Differences Between Main and Control Room Output on the TASCAM Model 16/24

[@IamDjehuty]

A simpler explanation would be the main sends audio to the main crowd and the control room sends the same audio to a VIP area

[@winstonsizemore2385]

Thanks for all the information you're sharing with everyone, it is definitely appreciated, try dimming the lights in the room when you're videoing next time that way, the display will show up better

[@MikeFoerster]

Honesty, it is something with that display and my gooseneck camera. It doesn't film well. I'm looking at alternative cameras to use.

[@larrytan73]

Thank you bro! You broke it down in a way that I truly understand the difference now

[@MikeFoerster]

Glad it helped!

[@hopeforthefuturesg]

would I be able to run CR OUTfrom the mixer to a Zoom F6 field recorder to record the signal of the microphones. Basically I want to record a live event panel discussion and the MAIN OUTS would be taken up by the Amplified speakers so I need another output to go into my Zoom field recorder. is that possible? also another concern is I want to record 2 separate mic from the mixer ( they will be using 2 wireless mics, wireless receiver going to input 1 and 2 on the mixer) but the mixer is like yours, only MAIN OUTS and CR OUT is it possible to get 2 separate recordings of each mic into my Zoom field recorder?

[@MikeFoerster]

That's a great question! Yes, you could run from the CR outs into another recording device if you choose. I don't know if you know this, but the mains get recorded onto tracks 23/24 on the Model 24 as soon as you press record. I'll make a video discussing this further, but I do like this idea.

[@gospelpopmusic]

I'm still learning my board model 24 Tascam. I've got the FL STUDIO SIGNATURE DAW. I do need mixing and recording lessons. I'm happy to have finally found your channel

[@MikeFoerster]

I think lessons would help anyone, you'll get to understand how different instruments fit into the mix. I do feel that you'll learn a lot just by playing around with the system. I'm glad you found my channel too! Hope my videos help you out!

[@gospelpopmusic]

@@MikeFoerster Yes you are right! I've been recording and turning knobs to see how my recordings are affected. Thank you!

[@Arperture]

What's the best way to use the Model 24 for running 2 sets of monitor speakers? I have a large pair of HS8's that outputs audio from the mains for monitoring live audio from my hardware setup. I also have a smaller pair of JBL's that I use with my DAW for mixing. Should the JBLs be plugged into the control room, the subs or should I get a speaker selector like the Mackie Big Knob?

[@MikeFoerster]

I have two sets of speakers too which I use for monitors and I have a Passive Big Knob (the smallest one you can get). It is the best way to connect them up since I can switch between both of them. If you are looking to use both sets of speakers, I would hook up the larger ones to the main output and the smaller ones to the control room speakers.

[@ryan2stix]

Awsome stuff.. the sd main mix return...the only thing I can see that being used for, is you do your mix with all your tracks, then start moving the faders to try and make a better mix, and before hitting record to make the stereo track, you hit the sd mix return, so you can compare the previous mix to see if your changes are in fact better...or worse?

[@MikeFoerster]

I think you are better off hooking up your studio monitors to the control room section. I use the mains when I use it for an off the floor recording for the PA speakers in the room.

[@jackblunier]

Very interesting to see that your Main Fader doesn't feed the Control Room and that your Graphic EQ doesn't print onto your Master Mix. That might be only for the Model 24 as I have the Model 16 and the Master EQ affects the Main Mix (or you can set to the Monitor Outputs), which you then hear feeding the Control Room level (pulling the Main Fader down cuts the level to the Control Room no matter what it is set at, and the EQ is both heard in the Control Room and printed when I record channels 15/16 which are my Master Fader, not the Control Room). Hope this helps people who have the Model 16 and are experiencing something different!

[@MikeFoerster]

I'll have to check that out on the Model 16 at church.

[@curtiswindover4564]

Pulling the main fader down does not affect CR level at all in my experience with the Model 16. CR has it's own fader and the 2 outputs seem very independent of one another. I don't use the master EQ so I don't know about that. I'm surprised to hear you say Main fader can cut the control room level.

[@jackblunier]

@@curtiswindover4564 Double checking with the schematics (and with my actual board), the Control Room Fader definitely receives audio from points that are after the Main Fader, meaning the mix will cut out if you bring the main fader down. This will always happen unless you’re PFL-ing a certain channel - which then the signal going to the Control Room Fader will be replaced with that. In theory, the Control Room Fader will always monitor something, which in the Tascam’s case is the Main Mix unless changed on purpose. If the Control Room didn’t monitor the Main Mix post-fader, there’d be no way to set and record a healthy Main L/R Mix while also being able to set how loud you want the monitoring level for your speakers. The Sub output is more-so what I imagine you’re explaining being entirely separate from the main mix. You could theoretically maintain the mix on the Sub output fader even if you pull down the Main fader if every channel is being sent to the Sub output, but I’m not sure what benefit this would give in a real-world scenario aside from grouping multiple sources together for bus processing. Hope this helps!

[@curtiswindover4564]

Thanks for replying. It must have to do with the PFL option then. I use control room, sub & main as independent outputs. Sub goes to my headphone bus (so I can have stereo phones mix). CR goes to an amplifier with vintage stereo speakers, for an 'alternative monitor'. I also send Mon 1 to a sampler for when I want to capture anything that way. I should mention I use mine as a USB interface. I don't use the recorder. @@jackblunier

[@DonaldMerrit]

The Model 12 and 16 are digital boards the model 24 is an analog board so the circuitry is different

[@robingallagher4958]

That's info I needed thx

[@DonaldMerrit]

I have the model 24 I don't use it to play gigs, I use it in my home studio. This is what I do. I use no computers. I send the control room output into a monitor controller that sends the signal to the studio monitors and other destinations. I send the main output directly into a Tascam CDR 902. The model 24s main output is an analog signal, and the Tascam CDR has analog inputs. The model 24 and the CDR 902 work very well together. You can make some really great recordings right at home. But then you can take it a step further, remove the SD card and take it to a decent studio where you can tweak the mix even further and have it mixed and mastered.

[@martinboulay5243]

Once again, thank you

[@spacepalace1]

Good Rock'N Afternoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

[@IslandDigital]

You COULD make a 2 track Master using that onboard EQ , by taking the main out to a CD recorder .

[@MikeFoerster]

Yes, you could.

[@DonaldMerrit]

That's exactly how I use mine I send the main output signal direct to a CD recorder

[@marxug1]

12:30 - I’ve found that you do need to have the “main” button depressed on any given channel for that channel to record to multitrack. It will always record to the channel 23/24 stereo mixdown regardless, but to get it to record as a separate track, its mains button needs to be down (I don’t know whether the “sub” button works the same way). This isn’t obvious from the user manual’s flow diagram, but apparently every channel has this interlock. The only reason I can fathom, is for example you’re recording a show and you hear something going wrong on one channel, removing that channel from the mains mix also removes it from the recording.

[@MikeFoerster]

Yes, if you want to copy the mixdown from the system, then you need to have the channels going into the main. Generally what I do is record the stuff, then do a final mixdown using the main section. I should do a video on that too.

[@MikeFoerster]

Hey! Just looked at your artwork on the website! That is some crazy stuff! Love it!

[@marxug1]

@@MikeFoerster Thanks, man!

[@55beagle55]

Great Video

[@briandale5645]

Great info.

[@troach242]

So.. 1st, this is an awesome explanation of Mains and Control Room outs... My question (confirmed by listening and looking at the mixer block diagrams) is about the control room outs being MONO (sent to both L/R), so stereo position is not included in the control room outs except for the dedicated stereo tracks. Is this normal? I am kinda new to recording this way, but I sometime (a lot) use my monos in pairs with L/R or pan some mono signals L/R to find stereo space and that is all lost in the control room outs. Maybe I am missing the point. Help me to understand why the Control Room outs can be used for studio recording with the above scenario. :) I am eager to learn. Thank you for making this content.

[@MikeFoerster]

Odd, I get stereo from the control room.

[@MikeFoerster]

I'll work on a video for this.

[@troach242]

@@MikeFoerster I see this behavior on mono channels (1-8) (model 16). They route to the control room bus both L/R equally, so centered. The PFL is prior to the pan knob. This is tough for me to understand, but is confirmed by listening.. and checking the block diagrams for model-16/24. Odd choice by tascam.. IMHO.. maybe I am missing something.. I hope I am missing something. Try to Pan ch1 hard L or R.. and listen.. you will hear the signal centered. I tried Live and MTR.

[@Stewartchampion]

After watching this...im thinking of using my tascam dp24 to record the main master mix of my mixdown from the model 24......so i can dub as i go...then use the dp 24... to do a final mix and use the comp and eq on that machine and its play back abilty ... just to listen to the mix afterwards... ..if ya get me...as im not kinda sure how i can listen to final mixdowns on the model 24 ..in the same way as i can on the dp24... i dont want to use a daw... any ideas anyone on some options ..

[@MikeFoerster]

I did a video on recording a song on the Model 24 and then doing the mastering on the DP32. I'll see if I can find the link and add it to this comment.

[@MikeFoerster]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYWucpmwn5mVd8U

[@MikeFoerster]

Also, my video on Monday talks about converting the MAIN tracks to a single stereo file.

[@Stewartchampion]

@@MikeFoerster thanks for the reply..Nice one I'll check it out. Cheers

[@SamuMusical-Aprendatocar]

Will be nice if you separate this video by chapters. Great video 🦾

[@MikeFoerster]

I'll see if I can do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@IslandDigital]

SD MAIN MIX RETURN switch When this switch is on (pushed in), playback of stereo master files recorded on the SD card is output from the MAIN OUTPUT and AUX OUTPUT MON 1/2 jacks. ATTENTION Be aware that when this switch is on (pushed in), the sound of the MAIN MIX L/R bus is not output.

[@MikeFoerster]

Very true. Thanks for bringing that up!

[@raidernationfullmoonrecord9516]

I use control out to record off my gear

[@wardleslie4737]

Also, couldn't you have found something a little more pleasant to play/listen too while demonstrating, a little hard on the ears, and I am a Rock Drummer, oofda

[@wardleslie4737]

Excellent subjects, not so good teacher. I (like, in myself) find it very difficult to follow your directions, you sometimes contradict yourself, you first call it the main, then you call it the control room. Then you jump around from subject to subject saying lets just talk about this (main output.) I think I got something out of it?