.5" |
| Head Configuration | |
| Noise Reduction | Dolby A |
| Varispeed | No |
| Pitch Control Range | None |
A relative used-market guide, not a live quote — real prices vary by condition, region, and timing. Check the Reverb/eBay links on any item for current listings.
Similar Multitrack Studio
Match Score Explorer
Weight what matters to your workflow. Every deck is re-scored live against your priorities, benchmarked against the Tascam 80-8.
50
50
50
50
This deckTascam 80-8
Match56
Audio Fidelity68
Flexibility58
Ease of Maintenance42
Tonal Neutrality55
Ranked against 34 other decks
- Otari MX-5050Match63Audio Fidelity90Flexibility50Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality65
- TASCAM 388 Studio 8Match63Audio Fidelity76Flexibility80Ease of Maintenance40Tonal Neutrality55
- Otari MTR-90Match63Audio Fidelity85Flexibility70Ease of Maintenance30Tonal Neutrality68
- Ampex MM1200Match61Audio Fidelity94Flexibility55Ease of Maintenance15Tonal Neutrality78
- TASCAM 38Match60Audio Fidelity85Flexibility55Ease of Maintenance40Tonal Neutrality58
- Studer A80Match59Audio Fidelity97Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance25Tonal Neutrality82
- Otari MTR-10Match59Audio Fidelity82Flexibility45Ease of Maintenance38Tonal Neutrality72
- Ampex ATR-102Match57Audio Fidelity98Flexibility25Ease of Maintenance20Tonal Neutrality85
- Revox A77Match57Audio Fidelity80Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance60Tonal Neutrality52
- Nagra IV-SMatch57Audio Fidelity75Flexibility40Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality68
- Sony APR-5000Match57Audio Fidelity82Flexibility42Ease of Maintenance32Tonal Neutrality70
- TASCAM 34Match56Audio Fidelity82Flexibility45Ease of Maintenance42Tonal Neutrality55
- Akai GX-625Match56Audio Fidelity78Flexibility40Ease of Maintenance55Tonal Neutrality50
- Fostex Model 80Match55Audio Fidelity72Flexibility65Ease of Maintenance38Tonal Neutrality45
- Pioneer RT-707Match55Audio Fidelity76Flexibility32Ease of Maintenance58Tonal Neutrality52
- Studer B67Match55Audio Fidelity82Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance35Tonal Neutrality72
- TEAC X-2000RMatch54Audio Fidelity78Flexibility45Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality48
- Revox A700Match54Audio Fidelity75Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance40Tonal Neutrality65
- Ampex AG-440Match54Audio Fidelity72Flexibility40Ease of Maintenance42Tonal Neutrality60
- Sony TC-880-2Match54Audio Fidelity78Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance42Tonal Neutrality65
- Technics RS-1500Match54Audio Fidelity75Flexibility32Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality62
- TEAC A-3340SMatch53Audio Fidelity68Flexibility40Ease of Maintenance55Tonal Neutrality48
- Sony TC-756-2Match53Audio Fidelity82Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance50Tonal Neutrality48
- Tandberg TD-20AMatch52Audio Fidelity85Flexibility32Ease of Maintenance40Tonal Neutrality50
- Fostex R8Match52Audio Fidelity62Flexibility55Ease of Maintenance48Tonal Neutrality42
- Teac A-2340SXMatch52Audio Fidelity60Flexibility50Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality52
- Teac A-6100Match52Audio Fidelity68Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality58
- Crown CX-822Match52Audio Fidelity72Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance38Tonal Neutrality62
- Uher Report Monitor 4000Match51Audio Fidelity65Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance48Tonal Neutrality55
- Akai GX-747Match50Audio Fidelity68Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance45Tonal Neutrality58
- Akai GX-635DMatch49Audio Fidelity65Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance42Tonal Neutrality55
- Teac X-10Match46Audio Fidelity55Flexibility35Ease of Maintenance52Tonal Neutrality42
- Akai 4000DSMatch43Audio Fidelity50Flexibility30Ease of Maintenance42Tonal Neutrality48
- Ampex 351Match41Audio Fidelity78Flexibility25Ease of Maintenance25Tonal Neutrality35
Maintenance & Supplies
As an Amazon Associate, Analog Specs earns from qualifying purchases.