Signal Chain & Tascam 564 Digital Portastudio

[Stratocaster]

I am having trouble routing outboard effects (lexicon MP 100) into the signal chain from a Mackie 1604 VLZ to the 564, without having to mixdown.
Also I have noticed significant signal loss/dropout when trying to buss 8 (from Mackie board) channels into 4 tascam 564) even with r/l panning and 4 channel bussing. Can anyone shed a little light on this topic?
Thanks,

[A Reel Person]

then you're definitely going to want to record on the 564 in DIRECT recording mode, 4-simul-record. This will preserve the 4-buss breakout you already have from the Mackie mixer.

When you use BUSS L/R mode recording, you're essentially summing the input signals to 2-buss [stereo-L/R], then the recorder section records tracks 1/3 as LEFT and tracks 2/4 as RIGHT, which destroys any 4-buss separation you may have had on your 4 input feeds from the Mackie.

[Stratocaster]

I have done in the past, I just wanted to gt some effects off the pa rack without having to reconnect to the recorder. Essentially the bottom line here seems to be I should have connected the Lexicon to the Tascam and called it a day. I have pretty much decided it's time for a Mackie 12/96.

Thanks for the help.

[chessparov]

Just wanted to point out two things about recording with the 564;

1) Add your reverb at mixdown using the direct outs to avoid
having the ATRAC compression chop off the reverb tails,
as much as you can.
2) It's somewhat better to track "flat" with as little/no EQ as
possible.
This can be verified by making a massive 10db EQ cut or boost
then reversing it out during mixing. They won't cancel each
out, due to the ATRAC compression, and it'll sound noticably
worse than simply EQing after recording.

Chris