tascam fw1082 preamps

[daldydir]

I wonder if any one can advise me, I use a 8 input tascam fw1082 as my interface (4 xlr & 4 jack inputs) and want to start recording a full drumkit with 8 mics, I can use the 4 xlr inputs for the condensers and plug dynamic mics into the jack inputs, but would I see the benefit of plugging all mics into something like the focusrite octopre first then out of that and into the tascam? that is, are the mic pres of the octopre that much better than the tascam, or would then going through the tascam negate the use of the octopre anyway. I mention the ocopre, but would consider any 8 channel preamp if it helped. I have considered buying an 8 channel interface, but like the fact that the tascam is also a control surface. any help would be greatly appreciated.

[daldydir]

Perhaps I haven't explained my question properly. Can anyone tell me if I will get any benefit from plugging 8 mics into an octopre ,or say a behringer ada8000, then come out of it and into my tascam fw1082 8 channel interface, rather than plugging them direct into the tascam?
Are the mic pres in the octopre/behringer that much better than the ones in the tascam?

Also would really like to hear if anyone prefers the behringer over the octopre , i'll just be using it to record drums.

[Wonks]

That Tascam only has mic pre-amps on 4 inputs. The other 4 inputs are line inputs. So if you want to record 8 mics all at once, you are going to need some extra mic inputs. It makes sense to me to get 8 mic pres that are all the same.

The original Octopre had so-so preamps, but the V2 has improved ones, but at a price. Likewise the Behringer ADA8000 had OK pre-amps and was generally a solid device, but the later ADA8200 benefits slightly from better pre-amps and currently is £174 at Thomann. You can always look round eBay and the like and try to find a bargain, but I'd go for the ADA8200.

SoS ADA 8200 review

[daldydir]

thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I have managed to get dynamic mics plugged into inputs 4-8 of the tascam and placed them on the toms of the kit before but had to turn the gain up a fair bit, but the sound was clean enough for my needs at the time, bearing in mind that they were only toms ( i'm not a drummer!)

would i benefit from buying a 8 channel interface rather than a 8 chan pre amp that plugs into my tascam interface?
will the tascam colour the sound of the first preamp if the gain pots are right down on the tascam?

I see the behringer has adat out, the tascam has coax in, if i get a converter and use the coax in of the tascam, will that bypass any processing the tascam might add?

sorry to ask so many questions, but I want to make a purchase that will last me a few years.

[Wonks]

The Tascam has a stereo S/PDIF input, which isn't compatible with an ADAT output.

Mics should go through a mic pre-amp as they provides the correct impedance to get an uncoloured sound, plus they will probably be quieter than a line input with a lot of gain.

Line inputs should provide an uncoloured input into your system, so don't worry about passing a pre-amp output into a line input.

What is your DAW running on, Mac or PC/Windows?

PC

Unlike a Mac, Windows only allows one ASIO driver at a time, so if you are Windows based and still want to use the TASCAM as a control surface, then you'll need to feed the inputs through the TASCAM. If you don't want to use it as a control surface and sell it on, then you will be better off buying an 8-mic preamp interface. Of course you can swap between using the TASCAM and the new interface in your DAW, but it will be a PITA for things like audio outputs to monitors (unless you get a monitor controller which can swap between different inputs). You won't be able to record 16 channels at once.

The TASCAM is now a 10 year-old design, and I don't know what their support is like for software updates for O/S changes.

MAC

You can run different devices together on a Mac (though I'm not sure if this is has any performance drawbacks being a PC man), so with another interface, you can then record 16 channels (with up to 12 mic inputs) at a time. If the TASCAM ever goes wrong or is unsupported, then you still have the other interface to work with, and there are now plenty of cheap control surfaces available.

Myself, I'd be looking towards a new interface, and maybe get another control surface if you like to work that way.

[daldydir]

thanks again, especially the bit about the tascam's coax in only being 2 channel. I use a macpro, and just noticed that it has optical on out on the back, which i've never used.

Am i optimistic in thinking that i can plug the adat out of a behringer into it and use it as an interface?

sorry, i'm new to adat,

I only ask beacuse i've managed to secure a behringer ada8000 for £60 and if this set up works,it could do me until a decent 64bit control surface/interface comes available

thanks again

[Wonks]

Is the Mac Pro optical connection an ADAT or S/PDIF socket? I'd imagine it's the latter. I'm afraid it's ADAT to ADAT or S/PDIF to S/PDIF. Different formats, so not compatible without a format converter box.

The ADAT will pass all 8 channels but the S/PDIF is typically stereo only, though some versions can carry 5.1 sound signals (and the Mac one could well be one of these in order to drive a home cinema sound system).

Also, optical interfaces are one-way, so again it's likely that the Mac's is an output, not an input (if you pull the protective plastic plug out and see a light, it's an output).

For now I'd run the ADA8000 outputs into the Tascam's line inputs. At least you know it will work!