Portastudio 02 mix

[Axis]

I have a portastudio 02. It has volume and pan controls only on each track. Is there anyway i can add eq while mixdown if not to each track then to the overall mix? I mix down to a dual cassette deck connecting with an rca cable.

thanks
will

ps. Im thinking i could get like a dual 15 band equalizer and connect the rca to the eq. and then the rca from the eq to the dual cassette deck. Would that work?

[dtb]

I believe this would work. the eq between the recorder and mixdown deck.

dtb

[fendermike]

It would work, indeed, but only as a "master" stereo eq.

In other words, you couldn't have a different frequency boost or cut for each track. They'd all be in the same boat, since your eq would be inline between a stereo output and the stereo inputs of the tape deck.

It might give you a little flexibility, though. One way to find out!

[Bri715]

I have a 10 band eq that I have linked between my 414 and my PC. I find it does give me some added flexibility and a brighter sound overall.

If you would like to get a tatse of what can be done with a setup like that, check out some of the stuff I have at Nowhere radio.com. I'm no Mutt Lange, but it's light years ahead of what I was doing last year at this time.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/psychoonions

That being said, I'm beginning to think I may have maxed out what I can do with this particular setup and am begining to think that a compressor/limiter may be the best next step. I already use the mic preamp through effect send 1. I'm thinking running a compressor limiter through effect 2 might be the way to go. Seems to me that that would also give a better boost to Axis' sound than an EQ. Any thoughts?

[Axis]

aight thanks everyone. The portastudio 02 doesn't have any effects sends or anything. I don't have compression or anything like that either. If i got effects i would add them during the recording phase. Although I'm thinking of buying an ADAT so all these problems would be fixed if i did that. Now i just need 400 extra bucks.

[Bri715]

Axis,

Without an effects send (I should have remembered that, I just bought a Portastudio for my girlfriend) you could still use a compressor/limiter by simply running a rca to 1/4 adaptor from your Partastudio to your compressor. You could then run the processed effect to your deck with another rca to 1/4 adaptor. You also could add the effect on a per track basis by simply running the mic/guitar line into the compressor and then into the portastudio.

I said what I said because I am mixing hours worth of tracks from a 414 to my PC and am finding compression to be the effect I am adding the most in the "mastering" stage. For me, getting good compression before the tape goes to digital will save me literaly thousands of hours of testing and running Graphic Dynamic settings on my files.

[Axis]

Ok thanks. Now its off to look at some compression and eq.

[dr.colossus]

axis, with the price of tape based fourtracks dropping so much recently, perhaps it would be an idea to hold off on buying an e.q. and trading in your porta 02 for a porta 07 which has e.q. on each channel... anyhow do the math, im not sure if this will end up being any cheaper.....

btw, ADATs are really cheap over here in australia, i've seen em go for $600aus used ($300u.s.)....