PORTA 02
Table of contents
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9101411800
OWNER’S MANUAL
2
Important Safety Instructions .............3
1. An introduction to the Porta02 .......4
1.1 Multitrack recording –
a brief introduction..................4
1.2 Some safety notes and
precautions..............................5
1.3 What you need to make
recordings................................8
1.4 Connecting the Porta02 ..........8
2. Parts of the Porta02 ........................9
3. Making your first recording...........13
3.1 Setting up ..............................13
3.2 Getting ready.........................13
3.3 Setting the level.....................14
3.4 Recording the first track .......15
3.5 Recording the next track ......16
3.6 Recording the stereo
backing ..................................17
3.7 Mixdown ................................18
4. Hints and advanced tips ...............20
4.1 Recording techniques...........20
4.2 Mixdown ................................21
5. Troubleshooting.............................22
6. Specifications ................................23
Table of Contents
This appliance has a serial number
located on the rear panel. Please record
the model number and serial number
and retain them for your records.
Model number
Serial number
WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR
SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT
EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure
that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
Ü
ÿ
Ÿ
3
Important Safety Instructions
CAUTION:
• Read all of these Instructions.
• Save these Instructions for later use.
• Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the
audio equipment.
1) Read Instructions — All the safety and operating
instructions should be read before the product is operated.
2) Retain Instructions — The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3) Heed Warnings— All warnings on the product and in the
operating instructions should be adhered to.
4) Follow Instructions — All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5) Cleaning — Unplug this product from the wall outlet
before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners.
Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
6) Attachments — Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.
7) Water and Moisture — Do not use this product near
water _for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink,
or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool;
and the like.
8) Accessories — Do not place this product on an unstable
cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the
product. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table
recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the product.
Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer’s
instructions, and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer.
9) Aproduct and cart combination should be moved with care.
Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause
the product and cart combination to overturn.
15) Lightning — For added protection for this product during
a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for
long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to
the product due to lightning and power-line surges.
16) Power Lines — An outside antenna system should not be
located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric
light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines
or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme
care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or
circuits as contact with them might be fatal.
17) Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets, extension
cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in
risk of fire or electric shock.
18) Object and Liquid Entry — Never push objects of any
kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a
fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.
19) Servicing — Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified
service personnel.
20) Damage Requiring Service — Unplug this product
from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:
a) when the power-supply cord or plug is damaged.
b) if liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the
product.
c) if the product has been exposed to rain or water.
d) if the product does not operate normally by following the
operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of
other controls may result in damage and will often require
extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product
to its normal operation.
e) if the product has been dropped or damaged in any way.
f ) when the product exhibits a distinct change in performance
_
this indicates a need for service.
21) Replacement Parts — When replacement parts are
required, be sure the service technician has used replacement
parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result
in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.
22) Safety Check — Upon completion of any service or
repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform
safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.
23) Wall or Ceiling Mounting — The product should be
mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
24) Heat — The product should be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
"Note to CATV system installer:
This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer ’s
attention to Section 820-40 of the NEC which provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the
cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the
building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical.
10) Ventilation — Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the
product and to protect it from overheating, and these openings
must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be
blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in
installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation
is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions have been
adhered to.
11) Power Sources— This product should be operated only
from the type of power source indicated on the marking label.
If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home,
consult your product dealer or local power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or other sources,
refer to the operating instructions.
12) Grounding or Polarization — This product may be
equipped with a polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug
having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into
the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you
are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing
the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety
purpose of the polarized plug.
13) Power-Cord Protection — Power-supply cords should
be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched
by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the product.
14) Outdoor Antenna Grounding — If an outside antenna
or cable system is connected to the product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection
against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of
the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna
discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and
requirements for the grounding electrode.
ANTENNA
LEAD IN
WIRE
ANTENNA
DISCHARGE UNIT
(NEC SECTION 810-20)
GROUNDING CONDUCTORS
(NEC SECTION 810-21)
GROUND CLAMPS
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING
ELECTRODE SYSTEM
(NEC ART 250. PART H)
NEC - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE
ELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT
Example of Antenna Grounding as per
National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70
GROUND
CLAMP
1 An introduction to the Porta02
1 – An introduction to the Porta02
The TASCAM Porta02 MiniStudio
allows you to produce recordings which
are not possible with an ordinary stereo
cassette recorder.
We suggest that you read at least this section 1 and also 3, “Making your first
1.1 Multitrack recording – a brief introduction
This section gives you a brief introduction to some of the terms and techniques
used in recording. If you are unfamiliar
with these terms, you may find it useful
1.1.1 Multitrack recorders
When you listen to a commercial recording (CD, cassette, etc.), it is quite probable that the different parts of the piece
will have been recorded at different
times.
This is done by “multitracking”–taking
the different sounds, feeding them
through a mixer’ s inputs (“channels”) and
recording them on a special tape recorder
which splits the tape into “stripes”, each
stripe being used for a different part of
the music.
These stripes are called “tracks”, and the
parts recorded on them may also be
called “tracks”. Since there are many
tracks on a tape, the term “multitrack” is
used to describe these tapes and recorders.
recording” before you start using the
Porta02. Spending a little time reading
now will save you a lot of time in the
future. You can read the rest of the manual at any time.
to read through this section so that you
understand the rest of the manual, which
uses the terms explained here.
The Porta02 allows you to record up to 4
tracks on inexpensive Type II (chrome)
cassettes using the same principle as
larger studios–taking inputs into a
mixer’s channels, feeding them into a
recorder which can record tracks independently of each other, and building up
the song by recording new tracks while
listening to what has been recorded
before (“monitoring”).
The advantage of working with multitrack recording is that the whole group of
musicians does not have to repeat the
whole piece if one person makes a mistake.
The illustration below shows you how
tracks are arranged on an ordinary stereo
cassette tape, as well as on the Porta02
4
and on A/V cue-equipped cassette recorders.
1 An introduction to the Porta02
L
R
R
R
L
IEC (Philips) stereo cassette
4
3
2
1
TASCAM 4Tr 4Ch
(Porta02 format)
Notice that the stereo cassette arrangement allows you to use both sides of the
cassette, by playing the tape in the other
direction. The Porta02, however, uses the
whole width of the tape. Notice also that
1.1.2 Mixing down
Another advantage of multitrack recording is that when you come to make the
final version (on CD, cassette, etc.), you
can adjust the level (volume) of each
track, so that the piece sounds the way
you want.
As well as adjusting the track levels, you
can also adjust the position of each track
with regard to the left and right speakers.
This is called “panning”, and the controls
used to do this are called “panpots”. By
CUE
R
L
TASCAM 4Tr 3Ch
(A/V cue format)
one pair of L and R tracks on the stereo
cassette take up the same positions as
tracks 1 and 2 on the Porta02. This can be
important for your recording projects, as
we will see later on.
using the panpots, you can make the
tracks appear to come from the left or the
right speakers or anywhere in the middle.
The technique of converting a multitrack
recording to a stereo recording is called
“mixing down” to a “stereo master” or
“mastering” recorder. The Porta02
includes a mixdown section which allows
you to mix to a stereo cassette or MD
recorder.
1.2 Some safety notes and precautions
• Always use the PS-P2 power adaptor
supplied with the Porta02. If you use
any other adaptor, there is a risk of
damage, or even fire. Make sure that
the input voltage marked on the PS-P2
adaptor matches the power supply you
are using. If you are in any doubt, consult your TASCAM dealer .
• Turn of f your Porta02 and remove the
cassette when you are not using the
Porta02. If you will not be using it for
an extended period of time, unplug the
PS-P2 adaptor.
• When connecting or disconnecting the
Porta02 to or from any other equipment, make sure the power to the
Porta02 and all other equipment is
turned off. This will a void possible
damage to equipment.
• Do not keep your Porta02 in a very
hot place. Remember that in sunny
weather, the inside of a parked car
heats up very quickly. Avoid leaving
your Porta02 in such a place.
• Do not spill liquid onto your Porta02.
Avoid eating, drinking and smoking
near it (smoke particles are bad for
5
1 An introduction to the Porta02
audio equipment). If any liquid or any
objects such as paperclips, guitar
picks, etc. fall inside the Porta02, do
not try to operate it. Return it to a
TASCAM service center for repair.
• If the case of the Porta02 becaomes
dirty , clean it only with a damp (not
wet) cloth, moistened with a little
1.2.1 Tape cassettes
Since the Porta02 uses the whole width of
a cassette tape, you can only play and use
one side of a cassette. You should try to
use either side A or side B for all cassettes, to avoid confusion when changing
tapes.
Only use Type II (chrome or CrO
settes with the Porta02. Find a reliable
brand and stick with it. The time you
spend creating your multitrack master is
worth much more than the small difference in price between cheap and highquality cassettes. High quality cassettes
will cause you fewer problems in the long
run.
) cas-
2
detergent. Do not use solvents or thinners, etc. to clean the Porta02, as these
will damage the surface.
• There are no parts inside the Porta02
that you can repair by yourself. Do not
open the Porta02 case or try to make
any repairs. Return it to a TASCAM
service center for repair.
To avoid having to wind and rewind a lot
of tape, use the shortest possible cassettes
for your projects. Remember that because
you are only using one side of the cassette, the marked length of the tape will
be halved (that is, a C60 tape will run for
30 minutes, a C40 for 20 minutes, etc.).
NOTE
Never use C120 cassettes with the Porta02. The
tape in these cassettes is thin, and may stretch
and break.
Always store cassettes in a safe place
(away from the magnetic fields produced
by speakers, television sets, computer
monitors, etc.).
1.2.2 Record-protecting cassettes
The record-protect tab on a cassette stops
you recording on that side when it is
removed. The Porta02 also recognizes
this protection, and will not allow you to
record on the side of a cassette where this
tab has been removed.
1.2.3 Playing back stereo cassettes
As mentioned earlier, the Porta02 can
play back cassettes recorded on a stereo
cassette recorder, using tracks 1 and 2.
Also, if tracks 1 and 2 have been recorded
on the Porta02, these cassettes can be
played back on a stereo cassette recorder.
However, if tracks 3 and 4 are used for
recording on the Porta02, these
6
cannot
However, we suggest that you remove
both
tabs when you want to protect a
Porta02 cassette. This will stop you putting in the cassette the wrong way round
and recording over old material
accidentally.
be played back on a stereo cassette
recorder.
Also, note that if a cassette has been
recorded with noise reduction, such as
Dolby, etc., it will sound strange when
played back on the Porta02. Any tapes
(tracks 1 and 2) recorded on the Porta02
should be played back without noise
reduction on a stereo recorder.
1.2.4 Cleaning the heads
1 An introduction to the Porta02
You should clean the tape heads of the
Porta02 regularly to keep it working
properly. Dirt and tape oxide buildup on
the heads will force the tape away from
the tape head gaps that record and playback. Head cleaner will remove the dirt
and restore the sound quality.
In addition to affecting performance by
coating the heads, and keeping the tape
away from the recording and playback
gaps, dirt and oxide in the tape path will
also act in the same way as very fine
sandpaper, which will wear do wn internal
parts of the Porta02, and affect the
recording in this way as well.
All of these problems can be avoided if
you buy a head cleaning kit such as the
TEAC TZ-261 and keep it with your
Porta02 for regular use. The kit consists
of head cleaner, cleaner for the rubber
parts of the Porta02, and cotton-tipped
swabs. The cost of such a kit is less than
the cost of a couple of high-quality cassettes and will pay for itself in better per-
formance and longer life from your
Porta02.
WARNING
Only use head and rubber cleaning fluid and
cleaning swabs designed for use with tape
recorders. The use of any other cleaning materials may cause damage to the Porta02.
Clean the heads and metal parts of the
tape path before every session with the
Porta02 and also after every session.
Heads and tape
guides
Capstan
Pinch wheel
1) Open the tape cassette cover.
2) Carefully clean the heads and
metal parts as shown in the
illustration using a swab dipped in
the head cleaning fluid.
1.2.5 Cleaning the pinch roller
You should also clean the rubber pinch
roller at regular intervals (at least once
each day that you use the Porta02).
1) Open the tape cassette cover.
2) Press the
The pinch roller will engage with the
capstan shaft and start turning.
PLAY
key.
3) Dry off the heads with a dry swab.
3) Press a swab dipped in the rubber
cleaning fluid against the right side
of the pinch roller.
If you press the right side of the roller,
the swab will not get caught between the
roller and capstan.
4) Dry the capstan with a dry swab
and make sure that there is no
material on the pinch roller or
capstan before you insert a
cassette.
7
1.3 What you need to make recordings
Apart from the Porta02 itself, you will
need:
• Some monitoring equipment (some
kind of amplifier and speaker system).
2 Parts of the Porta02
• Some kind of stereo mastering
recorder to produce the stereo recordings. This can be a cassette recorder
such as the TASCAM 102Mk II or an
MD recorder such as the TASCAM
MD301. A recorder which does not
have recording level controls is not
suitable for use as a master recorder.
• You will also need RCA (pin or
phono) cables to connect the Porta02
to other equipment.
1.4 Connecting the Porta02
1) Make sure all the equipment is
turned off.
2) Connect the
the Porta02 to the amplifier, using
a pair of terminals on the amplifier
such as
NOTE
AUX
LINE OUT
or
VIDEO
terminals of
.
• Headphones, if you intend doing any
work with microphones. These will
avoid acoustic feedback (“ho wlround”) when recording. Additionally,
headphones are sometimes useful
when panning tracks on mixdown, as
you can hear the precise position of
each track.
• Of course, you will also need some
kind of sound source to record (instrument or microphone, etc.).
You can listen to the Porta02 by selecting
the amplifier’s input source to be from the
terminals to which you connected the
Porta02 (
AUX
or
VIDEO
, etc.).
When you have mixed down and you
want to listen to the mixed tape, you
should select the mastering recorder as
the amplifier’s input source.
Do not use any terminals marked
intended for record decks. These are connected
to a special circuit inside the amplifier which
makes them unsuitable for anything except
record decks.
PHONO
3) Connect your mastering recorder
to a set of four
the amplifier (two for
for
PLAY
).
TAPE
terminals on
REC
and two
You may be using an integrated system in
which the mastering recorder and amplifier are built into one enclosure. In this
case, you do not need to follow step 3.
2 – Parts of the Porta02
This section gives an explanation of the
different parts of the Porta02, and what
or
PLAY OUT
to
TAPE IN
they do.
Left
speaker
TAPE OUT
to
REC IN
Mastering recorder
Amplifier
Right
speaker
To AUX IN
LINE OUT
Porta02
8
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