Tascam X-48 Owner's Manual
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Tascam X-48 Owner's Manual

Tascam X-48 Owner's Manual

48 track digital audio workstation
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D00871101A
X-48
48 Track Digital Audio Workstation
OWNER'S MANUAL

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  • Page 1 » D00871101A X-48 48 Track Digital Audio Workstation OWNER'S MANUAL...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Precautions

    IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 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 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.

  • Page 3: Important Safety Instructions

    IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS • Do not expose this apparatus to drips or splashes. Read these instructions. • Do not place any objects filled with liquids, such as Keep these instructions. vases, on the apparatus. Heed all warnings. • Do not install this apparatus in a confined space such as a book case or similar unit.

  • Page 4: Safety Information

    Safety Information This product has been designed and manufactured Rack-mounting the Unit according to FDA regulations "title 21, CFR, chapter Use the supplied rack-mounting kit to mount the unit in a 1, subchapter J, based on the Radiation Control for standard 19-inch rack, as shown below.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Network ......................17 External Drives ....................18 Powering On / Off ....................18 External Applications.................... 18 VST Plug-ins ....................... 19 Using the X-48 System Restore CD ................ 19 Configuration................... 20 Configuration .................. 20 Display Settings ....................20 Navigating the LCD Interface................. 20 Sample Rates......................
  • Page 6 Table of Contents Make a Default Project ..................30 Install VST Plug-Ins ..................... 30 Recorder ..................31 Working With Projects ..............31 Creating a New Project ..................31 Opening a Project ....................32 Saving a Project ....................32 Auto-Saving Projects.................... 33 Importing a Project....................
  • Page 7 Table of Contents Timecode Offset ....................51 Chase Lock Deviation ................... 51 Timecode Output Muting..................52 Advanced Recorder Operations ............52 Audio File Naming....................52 Track Key Punch....................53 Editing ..................... 54 Edit Tools ..................54 I-Beam Tool..................... 54 Object Tool ....................54 Smart Tool ....................
  • Page 8 Table of Contents Specifications .................. 63 Audio I/O ..................63 Miscellaneous I/O connections ............63 Physical characteristics ..............63...

  • Page 9: Setup

    X-48 will provide many years of service. Enjoy! Unpacking The X-48 has been packed to ensure its safety during shipment. Inspect the unit for damage immediately upon unpacking and contact the shipper or retailer if damage is discovered or items appear to be missing.

  • Page 10: Required Equipment

    This icon indicates instructions related to using the front panel of the X-48. Required Equipment While the X-48 is a comprehensive piece of professional audio gear, there are other things you may need to take full advantage of its capabilities: •...

  • Page 11: Guided Tour

    MIDI input or encounters an error. Sample Rate – these lights report the current sample rate. If the X-48 is set to 96kHz, the "48kHz" and "2X" lights will be lit. If it isn't set to one of these standard rates (i.e.
  • Page 12 96kHz/24-bit. NOTE: to get all 8 channels of audio input and output at 96kHz, the equipment connected to the X-48 must have the latest TDIF capabilities, such as TASCAM’s DM-3200 and DM-4800 digital mixers.

  • Page 13: I/O Card Installation

    Power off and unplug the X-48 to avoid shock hazard. • If rack mounted, remove the X-48 from the rack to gain access to the top panel. Analog Card Remove the six screws holding on the top panel (there is one on the rear).

  • Page 14: Making Connections

    Replace the top panel. Making Connections You may not use all the connections provided on the rear of the X-48, but they are there if you need them. Just skip over the sections below that don’t apply to your setup. For further information on routing to &...

  • Page 15: Adat

    If the X-48 is digitally connected to only one other device, the clocks may be locked via that connection, requiring no other connection be made.

  • Page 16: Synchronization And Control

    'Synchronization'(page 45). MIDI There are two MIDI connectors on the rear of the X-48. These are used for MIDI Machine Control (MMC) and MIDI Time Code (MTC). IN – This connector receives MTC, which the X-48 can chase, or MMC, which the X-48 can respond to.

  • Page 17: Video Reference (Tri Level Sync)

    A standard PC keyboard & mouse (or trackball) may be connected to the P/S2 or USB ports on the rear of the X-48. To take full advantage of these peripherals, it is recommended that a full keyboard with numerical keypad and a scrolling wheel mouse be used.

  • Page 18: External Drives

    VGA monitor and the currently loaded project with time code on the front panel LCD display. To power off the X-48, either select Shutdown from the File menu in the VGA UI or momentarily press the front panel POWER button. In either case, you will be prompted to save the currently loaded project then confirm the shutdown.

  • Page 19: Vst Plug-Ins

    External Application from the X-48’s File menu. The TMC update installer would have to be on a piece of media that the X-48 has access to, such as a CD or USB flash drive. Only Version 1.20 or higher (Windows version) is designed to operate on the X- 48.

  • Page 20: Configuration

    Configuration Configuration Configuration This section helps you with the software settings you'll need to make in order for the X-48 to work smoothly in your application. Display Settings Mouse/Keyboard Operation Your monitor should be capable displaying a resolution of at least 1024x768 pixels at a refresh rate of at least 60 Hz.

  • Page 21: Sample Rates

    Sample Rates The X-48 supports the base sample rates of 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k and 96k. The sample rate for your project should be set immediately after creating the project and before recording any audio. New projects will be created at the currently set sample rate by default. A project’s sample rate is stored as part of the project.

  • Page 22: Digital Audio Clock

    Invert Word Out Polarity – Some manufacturers of digital audio equipment lock to the rising edge of a clock signal while others use the falling edge. This setting allows the X-48 to operate as a clock master with either type of equipment. This may not be documented by all manufacturers, so if your clock configuration appears correct but you are still hearing artifacts such as clicks, try changing the value of this setting.

  • Page 23: I/O Settings

    S/PDIF output of a piece of equipment when transferring stereo audio into the X-48. TDIF Port 1 – When selected, the X-48’s digital audio clock will be locked to the digital audio signal present at the first TDIF port (1-8). This would typically be used when the X- 48 is digitally connected via TDIF to one other piece of equipment such a mixer or another recorder.

  • Page 24: Analog I/O Operating Level

    SMPTE – When enabled and the front panel TC CHASE key is enabled, the X-48 chases the SMPTE timecode from its input jack. MIDI (MTC) – In this mode with the front pantl TC CHASE key enabled, the X-48 chases incoming MIDI timecode from it's MIDI input.

  • Page 25: Sony 9-Pin

    Local if you don't want to arm tracks this way. Punch Delay – You can set the punch-in delay from off to 6 frames. This is used when it is necessary for the X-48 to emulate an older video deck to match what is expected by the controller.

  • Page 26: Pull Up/Pull Down Sample Rates

    Pull Up/Pull Down Sample Rates The X-48 supports pull-up and pull-down sample rates for use in film and video post- production. When you select the sample rate for the new session, be sure to consider the final delivery format and set your sample rate accordingly.
  • Page 27 • Your X-48 will show up similar to this: "X48-uo0t97er5vk". (It is possible that you may need to wait a minute or so for the X-48 to show up in this list.) • Note that the X-48’s workgroup name is fixed as “WORKGROUP”. Your PC’s network name may not be WORKGROUP.

  • Page 28: Checking Free Hard Drive Space

    Press HOME when you're finished. Drive Benchmarking Utility The X-48 includes a utility that you can use to test any connected drive before using it. The recorder runs a series of write/read tests and then reports how many tracks it can record to that drive at 48kHz and at 96kHz.

  • Page 29: Factory Defaults

    • Give the disk a name and click OK twice. • When you're finished, click the Close box in the top right corner. The X-48 will shut down. Restart the recorder to begin using your drive. Front Panel Operation •...

  • Page 30: Mixer Bypass

    Bypassing the mixer section improves inupt to output delay and and reduces CPU usage by keeping the mixer EQ, level, etc. settings disabled when using the X-48 strictly as a recorder. Mixer Bypass is switched on by default, so you'll need to disable it before using the mixer section.

  • Page 31: Recorder

    Click OK when complete. Front Panel Operation • On the front panel of the X-48, press the PROJ button, press the Up/Down arrows to select New and press CHNG. • Press the Yes or No button to save the current project.

  • Page 32: Opening A Project

    ".ndr" extension. Double-click on this file to open the project. Front Panel Operation • On the front panel of the X-48, press the PROJ button, press the Up/Down arrows to select Open and press CHNG. • Press the Yes or No button to save the current project.

  • Page 33: Auto-Saving Projects

    Save and press CHNG. Saving Your Work How often do you need to save? The X-48 writes data to the drive during recording. You should periodically save during recording, and whenever you change something in the mixer. You may also want to switch on Auto Save, described below. However, if the X-48 loses power during a long recording, the Wave files can be re-imported when you switch it back on.

  • Page 34: Exporting A Project

    You can navigate up to select another drive. Click Save to export the project. Copying a Project You can make a copy of a project with the X-48, for instance as a backup to another drive. This copies the project and all of its wave recordings, unlike "Save As..." which only copies the project file.

  • Page 35: Backing Up A Project To Cd/Dvd

    A confirmation message appears. Press YES/NO to execute/cancel the delete operation. Load Last Project The X-48 can default to loading the last project used at startup. This is useful for working on long-term projects, or when the X-48 is used as a playback device for live or theater use.

  • Page 36: Transport Operations

    Front Panel Operation • On the front panel of the X-48, press the PREF button, press the Up/Down arrows to select Load Last Project and press CHNG. • Use the up/down buttons to select On and press ENTER.

  • Page 37: Tc Chase

    Recorder Front Panel Operation • On the front panel of the X-48, press the PREF button, press the Up/Down arrows to select One Button Record and press CHANGE. • Use the up/down buttons to select On and press Enter. TC Chase The TC Chase feature allows your X-48 to chase incoming timecode.

  • Page 38: Varispeed

    Recorder Front Panel Operation • On the front panel of the X-48, press the PREF button. Use the Up/Down buttons to select Use Pre/Post-Roll and press CHNG. • Use the up/down buttons to select On and press Enter. • Pre-roll and Post-roll times can also be changed in the Preferences menu.

  • Page 39: Record Enable

    Punch Crossfade Time To avoid an audio click when punching in and out of record, the X-48 automatically fades into and out of record. This crossfade time is very fast, but prevents an audio pop. The...

  • Page 40: Undo/Redo

    Recorder Undo/Redo Unlike tape machines, you can undo a recording pass and then put it back with redo. Undo/redo is only available from the mouse/keyboard interface. Mouse/Keyboard Operation (only) • Click the Edit menu and choose Undo or press Control-Z on the keyboard. Metering Several metering parameters are available: •...

  • Page 41: Using Markers

    • Press Play. Loop Mode The X-48 has three Loop Modes: • Play Once and Cue plays through the loop once, then locates to the beginning of the loop (or pre-roll point if enabled) and stops.

  • Page 42: Auto Punch

    Recorder Mouse/Keyboard Operation • Click on the Windows menu and choose Settings. • Select the Transport tab. • The submenu titled Loop Mode has the three choices explained above. Front Panel Operation • Press the PREF button. Press the up/down buttons until you select Loop Mode and press CHNG.

  • Page 43: Loop Recording

    Play. (See previous sections.) Using the VGA Recorder Interface Meters The X-48 displays meters on the top of the screen by default. To show or hide these meters, click the button in the middle of the display. For more about the on-screen meters, see Page 40, Metering.

  • Page 44: Clip Properties

    Recorder • Click the Options menu and select Timebar Format • Choose either SMPTE or Samples Clip Properties To specify information about a clip, open the Clip Properties window: • Use the Smart tool to select a clip • Under the Windows menu, select Clip Properties... or press Control-2 from the keyboard.

  • Page 45: Synchronization

    Note that video clock is available on the X-48, but it cannot be used as the reference clock. Video clock is only updated 60 times per second, where word clock is updated 48,000 times or more per second.

  • Page 46: Sample Rate

    The X-48 either sees a transport command from the RS-422 signal or sees SMPTE timecode and goes into play. The X-48 looks at either the SMPTE input or the RS-422 to figure out where in the timeline to begin playback.

  • Page 47: Clock Source

    There are five choices: • Internal is the default. This can be used if the X-48 is either used by itself, with an analog console or as the master clock for the studio.

  • Page 48: Bnc Word Clock Output Polarity

    Use the up/down buttons to select either Normal or Inverted and press Enter. Video Clock Frame-Edge Resolve Video Clock in the X-48 can be used to define the frame edge of incoming and generated timecode for stability and repeatability. (But not as a sample clock source, see Requirements above.) To enable video clock:...

  • Page 49: Control Mode

    Select a frame rate from the list using the up/down buttons and press Enter. Control Mode Four control modes are available: • Internal is the default setting, the X-48 controls its own transport and ignores the SMPTE timecode input. • SMPTE follows the SMPTE timecode input for location, either from the RS-422 input or the balanced LTC input on the rear panel.

  • Page 50: Chase Freewheel

    Chase Relock If the SMPTE drifts outside of the Chase Relock Threshold window (see next section), this setting tells the X-48 what to • Always tells the transport to shift to the correct timecode value, even if it's in record.

  • Page 51: Chase Relock Threshold

    Choose a setting from the list using the up/down buttons and press Enter. Chase Relock Threshold This parameter governs how far out of sync the X-48 can drift before the Chase Relock feature forces it back in sync. (Or not, see previous section.) The range is 1/3 frame, 1 frame, 2 frames, 5 frames or 10 frames.

  • Page 52: Timecode Output Muting

    Advanced Recorder Operations Audio File Naming The X-48 can auto-name new audio files either based on the project name or the track name. This setting can only be changed from the GUI – since there are no track names when using the X-48, it defaults to naming audio files based on the project name.

  • Page 53: Track Key Punch

    Select the Audio File Naming submenu and choose your preferred naming convention. Track Key Punch The X-48 can be set to enter record mode without any tracks armed. Recording will then begin on any channel whose track-arming button is pressed. To enable this function: Mouse/Keyboard Operation •...

  • Page 54: Editing

    Editing Editing Edit Tools I-Beam Tool The I-beam tool is used to select a portion of a recorded clip or clips. When the I-beam tool is dragged through the middle of a clip, only that section will be edited. For example, if you wanted to erase a cough in the middle of a recorded voiceover, the I-beam would allow you to select just that cough and then hit delete on the keyboard.

  • Page 55: Smart Tool

    Editing Smart Tool Press F11 to select the Smart tool, or click the button pictured above in the top-left corner. Like the Object tool, this tool does different things depending where your mouse is: • When it's not hovering over a clip, or if it's over the bottom half of a clip, it acts like the I-Beam tool.

  • Page 56: Clip Properties

    Editing To see exactly what has been selected, click the button. The screen will show information about your selection start and end points as well as the length of the selection. For an exact time selection, such as 00:02:00:00, you can click in these fields and type in a new in point, out point or selection length.

  • Page 57: Repeat Paste

    Editing Repeat Paste Repeat Paste (Control-Alt-V) pastes the audio in the clipboard multiple times. You might use this feature to create a loop that plays through a song or to fill a section of film dialog with room tone for ADR. When you select the repeat paste command, the system will prompt you to ask how many times it should repeat the audio.

  • Page 58: Audio Processing

    Editing Audio Processing Pitch/Time Stretch Selecting this item from the Process menu opens the Time Compression/Pitch Shift window. There are two options in this window. Time Compression allows you to specify a new length for the clip using the mouse and keyboard. The start time for the clip remains the same while the end point changes to reflect the new length.

  • Page 59: Mixer

    Dynamic automation engine supporting mouse-drawn break-point style automation Mixer Bypass When you first use the X-48, the mixer section is disabled to improve input to output delay and CPU usage. Before using any of the mixer functions you need switch off Mixer Bypass.

  • Page 60: Mixer Tabs

    Edit menu. External Control The X-48 supports the TASCAM US-2400 as a mixing control surface. Connect the US- 2400 to the USB input and set its control mode to Native by holding Select and Channel during power up.

  • Page 61: Third-Party Plug Ins

    CD, then follow the prompts. Install the plug-ins in D:\FreewareVST Both Waves and Antares require an iLok dongle for copy protection. Authorize the dongle on a computer then plug it into the X-48's USB jack when prompted by the plug-in installer. CPU Meter The CPU meter is located at the top of the screen.

  • Page 62: Monitoring While Recording

    Another useful feature of the mixing engine is to monitor tracks while recording. During a live event, the X-48 can serve as a 48-track recorder as well as your monitor mixer. Connect your mic preamps to the (optional) analog inputs and connect the S/PDIF output to a D/A converter or 2-track recorder, like the TASCAM DV-RA1000HD.

  • Page 63: Specifications

    Specifications Specifications Audio I/O TDIF 6 x 25-pin (female) D-sub connectors Conform to TDIF-1 standard S/PDIF IN/OUT 2 x RCA pin jacks(input/output impedance 75ohm) IEC60958 data format Miscellaneous I/O connections WORD SYNC IN BNC connector Switchable 75ohm termination TTL level WORD SYNC OUT/THRU 2 x BNC connector TTL level...
  • Page 64 Specifications - System restore CD - Documentation CD, - Two white plastic spacers & screws for installation of digital cards(IF-AE24/IF-AD24)
  • Page 65 Notes...
  • Page 66 Notes...
  • Page 67 Notes...
  • Page 68 » X-48 TEAC CORPORATION Phone: +81-422-52-5082 www.tascam.com 3-7-3, Nakacho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-8550, Japan TEAC AMERICA, INC. Phone: +1-323-726-0303 www.tascam.com 7733 Telegraph Road, Montebello, California 90640 TEAC CANADA LTD. Phone: +1905-890-8008 Facsimile: +1905-890-9888 www.tascam.com 5939 Wallace Street, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1Z8, Canada TEAC MEXICO, S.A.

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