Stuck with EMU 0204...

W

Will25

New member
Hi, I've just got an EMU 0204 so I can mix my Tascam 488 mkII tracks to my computer...I was hoping to use audacity but I've had a few problems...namely trying to get the track to the EMU - for example I'm running a red/white RCA stereo cable from the Tascam's line out into the "L - Mic" input of the EMU but I'm only getting one side through. There's sound with the white plug but none with the red plug - is this just a faulty wire or am I doing something else wrong? Will I get a stereo mix with just that RCA cable into the mic input on the EMU? :confused: This is probably me being an idiot haha but any guidance would be very much appreciated..!
 
Will25 said:
Hi, I've just got an EMU 0204 so I can mix my Tascam 488 mkII tracks to my computer...I was hoping to use audacity but I've had a few problems...namely trying to get the track to the EMU - for example I'm running a red/white RCA stereo cable from the Tascam's line out into the "L - Mic" input of the EMU but I'm only getting one side through. There's sound with the white plug but none with the red plug - is this just a faulty wire or am I doing something else wrong? Will I get a stereo mix with just that RCA cable into the mic input on the EMU? :confused: This is probably me being an idiot haha but any guidance would be very much appreciated..!
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How are your pan settings on the Tascam?The red and white are just colors really.Try switching the plugs on the tascam and put the white rca plug into the red rca jack and see if you get anything that way.At least then you'll know if you have a bad cable or not.

I used to mix down from a portable 8 track using a rca with 1/8 stereo jack into the line in jack of my computer.I was using the crappy sound card of the computer and used audacity.It worked for getting a sound file and burning to disc.The Emu inputs are probably mono going in.I may be wrong but even if you click to record it as a stereo track it may record whatever you got going in as a mono track.

Are you sending individual tracks through the emu so you can remix?Or are you sending a finished mix in that's already panned the way you want it?
 
Yeah I think you're right about it only recording mono tracks...which is a bit of a pain really..I was planning on transferring the mix straight to the computer with it all paned out already. Do I need a different USB interface?
 
Will25,

I posted in your other thread but didn't read this one before I did. You need to find an adapter that will convert from RCA to 1/4" and buy two of them. They should be cheap - under $5 a pop - and likely a local music store will have them if they carry Hosa-branded stuff. They're usually kind of unreliable, but will be fine for several uses and you can see if you like the results.

They look like this: http://www.national-tech.com/hires/30s1-15300.jpg

Anyway, the adapters should have a 1/4" female and RCA male setup. You need to plug a 1/4" cable into each adapter, plug the RCA end of each adapter into one of the RCA (red or white) outputs in the 488, and then plug the other end of the 1/4" cable into the 1/4" jacks on the 0204. I have attached a picture indicating where these jacks are (one is by itself in channel 2, the other is in the center of the Neutrik combo jack in channel 1).

EMU0204USBarrows.JPG

So: 488 --> adapter plug (RCA) --> 1/4" cable --> 0204

Then in your DAW, set two tracks up so that one takes from channel 1 of your 0204 and the other takes from channel 2 of the 0204. Keep your volumes set the same for both inputs.

Then record in the DAW with 488 playback, and pan the tracks you recorded all the way left and right in your DAW. It doesn't matter if your cables go into the wrong inputs and your L/R channels get reversed on playback because you can switch them around again by panning in the DAW.

Finally, keep your levels reasonable. You want to push them a little because you're coming from tape, but DON'T LET THEM CLIP. You can always turn things up later in the DAW.

Good luck!

Just a note: If you want to use RCA cables instead of 1/4" cables, you can set up the adapters at the other end. Then you'd be looking at:

488 --> stereo RCA cable --> adapter (one on each cable in the stereo pair) --> 0204

Those would look like this: http://ak.buy.com/PI/0/350/218260552.jpg
 
Ditto Brent, I posted in the other thread before I saw this one.

I am wondering why the OP would have to record two separate left and right tracks when most of the DAWs I know can record left, right or stereo to one track. The Tascam 488 will send a stereo signal, the 0204 will receive it and the DAW can process it. I don't understand the problem
 
Will25 said:
Yeah I think you're right about it only recording mono tracks...which is a bit of a pain really..I was planning on transferring the mix straight to the computer with it all paned out already. Do I need a different USB interface?
Click to expand...

Not if your PC is a reasonably modern one with at least USB 2.0
 
GuitarLegend said:
I am wondering why the OP would have to record two separate left and right tracks when most of the DAWs I know can record left, right or stereo to one track. The Tascam 488 will send a stereo signal, the 0204 will receive it and the DAW can process it. I don't understand the problem
Click to expand...

I didn't think about it this way. Apparently he was looking for a stereo jack (input), not two mono jacks. It felt easier for me to explain the concept if one is running two signals into two jacks by keeping the inputs going to separate tracks. But it's totally fine to run the two inputs into a stereo track.

One consideration is that if you get your wires crossed somewhere then it's harder to reverse the channels. Still easy and possible, but not as easy as simply panning a couple of tracks.
 
BrentDomann said:
I didn't think about it this way. Apparently he was looking for a stereo jack (input), not two mono jacks. It felt easier for me to explain the concept if one is running two signals into two jacks by keeping the inputs going to separate tracks. But it's totally fine to run the two inputs into a stereo track.

One consideration is that if you get your wires crossed somewhere then it's harder to reverse the channels. Still easy and possible, but not as easy as simply panning a couple of tracks.
Click to expand...

Ah ... the penny drops... it just didnt occur to me to think he might be looking for a stereo jack. Your reply was well-written
 
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