Fostex 260 Cassette Multitracker - MEGA tutorial!

In my experience Fostex multitrack cassette recorders sound just as good as Tascam Portastudios, and have the same features, at a lower price point.

Where I feel Tascam's Multitrack cassette recorders "win" is usability and layout - with fostex MCRs there is often a (albeit finite) learning curve to get over .

To wit, the fostex 260: Apart from having a single tape speed (and there's an easy mod to get round this - see my patreon) this unit is broadly equivalent to a Tascam 246, but at the time of publication the 260 changes hands for less than half the money!

The downside is its a bit of a PITA to get your head around, so I hope this looooong tutorial &demo helps folks get to grips with this powerful underdog?

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TETRAKAN - Fix & Use Tape Recorders

Overviews; tear-downs; repair vlogs; techniques; tutorials; demo recordings...
...covering every cassette multitrack recorder ever made!*
*(eventually)
   / tetrakan  

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https://kit.co/Tetrakan

I post exclusive content on PATREON;-
  / tetrakan  

If you are within posting distance of Scotland and would like me to repair or service your multitrack cassette recorder, there is an email contact form provided on my facebook page, or you can message me using facebook or instagram.

DONATIONS are gratefully accepted via my BLOG, which also features written articles and FREE DOWNLOADS OF SERVICE MANUALS;-
https://tetrakansupermonobloc.home.blog/

I prefer to answer questions in the youtube comments where my answers can help more than one person, but if you need to share photos etc, you can message me via facebook.
  / tetrakan  

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CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
0:54 Two songs preview
1:56 Feature by feature overview begins
2:00 Input sockets & when to use external preamps
2:44 Punch in/out socket
2:50 Headphone sockets
3:00 Front panel sockets are RCA, more on these later
3:14 Core concept - MCR mixers are dual function
3:36 Input / Track buttons
4:13 Core concept - the difference between tracks & channels
4:25 Tape layout - ICE Phillips versus four track
5:05 Four track recordings versus tape length
5:41 Mute buttons
5:54 Gain trim knobs & input signal levels
6:30 Fader applications
7:05 EQ - 2 band, per channel, parametric
7:39 Pan controls
7:47 Pan during monitoring - creating a stereo image
8:13 Core concept - two main ways to route signals to tape
8:17 Method 1 - individual mixer channels to individual tape tracks
8:34 Method 2 - combining multiple channels in stereo
09:51 Core concept - seperate mixes for performer & tape
10:08 Auxiliary buss - performer submix or dry/wet blend
10:47 Send & return sockets for auxiliary buss signals
11:32 Monmix controls
11:43 Monmix applications, differences to aux buss
12:22 Meter button
12:43 Dolby C noise reduction on/off switch
12:47 Pitch control
13:29 Record track buttons
13:38 Autostop button
13:50 Memory button
14:14 Punch in/out footswitch demonstration
14:53 Footswitch specifications
15:19 Tape out sockets
16:22 Monitor L R output sockets
16:27 Monitor buttons
16:45 How to play back a tape, troubleshooting no sound
17:01 Options when plugging in speakers
17:36 Backwards sound & wrong speed when playing a tape
18:03 Using meters to see whats on tape even if its not audible
18:18 Buttons that can prevent sound from reaching speakers or headphones
20:00 Recording method 1 - track or direct mode (simpler)
20:56 Monitoring input signals in track mode
22:10 Setting input gain
25:05 Recording method 2 - Mix mode (blending multiple signals in mono or stereo)
29:52 Recording the first demo song
30:26 Recording 4 discreet tracks simultaneously (track mode)
32:30 Setting gain to tape before creating a monitor mix
33:40 Entering record - press record and play simultaeously
34:04 Listening back what I recorded
35: 23 EQ applied to a guitar
36:11 Bass overdub settings
36:44 Using mix mode to overdub a single track
37:29 Listening back to my bass overdub
38:13 Effects application example - two stereo reverb effects
38:22 Bass reverb - mono wet & dry signals sperated in stereo image
39:48 Drum reverb - setting dry & wet stereo width independantly
41:12 Capturing a mix with an external stereo recorder
41:30 Demo 1 - "You have no new messages"
47:16 Recording the second demo - complex ping-pong recording example
47:40 Bouncing 3 drum micropone recodings to one mono track
47:51 EQ on the bounce
49:00 Saturation on the bounce
50:03 Mixer routing for ping-pong recording
51:32 Reverb on the bounce
53:32 Play back the results, applying more EQ, placing in stereo field
54:24 Finished demo preamble - Context & options
55:08 Demo song 2 - "What is it about a dungeon?" (excerpt)
56:08 Thank you & goodbye!