Tascam tsr8 + Tascam m216 questions

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drrats

New member
So I'm thinking about purchasing a tsr8 to go with my tascam m216. I was wondering how one would go about setting up monitoring with this combination and what the workflow would look like given that it's a two head deck.

How would one monitor from the mixer while it receives audio from the deck, whilst also tracking overdubs to the deck. Just trying to get my head around this.

The m216 is a 4bus mixer so I'm guessing I monitor the deck into channels 1-8, (1-2 if I monitor only the trs8 stereo outs) and send them to the first two busses which then get sent to the masterfaders of the desk, which I monitor from. From there I can send whatever remaining desk channels I'm overdubbing with to bus 3-4 for max of two inputs out to the deck at the same time as listening back to what I have recorded already (and am monitoring on bus1-2). Am I on the right track?

Thanks!
 
I don't know that mixer so I don't know how to set it up that way - I've always used living mixing desks with the same number of channels as the recorder, and got a small sub-mixer to do the input input side. That means you'd always be hearing the outputs from the deck on the mixer - when you're rehearsing etc you can put the deck into ALL INPUT mode, and that will just pass all audio through it.

I don't normally need to record more than two tracks at once so I use a stereo switchbox out of the sub-mixer to select the tracks for recording. A 4-way Y cable also works for this if you can make one - I've never seen one for sale, though Fostex suggested using them in the A8 manual. (I had two synced TSR-8s at one point so I used both ways). Obviously if you do need to record more than two tracks at once this trick won't work unless your submixer supports enough output groups.

The TSR-8 will also monitor the input if you arm an individual track while in PLAY or stopped, though obviously that's armed the track for record so it will be erased if you do put it into record. I have done that once or twice.

Not quite an answer to your question, but hopefully
 
I dont own one either, but a look at the controls and the back panel suggests that one way would be use channels 1-8 as your mic inputs on the 216. You will need a special plug to go into each of the "insert" jacks on channels 1-8 (these plugs need to short send to return and also give you a connection), That cable then goes out to the line inputs of the TSR 1-8. The line outs of the TSR go to "ine in" on the 216, this time to channels 9-16 (TSR 1 to 216 9, TSR 2 to 216 10 etc).

To track, record mics through channels 1-8, adjusting levels into TSR by monitoring its meters and using the 216 mic level. Depending on topography the send we used to go to the recorder "May" be after the mixer's EQ, if so slight bonus. Two ways to monitor tracks while recording, 1) assign the channel(s) to the stereo buss, apply roughly the pan you think they will end up and monitor on headphones for st out. Use the main faders for 1-8 individualy, stero ot for all. for level. You can also do mini-mixs this way, but the idea right now is get tracks to tape. Second monitor scheme (Depends if TSR sends out monitors while recording, I would think it does). 2 ) Assign and set input levels as above (1-8), but dont assign channels to ST buss or any buss. Assign channel(s) you want to monitor using 9-16) to ST bus, monitor on headphones, use channels faders for individual levels, st out for all you are monitoring.

Mixing. TSR channels 1-8 are coming into the 216 on channels 9-16 through the line inputs, you get EQ for certain now, pan and send off to the ST buss These channels can work with off board effects. The beauty here is it where necessary to add 1 or more tracks live while also mixing from the TSR, it could be done by mics (or line ins for that matter) through channels 1-8, eq's and assigned to ST buss. These wont have the capability to use out board effect unless you remove the plug already in "insert" and replace it with a regular cable to outboard effects.

Thats just two ways, im sure more suggestions will be made. Bunch of ways to skin a cat!
 
great thanks for the examples. I'm beginning to get a picture of the potential workflows. Anyone else out there have a m216 hooked up to a two head machine? How do you do it?!
 
drrats said:
great thanks for the examples. I'm beginning to get a picture of the potential workflows. Anyone else out there have a m216 hooked up to a two head machine? How do you do it?!
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The TSR-8 is not an ordinary 2 head machine in that while overdubbing it has a sync mode which will feed the recorded tracks off the tape on the sync head while sending the input sources back out to your mixer where you can establish a working cue mix to be used while you're overdubbing and building up your production. Even if you had a higher end model 8 track with three heads, while overdubbing, you'd still be working the exact same monitoring regime as the TSR-8. The third head is really only of benefit for calibration purposes as the heads and the specs are identical between the sync head and the repro head.

The M-216 is a 4 buss mixer so you'll have to make use of the doubled RCA program outs 1-4 to give inputs to all 8 tracks of your tape machine. The only limitation to that is you will only be able to record 4 tracks at a time which is usually not an issue if you're working alone or with a couple of other players. The M-216 doesn't have direct outs to accommodate 8 live tracks being recorded in one pass so you'd have to make use of the insert point 1/4" TRS jumper point to have more then 4 tracks recorded in on pass. But the caveat to that is that the insert point comes directly after the initial mic trim control stage and as such, you'll have no access to the eq controls for tracking, nor the channel faders either. It's far better all around to just use that mixer as its intended as a 4 buss mixer.

And not that it matters, but I have owned both the M-208 and M-216 in the past.



Cheers! :)
 
Excellent, cheers Ghost! Sounds like this setup would work fine as I plan to bias to 911 tape and then leave the machine alone. Thanks for your input everyone!
 
Actually I believe the inserts on the 200 series are post-EQ. You will want to look this up somewhere or try it yourself, don't just take my word on it. I have a M208 and when I insert a compressor on a channel and then adjust the EQ, it changes the nature of the compression (evidenced by the gain reduction and level LEDs on the face of the compressor). Which leads me to believe this.
 
lo.fi.love said:
Actually I believe the inserts on the 200 series are post-EQ. You will want to look this up somewhere or try it yourself, don't just take my word on it. I have a M208 and when I insert a compressor on a channel and then adjust the EQ, it changes the nature of the compression (evidenced by the gain reduction and level LEDs on the face of the compressor). Which leads me to believe this.
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You are correct! The insert point is post eq on the 200 series mixers. Most others mixer series from Tascam place it before the eq.



View attachment 95595



Apologies for any confusion/aspersions I cast in my previous post.



Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
You are correct! The insert point is post eq on the 200 series mixers. Most others mixer series from Tascam place it before the eq.
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It's pretty unusual. In my experience, the insert points on most mixers are post-gain, pre-EQ. I wonder what the motivation was behind this choice.
 
lo.fi.love said:
It's pretty unusual. In my experience, the insert points on most mixers are post-gain, pre-EQ. I wonder what the motivation was behind this choice.
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Hard to say exactly. They also made use of cannon/xlr connector outs for the main busses but they weren't in fact balanced outputs! So that's 2 unique factoids about the 200 series boards. :)



Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Hard to say exactly. They also made use of cannon/xlr connector outs for the main busses but they weren't in fact balanced outputs! So that's 2 unique factoids about the 200 series boards. :)
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They're not balanced - ?? Weird! I know they're +4 db line level, are the cold and ground pins shorted internally or something?
 
lo.fi.love said:
They're not balanced - ?? Weird! I know they're +4 db line level, are the cold and ground pins shorted internally or something?
Click to expand...

I'd have to check an actual schematic but I believe so, yes. I think they did that more so as a convenience feature to allow for quick connections to nearby PA amps which only had xlr connectivity.



Cheers! :)
 
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