Tascam 488 PORTASTUDIO Owner's Manual

Also see for 488 PORTASTUDIO: Owner's manual

Contents

Tapes recorded on stereo cassette recorders willnot playback properly on the 488 because of thedifferences in the track format and tape speed.For the same reasons, tapes recorded on thePortastudio 488 will not playback properly onstereo cassette recorders. Material recorded onthe 488 must be mixed down to stereo for finaldistribution.The 488 needs the entire width of the tape torecord its eight tracks, eliminating the option ofrecording on both sides (actually, it's bothdirections). Therefore, you should decide whichside (side- "A" or side "B") you want to use anduse that side exclusively. It's a good idea to getinto habit of consistently using the same side onall multitrack tapes.Tape TypeThe Portastudio 488 is internally adjusted forHIGH BIAS "Type II" tape. For best results, youshould only use tapes of this type. TDK SA,Maxell XL-II or equivalent formulations arerecommended. We strongly suggest that youselect one good quality brand and use itexclusively. The time you spend creating yourmultitrack master is much more valuable thanthe money you save by buying inferior tape. Thecassette shell essentially becomes a part of the488's transport. Poor quality shells can causewrinkles, snarls and shredding of the edges ofthe tape with use. Even small scratches on thetape oxide can cause "dropouts" (temporary lossof signal) on one or more tracks. High qualitytapes are less likely to cause problems in thelong run.Accidental Erase/Record ProtectionTo protect a finished master tape, it is necessaryto punch out both record protect tabs. Eventhough you are recording in only one direction,the 488 uses the entire width of the tape, asmentioned above. If, for example, you removeonly one of the tabs, you could accidentallyinsert the cassette into the 488 backwards anderase all eight tracks of the master.Tape LengthUse the shortest possible tape for a given work.It is not unusual to play a tape 100 times beforeyou are finished, so select a cassette length thatis as close as possible to the length of theprogram you plan to record. Cassettes C-60length and shorter are often made from thickerstock than longer cassettes.The tape used in C-120 cassettes is extremelythin and can cause winding problems, crimping,wrinkling, and other damage to the oxide coatingof the tape which will destroy your work. Don'tuse C-120s in the 488.Remember that at 2X normal speed, and the"one-side-only" 8-track single direction formatmeans that you have only 1/4X normal play time:(approx.)C-30 7.5 minC-46 11.5 minC-60 15 minC-90 22.5 minSideBsafety tabSide Asafety tab10