Need help connecting Tascam 48 to A&H mixer

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khatru3

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Hi, just joined. Been a lurker for a while. I bought a Tascam 48 and an Allen & Heath ZED 12FX mixer. I'll be using the RCA inputs and outputs on the 48 and need to know how to connect to this mixer. I presume I'll need RCA to 1/4" patch cords. Where on the mixer do I connect them? I'm new to using a separate mixer and deck. Any help would be appreciated!
 
boy that's gonna be a tough one... that board is not particularly suitable for this particular type of application. I'm looking at the overview diagram and I'm having a real hard time coming up with a good way to route that for even minimal functionality.

the diagrams are here http://www.allen-heath.co.uk/zed/dl/AP7085_1 ZED12FX_22FXUG.pdf if anyone else wants to take a look (be warned though that's the full man theres no isolated pdf with just an overview 6mb)

heres a single block diagram http://www.allen-heath.co.uk/zed/dl/ZED12FX_22FXUG_block_dia.pdf

about the only thing I can come up with would be to run the 8 outputs on the 48 to the 6 mono line ins and one of the stereo ins.... although this is going to severely limit your mixing ability and destroy your panning ability on the stereo track

and then run the three aux outputs of the board to three of the inputs on the 48, and you will have to move these around when you want to change what tracks you are recording on, and also creates the problem that aux 1 and aux 2 are pre fader pre eq, and aux 3 is post, also limiting you to three simultaneous tracks being recorded.

Man, I'm sorry dude but I can't come up with anything good... For a while it seemed like there might be a better solution using the inserts but it just hurt my brain and I think it wouldn't work. Any one else have any ideas?

If you are still able to return the mixer it might be a good idea and you could try to pick up something more suitable to using with an eight track, You can generally find 8 bus old tascam boards for cheap.. even some of the old 4 or 2 bus boards would work.
Anything with at least 8 tracks and direct outs...... Of course I could be wrong and there might be a better way to utilise this board. For your sake I hope so, good luck.
 
Sorry to say but mixers like the ZED 12 are a perfect reason why I like the older Tascam mixers.

Nothing wrong with that mixer in and of itself...Allen & Heath make good stuff...spent lots of time with a GL3300-32 and its worked out very well. BUT...

You have an 8-track recorder. You need a mixer with multiple outs and multiple ins and a way to flexibly monitor those. Correction: you don't need a mixer with multiple ins and multiple outs and a way to flexibly monitor those, but you will eventually find yourself frustrated and dissatisfied at having to contantly patch and repatch and finding limitations in not being able to monitor playback of certain tracks and/or not having your aux sends available for effects or cue feeds when you need/want those and basically just constantly kludging things together. The ZED 12 has a bunch of outs (AUX 1&2 pre fade, AUX 3 and EFX post fade; main L&R outs, ALT outs, and REC outs which I believe mirror the main outs), but no way to monitor those effectively. You can basically only monitor any 1 pair at the same time though it looks like you can dump the ALT out to the main buss but there is no master level control for the ALT out...ARG its making me anxious just to type this...:eek:

Answer this...how many tracks do you imagine you'll typically want to be able to record to the 48 at one time?
 
I was typing along with duddy so I saw his post after I submitted mine...inserts sort of work but the problem is that there is no record level control on the 48...the 48 assumes that the second amp stage, the line amp is on the board. It is there as the channel fader but the INSERT jack is PRE-EQ, PRE-FADE so you rely on your mic pre head amp to try and drive the tape level you want and it'll be weak. Plus if you use the INSERTS then those are not available for anything you'd need those for (i.e. dynamics processing or whatever). So yeah you can do it but it is a serious compromise...

I don't mean to be a downer. I feel bad because you've got this nice new (?) mixer and it really is not designed to accomodate what you want to do, and to be perfectly honest you aren't going to find anything new in that price bracket that will. Can you tell us what you paid and then we can recommend some good options in the used market?

An older Tascam mixer will give you WAY more routing options/bussing facilities/monitoring facilities...everything than the ZED 12. You'll be able to run multiple mixes and have complete monitoring and bussing control. Maybe a little hard to understand now but believe me, spending time making music rather than wracking your brain trying to figure out how to patch it together in a compromise at best is totally worth getting the right gear for the job.
 
sweetbeats said:
I was typing along with duddy so I saw his post after I submitted mine...inserts sort of work but the problem is that there is no record level control on the 48...the 48 assumes that the second amp stage, the line amp is on the board. It is there as the channel fader but the INSERT jack is PRE-EQ, PRE-FADE so you rely on your mic pre head amp to try and drive the tape level you want and it'll be weak. Plus if you use the INSERTS then those are not available for anything you'd need those for (i.e. dynamics processing or whatever). So yeah you can do it but it is a serious compromise...

I don't mean to be a downer. I feel bad because you've got this nice new (?) mixer and it really is not designed to accomodate what you want to do, and to be perfectly honest you aren't going to find anything new in that price bracket that will. Can you tell us what you paid and then we can recommend some good options in the used market?
Wow guys, that's a lot of info. I really appreciate it. I've decided that the ZED's going back. It's already boxed. I paid $449 new. I've been looking at some of the vintage Tascam mixer's like the 5A, M-208, M-30, M-308/312. I'll be recording basically one or two tracks at a time, one or two guitars. I don't think I need a 520 or 312. Something small I can take out to that place in jersey for repair. They repaired my 48. Anybody have any ideas which Tascam mixer would be suitable? And thanks again for all the brainstorming.
Click to expand...
 
I haven't looked at your other post yet so I'm not sure what the price/deal is on the M-30, but you are on the right track IMHO...M-30, M-35, M-308 would be best. Nothing wrong at all with the M-200 series but you are going to be getting a notch up in features on any of the above mixers. The M-300 series is my personal fav...tremendous balance of build engineering, nice analog VU's (as opposed to something like a 1508 which is also another option...more compact and lighter but more plastic) and the list of features is just really long. BUT M-30, M-35, M-308 will all have the bussing you need to track up to 4 tracks at a time using the subgroups which is really nice, and each one has a flexible 8-channel monitor mixer as well so your monitoring is not locked into the input strips. M-308 vs M-312...the M-308 can be toted around fairly easily by one person...M-312 gets a bit beastly, but the M-312 has a nice onboard talkback section as well as expanded aux functions on the monitor mixer. Those don't sound like must-have features for what you are doing.

Hope that helps. I'll look at your other post on the M-30....
 
khatru,

I can't comment on the Tascam consoles as I have no direct experience with them BUT please take notice of sweetbeats as he knows these things ;).

Alternatives to the Tascam consoles would be s/hand Mackie 8 buss and/or Soundcraft Spirit Studio(s), available in 16, 24 and 32 channel versions and I think A&H had some models as well. These are designed for a "project" recording environment, each channel having mic (XLR) input, line input, direct outs, "tape" return and inserts, flexible EQ and auxilliary sends. General opinions indicate that the Soundcraft have a more "musical response" compared to the Mackies, obviously your mileage may vary.

:cool:
 
You guys have been most helpful. I'm aiming now for a 300 series and will start reading about the Soundcraft and other mixers. I returned the ZED today and thanks again!
 
I think a three hundred series would work very well for you.

I'm currently looking for one myself to have as a remote location mixer while I leave my five hundred set up in my main studio.

Good luck, my one advise is to not be impatient. If your near New York, you should be able to come up on the perfect mixer for your purposes for a good price as long as your willing to wait and find a good opportunity.
 
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