Tascam in 1988 introduced their latest innovation, the Tascam 238 Syncaset 8-channel cassette recorder, which offered sophisticated 8-channel multitrack recording capabilities at an affordable cost and without the space-consuming bulk of a full open-reel system. To address any skepticism regarding the quality of the sound from a cassette tape, Tascam assured everyone that you would not be disappointed. Despite the convenience and economy of the compact cassette format, the Tascam 238 provided sound quality that rivaled the best 4-channel cassette machines and surpassed many conventional high-fidelity cassette recorders.
This exceptional quality is made possible by an advanced, innovative head design and precision double-speed transport system that maintains superior sound quality even with a full eight tracks on compact cassette tape. Tascam’s unique head design delivers crosstalk specifications in this challenging format that are comparable to those of the high-performance Tascam 246 and Tascam 234 4-track cassette machines.
As expected from Tascam, the Tascam 238 Syncaset is designed with ease of use and versatility in mind, in addition to its outstanding sound quality. Record function assignments can be made quickly and easily, and a variety of innovative control features make overall operation a joy, such as a rotary Shuttle control and fully automatic punch in/out function with rehearsal mode.
For professional-level control sophistication, the 238 even includes a built-in interface that allows for external control and synchronisation. At last, affordable, accessible, and high-performance 8-track recording is a reality with the Tascam 238 Syncaset.
The Tascam 238 Syncaset is a rack-mountable 8 channel/8 track multitrack recorder for professional studio applications. Its transport features microprocessor operation and automatic functions for high reliability, stability, and ease of use in an ever-more complex studio environment. Many features previously available only on 24-track machines have been included in the 238 so you can concentrate on your creative work instead of technical details.
It records on readily available standard (Philips) Compact Cassette tape, high bias Type 11 using built-in DBX noise reduction. The 238’s discrete 8-channel format head was developed by TEAC especially for TASCAM multitrack cassette recorders and achieves audio quality specifications equal to TASCAM’s original 4-channel Syncaset recorders. Special tape sync circuitry makes it possible to record MIDI/FSK sync tones or SMPTE time code for synchronisation of MIDI sequencers. External speed and transport controls are available through a serial port on the rear panel for synchronising to other recorders or for computer control of functions. An optional remote control and footswitch are available.
The Tascam 238 was designed to work as the multitrack tape recorder in a system consisting of 5 other components: a mixer, input devices, output devices, signal processing, and a mixdown recorder. All the connections from the Tascam 238 to the rest of the system pass through a mixer. Unlike Tascam’s Portastudios or Ministudios, the 238 is designed to be used with a separate mixer of your choice. Understanding how the other components of your system operate is crucial to successful connection and operation of the 238.
How the Tascam 238 connects with mixing consoles
Since it has no level control of its own, the 238 Syncaset must be connected to an external mixer to perform tracking, overdubbing, and mixdown procedures. A mixer designed for recording behaves as if there were more than one mixer in the box, and consists of main and monitor sections. Keep in mind also that every control on a console is either a WHERE FROM (input select), HOW MUCH (level control), or WHERE TO (assignment) control.
The Main mix section controls HOW MUCH of input devices (microphones, instruments, etc.) will go to the 238 during tracking and overdubbing. The main mix should have multiple group outputs allowing you to mix many inputs to different tracks simultaneously without repatching. This calls for WHERE TO controls: group or program assignment switches and panpots.
In most applications, a 4-group output mixer such as the TASCAM M-200 or M-300 will do very well since you will rarely track or overdub more than 4 tracks at any given time. Each group should have —IO dBV unbalanced line level outputs to connect to the input of the 238. During mixdown, the main section of the console is used to mix the eight tracks of the 238 down to a 2-track recorder, so each channel of the mixer should have a WHERE FROM switch that allows you to “reverse the flow/’ to get signal FROM the 238 instead of FROM microphones or other inputs. The main section provides mixes primarily to machines. But what about the human beings who are performing and operating the system? They need a separate mix.
A Monitor (or “cue”) section is a separate set of controls and outputs that feeds a headphone or monitor amp and speakers, allowing performers and engineers to hear what’s already been recorded during overdubbing without using up channels of the main mix. This may be a simple 8 input auxiliary section with a mono output for headphones, or a dedicated monitor section with its own “where from” (group/tape or source/return) switches and a stereo output. Some consoles (such as the TASCAM M-300 series) have multiple auxiliary outputs so that each performer can hear a different mix, and the engineer can have a separate one as well.
The 238 has its own built-in source/tape switching that offers great flexibility even if your mixer has a “no frills” monitor section; but it is important that the mixing console have a discrete monitor output. If you have to use the main section to hear the previously-recorded tracks, you run the risk of “bouncing” or re-recording old tracks each time you add new material by overdubbing.
