Tascam CD-RW4U Owner's Manual

4 – Recording—Basic recording22 TASCAM CD-RW4UBasic recordingNOTEAccording to the “Red Book” (the specification for audioCDs), a track cannot be less than four seconds in length,and there can be a maximum of 99 tracks on an audio CD.Bear these limitations in mind when recording.If you press either the STOP or the PLAY/PAUSE orPAUSE key within four seconds of starting recording, theunit will continue recording until four seconds have elapsed(since the start of recording) and then stop or pause asappropriate.After selecting the input source (“Input selection” onpage 19), it is possible to start recording.The basic record procedure is as follows:1 Load a recordable disc is into the unit. As thedisc is loaded, the display shows TOCReading.When the disc has been loaded, the displayindicators show CD-R, NO TOC, or CD-RW, NOTOC, as appropriate.2 Press the RECORD key (5 or E). The unitenters record ready mode, as shown by theREC and pause indicators on the display. Asthe unit enters record ready mode, the dis-play shows Now OPC (Optimum PowerControl), as the unit prepares to record onthe disc.If the digital source has been selected (see“Input selection” on page 19) and is not con-nected properly, or is not powered up, themessage D-IN UNLOCK! (digitalinput is unlocked) will be displayed to showthat the system is not ready to record.3 Adjust the level of the source (“Level adjust-ment” on page 20).NOTEThe red OVER indicators on the meters should never light.Unlike analog equipment, digital audio units produceextremely unpleasant sounds when distorted, and there isno “headroom” after the 0 mark. If recording digitally from acommercially-produced CD, the volume set in the menushould be 0dB. This will maintain all the dynamic rangeof the source CD without clipping. Only boost the signal ifthe source is exceptionally quiet.An analog signal input at nominal level, with no cutor boost from the volume controls (that is, with theINPUT control between the “1 o’clock” and “2o’clock” positions, is equivalent to a reading ofbetween –20dB and –12dB on the meters (in otherwords, 0 is equivalent to 16 dBFS).4 Press the PLAY/PAUSE 6 or PLAY key L tostart recording.Note that there is no need to “cue up” therecording position—the unit always finds thenext available location on the disc and startrecording to it.5 Press the PLAY/PAUSE 6 or PAUSE key Kto pause recording temporarily. The pauseindicator on the display shows this. PressingPLAY again restarts recording with a newtrack number.Alternatively, press STOP (7 or J) to stoprecording. When recording stops, the displayshows PMA Writing (Program Mem-ory Area) and the REC indicator flashes for afew seconds as the unit writes to the disc.NOTEWhile the “PMA Writing” message is displayed, all keys aredisabled, and the unit is actually writing to disc. Do not dis-connect the power or subject the unit to severe vibration orshocks at this time, as this will prevent proper recording ofthe information.When this message disappears, you mustpress the RECORD key (step 2) beforerestarting the recording. Recording restartswith a new track number.NOTERemember that every time recording is paused or stopped,when recording is restarted, a new track will always bestarted. It is not possible to record in two “stages” withinone track.Playing back tracksAlthough an unfinalized disc cannot be played backon an ordinary CD player, the CD-RW4U can playback tracks that have been recorded.Use the MULTI DIAL control B or the SKIP keys Ito select a track for playback.