@@muscularclouds I'm not sure. I think there is a master out on RCA jack for left and right. The headphone out should carry that same signal but you might check the manual to be certain.
@@muscularclouds I don't have the 260 anymore to test and see. I think the headphones are selectable on switches but I would just use the master LR out. Headphone out would work but will likely be odd impedance and may not sound as good.
I worked on a rock solid Fostex G24 for two years it was a good machine but didn't have a ton of headroom since it was all -10 on RCAs and the noise floor was a bit too high and if you could beat the noise floor you were into distortion. We modified it to take +4 and it improved dramatically but it died due to heat. I then I moved up to a 24 track 1 inch Tascam machine which was one of the quietest multitrack decks I have ever used that wasn't a MCI or Sony machine.That is very cool machine and will give you some color you can'r get in the box.
I started my recording adventures with a Fostex X-30 4 track. It's really cool to have one around again and this is a better model than my original X-30. I also ran an E-16 for awhile before upgrading to an MCI JH-16. That thing sounded great but needed adjustments and maintenance a lot. It was 40 years old already so that makes sense. I really like the small Japanese machines a lot. I have a little R8 I'm working on to make some videos with too. They are fun and definitely have a specific sound you can't get anywhere else.
Great video, thanks for sharing ! Purchase one today, non working, but cleaned it up, new belt and its working, but a normal tape runs with double speed, even though the Pitch know is to the very left....Is this true that you cannot play normal tapes on this machine, which were NOT recorded on this machine ? Thanks so much for your advice.
@@zcarm you could play normal cassettes with it but they will play too fast as the 260 doesn't have a speed switch or variable speed. Also all four tracks play in one direction so side 2 would play backwards at the same time as side 1 plays forward. These are designed for multitrack recording. A standard cassette desk would be much better than the 260 for playing regular cassettes. I guess you could play them into a digital interface and then slow them down in the DAW.
You can do what's called a punch in. The 260 has a foot switch jack to make this easier for one person. You basically punch in(go into record) to record over just the sections you want and then punch out(drop out of record) when finished. It's not nearly as flexible as a DAW, but it is the way things were done on tape and will still work once you learn how to do it and practice a little bit.
I don't think it has one. Just lift the door and then grab the edges of the cassette and gently pull it up and out. If it's stuck or tape is trapped in the mechanism, there is likely something wrong.
Great review of this machine Grady! I'll be looking for one. Cheers :)
It's probably the coolest 4 track cassette machine I've ever used. I like the Tascams too though.
Good Shit bro, your videos are well and informative!
Thank you! I work real hard on these videos. Trying to keep analog and DAWless recording going strong.
@@TwinCreekAudio Just got me 1, is the headphone out the audio output? or the rca ports at the top? is there a difference?
@@muscularclouds I'm not sure. I think there is a master out on RCA jack for left and right. The headphone out should carry that same signal but you might check the manual to be certain.
@@TwinCreekAudio The manual doesn't say much, but ill just experiment and see
@@muscularclouds I don't have the 260 anymore to test and see. I think the headphones are selectable on switches but I would just use the master LR out. Headphone out would work but will likely be odd impedance and may not sound as good.
I worked on a rock solid Fostex G24 for two years it was a good machine but didn't have a ton of headroom since it was all -10 on RCAs and the noise floor was a bit too high and if you could beat the noise floor you were into distortion. We modified it to take +4 and it improved dramatically but it died due to heat. I then I moved up to a 24 track 1 inch Tascam machine which was one of the quietest multitrack decks I have ever used that wasn't a MCI or Sony machine.That is very cool machine and will give you some color you can'r get in the box.
I started my recording adventures with a Fostex X-30 4 track. It's really cool to have one around again and this is a better model than my original X-30. I also ran an E-16 for awhile before upgrading to an MCI JH-16. That thing sounded great but needed adjustments and maintenance a lot. It was 40 years old already so that makes sense. I really like the small Japanese machines a lot. I have a little R8 I'm working on to make some videos with too. They are fun and definitely have a specific sound you can't get anywhere else.
@@TwinCreekAudio Sound like really cool stuff you have planned in the future!! I can't wait to see it!!
Great video, thanks for sharing ! Purchase one today, non working, but cleaned it up, new belt and its working, but a normal tape runs with double speed, even though the Pitch know is to the very left....Is this true that you cannot play normal tapes on this machine, which were NOT recorded on this machine ? Thanks so much for your advice.
@@zcarm you could play normal cassettes with it but they will play too fast as the 260 doesn't have a speed switch or variable speed. Also all four tracks play in one direction so side 2 would play backwards at the same time as side 1 plays forward. These are designed for multitrack recording. A standard cassette desk would be much better than the 260 for playing regular cassettes. I guess you could play them into a digital interface and then slow them down in the DAW.
@@TwinCreekAudio Hi, thanks so much for your very useful information to my question !!! Thank you !
If I make a mistake when recording, do I have to record everything again or is there a function to record only the part that made the mistake?
You can do what's called a punch in. The 260 has a foot switch jack to make this easier for one person. You basically punch in(go into record) to record over just the sections you want and then punch out(drop out of record) when finished. It's not nearly as flexible as a DAW, but it is the way things were done on tape and will still work once you learn how to do it and practice a little bit.
Help my tape is tuck in the deck. where is the eject button.
I don't think it has one. Just lift the door and then grab the edges of the cassette and gently pull it up and out. If it's stuck or tape is trapped in the mechanism, there is likely something wrong.
@@TwinCreekAudio i push the play button and the tape does not move. it worked 10 years ago...
@@tombeckner404 most likely the belt is broken and needs replacement. Easy fix!