u122 questions from a noobie

[gigolojoe]

Hi,
When you are recording with something like GT pro, how do you monitor what you are playing?

With the headphones? Do the output RCA jacks go into a special sound card?

What are the insert Left and Right for? Pedal effects?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Joe

[MichaelG]

Originally posted by gigolojoe
Hi,
When you are recording with something like GT pro, how do you monitor what you are playing?

With the headphones? Do the output RCA jacks go into a special sound card?

Through headphones via the direct monitor output. The RCA jacks can go to an external monitor source (powered monitors, home stereo, etc.).

What are the insert Left and Right for? Pedal effects?

They can be used for pedal effects or other outboard effects processors.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Check the manual and other documentation from Tascam's web site: http://tascam.com/downloads.php?pid=253

--Michael

[gigolojoe]

Very cool. Thanks for the information.

[MichaelG]

No prob.

You'll also find helpful info and folks at the Yahoo! US-122 Group:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tascam-us122/

[C D'Asta]

Firstly, I was a digital recording specialist and department manager for two of the largest retailers in the US and I have despised Cakewalk products for years and have even refused to sell certain people their software. Guitar Tracks Pro isn't so bad and you should have no problem using that as a multitracker just set your I/O settings correctly and hit record. Still you should look into Logic Audio or Cubase (the US122 comes with a light version of Cubase called Cubasis, these are professional apps and not the consumer stuff that Cakewalk markets.
The RCA's at the back are to be sent OUT to an audio monitoring device, ie: powered PC speakers or a mixing board. The inserts are exactly as you thought, another way of saying FX loop (sort of) and yes, you can run a pedal array or a DSP unit (digital signal processor) on the inserts to "insert" FX between input and output of the US122. It's actually a very solid interface however using it to track guitars and basses to Acid4 PRO, my preffered application, is almost impossible. Not just artifacting (clicks and noise that gets tracked to file) but complete crashing of an otherwise dedicated, high-speed DAW (digital audio workstation). I think my partner and I will be replacing it with the Digidesign Digi001 (available around 300$ used/600$ new), hey if it's good enough for Radiohead, it's good enough for Nanolabs Multimedia.

[rpc9943]

*off topic*
are there any user groups for the us428?

[C D'Asta]

Check out the Launch/Yahoo! users groups there may be a 428 group...

[schulteboy]

to C D'Asta:

You mentioned problems when recording guitar and bass to ACID. I have been considering a couple different USB interfaces and intend to do exactly that. Do you think that USB interfaces are just not good for this type of application or is this just a problem with this specific piece of hardware. I am very happy and quite comfortable tracking to ACID--gal dto hear I am not the only one. Perhaps you can tell me more about the problems that you have experienced with your Tascam. I am also considering the M Audio Mobile Pre. Thank you.