tascam US-428 User Guide

»

US-428

Universal Serial Bus
Digital Audio Workstation Controller

9101436500

OWNER'S MANUAL

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ü

ÿ
Ÿ

2 TASCAM US-428

Important Safety Instructions

Note for U.K. Customers

DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment.

If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your home
or the cable is too short to reach a power point, then obtain an
appropriate safety approved extension lead or consult your dealer.

If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off, remove the fuse and
dispose of the plug immediately, to avoid a possible shock hazard
by inadvertent connection to the mains supply.

If this product is not provided with a mains plug, or one has to be
fitted

, then follow the instructions given below:

IMPORTANT: DO NOT make any connection to the larger
terminal which is marked with the letter E or by the safety earth
symbol ç or coloured GREEN or GREEN-and-YELLOW.

The wires in the mains lead on this product are coloured in
accordance with the following code:

BLUE : NEUTRAL
BROWN : LIVE

As these colours may not correspond with the coloured markings
identifying the terminals in your plug proceed as follows:

The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.

The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED.

When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type
should be used and be sure to re-fit the fuse cover.

IF IN DOUBT — CONSULT A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN.

TO THE USER

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and,
if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is a no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged
to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:

a) Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

b) Increase the separation between the

equipment and receiver.

c) Connect the equipment into an outlet on a

circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

d) Consult the dealer or an experienced

radio/TV technician for help.

CAUTION

Changes or modifications to the equipment not
expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION for
compliance could void the user's authority to
operate this equipment.

For U.S.A

Declaration of Conformity

Model Number : US-428
Trade Name : TASCAM
Responsible party : TEAC AMERICA, INC
Address : 7733 Telegraph Road,

Montebello, California, U.S.A.

Telephone number : 1-213-726-0303

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is Subject to the following two conditions :
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.

TASCAM US-428 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) A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick
stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart
combination to overturn.

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 built­in 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 antenna­discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for
the grounding electrode.

"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.

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

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.

4 TASCAM US-428

1. IntroductionTable of Contents

1. Introduction ..................................................................4

1.1. Overview...................................................................4

1.2. Features ...................................................................5

1.3. Special note regarding programming

the US-428................................................................5

1.4. What’s in the Package ............................................5

1.5. Nomenclature used in this manual ........................5

2. Controls and Indicators...............................................6

2.1. Front panel ...............................................................6

2.2. Rear panel ................................................................6

2.3. Front panel descriptions.........................................7

2.4. Rear panel descriptions..........................................8

3. Installation ....................................................................9

3.1. System Requirements.............................................9

3.2. Installation..............................................................10

3.2.1. Windows 98.....................................................10

3.2.2. Macintosh........................................................10

3.3. Tuning your Computer ..........................................11

3.4. Notes on USB interfacing .....................................11

4. Hooking up Audio and MIDI to the US-428..............12

4.1. Hooking up audio ..................................................12

4.2. Hooking up MIDI....................................................13

4.3. Using the Input Monitoring...................................13

4.4. Monitor vs. Master Level ......................................13

5. Interfacing with your Audio Software ......................14

5.1. Selecting the US-428 as your Audio Device .......14

5.1.1. Audio Control Panel .......................................14

5.1.2. ASIO Control Panel.........................................14

5.1.3. VST Remote ....................................................15

5.2. Setting the sample rate and bit depth .................15

5.3 Input Enabling ........................................................15

5.4. Transport controls and Locate Points.................17

5.5. Mute/Solo...............................................................17

5.6. EQ Controls............................................................18

5.7. Aux Buttons............................................................18

5.8. Data Wheel .............................................................18

5.9 BANK Controls and FADER NULL .......................18

6. A Sample Recording Session in Cubasis.................19

6.1. Setting up ...............................................................19

6.2. Recording your tracks ..........................................19

6.3. Overdubbing ..........................................................20

6.4. Mixdown .................................................................20

7. Special notes on other programs.............................21

7.1 Cubase VST and other Steinberg applications ...21

7.2. Other programs .....................................................21

8. Technical support ......................................................22

8.1. Troubleshooting FAQs ..........................................22

8.2. Tech Support Contacts.........................................22

8.3. Software downloads .............................................22

8.4. Programming the US-428 .....................................22

MIDI Implementation Chart ............................................23

TEAC Corporation can take no responsibility for
any loss of data stored on hard disk, or any other
media, or on MIDI equipment such as sequencers,
etc. In case of such loss, TEAC Corporation will in
no way be liable for any damages, consequential or
otherwise, caused by such loss of data.

This product is designed to help you record and
reproduce sound works to which you own the
copyright, or where you have obtained
permission from the copyright holder or the
rightful licensor. Unless you own the copyright,
or have obtained the appropriate permission
from the copyright holder or the rightful licensor,
your unauthorized recording, reproduction or
distribution thereof may result in severe criminal
penalties under copyright laws and international
copyright treaties. If you are uncertain about
your rights, contact your legal advisor. Under no
circumstances will TEAC Corporation be
responsible for the consequences of any illegal
copying performed using the US-428.

* Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are either registered

trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US
and/or other countries.

* The full name of the product referred to as “Windows 98” is

“Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system”.
* Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
* MIDI is a registered trademark of the Association of

Manufacturers of Eleconic Instruments (AMEI).
* All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered

trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.

1.1 Overview

The US-428 is a USB controller for Digital Audio
Workstation (DAW) software applications. Its design
incorporates a four-input, two-output 24-bit audio
interface, a dual MIDI interface, and a control surface
for your most-used mouse functions.

Our goal was to create a device to make your DAW
software as easy to use as a Portastudio. The transport
and other controls are designed and laid out to look
and function just like a Portastudio – if you’ve ever
used a tape recorder, you know how to use the US-

428.

Because the US-428 is USB based, it’s the ideal
companion to any desktop- or laptop-based digital
recording setup. And since it’s as compact as a laptop,
it can be combined with one to create a complete
portable digital audio workstation solution.

TASCAM US-428 5

1. Introduction

1.2 Features

The input section comprises a 24-bit audio interface,
capable of streaming up to four simultaneous tracks
of audio into your computer. Inputs include two
balanced XLR mic inputs, two balanced 1/4” TRS
inputs, two 1/4” unbalanced line inputs (switchable to
high-impedance, for direct input of a guitar, bass or
other hi-Z source), and an S/PDIF digital input.
Outputs include a pair of unbalanced line outputs on
RCA connectors, S/PDIF output, and separate
headphone output.

The US-428 also features two independent MIDI I/O
ports, allowing you to send and receive data and
MIDI Time Code from your MIDI-based keyboards
and other devices. You can, for example, use one port
for MIDI modules and devices, and the other to
synchronize your MIDI Time Code capable
Portastudio, DTRS or other multitrack tape machine
with your digital audio software.

The US-428’s control surface includes a variety of
controls which make working with audio software
faster and easier. The channel section of the control
surface consists of eight channel faders (plus one
master fader), eight mute buttons, a switch to toggle
Solo and Mute functions, and individual record-ready
and select switches. The master section features four
Aux Sends, a dedicated EQ module (with continuous
controllers for level, frequency and Q, as well as four
band-selection buttons), a data wheel and four
application-defined soft keys. Dedicated transport
and locate controls offer one-button access to these
often-used functions.

1.3 Special Note Regarding
Programming of the US-428

The many faders, switches and other controls on the
US-428 make it an extremely versatile device. The
basic operational premise behind the US-428 is that
of a simple controller unit; that is, most of the
hardware controls on the US-428 are sending out
simple MIDI controller messages to and from the host
computer’s audio application. While the examples in
this manual discuss the US-428’s operation in
conjunction with Steinberg’s Cubasis VST (which is
included with the US-428), the simplicity of the US­428’s MIDI control protocol allows other applications
to readily send and receive US-428 control surface
messages.

In many cases, communication with a particular
application can be accomplished using the application’s

ability to redirect or “map” the US-428 control
surface messages to the application. By making the
programming specifications publicly available on our
website, TASCAM is encouraging the creation of new
applications for the US-428. As they are created and
approved, we will be posting up-to-date news and
details on our website at www

.tascam.com. There
you’ll also find an online users’ group, where users
will be encouraged to post MIDI maps of their own
creation, and TASCAM product specialists will be on
line to help answer questions and field suggestions.

1.4 What’s in the package

The US-428 package contains the following items.
When opening the package, please make certain that
all the included items are present. If anything is
missing, contact the dealer where you purchased it.

≠ US-428 Controller
≠ AC Adaptor PS-P428 (7.5 VAC, 1000 mA)
≠ USB Cable
≠ CD-ROM containing driver software and Cubasis

VST

1.5 Nomenclature used in this

manual

The following conventions will be used in this manual:

ALL CAPS will be used to designate physical
buttons, faders, controllers and LED indicators on the
US-428.

BOLD CAPS will be used to designate physical
connectors on the US-428

Italics will be used to designate software dialog
messages

Under

lined Italics will be used to designate software

menu functions and on-screen controllers.

6 TASCAM US-428

2. Controls and Indicators

1

2
3
4

5

6

7

8

9

0

q

w

e
r

t
y

u
i

o

pa

2.1 Front Panel

1 INPUT C/D Select and LEDs
2 INPUT Trim Pots
3 OVERLOAD LED
4 SIGNAL LED
5 Channel MUTE and SOLO switches and LEDs
6 REC and SELECT LEDs
7 REC and SELECT switches
8 CHANNEL faders
9 MASTER fader
0 MIDI and USB Status LEDs

q LINE OUT and HEADPHONES Level Controls
w AUX 1 through 4 Select Switches
e User Soft Keys
r EQ Module
t Data Wheel
y Fader NULL
u INPUT MONITOR
i BANK Selection Switches
o TRANSPORT Controls
p PAN Control
a LOCATE Controls

sd hgf gf h

jcxz;lk

s PHONES jack
d OUTPUT L/R jacks
f INPUT C and D
g LINE/MIC / GUITAR switch
h INPUT A and B
j POWER switch

k POWER jack
l USB jack
; MIDI Out 1 and 2
z MIDI In 1 and 2
x Digital In and Out
c MIC INPUT A and B

2.2 Rear Panel

TASCAM US-428 7

2. Controls and Indicators

2.3 Front Panel Descriptions

1 INPUT C+D button

toggles inputs C and D between the unbalanced
analog inputs (1/4”) and the digital S/PDIF inputs.

ANALOG LED

indicates analog signal input to inputs C and D.

DIGITAL LED

indicates digital signal input (via S/PDIF) to inputs
C and D. When glowing steadily, indicates valid
digital input. When flashing, indicates an input
error on the digital inputs. Refer to the ASIO
control panel for error details.

2 INPUT TRIM A - D

input level adjustment. Rotate clockwise to
increase input level of analog sources.

3 OL LED

indicates an overload on the input level to the
respective channel. (Specifically, a level of
–2.5dBFS.) Only functions on analog input.

4 SIGNAL LED

indicates the presence of audio signal on the
respective channel. (Specifically, when input level
exceeds –42 dBFS.) Only functions on analog
input.

5 MUTE switch

toggles mute or solo status for selected channel.

MUTE LED

when illuminated, indicates mute status of selected
channel. (When SOLO LED is on, the associated
channel’s MUTE LED’s indicate solo status when
lit)

SOLO switch

toggles between mute and solo status.

SOLO LED

when illuminated, indicates MUTE buttons and
LEDs are toggled to solo status.

6 SELECT LED

indicates selected status of channel.

REC LED

indicates record status of selected channel.

7 SELECT button

selects channel for editing, recording, etc.

REC button

when held, pressing the SELECT button toggles
the selected channel(s)’ record-ready status.

8 CHANNEL FADERS 1 through 8

send continuous controller information for banks
of eight faders, as selected by the BANK switch.

9 MASTER FADER

controls level to the stereo bus output, and/or
sends MIDI controller information to the host.

0 MIDI In LED’s 1 & 2

indicates presence of incoming MIDI data at MIDI
input 1 or 2.

MIDI Out LED’s 1 & 2

indicates transmission of MIDI data from MIDI
output 1 or 2.

USB LED

indicates an active USB connection.

q LINE OUT

controls the level to the RCA (analog) outputs.

HEADPHONE OUT

controls the level to the headphone outputs.

w AUX 1 through 4

selects the host application’s auxilliary sends 1
through 4.

e ASGN

Application specific key.
(In Cubasis, ASGN + Aux 1 or 2 will enable the
Aux Send for the selected channel. ASGN + EQ
band switch will enable the EQ for the selected
channel.)

F1 through F3

Application specific function keys. In Cubasis
VST, these keys perform the following functions:

F1 - Open Audio Mixer window (when Bank 1

is selected); open MIDI Mixer (when
Bank 2 or 3 selected).

F2 - Open VST FX Send window.

F3 - Toggle between open windows.

r EQ GAIN

controls the gain level of chosen band of EQ in the
host program’s internal EQ.

EQ FREQ

controls the center frequency of chosen band of
EQ in the host program’s internal EQ.

EQ Q

controls the bandwidth surrounding the center
frequency of the chosen band of EQ in the host
program’s internal EQ.

8 TASCAM US-428

2. Controls and Indicators

EQ HIGH

selects the highest band of EQ in the host
program’s internal EQ (up to a maximum of four
bands).

EQ HI MID*

selects the upper midrange band of EQ in the host
program’s internal EQ (up to a maximum of four
bands).

EQ LO MID*

selects the lower midrange band of EQ in the host
program’s internal EQ (up to a maximum of four
bands).

EQ LOW

selects the lowest band of EQ in the host program’s
internal EQ (up to a maximum of four bands).

(* Not used in Cubasis VST)

t DATA Wheel

sends continuous controller information to
application. (In Cubasis, functions as a shuttle
wheel if no AUX LED’s are lit, or as Aux Send
level if Aux key is selected.)

y Fader NULL

when pressed, disengages physical faders from the
application. Used to match US-428’s faders with
those of the software application’s internal mixer.
When using FADER NULL, the selected channel’s
REC and SEL LED’s indicate the US-428’s fader
position relative to the associated channel in
Cubasis’ mixer.

u INPUT MONITOR

toggles Input Monitor adjust mode. When the
associated LED is on, the FADER and MUTE
switches for channel strips 1,2,3 and 4 control the
level of Inputs A,B,C and D to the US-428’s stereo
output.

i BANK Selector

pages between successive banks of eight faders.

o REW

transport rewind.

FFWD

transport fast forward.

STOP

transport stop.

PLAY

transport play.

RECORD

transport record.

p PAN

controls L-R panning on selected track.

a LOCATE Ô and 

moves transport to L and R locate points.

SET

holding SET and pressing Ô and  buttons
sets L or R locate points, either on the fly or while
stopped.

2.4 Rear Panel Descriptions

s PHONES jack

standard 1/4” stereo headphone output.

d OUTPUT L/R jacks

unbalanced (RCA) analog audio output of stereo
bus.

f Input C and D

unbalanced analog inputs C and D.

g LINE/MIC / GUITAR switch

switches between line level and Hi-Z (inputs C
&D).

h INPUT A and B

balanced analog inputs A and B.

j POWER switch

push on/push off power switch.

k POWER jack

input for AC Adaptor PS-P428

l USB jack

input for USB connection to host computer.

; MIDI Out 1 and 2

MIDI outputs 1 and 2.

z MIDI In 1 and 2

MIDI inputs 1 and 2.

x Digital In and Out

S/PDIF digital input and output.

c MIC INPUT A and B

Balanced XLR Inputs A and B.