# Tascam 122mk2 a little help



## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Hi folks,

I have done some searching, for about a week to be precise and can not find the exact info I am after.

I have an ECM8000 premium plus mic being delivered next week. Just cleared customs in uk.

I am off to buy my Tascam 122 mk 2 tomorrow and want to ensure I have all that I need.

I understand calibration of the tascam is not required but I may still do so anyway.

I have an xlr to xlr for the mic. And a mic stand.

Also have a 7 m RCA phono for the tascam to the processor.

Now for simple calibration of the card is all I need a trs to trs? 

And would I use this same cable for measuring speaker distances? This is what I can not find definitive information on. 

Or do I still need to buy splitters?

Many thanks in advance for your time.


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

> I have an xlr to xlr for the mic. And a mic stand.
> 
> Also have a 7 m RCA phono for the tascam to the processor.
> 
> ...


*(A) SoundCard Calibration ( EQ Correction File ) ;*

> Many external cards ( not just Tascam ) don't really need to have their "line-out to line-in" response corrected .

> OTOH, the weak link of all these cards within this price class, is the pre-amp section for the microphone . 

> From what I have seen here, there has been absolutely no proof offered ( on this forum ) that the pre-amp sections of the various Tascam soundcards are linear down to 10hz . 
- ie ; I would create a caibration ( EQ coorection ) file for them if I happened to own one .
- That would mean using a RCA (M) to XLR (M) adapter cable .

*(B) LoopBack Connection for Timing Purposes ( measuring speaker distances & reflections ) ;*

> The RCA to TRS cable is what you need ( remember, this card has unbalanced rca outputs ) .










*(C) Splitters *

> You don't usually need splitters unless you want to run the AVR in dual mono mode ( not recommended , since it is a bad idea to measure 2 speakers of the same type , together ).

.

:sn:


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Thank you for the prompt and very helpful reply. 

That is all the info I needed, I can now go and get all the bits required.

So for the sound card calibration, I will connect the left RCA output (that I'll use for connecting to the pre/pro) to the left xlr mic in, that I will use for the mic. Then conduct calibration and save file. Then remove loop back cable.

Then for speaker distances. I'll have the left RCA out going to processor. Mic into left mic in. And the RCA to xlr from right RCA and into right mic xlr.

Does all that sound right to you.

Again, many thanks.


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

> The recommended Measuring Channel for REW is the right side ( #2 ) . 
- There's a good reason for this direction given to Noobs ( that might be construed as a mite Machiavellian ) . 

> Therefore the recommended channel to be used as the "Timing" chnl is the left (#1 ) .
- You should use on this timing channel ( as a cable to create the loop-back ) , an RCA (M) to TRS (M) / this way you keep everything at line level ( though using the RCA to XLR won't really make much of a difference by going through the mic pre-amp ) .

:sn:


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Ah yes, sorry, I meant trs for the timing loop back. But I shall use the left as the timing channel as you suggest.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Generating a calibration file with the mic pre-amp in-line can be tricky, due to the fact that the line outputs generate a much higher signal that mic pre-amps are used to seeing. If you have trouble, this post might be helpful.

Regards,
Wayne


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Thank you, Wayne. Post, indeed most of that thread now read and understood. Makes perfect sense. Impedance imbalance was going to be a question,but now answered.

Also saves on cables, as a single male RCA to trs will do for loop back calibration and timing.


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Again Thanks guys, just got back from the guitar, amp and keyboard centre. Got my us122mk2 and cables sitting in front of me. Mic stand in box. Just waiting for ecm8000 to be delivered then it blast off.

First thing I want to do is acurately measure the speaker distances. 

I have also just purchased an audyssey sub eq. So it will be interesting to see what is best, the sub eq, peq or a combination of the two.

I tried an antimode. And after owning the orginal multeq pro and hearing xt32, I was not too impressed with antimode and sold it after 10 days use.


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## Wull (Apr 7, 2010)

Djnickuk said:


> First thing I want to do is acurately measure the speaker distances.
> 
> I have also just purchased an audyssey sub eq. So it will be interesting to see what is best, the sub eq, peq or a combination of the two.



I would have thought using the ADA's PEQ first just to cut/tame the peaks, then the Sub EQ should give the best results?


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Hey mate, has you mic arrived yet? Nothing my end.

I was thinking about the sub eq and peq. 

It's only worth doing the sub peq after the audyssey has been calibrated and running as this is after the ada peq. Ie, the audyssey has no idea of what it has inputting to it.


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## Wull (Apr 7, 2010)

Djnickuk said:


> Hey mate, has you mic arrived yet? Nothing my end.
> 
> I was thinking about the sub eq and peq.
> 
> It's only worth doing the sub peq after the audyssey has been calibrated and running as this is after the ada peq. Ie, the audyssey has no idea of what it has inputting to it.



Hi Nick.

Mine is at my local post office ready to collect after being returned their, I will get it tomorrow now.

Oh right, I thought the PEQ would be done first :scratch:, but I see what you are saying.... I have just asked Adam this question to see what he did.

But this explains why when I used both Audyssey MultiEQ and Sub EQ I was told to use the Sub EQ first, then re configured it so the Sub EQ came after the multi EQ.


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## ceenhad (Nov 30, 2008)

Guys you might struggle with the Audyssey plus peq. If you insist on using the Audyssey I would forget peq on that channel due to potential issues of signal clipping plus the difficulty of interpreting the measured data with Audyssey to positively refine with peq. You can do both but it is time consuming. 

I have 28 channels to do in the office shortly that are designed for peq first then Audyssey but there I know I have over 18db headroom before clipping plus at least 500w per channel!

Neil


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## Djnickuk (Mar 30, 2012)

Hi Neil,

Yes I had come to the conclusion of using either or but not both. So Im going to go audyssey sub eq on the sub and peq on the main channels. 

If I feel I get good at the peq calibration then perhaps the audyssey may be moved on to someone else..... Or indeed if you guys come to do a calibration.


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