Tascam m520 and otari mx5050 mkiii 8 track connection

J

jsgunner

New member
Hello fine folks for home recording. I've been lurking the threads for awhile and have over time got my hands on the m520 and mx5050 1/2" 8 track. Saved up some money to buy cables.

I know that the tape ins and outs of the m520 is rca at -10db. Also, if I wanted to, I can use the balanced outputs on the console to boost it to a +4/+8db signal.

The otari has line outputs of either +4 or -8db. And inputs at -6db or -18db. All connect via line XLR with pin3 hot.

What's the best way to connect both of these two machines?

Thank you
 
Yeah, you can use the balanced outs.
I'd have to look at mine but I'm pretty sure you have to plug into the balancing amp first.
 
Yeah, confirm which pin is hot. But before that confirm the Otari is even balanced. Just because it has XLRs does not mean it's balanced. They came with the XLRs as standard, but the balancing circuitry was an optional add-on.

Aside from that, if it was me, and the tape deck is located close to the console, I'd use the unbalanced I/O on the console and the lower level unbalanced I/O on the tape deck. Only used the balanced I/O if you need to in order to abate noise/hum issues. That is the only purpose of balanced I/O. It doesn't give your audio more shizzle to have it balanced. The unbalanced I/O will afford a more clean audio path.
 
sweetbeats said:
Yeah, confirm which pin is hot. But before that confirm the Otari is even balanced. Just because it has XLRs does not mean it's balanced. They came with the XLRs as standard, but the balancing circuitry was an optional add-on.

Aside from that, if it was me, and the tape deck is located close to the console, I'd use the unbalanced I/O on the console and the lower level unbalanced I/O on the tape deck. Only used the balanced I/O if you need to in order to abate noise/hum issues. That is the only purpose of balanced I/O. It doesn't give your audio more shizzle to have it balanced. The unbalanced I/O will afford a more clean audio path.
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according to the manual, (photo attached)IMG_20161210_005400.jpg, it says that we're supposed to connect the wire to pin 3. and the tape machine is indeed unbalanced xlr

I'm always down to do the simplest and least amount of connections, so I'm open to going unbalanced, as my tape machine is close to my console.

I'm just confused with the fluctuations in db, as to what settings I should leave the otari on
 
RFR said:
Yeah, you can use the balanced outs.
I'd have to look at mine but I'm pretty sure you have to plug into the balancing amp first.
Click to expand...

do you have the same setup? would love some pointers, since I'm going to either make my own cables, or order them, and don't want to get the wrong ones
 
Open up the back and see which pin is being used...2 or 3.

And then use the lower nominal level setting on the Otari (not the -8 outputs and -6 inputs), and use the RCAs on the M-520

HTH.
 
jsgunner said:
do you have the same setup? would love some pointers, since I'm going to either make my own cables, or order them, and don't want to get the wrong ones
Click to expand...

No im running an msr16 with mine. I do have some outboard gear that I'm running using the balanced outs but i dont remember how i configured it. Too tight a squeeze to get behind the console to look.
Sorry.

Sweetbeats has some great hookup videos in the m520 story thread. Worth downloading and using for reference.
 
sweetbeats said:
Open up the back and see which pin is being used...2 or 3.

And then use the lower nominal level setting on the Otari (not the -8 outputs and -6 inputs), and use the RCAs on the M-520

HTH.
Click to expand...

Openned it up and the orange line is connected to pin 3. So pin 3 is hot.

Sweetbeats, just to make sure: so I just need a 16channel (8in/8out) snake with rca on one side and XLR (pin3) on the other? And run at lower level settings?
 
Yes it sounds like pin 3 is hot.

And yes either two 8-channel XLR-TRS snakes or one 16-channel.

Here's the thing you'll need to check: when you get whatever snake(s) you get, you'll need to verify which pin or pins of the XLR the center pin of the RCA plugs are connected to. For your console and tape machine the ideal would be if the RCA pin was connected to pin 3 of the XLR, and then pin 2 of the XLR should be bonded/strapped/connected to pin 1 of the XLR. My hunch is whatever you get, the RCA pin will be connected to pin 2 of the XLR, and pin 3 of the XLR may either be connected to pin 1 or nothing. If that's the way it is, the easiest thing to do would be to move all those orange wires connected to pin 3 in the Otari and move those to pin 2.

Post any questions you have about this. I'll try to explain better if what ive said doesn't make sense.
 
sweetbeats said:
Yes it sounds like pin 3 is hot.

And yes either two 8-channel XLR-TRS snakes or one 16-channel.

Here's the thing you'll need to check: when you get whatever snake(s) you get, you'll need to verify which pin or pins of the XLR the center pin of the RCA plugs are connected to. For your console and tape machine the ideal would be if the RCA pin was connected to pin 3 of the XLR, and then pin 2 of the XLR should be bonded/strapped/connected to pin 1 of the XLR. My hunch is whatever you get, the RCA pin will be connected to pin 2 of the XLR, and pin 3 of the XLR may either be connected to pin 1 or nothing. If that's the way it is, the easiest thing to do would be to move all those orange wires connected to pin 3 in the Otari and move those to pin 2.

Post any questions you have about this. I'll try to explain better if what ive said doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

What you've said made perfect sense. I'm planning on hitting up redco for this. i thought i would have time to make my own, but something came up. I'm going to let them know of the specifics.

as for input level, leave it at -18db, and output at -8db on the otari? that's both the lowest. just want to make sure i don't need a pre-amp to boost the signal going from my m520 to otari as I've read in other forums/posts to do
 
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Not sure about 520...but I know a bunch of TASCAM gear that also ran their XLRs with Pin 3 hot.

My 3500 was like that (I modded it for Pin 2 hot to match the rest of my gear)...same thing with my Otari MX5050 BIII, and my MX-80...all Pin 3, modded for pin 2...though with the MX80, I just did the pin switch at the patchbay.

That said, I ran my Fostex G16 using RCA unbalanced...and I think I musta' had a good 15' snake for that to reach my patchbay...never had any issues.

Redco...nice...but $$$.
You could probably score a ready-made pair of 8-channel snakes for less....check out eBay...not the cheap shit, something from Mogami or Gepco....there's always a good deal to be found. :)
If you were close by...I'd give you an RCA snake. I'm not using RCA connections any more, and I have a growing pile of no longer needed cables/snakes.
I just pulled another pile of cables when I swapped my consoles out, since the replacement console came with tons of Mogami, all with connectors, top shelf stuff... I think the guy must have had it custom made by Redco! :p
 
miroslav said:
Not sure about 520...but I know a bunch of TASCAM gear that also ran their XLRs with Pin 3 hot.

My 3500 was like that (I modded it for Pin 2 hot to match the rest of my gear)...same thing with my Otari MX5050 BIII, and my MX-80...all Pin 3, modded for pin 2...though with the MX80, I just did the pin switch at the patchbay.

That said, I ran my Fostex G16 using RCA unbalanced...and I think I musta' had a good 15' snake for that to reach my patchbay...never had any issues.

Redco...nice...but $$$.
You could probably score a ready-made pair of 8-channel snakes for less....check out eBay...not the cheap shit, something from Mogami or Gepco....there's always a good deal to be found. :)
If you were close by...I'd give you an RCA snake. I'm not using RCA connections any more, and I have a growing pile of no longer needed cables/snakes.
I just pulled another pile of cables when I swapped my consoles out, since the replacement console came with tons of Mogami, all with connectors, top shelf stuff... I think the guy must have had it custom made by Redco! :p
Click to expand...

I'm not worried about the unbalance or balanced aspect. just worried that I'm going to be sending enough db to the tape deck as it's different

also, where do you live? I'm in los angeles, can definitely use some rca snakes :)
 
RFR said:
Where in LA? Old stomping grounds for me. :D

Why dont you just make your own snakes?
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glendale

i could make my own snakes, but I'm going to be really busy these next few weeks, and would rather have them ready to go by the time i'm free next.
 
but i think the last question i have is if it's okay that I can go directly from a -10 out from my m520 to a -6 or -18dbm (with a switch), and back out from a +4 or -8 otari output to the m520. I think otari->m520 is fine, but just curious about going from m520 -> otari.
I know sweatbeats has mentioned it before, but it kind of was confusing
 
The nominal output of the M-520 is -10dBv. If you set the Otari to -18dBv, that means -10dBv should be plenty hot, not the opposite.

Setting the Otari to -18dBv input sensitivity is like the Otari is saying "I like signals with a level range centering around -18dBv." The Tascam is outputting signals with a level range centering around -10dBv, which is 8dBv hotter than the Otari's nominal range, so you should be fine. It just means you may need to have the PGM faders lower than you would expect in order to avoid overdriving the Otari inputs, but the -18dBv/-10dBv combination is a reasonably fine level match.

HTH
 
sweetbeats said:
The nominal output of the M-520 is -10dBv. If you set the Otari to -18dBv, that means -10dBv should be plenty hot, not the opposite.

Setting the Otari to -18dBv input sensitivity is like the Otari is saying "I like signals with a level range centering around -18dBv." The Tascam is outputting signals with a level range centering around -10dBv, which is 8dBv hotter than the Otari's nominal range, so you should be fine. It just means you may need to have the PGM faders lower than you would expect in order to avoid overdriving the Otari inputs, but the -18dBv/-10dBv combination is a reasonably fine level match.

HTH
Click to expand...

thanks sweetbeats. such a good explanation for me. I'm fully confident now
 
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