Tascam US-428
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Posted on Dec 02, 2004 11:51 pm
Renegade
Member
Member Since: Nov 28, 2004
Does this unit eliminate the need for a sound card?
Any further info on this piece would be great
I read some reviews but don't understand all the technical terms
Thanks
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flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Dec 02, 2004 11:57 pm yep, it does. from the Tascam site : Quote:
Four channels of audio in and two out simultaneously via USB. No opening your computer, no sound card to install - it's USB, so you can even hot-plug it
check it : www.tascam.com/Products/US-428.html
amazin what a little googlin comes up with somethings
Dec 03, 2004 12:19 am Thanks I was going to get the Yamaha 01x but after some research and reading some reviews on it its not as great as it sounds
and after all i've heard and read on the tascam
it's more flexible,easy to use,and it won't cost an arm and a leg wich means i don't have to save up there for i can get my home studio started alot sooner then expected this is great after im done christmas shopping im going to buy myself the Tascam
right on now i have something to look forward too im so excited Thanks woo whooo!
Dec 03, 2004 12:24 am is there anything else i should look into?
preamp?
anything to optimize my recording set up?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Dec 03, 2004 07:38 am Well Renegade, you happened to hit on a piece of gear I own.
The 428 is a nice starter unit for someone just starting recording. It does a lot of things but none in a great fashion. It has four A/D converters. Two have XLR mic inputs as well as line inputs. These however offer no phantom power so if you use condenser mics you will need to have seperate phantom power supplies. The other two inputs are switched between line and "instrument" input. The line inputs are pretty good but when switched to "instrument" the results are dissipointing. Here Tascam is trying to offer two DI channels but the DI circuits are really not that great. The unit also provides for midi transfer to and from the computer. Standard midi jacks provided. These work fine.
As a control surface, the unit works well with Cubase for which it was origionaly designed. The only thing here that is less than optimal is that the faders are not motorized. This means going through a little song and dance manualy calibrating the faders to the software. It's not difficult just a little time consuming.
With that all said, it has worked out to be a decent unit for my purposes. It got me started with little money up front. I have since put a mixer in front of the unit and use the pre amps in the mixer to achieve line levels and leave the pre amps on the Tascam turned full down, eliminating them as they are a little noisy. The A/D converters in and out are fine providing four input channels and two output. The control surface is good for fine adjustements in Cubase as well as transport functions. It does not illiminate the need for a mouse but limits the need quite a bit. The cost of the unit is not bad even not using the pre amps in the unit.
It's an odd little unit. It is cost effective for what it does well, but like many things out there it is not all it is marketed to be.
I won't go as far as to recomend it or discourge the purchase of it. The key is to understand it and know if it will fit your needs or not.
Dec 03, 2004 08:03 am So it would be wise to look into getting a preamp right?
otherwise its a stable controller for Cubase the midi ports work fine
but the in and outs aren't the greatest is this right so far?
so far it s ounds allright to me aside from gettting a mic pre should i also get on of them in out boxes?
Dec 03, 2004 06:22 pm ???
Dec 03, 2004 07:06 pm I was looking into a Tascam US-428 before and I read a lot of issues regarding stability and such for them, so I decided not to get it myself.
Yes, preamps help if that unit doesn't have them (I can't recall any more if it does or not)
Dec 03, 2004 08:13 pm What did you end up getting?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Dec 03, 2004 11:41 pm The unit does have pre amps but they are poor. Not much latitude and not the greatest sound. If you go with the 428, I would definately recommend seperate pre-amps in front of the unit. As far as stability, the unit seems pretty good with the latest drivers from Tascam and Cubase SX. Every once in a while a channel will go into mute mode when selected from the control surface after a bank select. Hard to explain, but suffice to say very minor inconvenience. For the person that needs no more than four channels the 428 and a small Behringer with main and sub outs (4ch out) would make a fine starting point.
mccartyeeeeeeemo.Member
Since: Oct 30, 2003
Dec 04, 2004 04:23 am we use a 428 at my college, with seperate pre-amps. haven't heard it without the seperate pre-amps but it sounds great when using them.
Dec 04, 2004 04:39 am cool thanks
when you say 4 channels you mean analog or audio right? and that on the small Behringer ?
uhm what would be a good mic pre in the $600-$1000 range?
Dec 04, 2004 11:22 am I dont understand
feed what to the 4 channels on the 428?
sorry im new to this whole thing
Dec 04, 2004 01:01 pm Sorry now im just confused kay ive decided to the the tascam US-428 im using it as a DAW controller and sending my MIDI keyboard threw it
now Walt was saying that the micpre's on the tascam kinda suck so i should get a preamp so far so good im still comprehending whats goin on
but then we start throwing another mixer in the picture and now i don't have a clue as to whats going on why do i need a mixer?is this the solution to my question (should I get one of those in out boxes?)
And also im producing hip hop so i dont need to be pluging alot of stuff in to the mixer
just a mic or 2 for vocals mabey a couple turn tables wich i think is just pluggin in another mixer (standard dj 2 channel crossfade Style) and the tables plug into that mixer) so i dont need that much in those regards mabey a couple extra ports for stuff i might get down the road but thats all i really need so do really need something like the one Walt suggested (link) or is there somthing a little more simplified 2 meet my needs for now but without me having to upgrade for awhile?
Sorry again
Dec 04, 2004 02:10 pm Would the Eurorack UB-1202 be what im looking for?
Dec 04, 2004 02:20 pm You are on the right track, but a 1204 would be better, if you are going to buy a mixer, avoid the mistake many have made, and get one with one or more sub-out busses. You may not need it now, but you'll be damn glad you got them at some point in the near future. It allows better routing and isoltaing tracks going to the sound card/device without crossing paths with signals coming OUT of the sound card/device.
Dec 04, 2004 02:40 pm thank you anything else i should consider or know
Dec 04, 2004 11:38 pm ???
Dec 05, 2004 03:45 am Is there a headphone jack on the tascam?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Dec 05, 2004 10:43 am Renegade;
Sorry but there are just moments I want to reiderate the Ghost Busters scene where Egon pokes the guy in front of the elavator to see if he is real.
The tascam has four (4) analog inputs. If you put a mixer before the tascam in the signal chain and if that mixer had four (4) outputs, you would have maximized the capabilities of the tascam.
Yes the tascam has a headphone jack. You can find liturature and piggers of the unit on the Tascam website.
Hint: If you continue to wait for every question to be answered here instead of doing other research in conjunction with visiting here you will be very old before you get your first recording done.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Dec 05, 2004 12:11 pm and multiple posting doesnt get anything answered quicker...that applies also for bumping of threads...
Dec 05, 2004 08:48 pm I dont remember ghostbusters much
i did go to there website but it was whole lotta mumbo jumbo so if it said there was a headphone jack they didn't simply say that probably used the technical term (wich i don't know)
I know about multiple posts but what's bumping of threads? so I not to
