Very basic question about # of tracks DP-006 can record

hanness

New member
I've been pouring over the specs for the Tascam DP-006 and I know that it can record 2 tracks simultaneously. However, what is not clear to me is this: Are the stereo tracks considered to be single tracks or two tracks?

As an example, if I assign the two line inputs to a stereo track, can I record that stereo track and record the built-in microphone(s) to another track simultaneously or does recording in stereo constitute my two available tracks?
 
I don't use a DP-006, mine is a DP-003SD, but..

From reading the manual, looks like setting MIC A to Input A and MIC B to Input B will record both to Track 3 Stereo as a single track 3. ..

006.JPG

If you assign an Internal MIC to a Track, you probably won't be able to use the same Input for a Line or Ext MIC in. The reverse should be true also. That's the normal procedure for most of these portas because each Input has only one preamp which cannot be used for both MIC/Line and Internal MIC simultaneously. Since it's probably not clear in the manual, you just have to try it and see.
 
I don't use a DP-006, mine is a DP-003SD, but..

From reading the manual, looks like setting MIC A to Input A and MIC B to Input B will record both to Track 3 Stereo as a single track 3. ..

View attachment 107024

If you assign an Internal MIC to a Track, you probably won't be able to use the same Input for a Line or Ext MIC in. The reverse should be true also. That's the normal procedure for most of these portas because each Input has only one preamp which cannot be used for both MIC/Line and Internal MIC simultaneously. Since it's probably not clear in the manual, you just have to try it and see.

Thanks for the response. I wish I could try it, but I'm asking prior to purchase so I don't have one to try yet :-).

Yeah, it's a bit confusing because on the one hand they seem to treat the stereo tracks 3 and 4 as a single track (at least that is how they are labeled). On the other hand, this is supposed to be a 6 track machine, yet when you look at the controls there are only 4 tracks shown. I wonder if that is because track 3 and 4 as stereo tracks actually count as 2 tracks each. On all the other machines I've looked at like the DP-008EX and the DP-03SD it's not as complicated. They are advertised as 8 track systems and all 8 tracks are independent mono tracks, meaning that to get stereo you would use 2 mono tracks.

I suspect that on the DP-006 by designating 2 of the tracks as stereo tracks, it's simply a way to effectively combine 2 mono tracks together with fewer controls (one set of controls is used to control 2 tracks). That allows for cost and size reduction since you only need 4 sets of controls rather than 6.
 
I'm thinking what's being considered in the "Playback up to 6 tracks" is that Track 3(or 4) Stereo will be counted as 2 Mono tracks. So, you've got Tracks 1 Mono , 2 Mono, 3 Mono, 4 Mono for a total of 4... or... 1 Mono, 2 Mono, 3 Stereo (L Mono + R Mono = 2 Tracks), 4 Stereo (Same as 3 = 2 Tracks) for a total of 6 Tracks. Smoke and mirrors..
 
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