TASCAM DP-32sd & External Effects

[Doodle46]

Partly because of the reinforcement of mariusvideo’s comment, but mostly from my personal headaches with this machine’s Internal Effects, I have made the decision to use External Effects for vocals.
Can someone give me a “step-by-step” example of how to connect (and use) External Effects with the Tascam DP-32sd?

 

[David Porter]

Phil Tipping's new how to guide is available for purchase and explains this process in detail. But I'll try to give you the basic steps.

Are you wanting to send a mono or stereo signal to the external effect?

 

[Doodle46]

STEREO

 

[David Porter]

Turn everything off and make cable connections from send 1 and 2 outputs to inputs of external effects device.... And from outputs of external effects device to any two available inputs (A-H).

Turn everything on. Make sure the DP's internal send effect is turned off.

Select the inputs or tracks that you want to send out. Since you said stereo... I am assuming you are only sending two sources. For either one... open the mixer screen and scroll to the off/pre/post selector for send 1 and select post. Then adjust the send 1 level and send 1 master level to appropriate levels being careful not to overload the inputs of your external device. For the other source.... select that one.... go to the mixer screen and make all the same settings except use send 2.

Assign the two inputs coming from the external device to the destination tracks of your choosing. Arm those tracks and you should now be able to monitor the signals coming from the external effect. Make settings and record when ready.

If I've missed anything could someone please chime in. Once again I'm trying to give this advice when I'm not at home looking at my machine or the block diagram. Probably not a good idea. I'll be sure to review this procedure when I get home later.

 

[David Porter]

Keep in mind... once you've recorded the new "wet" tracks... in order to get the stereo effect you'll need to pan those two hard left and hard right.

 

[Mark Richards]

I think David has described the basics. I would just be cautious about setting the individual Send levels and the Master Send level to maximum.

The non-technical reason is you risk overloading the inputs of the external effect box, particularly if it's been designed for passive guitar output levels and not line output levels or guitar active pre-amp levels. Ideally the external effect box would have a meter to monitor the input level from the send bus and the output levels back to the mixer inputs.

The technical reason is that at maximum the Send bus output is rated at +6dBV into a 200 Ohm load and +4.4dB gain, with 16dB of headroom between the nominal output level (-16dBFs/-10dBV) and 0dBFs.

 

[David Porter]

Ah... good point, Mark. Thanks. Should have suggested to raise each of those levels slowly for proper level. I will edit that part.

 

[Doodle46]

Hey, thanks guys! I was recording and didn’t see your posts until just now. In a post I made earlier, titled “Song’s Fade Out,” I made a reply to Phil’s comment, and explained everything I did with my DP-32 & Lexicon Effects Processor.
I recorded before reading your comments, so if you read my full explanation, you might wonder how I ever accomplished my goal. To be honest, I’m still scratching my head! LOL!

 

[Doodle46]

HELP!!!
I’m having a heck of time! I’ve read a lot, and tried to absorb knowledge from all of you guys, which I appreciate. About the time I have things working, and I think I know what I’m doing, the light-bulb goes out, nothing works, and I’m lost.

This is an overview of my current rec. project:
1. I’m using DP32 & Lexicon Effects Processor.
2. I connected 2 cables from DP32 Sends (on back of machine) to Lexicon Inputs.
3. I connected 2 cables from Lexicon Output to DP32 Inputs 5 & 6.
4. My goal is to record Vocal (with effects) to Stereo Track 9/10.
5. Assignment is Source A1 & B2 to Stereo 9/10.
6. In MIX (9/10) I scroll to Sends 1 & 2 & set both to “Post.” I also set ALL volumes to 80.
7. I repeat the same in MIX (A & B). In “Source A”
I pan left, and in “Source B” I pan right.

NOTE: Yesterday, I heard Reverb/Delay coming thru with no trouble. I nominated Track 7 as my Effects Track, and after bouncing tracks as needed, I achieved success. Today I hear no effects, and no matter what I try, nothing works and Im lost again. Frustrating!

 

[David Porter]

In your step 3 you said:

3. I connected 2 cables from Lexicon Output to DP32 Inputs 5 & 6.

This is confusing as the DP inputs are labeled with letters (A-H) - not numbers. Did you mean that you connected the Lexicon outputs to DP inputs "E" and "F" (which would be the 5th and 6th inputs)?

 

[Doodle46]

Sometimes I call Inputs by letter, and sometimes by number. If A - H = 8 Letters, then my mind calculates this as 1 - 8.
So, you are right... 5 & 6 = E & F.
Thank you, David, for your input.

 

[David Porter]

Ok... let me ask you this now. Help me help you.

Are you wanting to record a live single microphone vocal.... send that mono signal to an external stereo effects unit so that the vocal goes in as mono and returns to the machine with stereo effects? Is that what you're wanting to accomplish?

 

[Doodle46]

I want to record a single microphone and have Reverb/Delay on my vocal.
My Lexicon has 2 Inputs and 2 Outputs, so I ran total 4 cables - 2 In and 2 Out.
I simply want effects on my vocals... mono or stereo, but why not stereo, if that is achievable.
I connected the Lexicon to Inputs E & F on my machine, and tried to follow instruction from you, and others. That is basically where I am now.

 

[David Porter]

Okay great. I am happy to help you with this. It's cold here in North Texas today and tomorrow so I'll be staying indoors and I have time to help you with this. Do you have time to work on it this afternoon? We can go step by step and get you the result you're looking for.

 

[Doodle46]

Yes David, I have time, and will be grateful for your help. I’m an older retired guitar player with minor physical disabilities, so recording is both fun & good for me. I am actually located 100 South of Dallas. My name is Doug.

 

[David Porter]

Well howdy neighbor Doug. I'm in McKinney about 30 minutes north of downtown Dallas. I'm on my way home now and I will reach out to you here in about 30 to 45 minutes and we'll go step by step and get you your vocals with stereo effects.

Your Lexicon unit should be able to take a mono signal in - It's usually the left input on these devices -and then output a stereo signal. Can you confirm that your Lexicon will do this? Which model is it?

 

[Doodle46]

Howdy! My daughter & her husband live in McKinney. I am in Waco. How many more coincidences?! I’m good with the 30-45 minutes, and will stand by.

 

[David Porter]

Ok - let's do this. First a couple of simple questions for you:

1) Which Lexicon effects unit do you have - which model is it?

2) Which input (A-H) is your microphone plugged into?

 

[Doodle46]

I’m ready just as soon as I step into my studio. I’m not sure exactly which Lexicon I have, but the in & outs say Anolog. It’s lower dollar and has 2 ins & 2 outs. EV RE-20 is plugged into A & B of the DP32.

 

[Doodle46]

Lexicon is rack mounted & edge of rack covers the model, except for two zeros.