Tascam 424MKIII Track Format and Tape Recommendations, Tape Speed and Track Format, Tape Type

Track Format and Tape Recommendations

Tape Speed and Track Format

The Portastudio 424 MKIII uses a HIGH speed of

9.5cm/sec. (3-3/4 inches per second) which is two times (2X) the normal speed of a standard audio cassette. Its NORMAL speed is 4.8 cm/sec (1-7/8 i.p.s.), the same as that used by conventional recorders.

It also employs a discrete 4-channel format head developed especially by TEAC for TASCAM multitrack cassette recorders. Here is a comparison of various cassette formats:

Playing back standard (stereo) prerecorded tapes: Tapes recorded on stereo cassette recorders can play back properly on the 424 MKIII if you set the track playback, tape speed, and noise reduction type correctly. Tracks 1 and 2 roughly follow the standard "stereo" format, but tracks 3 and 4 use the "Side B" (reverse side) tracks. So you must turn off Track 3-4 playback to avoid hearing the flip side playing backwards. If the cassette was recorded with Dolby B type noise reduction, the DBX NR switch should be set to OFF.

For the same reasons, tapes recorded on the Portastudio 424 MKIII will not play back properly on stereo cassette recorders. Material recorded on the 424 MKIII must be mixed down to stereo for final distribution.

The 424 MKIII needs the entire width of the tape to record its four tracks, eliminating the option of recording on both sides (actually, it's both directions). Therefore, you should decide which

side (side "A" or side "B") you want to use and use that side exclusively. It's a good idea to get into habit of consistently using the same side on all multitrack tapes.

Tape Type

The Portastudio 424 MKIII 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 a part of the 424 MKIII's transport. Poor quality shells can cause wrinkles, snarls and shredding of the edges of the tape with use. Even small scratches on the tape oxide can cause "dropouts" (temporary loss of signal) on one or more tracks. High quality tapes are less likely to cause problems in the long run.

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