Is this the only thing I need for tape>DAW (quick question!!!)

If I want to give each track on the 4-track its own recording in GarageBand, I know I will need a 4 in/4 out interface. I've found one, a M-Audio Delta 44.

To accomplish this, I know I will need 4 connections from the tape-outs on the Tascam into the 4 inputs of the Delta. But I am confused as the RCA has 2 plugs (L/R) and there's only one tape out per channel. I can't find what RCA cable will allow me to do this, unless I use any normal one and just don't plug in one of the L or R. Hope that made sense...
 
Can't you just use two stereo leads? e.g. Left and Right for channels 1 and 2, Left and Right on the second cable for channels 3 and 4...? Am I missing something?
 
jpmorris said:
Can't you just use two stereo leads? e.g. Left and Right for channels 1 and 2, Left and Right on the second cable for channels 3 and 4...? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but wouldn't that mean that I would only end up with 2 tracks on my DAW, rather than 4. I thought that by only bringing 2 stereo ins it would sum them to one respective track for 1,3 and 2,4.
 
If you have four line-outs on your tape device, plug something into each, then into the four inputs on the interface. If those line-outs are stereo lineouts, as opposed to discrete track outputs, simply pan each track hard left and hard right.
 
Use the aux sends for another pair of tracks as well as the stereo out pair. That gives you 4 in total. I've transfered friends material across from that exact Tascam recorder. I don't remember it having four line outs but the aux send pair does the same job anyway.
 
trancedental said:
Use the aux sends for another pair of tracks as well as the stereo out pair. That gives you 4 in total. I've transfered friends material across from that exact Tascam recorder. I don't remember it having four line outs but the aux send pair does the same job anyway.
Click to expand...

He doesn't need to do this. The 424 mkIII has direct tape outs for each track. The issue is that they're RCA jacks, and the OP was confused because RCA cords almost always come in pairs (L/R), and he didn't know that they're just essentially two separate cords bound together.

So, to the OP, I don't know if you ever actually heard the answer or not clearly enough:

To dump the four tracks from the 424 mkIII to the CPU, you will need an A/I with at least 4 channels. Then you just run RCA cords from the direct outs on the 424 to the A/I. It doesn't matter if you use 4 separate single RCA cables or two dual (L/R) RCA cables. You'll get four separate tracks either way. Those L/R RCA cables (with one red plug and one white or black plug) are just two separate cords bound together anyway. The signals they carry are totally independent from one another.

Think of it this way: Let's say you had two typical (dual) RCA cables with L and R plugs. You'd have a total of 4 plugs (2 red, and 2 white or black). Now, just imagine writing numbers on those plugs, 1-4. Then, plug those numbered plugs into the numbered direct outs on the 424, and you're good to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top