RWS & Tascam US-428

[scott]

I've had the TASCAM US-428 sitting around my house and am now wondering two things:
1) is it possible to use it with RWS?
2) how to use it with RWS i.e. what plugs where etc.?

It came with Cubasis but I never ever liked it. I'd much rather work with RWS.
The product page is here -> http://www.tascam.com/Products/US-428.html

[gatorjj]

You have that "sitting around your house?" Must be a very nice house I use Cubase, and if I had that laying around the house I'd be tickled!

It says it comes with an ASIO driver, so it's worth a shot. It would work as an interface, probably in the "Audio Setup" button of RWS you would tell it what channel you want to input. You might be able to have different guitars, bass, mic's all plugged in and just pick which one to use by the Audio Setup.

The rest of it (the transport controls, faders etc.) wouldn't do anything for ya though.

[ShredRex]

I checked under all of my couch and seat cushions.....even under my bed and the back of the closet, and I could not finad anything like that laying around my house!!!

Dammit!!

LOL

[scott]

Yeh, it was actually sitting on top of my wardrobe gathering dust. It's only now I've got a half decent PC I feel it's worth a shot. I've had it about 5 or 6 years and my other PC didn't do it (or me!) any favours.
I'm still not 100% sure how to use it as an interface with RWS though. How can I incorporate GuitarPort as well??

The ASIO setup gives me a 16 or 24 bit setting and the output channel has one choice - US428 L+US428 R.
The ASIO Control Panel has an Input Monitor section and I can control the faders and pan from the 428 desk.

I guess I now need to go get some monitors to hear the output signal ... and possibly a new set of headphones - oh, and a midi keyboard to get the most from the 428's midi I/O capabilities. Anyone got any recommendations??

[gatorjj]

Geez, too bad you didn't come up with this problem before Christmas...you'll have to wait a whole year now!

First if it's that old I'd see if there's more recent drivers available. It should just plug in the computer with a USB cord, and the GuitarPort can be plugged in at the same time. In the "Audio Setup" button on RWS you should be able to choose between them. Riffworks is 16bit, so that's probably the driver that will work best.

It looks from your description that the USB is putting the stereo mixdown bus from the Tascam. You should be able to solo the channel you want to record, but you'd be able to have multiple mic's plugged in, or guitars if you use Amplitube. The fader and pan work on input but you won't be able to mix the layers on the Tascam. Pan the channels to the center to get them into RiffWorks on both the L and R channels.

FYI the MIDI's not going to do you any good unless you use Cubase or another sequencer, sorry! There was a thread up here somewhere on monitors, that'd be a good place to start...but if you're using headphones with the GuitarPort, they'll work fine as well.

Sounds like fun!

[scott]

Gator,

Done the updated driver thing already. Wondering if it's all too much hassle when I can do everything through GP anyway. The 428 just seems to put an additional piece of hardware in the way! I will persevere!!

[gatorjj]

Yes probably too much hassle for RiffWorks!

I was using a Mackie mixer in front of my PODxt for Riffworks, and would keep my mics, guitar and bass all plugged in and then just solo whatever instrument I was recording rather than shuffling cables. You might try to run some vocals through it to see if maybe you like how it sounds through it's preamps and A/D converters but other than that, put it back with a towel over it to keep the dust out

[scott]

Thanks JJ

I've plugged a guitar in but can't get a two channel signal. There's an Input channel A+B as well as an Input C+D too. The guitar is in input D and its signal is only coming out of the right speaker channel.
I can't figure out where GearBox fits in to the routing to process the signal through the FX either.
I thought this home recording lark was supposed to be easy? It's all come back to me as to why I put the 428 back on top of the wardrobe!!

[gatorjj]

Well...at the risk of driving you away for good (LOL) nah nevermind...step away from the Tascam!

[scott]

Hey dude, any help is appreciated. I'm not one for instruction manuals!!

[gatorjj]

Okay okay!

I don't know what all you have, but lets assume a guitar, bass and a mic. You could plug all 3 into the Tascam, and use the Left 1/4" output to go into your GuitarPort. Then you could either record through the GuitarPort or the Tascam depending what you choose in RiffWorks. All equipment will sound a little different, you may (or may not!) like what the Tascam does to the sound. It's worth a try while you have it out! Basically just using it like a mixer that has a soundcard in it.

The Tascam looks pretty cool but you're right, for RiffWorks you're maybe using 10% of it and likely more hassle than it's worth.

Cheers,

J.J.

[scott]

Cheers JJ!

Could I take the left and right 'outs' from the GP and put them in to the C+D inputs on the Tascam? I don't know if this would still allow me to route the signal through GearBox to pick up the fx.
GearBox doesn't give the 428 ASIO drivers as an option. It has all the TonePorts, PODs and GP i.e. Line6 devices only.

The left 'out' from the Tascam is an RCA plug and not a 1/4" jack so I don't know if you get connectors with these on opposite ends?

Maybe Cubase, ProTools or Logic will get the most from the 428 but it would be an expensive trial!

[gatorjj]

Hmmm..I thought in the owners manual it was a 1/4" but I probably read it too quickly. You sure could take the outs from the GP to the Tascam, then you could monitor through the Tascam. The Gearbox will only work with Line6 hardware.

ProTools wouldn't work, it's specific to certain interfaces. It looks like as old as that Tascam is it came with a very old version of Cubase. I'd stick with RiffWorks unless you really want to get into the MIDI stuff.

Seems like we've come down quite a rathole today, eh Scott! LOL

[scott]

The bumff on the TASCAM website says that the 428 can control ProTools and there are certailnly drivers showing in the ASIO Control panel. However, I'm not sure how seriously I want to get in to recording at that level. I'm a big believer in "bangs for bucks" and RWS sits nicely with my wife's budget.
Thanks for being the guiding light down the rathole. Sometimes you need to explore these dead-ends!

[GuitarSlinger]

I've never owned a mixer yet, but I imagine I would buy one if I wanted to record a band. Im not sure Id get a usb mixer in that case though, I'd probably get one that is also a digital recorder. Still that could be very handy to have around.