Aloha my gurus!

[Grimm Holiday]

Howdy y'all, I'm purchasing a TEAC 22-4 on the weekend here, and it'll be my intro into the world of analog recording. I already have tons of amateur questions that I could really use some assistance with, nooby things like "do I even need a mixer?" Hahaha, anyway I'm excited.

 

[ecc83]

Howdy y'all, I'm purchasing a TEAC 22-4 on the weekend here, and it'll be my intro into the world of analog recording. I already have tons of amateur questions that I could really use some assistance with, nooby things like "do I even need a mixer?" Hahaha, anyway I'm excited.

AFAICS the Teac/Tascam 22-4 only has unbalanced line level inputs on RCA phono connectors so yes, if you want to record with mics you will need pre amps. The cheapest way to get 4 mic pres is indeed a mixer but, think on. To record 4 mic tracks at once you will need a mixer that has either 'inserts' or 'direct outs'

You will also need to buy or makeup some special cables for the job. I suggest you learn to do the latter because soldering skills are something you are going to need!

Dave.

 

[Grimm Holiday]

AFAICS the Teac/Tascam 22-4 only has unbalanced line level inputs on RCA phono connectors so yes, if you want to record with mics you will need pre amps. The cheapest way to get 4 mic pres is indeed a mixer but, think on. To record 4 mic tracks at once you will need a mixer that has either 'inserts' or 'direct outs'

You will also need to buy or makeup some special cables for the job. I suggest you learn to do the latter because soldering skills are something you are going to need!

Dave.

Thanks for the response!! The most I'd need is to record 2 mic tracks at once, but I have never done that, resorting to recording everything one at a time, first guitar then vocals then double vocals and then guitar fills. So is a mixer even necessary if I am going to record everything at once? What if I bounce every track onto one and keep monitoring that track with my preamp? So I can hear it whilst recording onto of it? Is that possible? I'm a rookie, Dave!

 

[ecc83]

Thanks for the response!! The most I'd need is to record 2 mic tracks at once, but I have never done that, resorting to recording everything one at a time, first guitar then vocals then double vocals and then guitar fills. So is a mixer even necessary if I am going to record everything at once? What if I bounce every track onto one and keep monitoring that track with my preamp? So I can hear it whilst recording onto of it? Is that possible? I'm a rookie, Dave!

Ok well, if you only need to record 2 tracks maximum at a time then there are legions of small mixers you could use. I say "mixers" and not a preamp because the logic of the system means you need some means of monitoring the tape whilst recording the next track.
It makes sense to me to get a mixer that allows all four tacks to come back to it so you can balance ('mix'!) the tracks for the final result.

These 'tape returns' can be simple line inputs and in practice could be two stereo channels. Assuming you have an electric guitar look for a mixer that has at least on input at high (1meg) impedance. Alternatively you can use an external DI box or even a pedal.

Although 'track bouncing' seems an easy fun way to work the downside with tape is noise build up, especially if you don't have noise reduction such as DBX. Many tape enthusiasts bite the purist bullet and dump tracks to a computer then record the stereo mix back to tape. You can bounce/build as many tracks as you like on a PC with no noise penalty.

Two names for mixers. Soundcraft and Allen & Heath. Both have small mixers with high Z inputs and some with computer interfacing via USB. N.B. if you get a USB mixer do ensure it runs at 24 bits. Most new stuff does.

Dave.

 

[TalismanRich]

I left you a response in the Tascam forum. Basically, I noted the same things, and also suggested you look at the Tascam US4x4. You can use it as a 4 channel mic preamp for recording to the TEAC, and as a 4 line input interface for transferring from the 22-4 to the computer.

 

[ecc83]

I left you a response in the Tascam forum. Basically, I noted the same things, and also suggested you look at the Tascam US4x4. You can use it as a 4 channel mic preamp for recording to the TEAC, and as a 4 line input interface for transferring from the 22-4 to the computer.

A very good choice for the input path and one I had not thought of. Not quite as flexible though for playback if OP wants to mix his 4 tape tracks? There would need to be a lot of cable swapping.

The Tassy 4x4 PLUS a small 4 into 2 line mixer would however make a very flexible and formidable setup!

Dave.

 

[Grimm Holiday]

Ok well, if you only need to record 2 tracks maximum at a time then there are legions of small mixers you could use. I say "mixers" and not a preamp because the logic of the system means you need some means of monitoring the tape whilst recording the next track.
It makes sense to me to get a mixer that allows all four tacks to come back to it so you can balance ('mix'!) the tracks for the final result.

These 'tape returns' can be simple line inputs and in practice could be two stereo channels. Assuming you have an electric guitar look for a mixer that has at least on input at high (1meg) impedance. Alternatively you can use an external DI box or even a pedal.

Although 'track bouncing' seems an easy fun way to work the downside with tape is noise build up, especially if you don't have noise reduction such as DBX. Many tape enthusiasts bite the purist bullet and dump tracks to a computer then record the stereo mix back to tape. You can bounce/build as many tracks as you like on a PC with no noise penalty.

Two names for mixers. Soundcraft and Allen & Heath. Both have small mixers with high Z inputs and some with computer interfacing via USB. N.B. if you get a USB mixer do ensure it runs at 24 bits. Most new stuff does.

Dave.

I left you a response in the Tascam forum. Basically, I noted the same things, and also suggested you look at the Tascam US4x4. You can use it as a 4 channel mic preamp for recording to the TEAC, and as a 4 line input interface for transferring from the 22-4 to the computer.

A very good choice for the input path and one I had not thought of. Not quite as flexible though for playback if OP wants to mix his 4 tape tracks? There would need to be a lot of cable swapping.

The Tassy 4x4 PLUS a small 4 into 2 line mixer would however make a very flexible and formidable setup!

Dave.

Dudes, I can't thank you both enough. I'll investigate the US4x4 along with a Soundcraft or Allen & Heath mixer. Cheers! Truly.

 

[grimtraveller]

Hey, Grimm ! This town is big enough for the both of us !!

 

[Grimm Holiday]

Hey, Grimm ! This town is big enough for the both of us !!

Hahahaha, I'm glad you say so. Strange how similar our names are, basically tell the same story. Cheers!