Uhhhh, REALLY?!? Maybe you can get away with using that line on your wife, but not me buddy. Not me.Good news part 3 arrives next week..... then I'll be uhhhhh.... done!!
Going Mobile Project
- Thread starter bachelorb
- Start date
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
I probably will be done for the time being..... but there will come the time that we will have a HOUSE!!!!! and I guarantee you then my mixer model will at least have 4 numbers in it......
I'm looking forward to hooking this beast up tomorrow..... (....not really a beast....more like a small mole I guess.......)
I'm looking forward to hooking this beast up tomorrow..... (....not really a beast....more like a small mole I guess.......)
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Well.... a couple more little things.....
The compressor has a little friend
I also had to cut down the drawer a little for the 1u shelf to hold the compressor and reverb. Tin snips and sandpaper took care of that in short order....
The other thing I did was hook some hooks in my closet to hang cables. They are hard to see in there but they're there..
I appreciate all y'all for your help with this:
Sweetbeats for the inspiration (and identifying a loose panel holder inside the tape player)
RFR for the rack idea and help
Famous Beagle for help selecting components and cable routing
Miroslav for the cable hanging idea
The whole thing is 2.25 cubic feet...... and a bedside table to boot!!!
The compressor has a little friend
I also had to cut down the drawer a little for the 1u shelf to hold the compressor and reverb. Tin snips and sandpaper took care of that in short order....
The other thing I did was hook some hooks in my closet to hang cables. They are hard to see in there but they're there..
I appreciate all y'all for your help with this:
Sweetbeats for the inspiration (and identifying a loose panel holder inside the tape player)
RFR for the rack idea and help
Famous Beagle for help selecting components and cable routing
Miroslav for the cable hanging idea
The whole thing is 2.25 cubic feet...... and a bedside table to boot!!!
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bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Only one thing today. I was noticing yesterday that as soon as I'd unpatch a cable, it would fall behind everything. I'd end up having to reach back and try to sort through the cables behind to find it. I had some spare Velcro laying around, so I made two strips and screwed one into the IKEA rack.....and came up with this.
It will look a whole lot better once I get all the correct length cables.
The best part is when another cable comes in you just unvelcro the side you need and put the cable in.
It will look a whole lot better once I get all the correct length cables.
The best part is when another cable comes in you just unvelcro the side you need and put the cable in.
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Today was Deoxit Day!!!! (again......)
I did this once before with a Home Depot CRC electronics cleaner. When I finished there was no improvement. It was recommended I try a cleaner and lube. I sprayed each pot in three places. Where the board leads enter the pot, in a tab hole where the metal joined the plastic, and where the pot shaft enters the pot.... then twisted em each a dozen times. (63 of em including the master fader)
IT WORKED!!!!! Not one of them has static now!!! That stuff is miracle in a can!!!
It is all back together and I'm a very happy man.
I did this once before with a Home Depot CRC electronics cleaner. When I finished there was no improvement. It was recommended I try a cleaner and lube. I sprayed each pot in three places. Where the board leads enter the pot, in a tab hole where the metal joined the plastic, and where the pot shaft enters the pot.... then twisted em each a dozen times. (63 of em including the master fader)
IT WORKED!!!!! Not one of them has static now!!! That stuff is miracle in a can!!!
It is all back together and I'm a very happy man.
famous beagle
Well-known member
Awesome! Yes that stuff rocks!
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Well...... It seems I can't let sleeping dogs lie..... Here is my setup using the M-08 mixer. (this is also posted here for my reference)
Basic Setup
Mic/instrument --> CH 1 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 1 on input 4-track recorder ---> out Track 1 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 5 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 2 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 2 on input 4-track recorder ---> out Track 2 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 6 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 3 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 3 input on 4-track recorder ---> out Track 3 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 7 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 4 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 4 input on 4-track recorder ---> out Track 4 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 8 mixer
Compressor While Tracking (ex. Channel 1)
Mic/instrument --> CH 1 mixer --->Repatch standard cable out the insert ---> Y-cable compressor input---> Y-cable compressor output --->Standard cable to Track 1 input 4 track recorder ---> CH 5 mixer
Compressor While MIXING (ex. Channel 5)
Repatch CH 5 to CH 1 mixer ---> Repatch insert cable out the insert ---> insert cable to other end of y connecters at the input and output of compressor---> Back to insert
Aux 1 and Effects Return handle all the Nanoverb duties during mixdown and tracking
During mixing, everything ends up going to stereo out so I can send it to the computer.
I keep getting confused (which isn't hard to do) on the patching and repatching, and in talking with several members on here about it, they thought a multi-buss mixer may be a better answer for me........ so........
WARNING!!!!!! Self justification is about to commence!!!!!!!
1. I figure this is a learning experience, so I thought I might as well get the multi-buss mixer and figure it out. Size wise, it is going to be a challenge to fit it into footprint of the current setup, but I think I can do it.
2. My timeline was always to get some kind of setup around by the fall, then rerecord my songs over this winter. Still working in the framework of that timeline.
3. Yolo baby!!!! just plain yolo.....
Basic Setup
Mic/instrument --> CH 1 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 1 on input 4-track recorder ---> out Track 1 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 5 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 2 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 2 on input 4-track recorder ---> out Track 2 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 6 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 3 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 3 input on 4-track recorder ---> out Track 3 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 7 mixer
Mic/instrument --> CH 4 mixer ---> out the insert ---> Track 4 input on 4-track recorder ---> out Track 4 output 4 track recorder ---> CH 8 mixer
Compressor While Tracking (ex. Channel 1)
Mic/instrument --> CH 1 mixer --->Repatch standard cable out the insert ---> Y-cable compressor input---> Y-cable compressor output --->Standard cable to Track 1 input 4 track recorder ---> CH 5 mixer
Compressor While MIXING (ex. Channel 5)
Repatch CH 5 to CH 1 mixer ---> Repatch insert cable out the insert ---> insert cable to other end of y connecters at the input and output of compressor---> Back to insert
Aux 1 and Effects Return handle all the Nanoverb duties during mixdown and tracking
During mixing, everything ends up going to stereo out so I can send it to the computer.
I keep getting confused (which isn't hard to do) on the patching and repatching, and in talking with several members on here about it, they thought a multi-buss mixer may be a better answer for me........ so........
WARNING!!!!!! Self justification is about to commence!!!!!!!
1. I figure this is a learning experience, so I thought I might as well get the multi-buss mixer and figure it out. Size wise, it is going to be a challenge to fit it into footprint of the current setup, but I think I can do it.
2. My timeline was always to get some kind of setup around by the fall, then rerecord my songs over this winter. Still working in the framework of that timeline.
3. Yolo baby!!!! just plain yolo.....
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bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Well.... I got to do little work on mounting the M-106. I took the rack rails that held the old mixer and used them as L brackets. I used em to screw the mixer to the top shelf of the rack. I'm thinking when we leave this house on wheels, I can raise the rack and use an adjustable height office chair to easily get to the 234 and the mixer.
I still wanted to use the condenser mic, so I mounted the audio buddy and hooked it to channels one and two. Reverb is still hooked to the effects out and in.
I am having a little difficulty with the compressor. How would I hook this up so I can use it both for tracking and mixing without repatching?
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
You really can't, Brad. During tracking you would have it plugged into an insert on a channel, during mixing you would have it plugged into an insert on a mix buss. The only exception to this is if you used the same mix buss for tracking and mixdown then you could leave the compressor just connected to the mix buss.
Re-patching is a normal activity during the recording and mixing process. It's nice to minimize it with normalling jacks and it is also helpful when your mixer has the right number of inputs and outputs to match your sources and your recording equipment, but there's typically some repatching required. This is why a patch bay is nice...it gets your connections out front, and typically you can have inputs and outputs that you normally have connected together linked by a pair of normalled jacks, but then break that connection and redirect elsewhere with a patch cable at the front of your rack rather than reaching around behind.
FYI I'm glad the DeoxIT worked, but for carbon element type potentiometers (both rotary and slide) you ideally want to use DeoxIT F5 Faderlube if you use a DeoxIT product. It has cleaners and lubricants designed for that type of contact surface. For metal-to-metal contacts DeoxIT D5 is the product.
As an aside, just for you to chew on, if it was me I'd have a patchbay and have the direct outs for M-106 channels 1-4 normalled to the 4-track inputs 1-4, and then I'd have the direct outs for M-106 channels 5-6 available it the patchbay but normalled to nothing...PGM groups 1-2 outputs normalled to my master recorder inputs, and PGM groups 3-4 outputs available on the patchbay but normalled to nothing. I would also have the AUX and EFF outputs on the patchbay and normalled to inputs of whatever I was normally feeding with those. That covers mixer outputs. I would have 4-track outputs 1-4 normalled to M-106 line inputs 1-4.
Considering, if I'm reading correctly, you usually have 4 different sources you work with, that's why I'm suggesting using the direct outs of the M-106 connected to your 4-track inputs as opposed to the PGM group outputs. You could keep one pair of PGM groups in reserve if you do have a mono or stereo submix you want to multitrack. The M-106 does not have a way to monitor all 4 PGM groups at one time, so you utilize it like a 6x2+2 mixer. It's a good little mixer.
Let this sink in. I'm happy to walk you through specific "how would I" scenarios specific to your gear since I'm familiar with the 234 and presently own two M-106s.
Re-patching is a normal activity during the recording and mixing process. It's nice to minimize it with normalling jacks and it is also helpful when your mixer has the right number of inputs and outputs to match your sources and your recording equipment, but there's typically some repatching required. This is why a patch bay is nice...it gets your connections out front, and typically you can have inputs and outputs that you normally have connected together linked by a pair of normalled jacks, but then break that connection and redirect elsewhere with a patch cable at the front of your rack rather than reaching around behind.
FYI I'm glad the DeoxIT worked, but for carbon element type potentiometers (both rotary and slide) you ideally want to use DeoxIT F5 Faderlube if you use a DeoxIT product. It has cleaners and lubricants designed for that type of contact surface. For metal-to-metal contacts DeoxIT D5 is the product.
As an aside, just for you to chew on, if it was me I'd have a patchbay and have the direct outs for M-106 channels 1-4 normalled to the 4-track inputs 1-4, and then I'd have the direct outs for M-106 channels 5-6 available it the patchbay but normalled to nothing...PGM groups 1-2 outputs normalled to my master recorder inputs, and PGM groups 3-4 outputs available on the patchbay but normalled to nothing. I would also have the AUX and EFF outputs on the patchbay and normalled to inputs of whatever I was normally feeding with those. That covers mixer outputs. I would have 4-track outputs 1-4 normalled to M-106 line inputs 1-4.
Considering, if I'm reading correctly, you usually have 4 different sources you work with, that's why I'm suggesting using the direct outs of the M-106 connected to your 4-track inputs as opposed to the PGM group outputs. You could keep one pair of PGM groups in reserve if you do have a mono or stereo submix you want to multitrack. The M-106 does not have a way to monitor all 4 PGM groups at one time, so you utilize it like a 6x2+2 mixer. It's a good little mixer.
Let this sink in. I'm happy to walk you through specific "how would I" scenarios specific to your gear since I'm familiar with the 234 and presently own two M-106s.
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
I think I have her hooked up right, but I have a couple of questions.
With the setup below I attached compressor to the PGM insert jack. So using this setup, I should be able to use the compressor for both tracking and mixing as long I assign the track to PGM 2 buss, right?
There are two types of PGM Out jacks. RCA which has a -10dBv unbalanced output, and the phono jack, which has a 0dBu output. Right now I'm using the phono jacks for the tape in. Is this ok???
I also found a source for the missing knob so this situation will be taken care of soon
With the setup below I attached compressor to the PGM insert jack. So using this setup, I should be able to use the compressor for both tracking and mixing as long I assign the track to PGM 2 buss, right?
There are two types of PGM Out jacks. RCA which has a -10dBv unbalanced output, and the phono jack, which has a 0dBu output. Right now I'm using the phono jacks for the tape in. Is this ok???
I also found a source for the missing knob so this situation will be taken care of soon
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sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
For some reason your pics aren't coming through in the post.
But I think I can answer without them.
Yes you are correct about the compressor on PGM 2 insert being available for tracking and for mixdown.
Yes the 1/4" TS output jack for the PGM groups should be fine with the 4-track inputs...you just may find you have to have the PGM fader a little lower to avoid overloading the particular input of the 4-track, but there is nothing wrong or particularly disadvantageous about using the 0dBv TS outputs over the -10dBv RCA outputs.
And yes...you will have that last knob cap in place soon...just need to get a picture from you so I can match any age related yellowing of your 234 putty colored knob caps with what I have on hand.
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
One question about your use of the compressor though...are you doing stereo or mono when you are mixing down? If stereo, one normally uses a stereo compressor on the stereo mix vs just compressing one channel of the stereo pair. Or do you have a compressor on the PGM 1 insert also?
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
I think I already addressed question #2 in post #73...?
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
You did thanks.... we were posting on top of each other and I was trying to fix the pictures and I ended up turning this thread into a mell of a hess..... On top of that, my wife has been trying to teach me to double the number of fingers when typing on this stupid thing and RCA jacks makes me sound like I'm yelling....
.Anyway, I think I have the pictures straightened out, and post#70 should get the color close.... I think......
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Right now, It's just one mono compressor. My thought on that is is I can compress one track in the mix if it needs it, all other compression will take place during tracking. Honestly, I've only had one recording day with the compressor and I used it that way, so I'm not sure how I'll use it.
Things are looking like they will settle down after this week so hopefully I'll get some more recording time... I'm sure things will click better when I quit using my head.....
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
I finally was able to take the Tascam M-106 for a spin today only in the mixing mode though. I have a couple of questions.
1. For some reason, when I went to pan, all the channel (1-4) would be full blast on full left, and nothing on full right. I've used this tape before on other mixers, so I know its not in the tape. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
2. I have the (mono) compressor attached to the PGM 4 insert. Lets say I'm compressing my drums from track 3, and I want to monitor the mix. All the rest of my tracks are on PGM 1-2. I put every track on PGM 1-2 except the drum track which I put on 3-4. I can't monitor the compressed drum sound though (if I have the monitor set to 1). I can set the track to both 1-2, and 3-4 and I'll get the drum track, but its not compressed. Is there a solution for this, or should I just use the compressor on the drum channel insert rather than the PGM insert?
As Always.... Thanks,
Brad
1. For some reason, when I went to pan, all the channel (1-4) would be full blast on full left, and nothing on full right. I've used this tape before on other mixers, so I know its not in the tape. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
2. I have the (mono) compressor attached to the PGM 4 insert. Lets say I'm compressing my drums from track 3, and I want to monitor the mix. All the rest of my tracks are on PGM 1-2. I put every track on PGM 1-2 except the drum track which I put on 3-4. I can't monitor the compressed drum sound though (if I have the monitor set to 1). I can set the track to both 1-2, and 3-4 and I'll get the drum track, but its not compressed. Is there a solution for this, or should I just use the compressor on the drum channel insert rather than the PGM insert?
As Always.... Thanks,
Brad
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
1. More information is needed...is this happening during tracking or mixing down? How do you have the assign switches and pans set for each mixer channel, and how are you monitoring?
I would use the mixer channel insert for the compressor during tracking. There's a bigger ball of wax to tackle here though I think. Remember the M-106 has 4 true PGM groups, but you can only monitor them a pair at a time, so in that sense it is a 6 x 2+2 mixer instead of a 6 x 4. I'd like to give you some guidance on how to best use the combination of the M-106 and 234. Do you always record a single source to each tape track, or do you often submix multiple sources to 1 or 2 tracks in combination with single source tracks? And how many different sources do you have? How many of the M-106's channels do you use for sources?
I would use the mixer channel insert for the compressor during tracking. There's a bigger ball of wax to tackle here though I think. Remember the M-106 has 4 true PGM groups, but you can only monitor them a pair at a time, so in that sense it is a 6 x 2+2 mixer instead of a 6 x 4. I'd like to give you some guidance on how to best use the combination of the M-106 and 234. Do you always record a single source to each tape track, or do you often submix multiple sources to 1 or 2 tracks in combination with single source tracks? And how many different sources do you have? How many of the M-106's channels do you use for sources?
bachelorb
Cowboy Chord Virtuoso
Lets tackle my first problem later if you don't mind, I'll get confused doing both these things and I'd really like to understand the monitoring and assigning of channels too.
I appreciate your help.
Sources (5 right now): Drum, Bass (both are electronic off of Garageband panned hard left/hard right), Guitar pickup, one condenser microphone, one dynamic microphone
I prefer to record one source per channel right now. On occasions, when I'm doing a 4 track collaboration I might need to submix voice mic and guitar pickup onto one track.
I'm not sure I understand what your asking on the last question. Mostly one track per source, but on occasion when I think my voice sounds puny, I have used two tracks per source to beef it up (back when I could cut and paste it on the DAW)
Thanks,
Brad
I appreciate your help.
Sources (5 right now): Drum, Bass (both are electronic off of Garageband panned hard left/hard right), Guitar pickup, one condenser microphone, one dynamic microphone
I prefer to record one source per channel right now. On occasions, when I'm doing a 4 track collaboration I might need to submix voice mic and guitar pickup onto one track.
I'm not sure I understand what your asking on the last question. Mostly one track per source, but on occasion when I think my voice sounds puny, I have used two tracks per source to beef it up (back when I could cut and paste it on the DAW)
Thanks,
Brad
sweetbeats
Reel deep thoughts...
Okay. Three follow up questions now:
1. So garage band is a stereo line level source with virtual drum and bass tracks, yes? And you are using two tape tracks to record that, correct?
2. You have 5 sources, one of them stereo (if I'm understanding correctly about garage band output), but 4 tape tracks...how are you mixing the guitar pickup, condenser and dynamic microphones on to the two remaining tape tracks?
3. How do the guitar pickup, condenser and dynamic mics connect to the mixer (i.e. does the pickup hook right up to one of the 1/4" TS MIC input jacks on the M-106, are you using an external preamp for the condenser mic, the output of which is connected to an RCA LINE input on the M-106, etc...be specific)
1. So garage band is a stereo line level source with virtual drum and bass tracks, yes? And you are using two tape tracks to record that, correct?
2. You have 5 sources, one of them stereo (if I'm understanding correctly about garage band output), but 4 tape tracks...how are you mixing the guitar pickup, condenser and dynamic microphones on to the two remaining tape tracks?
3. How do the guitar pickup, condenser and dynamic mics connect to the mixer (i.e. does the pickup hook right up to one of the 1/4" TS MIC input jacks on the M-106, are you using an external preamp for the condenser mic, the output of which is connected to an RCA LINE input on the M-106, etc...be specific)