tascam 38 + M 320 B

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thegoonmat

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hi there,
i just got a tascam 38 and a tascam M 320 B
but i don't have the owner manuals (yet)
anybody ca tell me how i should wire them together and then how do i use the m 320 b , i see there's PGM and tape in but don't really clear how to use it ...
how do i use the mixer then to play/record
thanks to help a beginner !
bye
 
thegoonmat said:
hi there,
i just got a tascam 38 and a tascam M 320 B
but i don't have the owner manuals (yet)
anybody ca tell me how i should wire them together and then how do i use the m 320 b , i see there's PGM and tape in but don't really clear how to use it ...
how do i use the mixer then to play/record
thanks to help a beginner !
bye
Click to expand...

Do you have any 8 channel snakes?
You'll need at least 2 of those. If not, definitely don't skimp on quality and make sure you spend a little extra for better cables. The 320B is a very underrated beautiful sounding console. I love mine. Paired up with a 38 and you've got a great configuration. Love the onboard EQ and preamps on the 320B...maybe not for everyone,..but definitely a sweetness to my ears.
I have a Tascam M-3700 32 ch, but always find myself going back to my 320B in the end.

( Basic mixing setup )
Take your 8 channels out from your 320B's PGM outs to your 38's tape in's and then another 8 channels will come out of your 38 and go back into your tape in's on your Tascam M320B. Stereo outs to your mixdown deck, and mixdown deck back into your EXT IN.
Monitor left & right outputs go to your monitors.
This is a setup without EFX in the chain..but learn this first and then move on to bigger and better.
The 320B has a great sub-mixing system and various ways to route your sounds. The possibilities are vast.
 
Additionally,...

Connect the cables from mixer PGM Outs to recorder (track) Inputs:
(Each PGM Out has 2 jacks)
PGM 1 > Track 1
PGM 2 > Track 2
PGM 3 > Track 3
PGM 4 > Track 4
PGM 1 > Track 5
PGM 2 > Track 6
PGM 3 > Track 7
PGM 4 > Track 8

Connect the recorder's Outputs to the mixer's TAPE Ins, 1-8, respectively.

In this configuration, you may mix any or all of the 20 input channels down to any of 4 PGM outputs, and record up 4-tracks simultaneously. You will use the PGM Outs 1-4 to record to Tracks 1-4, AND Tracks 5-8, in 2-banks of 4. The only differentiating thing being which track is enabled to record on the 38, F/I since PGM Out 1 feeds tape Track 1 AND 5, the differentiating factor between 1 and 5 is which one is enabled to record on the 38.

This configuration leverages the mixer's power and gives you great flexibility while minimizing repatching of the cables. All the routing is accomplished through selection of switches and buttons. This suffices for most solo recording and small enembles and studio recording where you're recording up to 4-tracks simultaneously.

When you move to recording live music or studio takes with more than 4-tracks simultaneously, you would then employ a combination of the PGM Outs and Direct Outs, a more advanced setup that's really easy once you get in the swing of things.

While you plug the recorders Outputs 1-8 to the Mixer's Tape In's 1-8, this enables you to switch between tracking mode, using TAPE RTN function for "tape cue" mixes, (where you have to monitor previously recorded tracks simultaneously with live input sources), and then move to full "remix" mode (where all sources are coming off tape) with the simple flip of a switch.

With the high complexity of this mixer (and other Tascam recording mixers) is the hidden beauty that it simplifies moving through tasks of the recording process through simple switching that minimizes patching,... which may be taken for granted today, but was a sorely needed design improvement at the time.

I hope that's at least halfway clear.
:spank::eek:;)
 
Last edited:
A Reel Person said:
Connect the cables from mixer PGM Outs to recorder (track) Inputs:
(Each PGM Out has 2 jacks)
PGM 1 > Track 1
PGM 2 > Track 2
PGM 3 > Track 3
PGM 4 > Track 4
PGM 1 > Track 5
PGM 2 > Track 6
PGM 3 > Track 7
PGM 4 > Track 8

Connect the recorder's Outputs to the mixer's TAPE Ins, 1-8, respectively.

In this configuration, you may mix any or all of the 20 input channels down to any of 4 PGM outputs, and record up 4-tracks simultaneously. You will use the PGM Outs 1-4 to record to Tracks 1-4, AND Tracks 5-8, in 2-banks of 4. The only differentiating thing being which track is enabled to record on the 38, F/I since PGM Out 1 feeds tape Track 1 AND 5, the differentiating factor between 1 and 5 is which one is enabled to record on the 38.

This configuration leverages the mixer's power and gives you great flexibility while minimizing repatching of the cables. All the routing is accomplished through selection of switches and buttons. This suffices for most solo recording and small enembles and studio recording where you're recording up to 4-tracks simultaneously.

When you move to recording live music or studio takes with more than 4-tracks simultaneously, you would then employ a combination of the PGM Outs and Direct Outs, a more advanced setup that's really easy once you get in the swing of things.

While you plug the recorders Outputs 1-8 to the Mixer's Tape In's 1-8, this enables you to switch between tracking mode, using TAPE RTN function for "tape cue" mixes, (where you have to monitor previously recorded tracks simultaneously with live input sources), and then move to full "remix" mode (where all sources are coming off tape) with the simple flip of a switch.

With the high complexity of this mixer (and other Tascam recording mixers) is the hidden beauty that it simplifies moving through tasks of the recording process through simple switching that minimizes patching,... which may be taken for granted today, but was a sorely needed design improvement at the time.

I hope that's at least halfway clear.
:spank::eek:;)
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave!! I was at work earlier and couldn't get too much in depth.
That's a perfect layout...couldn't have said it any better myself!:thumbs up:
 
hi guys,
thanks for your great answers !!! and help !
i'm recording 8 tracks in the same time
what i'm doing now, before trying all of this step by step is :
direct out 1 to 8 in the tape machine IN , and the tape machine OUT to line 9 to 16
so i can use eq before hitting tape and make a normal mix after ...
is that ok like this ??
ok, no i need more help ;-)
how can i plug my reverb (orban 111) to my tascam 320B to be able to use it during mixing, so on chenels 9 to 16 ...
i got the owner 's manual and i don't see anything in it !! but i think i've been rip when i bought it, it's just 20 pages ... :-)
hope you can help me on thet too ...
thanks !!
 
Ok...

Your proposed setup sounds ok, with some things to avoid. Without my M-300 manual in front of me, I'll have to assume that D-Out includes EQ in the signal path.

Even though you're using Direct Outs on 1-8 to feed the tape drive, you will have to assign channels 1-8 to a Buss to monitor them, F/I, Buss 1 for mono or Buss 1/2 for stereo monitoring.

You will also need to assign channels 9-16 to busses for monitoring, F/I, Buss 3/4 for stereo.

The one thing you will NOT want to do is cross-assign ANY of 9-16 to the same busses as 1-8, with REC FUNC (ENABLE) on ANY track, or you will incur an incredibly horrendous feedback loop that may damage your ears or your equipment, alike.

You may also use the extra 4 channels to route a side channel for effects, or even use them to combine certain signals to "Buss" together to feed the tape drive. Just be sure to NEVER cross assign any output channel to the same buss as any input channel, with regard to the IN/OUT flow of the tape drive.

You're afforded quite a bit of flexibility with this mixer, with certain pitfalls to avoid.
 
ok, thanks for the warning !!
and about effects ? (reverbs, delay) can you tell me how to plug it ?? i will use chanel 17 to 20 for the effects ...
 
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