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Tape Speed and Track Format
The Portastudio 424 MKIII uses a HIGH speed of
9.5 cm/sec. (3-3/4 inches per second) which is two
times (2X) the normal speed of a standard audio
cassette. Its NORMAL speed is 4.8 cm/sec (1-7/8
i.p.s.), the same as that used by conventional
recorders.
It also employs a discrete 4-channel format head
developed especially by TEAC for TASCAM
multitrack cassette recorders. Here is a
comparison of various cassette formats:
Track Format and Tape Recommendations
Playing back standard (stereo) prerecorded
tapes: Tapes recorded on stereo cassette
recorders can play back properly on the 424 MKIII
if you set the track playback, tape speed, and
noise reduction type correctly. Tracks 1 and 2
roughly follow the standard "stereo" format, but
tracks 3 and 4 use the "Side B" (reverse side)
tracks. So you must turn off Track 3-4 playback to
avoid hearing the flip side playing backwards. If
the cassette was recorded with Dolby B type
noise reduction, the DBX NR switch should be set
to OFF.
For the same reasons, tapes recorded on the
Portastudio 424 MKIII will not play back properly
on stereo cassette recorders. Material recorded
on the 424 MKIII must be mixed down to stereo
for final distribution.
The 424 MKIII needs the entire width of the tape
to record its four tracks, eliminating the option of
recording on both sides (actually, it's both
directions). Therefore, you should decide which
side (side "A" or side "B") you want to use and
use that side exclusively. It's a good idea to get
into habit of consistently using the same side on
all multitrack tapes.
Tape Type
The Portastudio 424 MKIII is internally adjusted
for HIGH BIAS Type II tape. This means that for
best results, you should only use tapes of this
type. TDK SA, Maxell XL-II or equivalent
formulations are recommended. We strongly
suggest that you select one good quality brand
and use it exclusively. The time you spend
creating your multitrack master is much more
valuable than the money you save by buying
inferior tape. The cassette shell essentially
becomes a part of the 424 MKIII's transport. Poor
quality shells can cause wrinkles, snarls and
shredding of the edges of the tape with use. Even
small scratches on the tape oxide can cause
"dropouts" (temporary loss of signal) on one or
more tracks. High quality tapes are less likely to
cause problems in the long run.