Tascam Portastudio 414mkII Owners Manual

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OWNERS MANUAL
3D0028100A 

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Table Of Contents
Safety Instructions 3
The PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII is... 4
The Recording System 5
The Three Steps to Multitrack 5
Understanding the Mixer 6-7
Signal Flow in the 414 MKII Mixer 6
Tape Cue Monitor System 7
Multitrack Cassette Recorder 8
Track Format and Tape 
Recommendations 8-9
Optional Accessories 10
PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII Brief Guide 11-14
Step-By-Step Operation Guide 15-23
Lets Try the 414 MKII Mixer 15
How to Record on Track 1 16
Track 1 Playback through TAPE CUE 17
How to Make an...

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Safety Instructions
CAUTION:
•Read all of these Instructions.
•Save these Instructions for later use.
•Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the
audio equipment.
1) Read Instructions— All the safety and operating instructions should
be read before the product is operated.
2) Retain Instructions — The safety and operating instructions should
be retained for future reference.
3) Heed Warnings— All warnings on the product and in the operating
instructions should be adhered to.
4) Follow...

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The PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII is...
The PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII is a 4-track Multi-
track Master cassette tape recorder and a full-
function mixer with 8 inputs/stereo outputs including
a balanced microphone input and a dedicated guitar
input combined into a single workstation.
Its high audio quality and creative flexibility reflect
the experience and innovation that have allowed
TASCAM to earn its reputation in professional audio
production fields, and its user-friendly design makes
the 414 MKII suitable for...

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The Recording System
The PORTASTUDIO 414 MKII is a complete audio
production facility in a single box. It is divided into
two major sections: a full-function mixer and a 4-
channel, multitrack cassette recorder.To complete the recording system, youll additionally
need these: input devices (microphones,
instruments), output devices (headphones), 2 track
recorder, effects processors, etc.
The Three Steps to Multitrack
In TRACKING and OVERDUBBING, the mixer
inputs are usually microphones or instruments,...

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Understanding the Mixer
Signal Flow in the 414 MKII Mixer
The illustration below shows how input signals  pass
through the 414 MKII Mixer section. After the
MASTER fader they go to the L/R LINE OUT jacks.This is the most important signal route in the mixer
and is called Main Mix. 

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Understanding the Mixer
Tape Cue Monitor System
The TAPE CUE mix and MONITOR switches are
also crucial for successful multitrack recording,
because they control what you hear in the
headphones. This CUE mix is totally independent
from the Main Mix going to tape. If you dont use
the CUE mix, you run the risk of  accidentally
bouncing tracks every time you record new
material.The 4 TAPE CUE controls act like a separate 4x1
mixer, dedicated solely so you can hear playback
from the multitrack recorder in...

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Multitrack Cassette Recorder
The 414 MKII records on readily available standard
(Philips) Compact Cassette tape, high bias Type II.
The recorder has 4 tracks while the mixer has a
stereo output; however, using the Direct Recording
feature you can record on any or all of the 4 tracks at
one time. For more details, see Recording on More
Than Two Tracks Simultaneously, page 22.
The 414 MKIIs dbx Noise Reduction virtually
eliminates unwanted tape noise. A special SYNC
feature turns off the dbx on track 4...

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Track Format and Tape Recommendations
Tape Type
The Portastudio 414 MKII is internally adjusted for
HIGH BIAS Type II tape. This means that for best
results, you should only use tapes of this type. TDK
SA, Maxell XL-II or equivalent formulations are
recommended. We strongly suggest that you select
one good quality brand and use it exclusively. The
time you spend creating your multitrack master is
much more valuable than the money you save by
buying inferior tape. The cassette shell essentially
becomes...

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Optional Accessories
RC-30P Remote Footswitch
Head Demagnetizer
TZ-261 Cleaning Kit (Except U.S.)MIDI-Tape Synchronizer
PW-2Y/PW-4Y Insertion Cable
HC-1 Head Cleaner & RC-1 Rubber Cleaner
(U.S.only)