Need some help setting up a 4 Track Reel to Reel to a Tascam Mixer

I don't mess with any MIC for testing, 'til later. I just have a constant feed from some sound source of . One thing you might look to right away is the source level on the mixer vs playback signal. All the levels should be in the happy range - possibly playback down -3 to 6, but the guy was using the Maxells.
 
Lol!

Thumbs on an iPhone, Dave. :D

Read the manual.

Jzoha18 make sure the TAPE MON switch is in the unlatched (up) position when overdubbing. Does that help?

I don't mess with any MIC for testing, 'til later. I just have a constant feed from some sound source of . One thing you might look to right away is the source level on the mixer vs playback signal. All the levels should be in the happy range - possibly playback down -3 to 6, but the guy was using the Maxells.
I can check that tonight but right now im trying to figure out overdubbing. The pfl switch for headohones prevents me from doing it all on channel one bc to playback i have to have the tape cue engaged which bypasses the mic signal being fed through channel 2 on the deck. Any ideas? And ill definitely figure out my gain staging soon
 
Don't use the PFL circuit. If you are, for instance, trying to monitor track 1 while recording on track 2, you press the TAPE switch by the FLB knob on channel strip 1, turn up the FLB knob, turn up the master FLB knob in the master section, and then press the FLB button in the monitor source select switchrack all the way at the right.
 
Don't use the PFL circuit. If you are, for instance, trying to monitor track 1 while recording on track 2, you press the TAPE switch by the FLB knob on channel strip 1, turn up the FLB knob, turn up the master FLB knob in the master section, and then press the FLB button in the monitor source select switchrack all the way at the right.

Wow thats exactly what i needed to know! This is starting to remind me of tape cueing on my other 4 tracks. So how should i fix my levels? Is this more of an issue with trying to use a dynamic mic straight into a mixer or do i need to gain stage between my mixer and deck and monitors? Is there a reason thw faders have to be in the grey area of 7-8 for playback to be fairly audible and pushed more for loud volumes? Or is it all down to the recording source. I know all my faders shouldn't be cranked for basic monitoring but the playback doesnt shoe signs of defect so im assuming its me. I noted thw manual for this mixer says to use a seperate headphone amp for recording with headphones. But certain steps in the manual have been skipped in 2017 due to our equipment becoming less restricted. (Active monitors vs hifi amp or power amp wired to passive monitors) as an example
 
Hello, I have an old Fostex A4 reel to reel and a bunch of pre recorded tapes and a few take up reels from the original owner and a Tascam M-208 8 channel mixer that was designed for Tascam reel to reels in the late 70s. I'm having great difficulty setting up a basic 4 channel multi track setup where i can record and overdub while monitoring previously recorded tracks. I have been using 4 track cassette units for years and was put off by this setup just due to the confusion. From reading lots online and the manuals for both the mixer and reel to reel i concluded the basic setup was 4 Rca cables going from the Fostex outputs to the tape in jacks on the first 4 channels of the mixer, and 4 Rca cables from the PGM OUT jacks on the mixer into the 4 inputs on the recorder. My problem is monitoring and clear audio. I followed these steps and with a pre recorded tape tested a microphone through channel one. I was able to hear what i was saying very clear and with the Fostex set to record could also see the recorders meters responding. The real problem is playback. Im convinced this is me not understanding something about the mixer. I get super faint muffled playback with the mixer channel set to tape and the reel to reel set to tape as well. Occasionally i will hear old demos fairly loud on the tape from the previous owner but nothing of that level of my own. What am i doing wrong? Im monitoring with active fostex studio monitors out of the main outs on the back of the mixer with no issue as advised from others i've seen using similar monitors with reel to reels. Am i not using the right switches or is something not panned correctly? Forgive my ignorance as this mixer has quite a few unusual features for me as i have experience only with more modern stereo mixers. I'm pretty sure the reel to reel heads are fine due to the louder playback on parts of pre recorded material. But i for the life of me cannot figure this out. My playback is all messed up and i can't understand this mixer. Ive included pictures of what i'm working with. Please help a guy out!

I dunno ? It takes you 2-3 days to clean the heads.

"My playback is all messed up"....

first things first
 
While cleaning the heads is important, I doubt that it's your problem. If you're using 4 in and 4 out ... what are you mixing? Old mixers tend to be a source of poor signal due to dust and component failure. Why not go directly to the recorder and set your meters to an optimal level? What is the recorder? Will your output be a stereo track? If you're recording 4 tracks, where does mixdown occur?
 
Well, normally, one tests the functions of the deck first, so you know it's not the deck and would have to be connections and operation of the mixer
 
While cleaning the heads is important, I doubt that it's your problem. If you're using 4 in and 4 out ... what are you mixing? Old mixers tend to be a source of poor signal due to dust and component failure. Why not go directly to the recorder and set your meters to an optimal level? What is the recorder? Will your output be a stereo track? If you're recording 4 tracks, where does mixdown occur?

I mean when im tracking on the mixer and need to have strong levels to mix and pan before i attempt a mixdown. Right now my mixdown options are a Tascam 112rmkii or my Pc. I just was wondering if my levels i get when i hit tape on my channel strips are normal
 
Hey so first tell me more about what mic or mics you are using, what you are recording (i.e. what type of source and what style of music), and how you have the mic or mics positioned (i.e. straight at the source or at an angle, how far from the source, etc.)

Please be complete and specific in your response.
 
So far i have just been using sm57s direct into the mixer to record acoustic guitar and vocals dry. I also recorded a roland tr-66 drum machine direct in
My music is composed of drum machines. Clean and distorted guitar. Analog synths and bass and acoustic guitar generally. Reverb and delay usually added. Pretty straight foward. I just micd up the acoustic guitar at about the 14 fret a few inches away. Nothing crazy
 
Thanks for the info...that's helpful.

I love me an SM57...always pack one or more with me. They are versatile and bulletproof. But...in my experience they do need a preamp with a little oomph in order to avoid needing the upper range of the preamp's trim sweep when recording more mellow sources like vocal tracks (depending on the vocalist and the style), and acoustic guitar even when close mic'ed. So 57s can be a bit noisy depending on the source and the preamp just because it's hard to avoid the preamp's noise floor if you have to turn up the trim past 3 or 4 o'clock. So that might just be the nature of your setup.

No phantom power on an M-200 mixer right?

It would be interesting to see if things improved if you could use a condenser mic on the guitar and vocals.

Do you have access to an external mic preamp and/or other Mocs you could borrow and try out?
 
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