will this cause loss of quality?

im in the process of moving away from PC recording (just a phase probably), but i've got a chance to get a Tascam DP-01 and i've been reading its owners manual lately and i need some help.

in order for me to record 8 tracks instead of 4, apparently i'll need a Y-Cable that goes from my mixer main l/r outputs -> input A of the tascam

2 questions..

1) If i use a Y-Cable, will i lose any type of 'stereo imaging' or quality?

2) The Line Outs of the Tascam DP01 are red-and-white RCA and my KRK speakers have both RCA and TRS. Should I go all RCA or get RCA -to- TRS cables for the speakers?

Pretty sure of the answers, but I'd like some re-assurance from some of you guys.

,peace

DPM wrote:1) If i use a Y-Cable, will i lose any type of 'stereo imaging' or quality?

yes. not only that you will get weird cancellation and is not very good for your equipment.
don't use a y-cable to combine two signals. (its ok to split though - will cut signal level in half for each out though).

DPM wrote:2) The Line Outs of the Tascam DP01 are red-and-white RCA and my KRK speakers have both RCA and TRS. Should I go all RCA or get RCA -to- TRS cables for the speakers?

rca tascam -> monitors will be fine.

Pardon, but can you rephrase your question. I have the blue DP-01 since they came out and they only record 2 tracks at a time and the Line out is stereo so if you manage to get 4 tracks out of that, 8 is gonna sound grogged out. Plus, a Y joint only doubles the mono sound, because the Line out is also the Master Out so whatever you pan to the right comes out the R and whatever you pan the the left, comes out the L, so THAT will cause me to say, record in and out 2 at a time for a good sound.

Anyway, you can record out 3 tracks, if you can connect the Digital Out into an interface and the RCAs at the same time. But thats another story.

Ciao pendejo.

Ill-Green wrote:Pardon Ciao pendejo.

Ill-Green wrote:Pardon, but can you rephrase your question. I have the blue DP-01 since they came out and they only record 2 tracks at a time

im saying though, if the tascam is an 8-track, if i use both inputs (stereo) wouldn't i only be able to get 4 tracks recorded?

thats what i was asking about the Y cable for. couldnt i plug the stereo y cable (from L/R Main out of my Mixer -> Input on Tascam) and be able to record 8 seperate tracks...

DPM wrote:thats what i was asking about the Y cable for. couldnt i plug the stereo y cable (from L/R Main out of my Mixer -> Input on Tascam) and be able to record 8 seperate tracks...

no

come on, read what i wrote and think about it...
if you have one input, just cause you cram two things into it doesn't mean you suddenly have another input.
and i'll say it again, don't use a y-cable to mix like that - you're hurting your equipment and your signal.
http://www.rane.com/note109.html

Wye-connectors (or "Y"-connectors, if you prefer) should never have been created.

Anything that can be hooked-up wrong, will be. You-know-who said that, and she was right. A wye-connector used to split a signal into two lines is being used properly; a wye-connector used to mix two signals into one is being abused and may even damage the equipment involved.

Here is the rule: Outputs are low impedance and must only be connected to high impedance inputs -- never, never tie two outputs directly together -- never. If you do, then each output tries to drive the very low impedance of the other, forcing both outputs into current-limit and possible damage. As a minimum, severe signal loss results.

finally:

Tascam Specs wrote:2-track simultaneous recording

im overthinking this

if i record in 2 tracks at a time, like you and illgreen are saying, would that mean that if i record my kicks solo, that they would take up both tracks 1 AND 2, on the recorder?

in the dp01 manual it says "You can’t assign both inputs to the same track at the same time"

so what i get from this:

solo kick drums: tr1 and 2
solo snares : tr3 and 4
solo hats: tr5 and 6
solo bass: tr7 and 8

what about my other sounds that i want tracked out...there isnt anymore room

would the 'MONO x2" switch help me achieve what i want?
it says , "MONO x 2—The signals from input A and input B are both sent to the center of the monitoring “stage”

would this allow me to record the main outs onto 1 track instead of 2? (i just noticed that switch..)

You will need to learn to bounce 8 tracks to 2. Record 6 more tracks and again, bounce down 8 tracks to 2, wash, rinse repeat.

TASCAM DP-01 Owner’s Manual page 31

ohh, im reading that now. i didnt know what that process was called or i would have searched it up way sooner

you've got to understand you can only record 2 tracks at once.
that's it.
forever.
then you can record another two tracks.
then another two.

one stereo track or two mono tracks. i would think you could be fine by recording your drums in mono - but that is up to you.

so you could record say your bass and your snare.
then your hi hats and perc.
then your synth and vox.
then your guitar and keyboard.
recording independent MONO sources like that, that is when you would hit that 'mono x2' switch.
when you run out of tracks, you run out of tracks. but that is just the limitation of the machine. you can of course bounce 6 tracks down to 2 or something like that, but then those tracks are mixed and cannot be unmixed later.
still, those limits can be pretty fun if you like getting creative.

that is just an idea but that is just the way it is on that machine.

personally i'd probably use it more for recording the stereo mix, then overdubbing something else. recording only 2 tracks at a time like that doesn't sound like fun to me. if you go stereo you will only be recording one 'track' at a time.