Tascam FW-1804 User Manual

FW-1804

FW-1804 FireWire Audio/MIDI Interface

Applications Guide

10/28/04

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˘ 18-in/12-out audio interface

˘ Records at up to 96kHz/24-bit

resolution

˘ Four balanced XLR / W" TRS

mic/line inputs with phantom

power

˘ Four balanced W" TRS line

inputs (eight total line inputs)

˘ Guitar level input

˘ W" TRS insert jacks for

channels 1 - 4

˘ S/PDIF stereo digital in and out

˘ ADAT optical digital in and out

˘ Word Clock in and out

˘ Balanced W" monitor outputs

˘ Headphone output with level

control

˘ Two MIDI inputs and four MIDI

outputs

˘ Assignable Footswitch jack

˘ Includes Cubase LE 48-track /

96kHz recording workstation

software

˘ Includes GigaStudio 3 LE

streaming sampler software

instrument

f you’re looking for a busload of

I

high-quality line inputs, mic pre­amps, MIDI ports and digital I/O in
a compact rackmount package, the
FireWire-based FW-1804 really deliv­ers. Priced and sized for home studios,
it’s ideal for rooms that already have –
or don’t have the room for – a mixing
console or fader controller. The included
48-track Cubase LE software takes full

advantage of the FW-1804’s 96kHz/24­bit recording resolution, delivering
monster-truck recording power in a
subcompact parking space.

The FW-1804 has a generous variety
of audio options for interfacing with
your studio. Four microphone inputs,
each with phantom power for pro con­denser mics, record to multiple tracks
for later overdubbing or mixdown. Each
has an analog insert point, so you can
insert a compressor to keep from dis­torting. Up to eight line level signals
can be recorded or mixed simultane­ously – such as synthesizers or multi­effects processors. The eight-channel
ADAT optical digital interface – plus
a stereo digital S/PDIF I/O – are ideal
for pristine-quality transfers to digital
consoles or samplers.

A full-featured MIDI interface is in­cluded in the FW-1804 with two MIDI
inputs and four MIDI outputs, so you
can control 64 channels of synths and
modules.

A bundle of professional recording
software comes with the FW-1804,
providing a powerful production so­lution right out of the box. Steinberg’s
Cubase LE is a 48-track, 96kHz audio

recording workstation application. It
includes 64 MIDI tracks with sophisti­cated editing features, VST plug-in and
instrument support, ReWire support
and an upgrade path to Cubase SX.
TASCAM’s GigaStudio 3 LE software
sampling instrument offers 64-voice
polyphony, 16-channel multitimbral
MIDI, ReWire and VST plug-in support,
and is compatible with all GigaStudio
sample libraries –the best in the world.
You even get a demo copy of Nomad
Legends effects plug-ins and a bonus
delay plug-in.

Whether you don’t have the space,
need or budget for a big control sur­face, the FW-1804 provides the killer
I/O of our groundbreaking FW-1884
in a rackmount package that fi ts in
any studio.

FW-1804

DAW Recording

he FW-1804 provides an affordable way to

T

add a high-quality audio/MIDI interface to
any home studio. It has four high-quality micro­phone inputs, each with phantom power and in­sert jacks for connecting professional gear like
condenser microphones. The FW-1804 records at
up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution – much better than
CD quality – so your tracks can capture every detail
and nuance.

In addition to the four mic/line inputs are an
additional four line ins, eight channels of ADAT
digital ins and outs and stereo S/PDIF digital I/O,
so you’ll be ready to expand your studio in the
future. There’s even a guitar input, right on the
front panel where it belongs, so you can plug in
your favorite axe whenever you’re inspired.

The FW-1804 is perfect for studios that already
have a control surface – like TASCAM’s awesome
24-fader US-2400 –or in studios where there’s sim-

Applications Guide

Microphones

Cello

FireWire

USB

Computer

(Mac or PC)

ply no more room for gear. Just install it in your
equipment rack and start tracking –your spouse
might not even notice.

Mic

Inputs 1-2

Monitor Outs

Monitors

US-2400 Fader Controller

10/28/04

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Live Recording

ith the portable, rackable FW-1804 and a

W

laptop, you have everything you need to
take your studio on the road. Whether you want
to sell CDs at your next gig, upload an MP3 of the
show to your website or use the recording to au­dition for a bigger club gig, recording your live
show can be the key to bigger and better things
for your band.

The FW-1804 has four microphone inputs, so
you can set your own mics onstage and in the
audience. Four additional line ins are perfect for
amp direct out jacks, guitar amp modelers or the
line outs from a board feed. Insert jacks allow
you to patch in a compressor/limiter, so that the
recording doesn’t distort when things get too loud.
It has ADAT inputs so that you can get a perfect
digital feed in clubs using a digital console. There’s
even a loud headphone amp for monitoring the
recording during the show.

A dedicated S/PDIF digital output can be con­nected to a CD burner like our CD-RW750 if you
don’t have one on your laptop. Work quickly enough
and you might be able to sell CDs of that night’s
show before your audience catches a cab.

Microphones

Stereo Compressor

Line Ins 5-6

Laptop Computer

(Mac or PC)

Insert 1-2

FireWire

Mic Inputs 1-4

Headphones

PA Mixer