Tascam 414MKII Care and Maintenance, Track Controls, Displays, Cleaning the Heads and Tape Guides

Features and Controls

Track Controls

38.REMOTE PUNCH IN/OUT jack (on the front panel): For connection to an optional RC-30P remote footswitch.

39.RECORD FUNCTION switches 1-4:These switches put the respective tracks into Record Ready. Recording starts when RECORD is pressed together with PLAY.

In the center position (SAFE) no recording takes place.

NOTE

Don't operate the RECORD FUNCTION switches to punch in and out. Otherwise, "clicks" will remain on tape.

The RECORD FUNCTION switches also select what source will be recorded. For example, the switch for track 1 selects either the single source plugged into Channel 1 of the mixer, or the entire stereo Left mix (which may have as many as six sources). The other RECORD FUNCTION switches work in the same way, selecting either the same-numbered channels or the stereo mix : Left mix for Tracks 1 & 3, Right mix for Tracks 2 & 4.

Displays

40.Track level meters 1-4:These meters show the record level coming either from each channel's fader or from the MASTER fader (the first and the third meters register the level from the left buss, the second and the fourth meters register the level from the right buss). If a track or tracks are in Safe mode the corresponding meters show the playback level.

41.Track REC indicators: They show the individual track's status as selected by the RECORD FUNCTION switches (#39).

Track REC indicator	Track status
Off	Safe
Blinking	Record Ready
Steady indication	Record

Care and Maintenance

Even though the heads used in your 414 MKII have high wear resistance and are rigidly constructed, performance degradation or electro-mechanical failure can be prevented if maintenance is performed regularly.

CLEANING

The first things you will need for maintenance are not expensive. The whole kit with the swabs and fluids you will need for months will cost less than a couple of high quality cassettes.

We cannot stress the importance of cleaning too much. Clean up before each session. Clean up after every session. Clean up every time you take a break in the middle of a session.

DEGAUSSING (DEMAGNETIZING)

A little stray magnetism can become quite a big nuisance in tape recording. It only takes a small amount (0.2 Gauss) to cause trouble on the record head. Playing 10 cassettes will put about that much charge on the heads. A little more than that (0.7 Gauss) will start to erase high frequency signals on previously recorded tapes. You can see that it's worth taking the trouble to degauss regularly.

A clean and properly demagnetized tape recorder will maintain its performance without any other attention for quite a while. It won't ruin previously recorded material, nor will getting it back to original specifications be difficult.

Cleaning the Heads and Tape Guides

All heads and metal parts in the tape path must be cleaned after every 6 hours of operation, or before starting and after ending a recording session.

1.Open the cassette door.

2.Using a good head cleaning fluid and a cotton swab, clean the heads and tape guides until the swab comes off clean, wipe off any excess cleaning fluid with a dry swab.

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