Tascam Digital Mic Amplifier MA-AD8 Owners Manual

							 
È
MA-AD8 
Digital Mic Amplifier
OWNER’S MANUAL
 
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 exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the pres-
ence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying  the  appliance. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, 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.. 
This appliance has a serial number
located on the rear panel. Please record
the model number and serial number
and retain them for your records.
Model number
Serial number 
†
Ø
Ù 
WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS 
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. 
D00444800A 
						

							 
2 
  TASCAM MA-AD8 
Important Safety Precautions 
IMPORTANT (for U.K. Customers) 
DO NOT cut off the mains plug from this equipment. 
If the plug fitted is not suitable for the power points in your
home or the cable is too short to reach a power point, then
obtain an appropriate safety approved extension lead or
consult your dealer.
If nonetheless the mains plug is cut off, remove the 
fuse and dispose of the plug immediately, to avoid 
a possible shock hazard by inadvertent connection to the
mains supply.
If this product is not provided with a mains plug, or one has
to be fitted, then follow the instructions given below: 
IMPORTANT: 
 The wires in this mains lead are coloured in
accordance with the following code: 
GREEN-AND-YELLOW : 
EARTH  
BLUE : 
NEUTRAL  
BROWN : 
LIVE  
WARNING: 
 This apparatus must be earthed.
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus
may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying
the terminals in your plug proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured GREEN-and-YELLOW must be
connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked by the
letter E or by the safety earth symbol  
  
 or coloured GREEN
or GREEN-and-YELLOW.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the
terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured
BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to
the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured
RED.
When replacing the fuse only a correctly rated approved type
should be used and be sure to re-fit the fuse cover.
IF IN DOUBT — CONSULT A COMPETENT
ELECTRICIAN.
 
TO THE USER 
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residental area
is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.  
CAUTION  
Changes or modifications to this equipment not
expressly approved by TEAC CORPORATION
for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate this equipment. 
For the consumers in Europe
WARNING  
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this
product may cause radio interference in which case the user
may be required to take adequate measures.  
Pour les utilisateurs en Europe
AVERTISSEMENT  
Il s’agit d’un produit de Classe A. Dans un environnement
domestique, cet appareil peut provoquer des interférences
radio, dans ce cas l’utilisateur peut être amené à prendre
des mesures appropriées.  
Für Kunden in Europa
Warnung  
Dies is eine Einrichtung, welche die Funk-Entstörung nach
Klasse A besitzt. Diese Einrichtung kann im Wohnbereich
Funkstörungen versursachen ; in diesem Fall kann vom
Betrieber verlang werden, angemessene Maßnahmen
durchzuführen und dafür aufzukommen. 
						

							 
TASCAM MA-AD8  
3  CAUTION:
 
É 
Read all of these Instructions. 
É 
Save these Instructions for later use. 
É 
Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the audio
equipment.
1) Read Instructions 
 — All the safety and operating instructions should
be read before the product is operated. 
2) Retain Instructions  
— The safety and operating instructions should
be retained for future reference. 
3) Heed Warnings 
 — All warnings on the product and in the operating
instructions should be adhered to. 
4) Follow Instructions 
 — All operating and use instructions should be
followed. 
5) Cleaning 
 — Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning.
Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for clean-
ing. 
6) Attachments 
 — Do not use attachments not recommended by the
product manufacturer as they may cause hazards. 
7) Water and Moisture 
 — Do not use this product near water — for
example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet
basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like. 
8) Accessories 
 — Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand,
tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a
child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a cart,
stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufac-
turer’s instructions, and should use a mounting accessory recommended by
the manufacturer. 
9) 
 A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops,
excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart com-
bination to overturn. 
10) 
  
Ventilation 
 — Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ven-
tilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product  and to protect it
from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or covered. The
openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa,
rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in
installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided
or the manufacturer’s instructions have been adhered to. 
11) Power Sources 
 — This product should be operated only from the
type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of
the type of power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or local
power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or
other sources, refer to the operating instructions. 
12) Grounding or Polarization 
 — This product may be equipped with a
polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than
the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician
to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the
polarized plug. 
13) 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 product. 
14) Outdoor Antenna Grounding 
 — If an outside antenna or cable
system is connected to the product, be  sure the antenna or cable system is
grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-
up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA
70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and
supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge
unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit, con-
nection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding elec-
trode.  Note to CATV system installer:
 
This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer’s attention to
Section 820-40 of the NEC which provides guidelines for proper grounding
and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the
grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as
practical. 
15) Lightning 
 — For added protection for this product during a lightning
storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time,
unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system.
This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line
surges. 
16) Power Lines 
 — An outside antenna system should not be located in
the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits,
or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When installing an
outside antenna system, extreme care should be taken to keep from touch-
ing such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal. 
17) Overloading 
 — Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or
integral convenience receptacles as this can result in risk of fire or electric
shock. 
18) Object and Liquid Entry 
 — Never push objects of any kind into
this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points
or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill
liquid of any kind on the product. 
19) Servicing 
 — Do not attempt to service this product yourself as open-
ing or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other
hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 
20) Damage Requiring Service 
 — Unplug this product from the wall
outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following
conditions: 
a) 
when the power-supply cord or plug is damaged. 
b) 
if liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product. 
c) 
if the product has been exposed to rain or water. 
d) 
if the product does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in
damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its normal operation. 
e) 
if the product has been dropped or damaged in any way. 
f ) 
when the product exhibits a distinct change in performance – this
indicates a need for service. 
21) Replacement Parts 
 — When replacement  parts are required, be
sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the
manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. 
Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other
hazards. 
22) Safety Check 
 — Upon completion of any service or repairs to this
product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine
that the product is in proper operating condition. 
23) Wall or Ceiling Mounting 
 — The product should be mounted to a
wall or ceiling only  as recommended by the manufacturer. 
24) Heat  
— The product should be situated away from heat sources such
as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
ANTENNA
LEAD IN
WIRE
ANTENNA
DISCHARGE UNIT
(NEC SECTION 810-20)
GROUNDING CONDUCTORS
(NEC SECTION 810-21)
GROUND CLAMPS
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING
ELECTRODE SYSTEM
(NEC ART 250. PART H)
NEC - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODEELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT
Example of Antenna Grounding as per
National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70
GROUND
CLAMP
  IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 
						

							 
4 
  TASCAM MA-AD8 
 MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier 
The TASCAM MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier pro-
vides eight channels of analog-to-digital conversion at 
20-bit resolution into TDIF-1 digital audio format, 
suitable for connection to a suitably-equipped digital 
mixing console or to a DTRS recorder, etc. The unit is 
housed in a convenient and compact 1U rack-mount 
format.
Two TDIF-1 connectors are provided, allowing the 
simultaneous connection of a digital mixing console 
and digital recorder. Each connector carries eight 
channels of TDIF-1 format audio for input or output.
The source of the output to one of the TDIF-1 connec-
tors may be selected, in pairs of channels, as either the 
analog inputs or the other TDIF-1 connector. This 
allows a great deal of flexibility in recording situa-
tions, without the need for digital patching.Together with the analog-to-digital convertors, the 
MA-AD8 also provides high-quality microphone 
amplifiers for ultimate sonic quality when making dig-
ital recordings.
Selectively switchable phantom power is available on 
the balanced microphone inputs, allowing a range of 
different microphones to be connected.
A –22 dB   
PAD  
 and a flexible   
TRIM  
 control on each 
channel allow these inputs to be used with line-level 
signal sources as well as with microphone-level 
sources.
The word clock source for the MA-AD8 may be either 
of the two TDIF-1 connections, or an external inde-
pendent word clock.
Front panel switches and indicators provide instant 
control and status indication of the MA-AD8’s opera-
tion at all times. 
1.1 Front panel 
1 
POWER switch and indicator 
Push the  
POWER  
 switch once to turn on power, and 
again to turn it off. The  
POWER  
 indicator lights when 
power is supplied to the MA-AD8. 
2 
LOCKED indicator 
This indicator lights when a valid clock signal is 
received from the selected clock source (see  
CLOCK 
SWITCH  
3 
).
If no clock signal is received at the selected source, or 
if the clock signal is outside the limits of tolerance 
(44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, ±6%) this indicator will not 
light, and the unit will not function. 
3 
CLOCK switch 
This switch allows the selection of the clock source 
that will be used to synchronize the digital audio out-
put of the MA-AD8. The two settings are  
WORD  
 (the   
WORD IN  
e 
 connector will be used as the clock 
source) and  
TDIF-1 
 (either  
DIGITAL I/O1 (FROM 
MIC INPUTS)  
q 
 or  
DIGITAL I/O2 (AUX)  
w  
 will be 
used, depending on the setting of the  
STATUS  
 
switch  
4 
). 
WARNING  
There should never be more than one word 
clock signal in a digital audio system. If there 
are not, at worst, damage may occur to speak-
ers, amplifiers, etc. as a result of high-fre-
quency noise generated by word clock  
incompatibilities. 
4  
STATUS switch 
If the   
CLOCK  
 switch   
3  
 is set to   
TDIF-1  
, this switch 
is used to select which of the TDIF-1 connectors 
(  
DIGITAL I/O1 (FROM MIC INPUTS)   
q  
 or   
DIGITAL I/O2 (AUX)   
w  
) will be used to provide the 
clock source.
In addition to the clock source, the selected TDIF-1 
connector provides the MA-AD8 with FS Code, 
emphasis, and other status information, whether or not 
the   
CLOCK  
 switch is set to   
TDIF-1  
. 
5 
INPUT switches 
These four switches determine the source of the signal 
passed to the  
DIGITAL I/O1 (FROM MIC INPUTS)   
q 
. These switches work in pairs,  
1/2  
,   
3/4  
, etc. 
						

							 
 MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier 
  TASCAM MA-AD8  
5 
When one of these switches is in the up position, the 
signals passed to the  
DIGITAL I/O1 
 connector for the 
corresponding channels will be the appropriate mic 
inputs (the XLR connectors on the rear panel). 
When one of these switches is in the down position, 
the signal passed to the  
DIGITAL I/O1 
 connector for 
the corresponding channels will be the two appropriate 
channels of the digital audio received at  
DIGITAL I/
O2 (AUX)  
w 
.
This allows digital repatching of multitrack recorders 
to the mixer on overdubbing and mixdown etc. without 
the need to disconnect and re-connect cables. 
NOTES 
When these switches are operated, an audible 
click may occur. To avoid damage to monitor 
speakers, etc., turn down the level of all moni-
toring equipment before operating these 
switches.
The digital signals received at the  
DIGITAL I/O1 
 connector are always output to the  
DIGITAL I/O2 
 connector, and cannot be  
rerouted. 
6 
OL indicators (1–8) 
These indicators light when the signal fed to the A/D 
converter for the channel (post-pad and post  
TRIM  
) 
outputs a signal which is more than –3 dB, relative to 
the digital “full-scale” level. 
7 
TRIM controls (1–8) 
The  
TRIM 
 controls adjust the level of the signal before 
it is passed to the A/D converter. They work in a simi-
lar way to TRIM controls on a mixing console; turn 
clockwise to increase the gain, counter-clockwise to 
reduce it.
The  
TRIM 
 controls provide 42 dB of gain control. 
8 
PAD switches (1–8) 
When engaged, these  
PA D 
 switches provide 22 dB of 
attenuation to the corresponding channel. Use them in 
conjunction with the  
TRIM 
 controls to input line-level 
sources through the MA-AD8. 
1.2 Rear panel 
9 
MIC INPUTS (1–8) 
These balanced XLR-type input connectors are wired: 
A 
PHANTOM (+48V) switches 
These switches control the +48 V phantom power sup-
ply to the  
MIC INPUT 
s. Each switch controls the 
phantom power supplied to a group of four inputs—1 
through 4, and 5 through 8.
They each have three positions, which allow the first 
two inputs of the group ( 
1–2 
 and  
5–6 
) to be supplied 
with phantom power (phantom power to the other two 
inputs of the group will be turned off), to all inputs of 
the group, or off for all inputs in the group.
Note that it is not possible to supply phantom power 
only to the second pair of inputs in a group.To avoid damage to monitor speakers, etc., turn down 
the level of all monitoring equipment before operating 
these switches. 
WARNING 
Do not connect unbalanced signal sources 
(dynamic microphones, instruments, etc.) to a  
MIC INPUT  
connector with phantom power 
supplied to that connector. This will result in 
possible damage to the signal source, and to  
the MA-AD8. 
MICROPHONE CABLES AND MICROPHONES 
CONNECTION: T 
O
 
  
PREVENT
 
 
HAZARD OR DAMAGE, 
ENSURE THAT ONLY MICROPHONE CABLES AND MICRO-
PHONES
 DESIGNED TO THE IEC 268-15A STANDARD 
ARE CONNECTED.
CONNEXIONS DES MICROPHONES ET DE 
LEURS CABLES: P
OUR EVITER TOUT ENDOMMAGE-
MENT
, S’ASSURER DE BRANCHER UNIQUEMENT DES 
MICROPHONES ET DES CABLES DE MICROPHONES 
CONÇUS SELON LA NORME IEC 268-15A.
1 GND
2 Hot (+)
3 Cold (–) 
						

							 MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier
6  TASCAM MA-AD8
BDIGITAL I/O1 (FROM MIC INPUTS)
This connector is typically used to connect a TDIF-1-
equipped mixing console. 
The digital audio signals received at this connector 
will always be passed through to the DIGITAL I/O2 
(AUX) w connector. This cannot be changed.
The digital audio signals output from this connector 
are selected from either the MA-AD8 A/D converters 
or from the signals received at the DIGITAL I/O2 
(AUX) w connector, depending on the settings of the 
INPUT switches 5.
WARNING
Note that you should always use genuine TAS-
CAM cables, or cables which have been 
approved for use with TDIF-1 interfaces by 
TASCAM.
Although these cables appear similar to certain 
types of computer cables and use similar con-
nectors, the cables themselves are very differ-
ent, and the different electrical characteristics 
of the cables can cause damage to the equip-
ment connected with the wrong cables.
If the use of cables other than TASCAM cables 
causes or results in damage, the warranty is 
voided.
CDIGITAL I/O2 (AUX)
This connector is typically used to connect a TDIF-1-
equipped multitrack recorder, such as a DTRS 
recorder.
The digital audio signals output from this connector 
will always be the digital audio signals received from 
the DIGITAL I/O1 (FROM MIC INPUTS) q con-
nector. This cannot be changed.
The digital audio signals received at this connector 
may be used as sources for the DIGITAL I/O1 (FROM 
MIC INPUTS) q connector, depending on the setting 
of the INPUT switches 5.
DWORD IN
An external word clock may be connected to this BNC 
connector (75W), and used as the word synchroniza-
tion for the MA-AD8, selected with the CLOCK 
switch 3.
EWORD THRU
This BNC connector echoes the clock signal received 
at the WORD IN e connector. If no device is con-nected here, the word clock chain is automatically ter-
minated.
1.3 A practical example of using 
the MA-AD8
Since the MA-AD8 provides a good deal of flexibility, 
it may be useful to review a typical situation in which 
it may be used.
1.3.1 Recording multitrack tracks
In a multitrack situation, the initial tracks may be laid 
down using the following setup:
In this example, all the INPUT switches 5 on the 
MA-AD8 are set to accept signals from the internal A/
D convertors (i.e. from the MIC sources) 
À. The signal 
then goes from the DIGITAL I/O1 port into the mixer 
Á, which can now use channels 9 through 16 as addi-
tional inputs from analog sources. The group busses 
are routed back through the TDIF-1 connector 
 and 
are passed through the MA-AD8’s DIGITAL I/O2 
connector to the DTRS recorder 
Ã.
The word clock originates in the TM-D1000, and the 
CLOCK switch on the MA-AD8 is therefore set to 
TDIF-1, and the STATUS switch to D I/O1. This 
clock is passed through the TDIF-1 connection to the 
DTRS recorder.
1.3.2 Mixdown
When mixing down, the situation is simplified as 
shown below:.
The INPUT switches 5 of the MA-AD8 are set to the 
TDIF-1 setting and the tape tracks are replayed into 
TM-D1000
Digital Mixer
DA-38
DTRS recorder
MA-AD8
DIGITAL I/O1
DIGITAL I/O2
À
Â
à Á
TM-D1000
Digital Mixer
DA-38
DTRS recorder
MA-AD8
DIGITAL I/O1
DIGITAL I/O2À Á
 
						

							 MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier
  TASCAM MA-AD8 7
the DIGITAL I/O2 port À. They are then passed 
straight through to the DIGITAL I/O2 port connected 
to the mixer 
Á.
If necessary, other analog inputs (e.g. MIDI-sequenced 
instruments) may be played through channels 1 
through 8 of the mixer simultaneously with the 
replayed digital tracks from the DTRS recorder.
The advantage of using the MA-AD8 in this situation 
is that the digital audio cabling is permanent—no dis-
connection and re-connection of cables needs to be 
done, and the MA-AD8’s front panel switches provide 
convenient re-routing facilities.
1.4 Specifications
MIC INPUTs (1–8) XLR-type, balanced 
inputs
Input impedance
2.4 k
W
OL (overload) indicator 1–8 Lights at 3 dB below 
digital full-scale level
TRIM range 42 dB
PAD attenuation 22 dB
Input level (TRIM at max) –56 dBu
Input level (TRIM at min) –14 dBu
S/N ratio (IHF-A, 150 
W 
terminated)>86 dB (TRIM at maxi-
mum), >94 dB (TRIM at 
minimum)
Crosstalk between adjacent 
channels>80 dB @ 10 kHz
Frequency response 20 Hz to 22 kHz 
+0.5/1.0 dB 
(Fs=48 kHz)
T.H.D. (@ 1 kHz) 
						

							 MA-AD8 Digital Mic Amplifier
8  TASCAM MA-AD8
1.4.2 Block diagram
TEAC CORPORATION Phone: (0422) 52-5082 3-7-3, Nakacho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-8550, Japan
TEAC AMERICA, INC.Phone: (213) 726-0303 7733 Telegraph Road, Montebello, California 90640
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