Tascam DP24 versus Audio Interface

darthweasel

New member
They say there are no dumb questions. So if the upcoming is a smart question for me, does that just mean I am a dumb person?


I have a Tascam DP24 I have laid a number of tracks on. Since I am recording directly into the Tascam, if I plan to do most/all of my mixing/mastering on Audacity, do I actually need an Interface? It seems to me the interface would be if I were recording into the computer itself which I am not doing but for reasons I am unclear on I keep getting told I must have the audio interface and I am trying to figure out why
 
They say there are no dumb questions. So if the upcoming is a smart question for me, does that just mean I am a dumb person?


I have a Tascam DP24 I have laid a number of tracks on. Since I am recording directly into the Tascam, if I plan to do most/all of my mixing/mastering on Audacity, do I actually need an Interface? It seems to me the interface would be if I were recording into the computer itself which I am not doing but for reasons I am unclear on I keep getting told I must have the audio interface and I am trying to figure out why

I was wondering how you would get the multiple tracks over to the PC? Then I saw that the DP24 records to SD card so you will do it that way? Problem, I don't think Audacity can open more than two track although I understand it will record as many tracks as there are inputs on an AI?

But even supposing you CAN run the tracks, what do you use as a quality D/A to monitor your mixes?

Dave.
 
I was wondering how you would get the multiple tracks over to the PC? Then I saw that the DP24 records to SD card so you will do it that way? Problem, I don't think Audacity can open more than two track although I understand it will record as many tracks as there are inputs on an AI?

But even supposing you CAN run the tracks, what do you use as a quality D/A to monitor your mixes?

Dave.


the question was smarter than I am (insert facepalm). I am not sure what I don't know, so I mostly was working on getting the tracks recorded which was a slow process. I watched Phil Tippins videos several times to make sure I was understanding the use of the machine, took a couple false starts to get a decent recording quality, I have been using AKG K24O studio headphones for listen back and I was planning on using Audacity to do the mixing and actually thinking I would send out to have professionally mastered by Disc Makers...but it sounds like I actually cannot do that on Audacity from what you say above.

I may then try to do the mixing on the Tascam but it sounds like I still have backed myself into a corner as we just have a $%^&* Mac which I hate with a passion. I am the heretic who finds macs very difficult to get anything done on and longs for the old days of non-Macs which were so much easier to work with.

But, and again, likely a dumb question...I think I have thoroughly demonstrated my questionable competence in all matters computer...maybe an interface will translate individual tracks from the Tascam to a DAW and maybe I need a different one than Audacity?
 
The 'go to' sort of free DAW is Reaper and that will handle all the tracks you need but you still need to get them into the PC. I don't know if the DP24 writes multiple tracks to the SD card or just a stereo mix?

If just stereo then you need to get the tracks out as analogue and so you will need an interface with AS many inputs as tracks.

Dave.
 
They say there are no dumb questions. So if the upcoming is a smart question for me, does that just mean I am a dumb person?


I have a Tascam DP24 I have laid a number of tracks on. Since I am recording directly into the Tascam, if I plan to do most/all of my mixing/mastering on Audacity, do I actually need an Interface? It seems to me the interface would be if I were recording into the computer itself which I am not doing but for reasons I am unclear on I keep getting told I must have the audio interface and I am trying to figure out why

Check the manual for the DP24, I had a DP32 which used the audio depot folder to export the tracks into, then import them into the DAW.
 
If you can get the tracks off the Tascam and into the computer ok, and are just going to mix from there, then you could get away without an interface.

An audio interface is designed specifically for duplex audio work, i.e. recording at the same time as you play back. But it also has other functions, one in p[articular that Dave mentioned, i.e. providing a signal path for monitoring.

Reaper is a versatile and powerful DAW that will give you more otions than Audacity. It's worth a look.
 
the question was smarter than I am (insert facepalm). I am not sure what I don't know, so I mostly was working on getting the tracks recorded which was a slow process. I watched Phil Tippins videos several times to make sure I was understanding the use of the machine, took a couple false starts to get a decent recording quality, I have been using AKG K24O studio headphones for listen back and I was planning on using Audacity to do the mixing and actually thinking I would send out to have professionally mastered by Disc Makers...but it sounds like I actually cannot do that on Audacity from what you say above.

I may then try to do the mixing on the Tascam but it sounds like I still have backed myself into a corner as we just have a $%^&* Mac which I hate with a passion. I am the heretic who finds macs very difficult to get anything done on and longs for the old days of non-Macs which were so much easier to work with.

But, and again, likely a dumb question...I think I have thoroughly demonstrated my questionable competence in all matters computer...maybe an interface will translate individual tracks from the Tascam to a DAW and maybe I need a different one than Audacity?

I agree with Dave.

You will want to use something better suited than Audacity. Audacity is merely a simple free wav file editor. It is not suited for mixing and adding effects and such.

It is important though to find out if your DP24 will actually send out files to DAW correctly. Even if they are stereo tracks from each recorded there, you can separate them in most worthy DAWS.

Reaper is your cheapest bet to dig in to a DAW that will do what you need. There are others, but anything is better than Audacity.

The Mac thing I understand, but I am curious why you are stuck with a mac and why you continue with it?

Just curious. :)
 
Is your's the DP-24 (CD).. or DP-24SD?

I don't use either 24 model but I believe...

With DP-24SD...

You should be able to do all your stuff from recording to mixing to mastering in the unit itself - without a separate interface. Of course, you may also send your files and/or mixes out for those services.

The USB connection to a computer allows for transferring all your song(s) data, as well as tracks and mixes, to your computer and made available to whichever DAW you're using. Or just go through the correct saving and exporting procedure to store same on the SD card, which can then be transferred to your computer, also for use with your DAW.

I will second Reaper recommendation from [MENTION=89697]ecc83[/MENTION], [MENTION=45599]gecko zzed[/MENTION] and [MENTION=112380]jimmys69[/MENTION]
 
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Thanks chaps, I was struggling a bit there! As I am sure you could tell I know next to FA about those DP things.

My other concern is with OP's monitor, "mastering" audio path. The K240s look decent enough but are only $60 cans? Then people like Massive (for we are not worthy) say you cannot really mix and master solely on headphones no matter what their quality.

Then, AFAICT he has nothing decent in the way of a D/A or headphone amplifier? I would suggest the NI KA6 (of course!) but one of its few failings is a pretty weak cans amp. MOTU M2? One of the better Focustrites but then I don't know how good the H/P amps are on those?

Dave.
 
I wouldn't be too concerned starting with the K240s. I have two pair, along with Sony 7506 and Sennheiser 280s. Of the three, the AKGs are the most neutral sounding, and I find that mixing on them translates reasonably well to speaker systems. The Sonys are somewhat bright, and I end up with dull mixes. The 280s are somewhat dull, so I boost the highs too much.

The biggest failing of the AKGs is being open back. You don't get the isolation that you need for tracking, although that might not be an issue in some circumstances. I have done vocal tracks using them. You can hear the live vocal, which some people like. They don't do well if you are doing a loud amp recording, since they let in enough sound that it overcomes the original track.
 
I wouldn't be too concerned starting with the K240s. I have two pair, along with Sony 7506 and Sennheiser 280s. Of the three, the AKGs are the most neutral sounding, and I find that mixing on them translates reasonably well to speaker systems. The Sonys are somewhat bright, and I end up with dull mixes. The 280s are somewhat dull, so I boost the highs too much.

The biggest failing of the AKGs is being open back. You don't get the isolation that you need for tracking, although that might not be an issue in some circumstances. I have done vocal tracks using them. You can hear the live vocal, which some people like. They don't do well if you are doing a loud amp recording, since they let in enough sound that it overcomes the original track.

Fair enuffsky Rich but what is he driving them from?

Dave.
 
I'm guessing either the DP24SD or the Mac. That's the only two units he's mentioned. I have driven my 240s on my Asus laptop, Dell desktop, Zoom H4n, R24 and Yamaha AWs without any issue. I'm guessing the DP or Mac would drive them adequately.
 
I've exported tracks from my Tascam 2488NEO via the USB connection to my PC and then loaded the tracks into Reaper to edit or mix. I believe the DP-24SD can also do it via USB, as well as off loading tracks from the SD card with a reader either built into or hooked to a computer.

If you do opt to use the computers onboard soundcard and its associated software features, be sure to look at the EQ and other settings that may affect how the audio is reproduced through monitors or headphone. My ASUS PC uses Waves MaxxAudio for the RealTek soundcard and its settings other than 'OFF' can make it really difficult to mix or EQ tracks that sound right anywhere else.
I have a set of small powered M-Audio monitors plugged into the line out of my PC and they work well and the headphone out on the PC drives Sennheiser HD280's and Sony MDR-7506's fine.

I do have a Behringer UMC404HD interface and it does come in handy if I want to add or replace a track in Reaper that I had originally done in the Tascam. An interface is a useful and handy tool that is worth having around.
 

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I agree with Dave.

You will want to use something better suited than Audacity. Audacity is merely a simple free wav file editor. It is not suited for mixing and adding effects and such.

It is important though to find out if your DP24 will actually send out files to DAW correctly. Even if they are stereo tracks from each recorded there, you can separate them in most worthy DAWS.

Reaper is your cheapest bet to dig in to a DAW that will do what you need. There are others, but anything is better than Audacity.

The Mac thing I understand, but I am curious why you are stuck with a mac and why you continue with it?

Just curious. :)



I wanted a Microsoft, the wife wanted a mac so we compromised and got a Mac... :-)

I have tried to use it but I am no technical maven. I routinely refer to my phone as "the blinking 12:00 on the VCR for my generation". My 14 year niece can edit videos and make songs on her phone better than I can with a dual monitor computer setup.

So many people with so much good information, I am processing it all and looking at Reaper
 
Is your's the DP-24 (CD).. or DP-24SD?

I don't use either 24 model but I believe...

With DP-24SD...

You should be able to do all your stuff from recording to mixing to mastering in the unit itself - without a separate interface. Of course, you may also send your files and/or mixes out for those services.

The USB connection to a computer allows for transferring all your song(s) data, as well as tracks and mixes, to your computer and made available to whichever DAW you're using. Or just go through the correct saving and exporting procedure to store same on the SD card, which can then be transferred to your computer, also for use with your DAW.

I will second Reaper recommendation from [MENTION=89697]ecc83[/MENTION], [MENTION=45599]gecko zzed[/MENTION] and [MENTION=112380]jimmys69[/MENTION]


SD> I do plan to go there. I note computers don't even have SD slots anymore. %^& Kids get off my lawn. Things were better in my day (they really weren't, I love what technology has grown to, I just struggle to keep up)
 
I'm guessing either the DP24SD or the Mac. That's the only two units he's mentioned. I have driven my 240s on my Asus laptop, Dell desktop, Zoom H4n, R24 and Yamaha AWs without any issue. I'm guessing the DP or Mac would drive them adequately.

driving them on the DP24SD
 
I've exported tracks from my Tascam 2488NEO via the USB connection to my PC and then loaded the tracks into Reaper to edit or mix. I believe the DP-24SD can also do it via USB, as well as off loading tracks from the SD card with a reader either built into or hooked to a computer.

If you do opt to use the computers onboard soundcard and its associated software features, be sure to look at the EQ and other settings that may affect how the audio is reproduced through monitors or headphone. My ASUS PC uses Waves MaxxAudio for the RealTek soundcard and its settings other than 'OFF' can make it really difficult to mix or EQ tracks that sound right anywhere else.
I have a set of small powered M-Audio monitors plugged into the line out of my PC and they work well and the headphone out on the PC drives Sennheiser HD280's and Sony MDR-7506's fine.

I do have a Behringer UMC404HD interface and it does come in handy if I want to add or replace a track in Reaper that I had originally done in the Tascam. An interface is a useful and handy tool that is worth having around.


ah, the USB may be the ticket! I actually am considering having my brother build me a computer explicitly for this project, it is a labor of love so I am keeping it as affordable as possible...basically trying to record songs my Dad's group performed but never recorded/wrote down before he passes so he can hear them but putting them in a decent form matters. I am learning a ton from this site. Almost time for me to read that titanic "which microphone, how to position it" thread again because as new info comes in the older gets driven out and I often don't know what I am looking for on first read, it is only after learning something new that something old makes sense and needs refreshed. THis thread feels like it will fall in that file as well for me
 
" I note computers don't even have SD slots anymore." My Lenovo T510 does but I also have an "EasyAcc" USB 3.0 card reader. Takes standard SD and the TF mid sized one and micro with an adapter. Pretty fast.

Macs can run Windows (I'm told)

Dave.
 
" I note computers don't even have SD slots anymore." My Lenovo T510 does but I also have an "EasyAcc" USB 3.0 card reader. Takes standard SD and the TF mid sized one and micro with an adapter. Pretty fast.

Macs can run Windows (I'm told)

Dave.

had to look that card reader up. Brilliant, I will pick one up, thank you for that. Very helpful
 
Your question is very interesting to me because I fit your situation. As a totally-blind musician, I have long preferred a hardware dedicated recorder over a software application on a standard computer. I am using the Focus Scarlet II interface to connect my Tascam DP24 to my desktop PC. While I could export a complete recording to that Audio Depot section on the Tascam DP24 and copy it from there to my desired location using Windows Explorer, I can eliminate queueing sounds I place at the beginning of a file before the starting of a song by placing a mark perhaps a second before the first note of my performance, position the Tascam to that point, then open Audacity and start its Record function. Similarly, at the end of the performance, I can immediately stop the Tascam's playback, then stop Audacity. Yes, I know that the DP24 has a nice Mixing and Mastering facility, but it has so far proven difficult for me to use without sight (and I do not have sighted assistance readily available). From what I have read in the manual, the Mixing and Mastering sections have great flexibility with compression, EQ, and other aids in producing a good-quality recording, but I have yet to learn them. Someday, I'll create a "sacrificial song" which will be no great loss if I totally "muff it" while knobbing around in Mastering; but for now, the Focus Scarlet interface has worked very well for me.
I periodically remove my card (WHEN THE MACHINE IS OFF) and put it in my PC to make a backup of that card; my PC has a screen reader giving me speech output, so the backup is far easier than trying to change the Tascam over to the function to directly couple it to a PC, and I keep each backup in its own folder. Yes, cards somehow occasionally get corrupted, or you accidentally reach the "full card" error while recording a song. So I do pretty good housekeeping on the actual card used in my DP24.
One other important point about the DP24 which I learned from a Youtube presentation: I understood that if you change settings for balance, EQ, and other parameters on one song, then open another song, that new song "inherits" the settings you made in the previous song. One method suggested to overcome that issue was to first create a blank song with a name you recognize, then keep it for starting the next song (but I think there is a Reset process involved which is more involved than I want to pursue). In short, I change only the settings which I can hear immediately when recording on a track (pan, bass, mid-range, and treble) which I can adjust on that track by turning the knobs. Put another way, I do far better working with real buttons and knobs than I do interacting with menus on a system which has no voice guidance. Fortunately for me, the Tascam DP24 works well enough for me to allow me to do some very nice recordings on it.
The Focus Scarlet II is relatively inexpensive, and I have very carefully set its two level controls for a good balance, then I placed it out of the way in somewhat like a "set and forget" location, doing all my levels with the sliders on the DP24. I have a "home-brew" record-level indicator which gives a tone whose pitch is related to the signal level at the monitor point. While this method is probably not as accurate as the VU meters on the DP24, I can get the balance I want by ear and set the overall level with the master slider on the DP24. My level indicator is built around a logarithmic barcode driver on which I used four of its "display outputs" to send signals to a transistorized audio oscillator to give me samples at four audio levels. When it is all said and done, the "object of the game" is to make or record satisfying music.
Incidentally, one "dig" I have against software recorders on a PC became evident a few days ago. Microsoft on one of its updates changed my soundcard from the built-in soundcard on the PC to the Focus Scarlet as the default, leaving me with no speech output on my PC, separating me from any operation I could normally do. Without sighted help, I had to call the company who does my PC service to fix it. The technician immediately saw that my default soundcard had been changed from the Speaker software on the PC to the Scarlet. Correcting that change gave me speech again. If I were going to rely heavily on a software recorder or DAW on my PC, I'd want separation from Microsoft's updates so that changes are not made automatically. But for now, I VERY MUCH PREFER BUTTONS AND KNOBS for my music recording.
 
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