Owner's Manual Model Multitracker Model X-34 Owner's Manual CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER - SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. within an 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. INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU' AU FOND. "WARNING" "TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE." The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. 9. Heat - The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances (including amplifiers) that produce heat. 10. Power Sources - The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance. 11. Grounding or Polarization - The precautions that should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated. 12. Power Cord Protection - Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance. 13. Cleaning - The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer. 14. Nonuse Periods - The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time. 15. Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings. 16. Damage Requiring Service - The appliance should be serviced by SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated. 2. Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference. 3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to. 4. Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed. 5. Water and Moisture - The appliance should not be used near water - for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, and the like. 6. Carts and Stands - The appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combination to overturn. 7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting - The appliance should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer. 8. Ventilation - The appliance should be situated so that its location or position dose not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings; or, placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings. qualified service personnel when: A. The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or B. C. D. E. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or The appliance has been exposed to rain; or The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged. 17. Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. 2 Model X-34 Owner's Manual Thank you for purchasing the Fostex Model X-34 multitracker. The X-34 is a four-track, four-channel cassette tape recorder that features four line inputs, plus two inputs that accept a range of inputs from line level to mic level. Each channel module is equipped with a two-band EQ for superior sound quality. The X-34 also provides flexible elements, such as the AUX send/return connectors for applying desired external effects and the recording track-select switches that enable you to specify any track as the recording destination. A speed of 9.5cm/s and Dolby B type noise reduction ensure high quality recording. In particular, the exclusive Fostex "Auto Bounce function" makes ping-pong recording a breeze. The X-34 contains a "Rehearsal" mode, which is convenient for punching in and out. You can practice until you are ready to record. Please read this owner's manual thoroughly before using the X-34 to make the best use of its features and extend the useful life of the unit. Table of Contents Precautions (please read before use) ...................... 3 Cautions for Using the X-34 ....................................... 4 Before Using the X-34 ................................................. 4 .................................................................... 5 ................................................................. 7 .................................................................. 8 Basic Operation: "Let's Record!" .............................. 9 Initial mode after the X-34 is powered on: ..................... 9 Initial setup of the X-34 ................................................... 9 Remember the following before you start to record! .... 10 Basic Recording - 1 (Recording from the front panel LINE IN/INSERT jack) ...................................... 12 Basic Recording - 2 (Recording with the rear panel MIC IN jack) ...................................................... 14 Basic Playback Procedure ............................................. 15 Multitrack Recording ................................................. 16 Overdubbing ................................................................... 16 ....................................... 16 Mixdown (Track Down mode) ....................................... 18 Advanced Operation ................................................. 19 Punch In/Out Recording ................................................ 19 Ping-pong Recording (Using the Auto Bounce Function) ................................ 21 Tape Sync ....................................................................... 23 Recording a sync signal ................................................. 24 Applying Effects ............................................................. 25 Troubleshooting ............................................................. 27 Maintenance ................................................................... 28 Block Diagram ............................................................... 28 Specifications ................................................................. 29 Declaration of EC Directive .......................................... 30 The Affect of Immunity on This Equipment ................... 30 FOSTEX DISTRIBUTORS LIST IN EUROPE .............. 30 * Do not plug in or unplug the AC adapter with wet hands. Doing so may result in dangerous electrical shock. * Do not open the unit or touch any parts inside. Doing so may result in a dangerous electrical shock, and may damage the unit. * Do not let water or other liquids, flammable materials, or metal objects such as pins get inside the unit. These items may cause electrical shock or short circuit the X-34 and damage it. If the X-34 should become wet, unplug the AC adapter from the AC outlet, and contact your authorized service station. * When turning the power on, turn the X-34 on first before turning on any connected equipment. Doing so will avoid damaging to the other equipment. Also, when connecting or disconnecting cables to or from the X-34's input or output jacks, set all faders to "0." * When the AC adapter is connected to an AC outlet, it will continue to draw a small amount of power even if the switch is set to off (STANDBY). If you will not be using the X-34 for an extended period of time, be sure to unplug the AC adapter from the outlet. Location Avoid using the X-34 in the following locations: * Locations of extreme low or high temperatures, or subject to extreme changes in temperature. * Locations with excessive moisture or dust. * Locations subject to direct sunlight for an extended period of time, or near a stove or other source of heat. * Locations subject to fluctuations in electrical voltage. * Unstable locations or locations subject to heavy vibration. * Near strong magnetic fields (e.g., on top of a television or speaker). Precautions (please read before use) Power supply * When unplugging the AC adapter from an outlet, be sure to grasp the adapter. Attempting to unplug it by pulling on the AC cable may damage the wiring. * It is dangerous to use any power cable that is cut or frayed. If the power cable is damaged, immediately stop using it and have the unit repaired. 3 Model X-34 Owner's Manual Cautions for Using the X-34 * If a monitor speaker with an internal amplifier is connected to the MONITOR OUT jacks, do not advance the monitor speaker volume control or the X-34 MON MIX/AUX knobs. Doing so could generate a loud noise from the speaker or headphone and damage your hearing. * When plugging external equipment into the X-34 input jack or headphone jack, always switch off the power to the X-34. * When using an external mic, do not bring it close to the monitor speaker while the INPUT faders, MON MIX/AUX knobs, and MONITOR knob are raised and the track is selected for recording. Doing so will generate feedback. * Do not apply the LINE OUT jack signals to the mic input or line input jacks (e.g., directly connecting the LINE OUT jack to the input jack). The resulting oscillation could hurt your ears if you are monitoring with headphones. * Be sure to use the AC adapter included with the X34. Should an adapter with a different voltage or wrong plug polarity be used, it could cause a fire or severely damage the X-34. Before Using the X-34 Using write-protection tabs: On the edge of a cassette tape are write-protection tabs that are used to prevent recorded data from being accidentally erased. You may want to break off the tab for side A and side B of a cassette tape that you have already recorded, since the X-34 uses all four tracks at the same time. If you later wish to record data on a tape with broken tabs, apply a piece of scotch tape to cover the tab hole. A stereo cassette deck allows for stereo recording on sides A and B of a cassette tape. As shown in the figure below, a cassette tape is divided into four tracks: two for side A, two for side B. On the other hand, a multitracker, such as the X-34, records to all four tracks on the same side of the tape. If you record something on the multitracker and play the tape on a cassette deck, Tracks 1 and 2 will play normally, but when you try to play the other side of tape, Tracks 3 and 4 will play in reverse. Stereo cassette deck. X-34 Write-protection tab Track 4 Track 3 A side Track 2 Track 1 R ch L ch A side Cassette tape suitable for recording: The X-34 performs best with a high-position cassette tape (TYPE II, HIGH). We recommend that you use these types or equivalent tapes for multitrack recording. C-120 tapes (60 minutes each side) are thin and not suitable for repeated recording or playback. Use C-90 or shorter tapes for good performance. The Fostex X-34 contains a "rehearsal mode" which is convenient for Punch-in recording. The rehearsal mode lets you practice the timing for punching in and out, and adjust the recording level by going through the punch in/out take operation without entering recording mode. Connecting an optional foot switch (Model 8051) to the PUNCH IN/ OUT jack, selecting a punch-in track, and pressing the PLAY button puts the X-34 in Rehearsal mode. Using this function, you can practice any number of times before the actual take. For details, refer to "Punch in/out" on page 19. 4 R ch L ch B side Model X-34 Owner's Manual Names and Functions 9 1/3 11 10 1213 17 MIC IN 2/4 21 L R LINE OUT AUX SEND L/MONO R AUX RTN L R MONITOR OUT TRIM 1/3 T ...