Tascam Portastudio MF-P01 Owners Manual

							 » 
D00637200A 
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 aler\
t the user to the presence of
important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the
appliance.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral trian\
gle, 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 pers\
ons. 
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 Üÿ
Ÿ 
WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCKHAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS 
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. 
						

							 
2   
PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01 
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 of
f, 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. DO NOT  
 make any connection to 
the larger terminal which is marked with the letter E 
or by the safety earth symbol   
ç  
 or coloured 
GREEN or GREEN-and-YELLOW.
The wires in the mains lead on this product are 
coloured in accordance with the following code:  
BLUE: NEUTRAL
BROWN: LIVE  
As these colours may not correspond with the 
coloured markings identifying the terminals in your 
plug proceed as follows:
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.  
Important Safety Instructions ............................ 2
An introduction to the MF-P01 ........................... 4 Multitrack recording - a brief introduction................................................... 4
Some safety notes and precautions ............... 4
What you need to make recordings ............... 6
Connecting the MF-P01.................................. 6
Parts of the MF-P01 ........................................... 7
Recording tracks ............................................. 10 Setting up ..................................................... 10
Setting the level ............................................ 10
Recording the first track  .............................. 11
Recording the next track (overdubbing) ...... 11
Mixing down tracks.......................................... 12 Setting up ..................................................... 12
Mixdown ....................................................... 13
Hints and advanced tips ................................. 13 Recording techniques .................................. 13Recording electric guitars .......................... 13
Recording with effects ................................ 14
When you’re not recording ......................... 14
Recording more than four tracks ................ 14
Tr oubleshooting ............................................... 15
Specifications .................................................. 15
 
Ta ble of Contents 
						

							 PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01   3 
CAUTION:  
…  
Read all of these Instructions.  
…  
Save these Instructions for later use.  
…  
Follow all Warnings and Instructions marked on the
audio equipment.
1) Read Instructions  
  — All the safety and operating instruc-
tions 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 cleaning.  
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 seri-
ous 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 manufacturer’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 combination to overturn.  
10)  
   
V entilation  
 — Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided
for ventilation 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 manu-
facturer’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 hav-
ing 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 replac\
e
your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polar-
ized 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 struc-
ture, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit,
size of grounding conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit,
connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the
grounding electrode.  
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 touching 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 elec-
tric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.  
19) Servicing  
  — Do not attempt to service this product yourself
as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous volt-
age or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service per-
sonnel.  
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 prod-
uct.  
c)  
if the product has been exposed to rain or water.  
d)  
if the product does not operate normally by following the oper-
ating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by
the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other con-
trols may result in damage and will often require extensive work
by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal opera-
tion.  
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 manufac-
turer.  
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 CODE ELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT
Example of Antenna Grounding as per
National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70
GROUND
CLAMP
 
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 
						

							 
4   
PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01 
The TASCAM MF-P01 PORTASTUDIO allows you
to perform multitrack recordings which are not
possible with an ordinary stereo cassette recorder. 
Multitrack recording - a brief 
introduction 
This section gives you a brief introduction to some of
the terms and techniques used in recording. If you are
unfamiliar with these terms, you may find it useful to
read through this section so that you understand the
rest of the manual, which uses the terms explained
here. 
Multitrack recorders 
The MF-P01 allows you to record up to 4 tracks on
T ype II (chrome) cassette tapes. It accepts an input
and feeds it into a recorder which can record tracks
independently of each other, and builds up the song
by recording new tracks while listening to what has
been recorded before (overdubbing). 
Ordinary cassetteMF-P01 
The illustration below shows you how tracks are
arranged on an ordinary stereo cassette tape, as well
as on the MF-P01.
Notice that the stereo cassette arrangement allows
you to use both sides of the cassette, by playing the
tape in the other direction. The MF-P01, however,
uses the whole width of the tape. Notice also that one
pair of L and R tracks on the stereo cassette take up
the same positions as tracks 1 and 2 on the MF-P01.
This allows the MF-P01 to play back normal cassette
tapes using tracks 1 and 2. 
Mixing down 
When you come to make the final version (on MD,
cassette, etc.), you can adjust the level (volume) and
the stereo position (panning) of each track.
The technique of converting a multitrack recording to
a stereo recording is called mixing down to a
stereo master recorder. The MF-P01 includes a
mixdown section which allows you to mix to a stereo
cassette or MD recorder. 
Some safety notes and precautions 
•A lways use the PS-P2 power adaptor supplied with
the MF-P01. If you use any other adaptor, there is a
risk of damage, or even fire. Make sure that the
input voltage marked on the PS-P2 adaptor matches
the power supply you are using. If you are in any
doubt, consult your TASCAM dealer.
•T urn off your MF-P01 and remove the cassette
when you are not using the MF-P01. If you will not
be using it for an extended period of time, unplug
the PS-P2 adaptor.
• When connecting or disconnecting the MF-P01 to
or from any other equipment, make sure the power
to the MF-P01 and all other equipment is turned
off. This will avoid possible damage to equipment.
• Do not keep your MF-P01 in a very hot place.
Remember that in sunny weather, the inside of a
parked car heats up very quickly. Avoid leaving
your MF-P01 in such a place.
• Do not spill liquid onto your MF-P01. Avoid
eating, drinking and smoking near it (smoke
particles are bad for audio equipment). If any liquid
or any objects such as paperclips, guitar picks, etc.
f all inside the MF-P01, do not try to operate it.
Return it to a TASCAM service center for repair.
• If the case of the MF-P01 becomes dirty, clean it
only with a damp (not wet) cloth, moistened with a
little detergent. Do not use solvents or thinners, etc.
to clean the MF-P01, as these will damage the
surface.
• There are no parts inside the MF-P01 that you can
repair by yourself. Do not open the MF-P01 case or
try to make any repairs. Return it to a TASCAM
service center for repair. 
T ape cassettes 
• Since the MF-P01 uses the whole width of a
cassette tape, you can use only one side of a
cassette for playing and recording. You should try
to use either side A or side B for all cassettes, to
av oid confusion when changing tapes.
• Only use Type II (chrome or high position)
cassettes with the MF-P01. 
• Remember that because you are only using one
side of the cassette, the marked length of the tape
will be halved (that is, a C60 tape will run for 30
minutes, a C40 for 20 minutes, etc.).
•A lways store cassettes in a safe place (away from
the magnetic fields produced by speakers,
television sets, computer monitors, etc.). 
An introduction to the MF-P01 
						

							 PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01   5 
Record-protecting cassettes 
The record-protect tab on a cassette stops you
recording on that side when it is removed. 
The MF-P01 also recognizes this protection, and will
not allow you to record on the side of a cassette
where this tab has been removed.
However, we suggest that you remove both tabs when
you want to protect a MF-P01 cassette. This will stop
you putting in the cassette the wrong way round and
recording over old material accidentally.  
Playing back stereo cassettes  
As mentioned earlier, the MF-P01 can play back
cassettes recorded on a stereo cassette recorder, using
tracks 1 and 2.
Also, if tracks 1 and 2 have been recorded on the MF-
P01, these cassettes can be played back on a stereo
cassette recorder.
However, if tracks 3 and 4 are used for recording on
the MF-P01, these cannot be played back on a stereo
cassette recorder.
Also, note that if a cassette has been recorded with
noise reduction, such as Dolby, etc., it will sound
strange when played back on the MF-P01. Any tapes
(tracks 1 and 2) recorded on the MF-P01 should be
played back without noise reduction on a stereo
recorder. 
Dolby is a registered trademark of 
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. 
NOTE  
Never use C120 cassettes with the MF-P01. The tape
in these cassettes is thin, and may stretch and break. 
Cleaning the heads 
Y ou should clean the tape heads of the MF-P01
regularly to keep it working properly. Dirt and tape
oxide buildup on the heads will force the tape away
from the tape head gaps that record and playback.
Head cleaner will remove the dirt and restore the
sound quality.
In addition to affecting performance by coating the
heads, and keeping the tape away from the recording
and playback gaps, dirt and oxide in the tape path will
also act in the same way as very fine sandpaper,
which will wear down internal parts of the MF-P01,
and affect the recording in this way as well.
All of these problems can be avoided if you buy a
head cleaning kit such as the TEAC TZ-261 and keep
it with your MF-P01 for regular use. The kit consists
of head cleaner, cleaner for the rubber parts of the
MF-P01, and cotton-tipped swabs.   
W ARNING 
Only use head and rubber cleaning fluid and cleaning
swabs designed for use with tape recorders. The use
of any other cleaning materials may cause damage to
the MF-P01.
Clean the heads and metal parts of the tape path
before every session with the MF-P01 and also after
ev ery session. 
1) Open the tape cassette cover.
2) Carefully clean the heads and metal parts as shown in the illustration using a swab dipped in
the head cleaning fluid.
3) Dry off the heads with a dry swab. 
Cleaning the pinch roller 
Y ou should also clean the rubber pinch roller at
regular intervals (at least once each day that you use
the MF-P01).  
1) Open the tape cassette cover.
2) Press the PLAY key.  
The pinch roller will engage with the capstan shaft
and start turning.  
3) Press a swab dipped in the rubber cleaning fluid against the right side of the pinch roller.  
If you press the right side of the roller, the swab
will not get caught between the roller and capstan.  
4) Dry the capstan with a dry swab and make sure that there is no material on the pinch roller or
capstan before you insert a cassette.
ERASE
HEAD
RECORD/REPRODUCE 
HEAD CAPSTAN
PINCH ROLLER
 
An introduction to the MF-P01 
						

							 
6   
PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01 
What you need to make recordings 
Apart from the MF-P01 itself, you will need:
• Some kind of stereo master recorder (such as a
cassette or MD recorder) to produce the stereo
recordings.
•Y ou will also need RCA (pin or phono) cables to
connect the MF-P01 to other equipment.
• Some monitoring equipment (some kind of
amplifier and speaker system).
• Headphones, if you intend doing any work with
microphones. These will avoid acoustic feedback
(howl-round) when recording. Additionally,
headphones are sometimes useful when panning
tracks on mixdown, as you can hear the precise
position of each track.
• Of course, you will also need some kind of sound
source to record (instrument or microphone, etc.). 
Connecting the MF-P01 
1) Make sure all the equipment is turned off.
2) Connect the LINE OUT terminals of the MF- P01 to the amplifier, using a pair of terminals
on the amplifier such as AUX, TUNER or
TAPE.
 
NOTE  
Do not use any terminals marked PHONO or
intended for record players (turntables). These are
connected to a special circuit inside the amplifier
which makes them unsuitable for anything except
record players.  
3) Connect your master recorder to a set of four TAPE terminals on the amplifier (two for REC
and two for PLAY).  
Y ou can listen to the MF-P01 by selecting the
amplifier’s input source to be the terminals to which
you connected the MF-P01.
When you have mixed down and you want to listen to
the mixed tape, you should select the master recorder
as the amplifier’s input source.
REC OUT
LINE IN LINE OUT T
APE IN
SPEAKER OUT LSPEAKER OUT R
A UX IN
LINE OUT
 
An introduction to the MF-P01 
						

							 PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01   7 
1  
DC IN 12 V connector and POWER switch 
Use this jack to connect the PS-P2 AC adaptor which comes with your MF-P01.
When connecting the power, make sure the power switch is off (slide it to the right, as you look from the
back).
Slide the switch to the left (looking from the back) to turn on the po\
wer to the MF-P01.  
W ARNING  
DO NOT use any adaptor with the MF-P01 except the PS-P2 adaptor which comes with the MF-P01.  
NOTE  
The equipment draws nominal non-operating power from the AC outlet with its POWER switch in the off
position. 
2  
MIC/LINE jack 
Use this 1/4 phone jack to connect an audio source (instrument or micr\
ophone) to the MF-P01. 
The source signal is sent to a recording track, as well as fed from the \
LINE OUT (L, R) and PHONES jacks. 
3  
PHONES jack 
Use this 1/4 jack to connect a pair of stereo headphones to monitor tap\
e playback or/and MIC/LINE input
signals.   
CAUTION  
• When using the LINE OUT jacks, to obtain better audio performance, unplu\
g headphones.  
W ARNING  
• Do not use headphones equipped with a mono jack. This will cause damage to the MF-P01’s headphone
amplifiers. 
4  
LINE OUT jacks 
Use these RCA (pin or phono) jacks to connect your MF-P01 to the ampli\
fier or master recorder.
T ape playback or/and MIC/LINE input signals are output from these jacks. 
Pa rts of the MF-P01 
						

							 
8   
PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01 
5  
POWER indicator 
This indicator is lit when the MF-P01 is connected to the power supply and switched on.  
6  
T ape counter and reset button 
The tape counter allows you to note different parts of the tape and locate to them. Pressing the RESET button
resets the counter to 000. 
7  
LEVEL controls (for TRK1 through TRK4) 
These controls change the levels of the four tape tracks in the LINE OUT and PHONES outputs. 
8  
P AN controls (for TRK1 through TRK4) 
These controls change the position of the four tape tracks in the stereo\
 LINE OUT and PHONES outputs.
When one of these controls is turned fully counter-clockwise, the sound of the corresponding tape track will
appear to come from the left, and when turned fully clockwise, it will a\
ppear to come from the right. When in
the center position, the output will appear equally from both the left a\
nd right.  
9  
REC FUNCTION switches (for TRK1 through TRK4) 
When recording the signal coming into the MIC/LINE jack to one of the fo\
ur tracks, press down the appro-
priate REC FUNCTION switch to make the track ready to be recorded.
To  release the record-ready track (to make all tracks record-off), press one of the other REC FUNCTION
switches lightly. 
Pa rts of the MF-P01 
						

							 PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01   9 
To  change the record-ready track, press down the REC FUNCTION switch for the desired track. The cur-
rent record-ready track will be automatically released.  
W ARNING  
Do not make more than one track record-ready, though you can press down more than one REC FUNC-
TION switch simultaneously by using more than one finger. 
A  
REC indicators (for TRK1 through TRK4) 
When one of the tracks is ready for recording, the appropriate REC indic\
ator flashes. 
When one of the tracks is being recorded, the appropriate REC indicator \
lights steadily. 
B  
MASTER control 
This control adjusts the master level of the signals which are sent to LINE OUT (L, R) jacks, as well as \
the
PHONES jack. 
C  
REC LEVEL indicators (+6, 0. -5, -10) 
A set of four LED indicators shows the level of the MIC/LINE signal sent to the recording track.
See Setting the level on page 10 for details about level setting. 
D  
INPUT LEVEL fader 
This fader is used to adjust the level of the signal coming into the MIC/LINE jack. 
E  
T ransport controls 
•   
RECORD button :   
Starts recording of the track whose REC indicator is illuminated. Note t\
hat pressing
this button also presses down the PLAY button.  
NOTE  
When no REC indicator is lit, pressing down the RECORD button does not start
recording but start playback.
•  
 PLAY button :  
  Starts playback.
•   
REW button :  
  Rewinds the tape.
•  
 F FWD button :  
F ast-forwards the tape.
•  
 STOP button :   
Stops the tape.
•   
PA USE button :  
  Pauses recording or playback.  
NOTES  
• If the left record-protect tab of the cassette has been broken out, or if there is no cassette loaded, the
RECORD button cannot be pressed.
• It is not possible to go directly from recording into playback mode.
• The PAUSE button only pauses playback and recording. It is not possible to pause th\
e tape in fast forward
and rewind modes.
• All buttons except the STOP button lock down when pressed, and only work when locked down. 
F  
Cassette compartment cover 
The hinged cassette compartment cover is opened by lifting the tab on the right side.
The tape should be towards the front of the MF-P01. Put the non-tape part of the cassette in fi\
rst, and then
push the tape (front) down into place. 
Pa rts of the MF-P01 
						

							 
10   
PORTASTUDIO  MF-P01 
This section describes how to make a 4-track recording using the MF-P01. For this, we
will assume that you are making a recording of your guitar on track 1 us\
ing a
microphone first, and then recording your voice on track 2 while monitoring track 1  
Setting up  
1) Make sure the MF-P01 is turned off.
2) Plug the stereo headphones into the PHONES jack.  
NOTE  
Use headphones for monitoring while recording a microphone source. Never use
loudspeakers for monitoring a microphone source which may cause feedback.
Y ou can use loudspeakers for monitoring while recording a line source (such as a
synthesizer).  
3) With the INPUT LEVEL fader at the lowest position, plug the microphone into the MIC/LINE jack. 
4)  Set the POWER switch to ON to turn on the MF-P01.
5)  Insert a Type II (high position) cassette tape.  
Make sure that the full spool is on the left side (the tape is fully rewound to the
beginning).  
6) Press the PLAY button to play the tape, and then press the STOP button after about 10 seconds to stop the tape.
7)  Press the counter reset button to reset the counter to  000. 
Setting the level 
This section describes how to set the input level so that the average signals coming
from the MIC/LINE input will light the 0 meter indicator, and the loudest will light the
+6 indicator.  
1) Set all LEVEL and MASTER controls to 0 (minimum).
2) Adjust the recording level using the INPUT LEVEL fader, while playing the guitar to the microphone.  
The INPUT LEVEL fader should be set to the position where the +6 indicator is lit
on the loudest parts of the guitar.  
3) Using the MASTER control, adjust the headphones monitor level until you are comfortable with what you hear in the headphones.  
NOTE  
Y ou do not have to monitor the sound during the first track recording.  
  
Recording tracks