Fostex X-28 User manual

Owner's Manual
X-28
MULTITRACKER
FOStGX

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert the user to the presence ot uninsulated
dangerous voltage” withm the product's en¬
closure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock to persons
A The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and mainte¬
nance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance
* WARNING*
L ' TO REDUCE T# IF RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOIS¬
TURE."
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read Instructions - Alt the safety and operating instruc¬
tions should be read before the appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions - The safety and operating i instructions
should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings —Al I warnings on the appliance and in The
operating instructions should be adhered lo.
4. Follow Instructions — All operating and use instructions
should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture - The appliance should not be used
near waler - for example, near a balhtub, washbowl, kit¬
chen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swim¬
ming pool, and the like,
6. Carts and Stands — The appliance should be used only
with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manm
facturer.
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, Wal 1 or Ceiling Mount ng — The appliance should be mount¬
ed to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manu¬
facturer.
3. Ventilation — The appliance should be situated so lhal its
location or position does not interfere with its proper venti¬
lation, For example, the appliance should not oe situated
on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the
ventilakon 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,
9. Heat — The appliance should be situated away trom 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 ol
an appliance rs not defeaten
12, Power Cord Protecfion — 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 al plugs, convenience recep-
tacles, 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 trims,
J5 Gbied and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken sc that
objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enc¬
lose re through openings,
lb. Damage Requiring Service — The appliance should be
serviced by qualified service personnel when:
A, The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged;
or
B, Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the
appliance; or
C, The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
D, The appliance does not appear to operate normally or
exhibits a marked change in performance; or
E, The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure
damaged.
1 1 Servicing - The user should not attempt la service the
appliance beyond that described in ihe operating instruc¬
tions, All other servicing should be referred lo qualified
service personnel.
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .2
Safety Precautions.3
How to Use This Manual.3
Before Using Your X-28 Multitracker .4
What is Multitrack Recording? .4
Block Diagram.6
Panel Controls and Terminals . 8
Basic Operation .13
Recording the First Track — Rhythm Machine.. 14
Monitoring.16
Four-track Simultaneous Recording.16
Overdubbing — Recording Bass to Track 2 and
Keyboard to Track 3.18
Overdubbing the Final Track — Vocal and
Guitar.18
Mono Monitoring in Stereo Recording.18
Mixdown and Effects Processing — Adding
Reverb.19
AUX (Auxiliary) Send and Return.20
Punch-in Recording .21
Special Applications. ...24
Example 1: Simultaneous Stereo Recording al
Eight Sound Sources. 2 4
Overdubbing Tracks to the Live Stereo
Recording.25
Example 2: Ping-pong Recording — Recording
Seven Parts on Four Tracks.25
Adding Live Parts to Ping-pong Recording ...26
Helpful Hints for Ping-pong Recording.27
Example 3: Tape Sync.28
Tape Sync — Combining Ten MIDI Inputs
With Three Tape Tracks.30
Multitrack Recording Tips.31
Routine Maintenance . 3 3
Troubleshooting Guide .34
Specifications.34
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Fostex Model X-28
Multitracker. With proper use and maintenance it will
provide years of excellent performance.
Included among the features and functions of the X-28
are:
• An eight-input mixer with four gain-adjustable mid
line inputs and four line inputs, all of which can be
used for simultaneous recording.
• Logic-controlled transport buttons for ease of use
and sure transport control.
• A large, backlit LCD display that features a digital
tape counter, meters for all four tape tracks and
stereo outputs, and tape transport indicators.
• A rehearsal function, in the punch-in/out mode, that
allows you to hear and practice a punch-in recording
before the actual take.
• Switchable Dolby B noise reduction.
• Four-track simultaneous recording.
The X-28 will perform all of the standard multitrack
recording techniques, such as overdubbing, punch-in
recording and ping-pong recording. In addition, effects
processing is available with the AUX send and stereo
AUX return functions.
When used with an optional MIDI-to-FSK converter,
the operation of the X-28 can be synchronized with
MIDI sequencers and rhythm machines, allowing you
to simultaneously run multiple musical instruments and
signal sources.
Please read this manual carefully so that you are
thoroughly acquainted with the proper operation and
maintenance procedures.
2

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
• Connect the supplied AC adaptor to a standard AC
outlet and the AC adaptor connector of the X-28. In
no case should you use an AC adaptor of another
manufacturer. If this adaptor is to be used with a
voltage other than that specified, consult your near¬
est Fostex dealer or service center before using it.
• Never pull the cord of the AC adaptor to unplug it
from the AC outlet; always grasp the AC plug itself
when disconnecting, The oord can be broken if it is
pulled directly.
• Never connect or disconnect the AC adaptor when
your hands are wet. Neither should you use this
product if the cord's insulation is damaged or worn.
In either case, doing so may result in electrical
shock.
• Never open the case and touch anything inside.
Doing so may result in electrical shock or damage to
the unit.
• Be careful notto spilt any water or liquids ordrop any
metal objects inside the unit. This could also result
in electrical shock. If water or anything should acci¬
dentally get inside, immediately disconnect the AC
adaptor from the outlet and contact your nearest
Fostex dealer or service center.
• Be sure to turn the power to this unit on first before
switching on the power to other connected equip¬
ment, in order to avoid damaging them. Also, when
connecting or disconnecting any input or output
plugs, make sure that the input volume control of the
appropriate channel or buss is set to 0.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
If you are using a multitrack recorder for the first time,
we recommend that you read through this manual in
the following order. In this way, you can get the most
out of your X-28.
1) Please read the section “Before Using Your X-28
Multitracker”, on page 4. This introduces you to the
basic concepts of muititrack recording.
2) Go directly to the “Basic Operation” section, page
13, and follow the instructions there carefully. They
will show you, step by step, how to make and
mixdown your first recording. When you read through
this section, you may wish to refer back to the
section, ‘'Panel Controls and Terminals", page 7.
This will help you to understand the functions of the
X-28.
3) As you continue to use the X-28 for other recordings,
read through the successive sections, including
“Punch-in Recording” and "Special Applications”,
to familiarize yourself with the more sophisticated
functions of this machine.
4) Also, read through the various boxed subjects
scattered throughout the instructions to help you
master some of the important aspects of muititrack
recording, They include valuable information on
such topics as buss, monitoring and aux send.
5) Finally, look through the section “Multitrack Re¬
cording Tips”, page 31, for special tips and hints on
howto make your recording sound as professional
as possible.
For those of you who are complete novices in the field
of recording, we hope this manual will be more than
merely a guide to the X-28. In many ways, with the
information provided on basic recording concepts and
advanced applications, this manual may be used as a
textbook for multitrack recording.
3

BEFORE USING YOUR X-28 MULTITRACKER
Undoubtedly, you are eager to start recording with your
X-28 Multitracker. However unless you’ve had some
experience with muititrack recording, we recommend
you take some time to read this section and familiarize
yourself with multitrack recording basics.
WHAT IS MULTITRACK RECORDING?
Multitrack recording is the process of recording indi¬
vidual parts of a performance separately on indepen¬
dent tracks and then mixing them together to create a
final recording. There are several advantages to this
process. You can record each musician separately,
without having to assemble them all together at the
same place and time; you are able to concentrate on
the individual elements so that each part is the best it
can be; you can also try several different mixes of the
recorded material until you are satisfied with the final
production. Best of all, if you wish, you can do every¬
thing yourself. There is nothing wrong with recording a
good, tight band with two well-placed microphones, but
with the sophisticated technology available today, in¬
cluding MIDI, muititrack recording allows you to make
highly professional recordings on your own.
Tracks and Channels
The X-28 Multitracker combines sophisticated record¬
ing and mixing functions in the same unit. Hence, the
need forthe terms “track” and "channel” when referring
to its operation. “Track” refers to the actual recorded
portion on the cassette tape; the X-28 records on tour
tracks. “Channel" refers to a signal pathway through
the mixer; the X-28 has eight channels to accommo¬
date up to eight inputs. The difference between the two
terms is shown in the diagram below.
Channel Track 1 — 4 *o
1 —8 ,1
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is the heart of the multitrack recording
process. It is the process of recording a track in
synchronization to previously recorded tracks. Over¬
dubbing was invented by Les Paul in collaboration with
Ampex audio engineers in the 1950’s, and has had a
greater effect on music than the guitar which bears his
name.
Used with the four independent tracks of the X-28,
overdubbing allows one musician to record a variety of
parts on the same tape. In this way, you can build your
songs piece by piece, track by track It also lets you “fix”
any parts that are not satisfactory, as well as indepen¬
dently apply special effects with signal processing
equipment.
Mixdown
Mixdown is the final operation in multitrack recording.
This is where you combine all of the parts you have
recorded on the four tracks, adjust their relative levels
and make other settings to prepare the final master
recording.
Four-track Cassette Format
The X-28 uses standard cassette tape for recording. In
a standard cassette deck, the tape has two sides, each
side with a pair of stereo tracks. As shown in the
illustration below, the two tracks on side A of the tape
are recorded in one direction, and the tracks on side B
in the opposite direction. However, the four-track
cassette format records all four tracks in the same
direction. Because of this, there is only one side to the
four-track cassette tape; if you turn it over and play it,
all you’ll hear is a recording played in reverse. Because
it is recorded on just one side, a 90 minute cassette
tape will hold 45 minutes of fou r-track audio. Remember
to remove the tabs tor both side A and side B to protect
against inadvertent recording.
Standard Cassette Deck X-2B deck
4

The Proper Tape
The X-28 is designed to be used with High Bias 70 psec
EQtape. 002 and Type II designations are common,
but always look for the 70 psec EQ identification.
Maxell U D-XL11 and TDK S A are recommended, as are
other tapes of comparable quality. Metal tape should
not be used. Never use 120-minute cassettes; the
backing is too thin and will quickly stretch and may
break. Because of their strength, tapes of 60 minutes
are recommended for withstanding the physical strains
of recording.
The Right Connections
Please exercise caution when connecting cither equip¬
ment to the X-28. Never connect the output of an
amplifier to an X-28 input, for example, because you
could seriously damage the recorder. Less severe
problems caused by impedance mismatching can re¬
sult in a loss of volume and/or frequency response. In
general, microphones are low level signals and should
be used on inputs 1 through 4. Rhythm machines,
synthesizers and other electronic instruments are “line"
level devices andean be used on all of the X-28 inputs.
Electric guitars are so often customized electronically
and used with such a wide variety of effects boxes, that
it's impossible to state even a general rule. The best
advice is: always turn the controls on all equipment
down to the minimum, then gradually increase the level
controls to determine whether you’ve made the right
connections. The Specifications section lists the input
and output impedances of the unit. Never plug any¬
thing rated in watts (W) directly to an X-28 input.
Always use the best quality cable that you can afford.
This is one simple way to dramatically improve your
sound, both live and recorded. Inexpensive cables
often have poor shielding, unusual impedance and
poor signal-to-distortion characteristics.

PANEL CONTROLS AND TERMINALS _
(Bold words in parentheses are the names of the controls as they appear on the panel.)
PANEL CONTROLS
O INPUT TRIM 1 —4
(TRIM)
The Trim controls are coarse controls for determining
the signal levels for inputs 1 — 4, The higher settings
(toward -60) are for low level sources such as micro¬
phones. The lower settings (toward -10} are for line
level sources such as drum machines, keyboards and
line signals from other audio equipment. These con¬
trols should be adjusted to a suitable level before
adjusting the input faders of channels 1 — 4 in the
INPUT A section @.
© INPUT FADERS 1 — 8
(INPUT A, INPUT B)
The input faders are used to adjust the signal levels for
the input channels. The INPUT A faders control the
levels of inputchannelsl —4. The INPUT B faders can
be switched to control the levels of either input chan¬
nels 5—8or recorded tracks 1 —4; switching between
the two functions is done with the INPUT SELECT
buttons ©
© INPUT SELECT SWITCHES 5 —8
(INPUT SELECT)
These two-position switches determine the signal
source to be sent to the INPUT B faders © for channels
5_8. When INPUT SELECT © is set to INPUT, the
faders control channel inputs 5 — 8; when set to TRK,
the faders control the recorded tape tracks 1 — 4.
(Fader 5 controls tape track 1, fader 6 controls track 2,
etc.)
© CHANNEL PAN CONTROLS 1 — 8
(PAN)
The channel pan controls determine the left and right
balance of the respective input signals (1 — 8) as they
are sent to the stereo buss. (For more details, see
"Buss,” page 17.) They also determine the stereo
balance of the tape tracks when the INPUT SELECT
switches are set to TRK.
@ AUX SEND CONTROLS 1 —8
(AUX)
The AUX SEND controls are used to send the respec¬
tive input signals (or tape tracks, if selected) to the AUX
SEND jack ©. Generally, these are for sending the
signals to signal processors, such as digital reverb
units or multi-effect devices. The AUX SEND controls
are independent for each channel, and are used to
provide a mono mix signal which is sent to the AUX
SEND master control ©. (For more details, see the
section AUX (Auxiliary) Send and Return, page 20.)
The AUX SEND controls for channels 1 — 4 differ
slightly from those for channels 5 — 8, as described
below.
AUX SEND CONTROLS 1 — 4
The controls for input channels 1—4 are post-fader;
they determine the amount of signal that is sent after
the input fader.
AUX SEND CONTROLS 5 — 8
The AUX SEND controls for input channels 5 — 8
are pre-fader; they determine the amount of signal
that is sent before the input fader. They are dual¬
function controls that send either the signals of the
input channels or the tape tracks, depending on
which direction they are set.
When set toward INPUT, they can be used to send
the selected input signal (5 — 8) to signal proces¬
sors, such as digital reverb units or multi-effect
devices.
When set toward TRK (TRK 1 — TRK 4), they can
be used to send the selected tape tracks to a signal
processor, or can be used as level controls for
monitoring.
Turning the control all the way to the left sends the
selected input channel at full volume, while turning
the control to the far right sends the selected tape
track at full volume. The center position is “0," or no
signal sent. (For more details, see the section AUX
(Auxiliary) Send and Return, page 20.)
© AUX SEND MASTER CONTROL
(SEND)
This control determines the overall level of the mixed
signal output of the individual AUX SEND controls ©,
via the AUX SEND jack ©.
8

Q AUX RETURN CONTROL
(RTN)
The AUX RETURN control determines the level of the
signal that is received at the AUX RETURNjacks®.This
is normally used to control the amount of effect pro¬
cessing (sent via AUX SEND © and © that is "re¬
turned" to the X-28.
AUX
SEND
I
Effect device
TT
REMIX
This position sends the signal to the stereo buss.
Normally, REMIX is used in most recording situa¬
tions, including recording ol input signals connected
to channels 5 — 8, ping-pong recording and
mixdown.
MONMIX
This position sends the signal to the monitor buss
(the monitor out and headphone jacks). Since this
switch comes before the MONITOR select switch in
the signal path, the MONITOR select switch must
be set to MON MIX + LI N E for the signal to be heard.
© MONITOR SELECT SWITCH
(MONITOR)
This switch determines which signals are sent to the
monitor out and headphone jacks. The switch has
three positions: MONMIX + LINE, AUX and AUX +
LINE.
MONMIX + LINE
This position sends a mix of two signals to the
monitor buss: 1) the stereo signal of the INPUT B
channels (when MONMIX is selected with the IN¬
PUT B select switch ©), and 2} the signal of the
stereo buss.
AUX
This position sends a mono mix of the AUX SEND
signal to the monitor buss.
L ft
AUX RTN
RTN
AUX
to stereo buss Ft
lo stereo busa L
© EQUALIZER CONTROLS
(EQ HI, EQ L0)
These controls provide two-band equalization (high
and low) for the stereo mix. The controls co me after the
input faders and before the stereo master fader.
@ STEREO MASTER FADER
(MASTER)
This ganged slide control determines the overall output
level of the stereo buss—the signals sent to the LINE
OUT jacks ®.
© INPUT B SELECT SWITCH
(INPUT B)
This switch determines whether the stereo signal from
the INPUT B channels is sent to the stereo buss or to
the monitor buss. The switch has two positions: REMIX
and MONMIX.
AUX + LINE
This position sends a mix of the mono AUX SEND
signal and the signal of the stereo buss.
The following chart lists the settings for the INPUT B
and MONITOR switches as used in the various record¬
ing operations of the X-28.
Operation
INPUT B
Switch
MONITOR Switch
Recording
Recording to
channels 1 - 4 only
MONMIX
AUX (fixed center
position}, or
MONMIX + LINE
(stereo monitor-
ing)
Recording lo
channels 5-8
REMIX
AUX (or, in the
case ol stereo
recording:
MONMIX + LINE)
Overdubbing
Rehearsal
MONMIX AUX + LINE
Take (recording)
MONMIX
AUX
For monitoring
recorder output in
stereo
MONMIX MONMIX + LINE
Ping-pong
Recording
Rehearsal
REMIX
MONMIX + LINE
Take (recording)
REMIX AUX
Mixdown
For sending stereo
signal via LINE
OUT jacks lo
master recorder
REMIX
MONMIX + LINE
_|
For sending stereo
signal via MON
OUT jacks to
master recorder,
especially in tape
sync applications
REMIX
l
AUX + LINE
9

© MONITOR LEVEL CONTROL
(MONITOR)
Determines the overall output level sent to the MON
OUT jacks © and PHONES jack ©.
© RECORD TRACK SELECT SWITCHES
(REC SELECT)
These three-position switches select the track(s) to be
recorded. Setting the switch to the numbered position
(1,2,3 and 4) selects the respective tape tracks; these
are direct record settings that bypass the PAN and EQ
controls. Setting the switch to the center position dis¬
ables recording. Setting it to L (left) or R (right) selects
the respective signal of the stereo buss for recording.
The signal is recorded to the track number indicated on
the switch. (For example, if the first REC SELECT
switch is set to L, the left signal of the stereo buss will
be recorded to track 1.) This setting is particularly
useful for recording multiple inputs sent on the stereo
buss to a single track.
© REHEARSAL SWITCH
(REHEARSAL)
This switch is used for disabling/enabling recording
during punch-in recording. It also lets you hear the
punch-in and punch-out as you rehearse, without
erasing the original track.
Normally, pressing the footswitch automatically acti¬
vates punch-in/out recording and could result in the
inadvertent erasing of a track. To avoid this, the RE¬
HEARS ALswitch provides a safety function that allows
you to set up and practice a punch-in recording before
actually executing it. The REHEARSAL switch effec¬
tively simulates the actual punch-in recording process
by switching the monitor between the original track and
the part to be punched-in, each time the footswitch is
pressed. (See Punch-in Recording, page 21, for de¬
tails.)
© NOISE REDUCTION SWITCH
(DOLBY NR)
This switch turns the Dolby B noise reduction system
on and off. For best sonic results, you should keep this
switch on. The off position is for performing calibration
and alignment operations.
© COUNTER RESET SWITCH
(COUNT RESET)
Pressing this button resets the tape counter © - b to
“ 0 0 0 . "
© RECORD BUTTON
(REC)
Pressing this button (after the REC SELECT switches
© have been properly set) allows you to monitor the
level of the input with the bar graph level meters © - a.
(Pressing the REC button alone does not actually start
recording, however. To record, hold down the REC
button and simultaneously press PLAY.
Note: Recording can also be started. During play¬
back, hold down the REC button and simulta¬
neously press PLAY; if the REC SELECT
switches have been properly set, recording will
start.
© PLAY BUTTON
(PLAY)
© REWIND BUTTON
(REWIND)
© FAST FORWARD BUTTON
(F. FWD)
© STOP BUTTON
(STOP)
@ ZERO RETURN BUTTON
(0 RTN)
Pressing this button rewinds or fast forwards the tape
to the “000” position. (The zero return indicator in the
display ( ► ► 0 or 0-«) will light,) This function, used with
the COUNT RESET switch ©, makes it easy to “mark"
a specific point in the recording and return to it auto¬
matically.
Pressing the PLAY button after pressing the ZERO
RETURN button activates auto play; playback auto¬
matically begins once the tape transport reaches the
“000” position. (The play indicator in the display will
flash.) The PLAY button can be pressed at any time
while the tape is being rewound or fast forwarded to
activate the function.
© DECK TRANSPORT
© DISPLAY
a: BAR GRAPH LEVEL METERS
These six meters indicate the signal levels of the four
tape tracks and the stereo buss.
b: TAPE COUNTER
(TAPE COUNT)
This indicates the current position of the tape,
c: TAPE INDICATOR
This provides visual indication of whether the tape is
stopped or not and what direction it is moving. This
indicator lights when a cassette tape is inserted.
10

d: DOLBY NOISE REDUCTION INDICATOR
(DOLBY IN)
This indicator is lit when the noise reduction has been
turned on with the DOLBY NR switch ®.
e: REHEARSAL INDICATOR
(REHEARSAL)
This indicator is lit when the rehearsal function has
been engaged with the REHEARSAL switch ®.
TAPE COUNT
888
oi>
TRANSPORT!" I
Now recording
t: TAPE TRANSPORT INDICATORS
These indicate the current status of the tape transport
(i.e., whether it is stopped, or recording, or being
rewound, etc.)
TAPE COUNT
IANS PORT ■
Stop
TAPE COUN T
I 888
o L_U [- 1 0 *+“**
■ i i ir la* ■ ■ ■
6 I 1 [ 1 Q * ■ * ■ «•* ■ +
m l it 1 K> B
?n r^~jr l 2ol
-1-TRANSPORT-
Flashes to Indicate auto play mode.
TAPE COUNT
888
TRANSPORT <
Play
TAPE COUNT
888
— T han^port —
Fast forward
L H TAPE COUNT
elZZIC^s QQQ
3 1 - M -) a OuO
o 1^^ o / ■ %
ic=is; ;
e cm e *.
mrnr 120 !
— TRANSPORT I
Rewind
TAPE COUNT
ir r i^^n oi
?n l 11 \ 2 0L
t»0«l
poiA -
■ TRANSPC
“0” with either the fast forward or rewind
indicators Indicates zero return.
g: RECORD TRACK INDICATOR
(REC TRACK)
These flash to indicate the track selected tor recording.
The indicators stay lit continuously during actual re¬
cording.
TAPE COUNT
888
■ j TRANSPORT-
Flashes to Indicate record ready
(or record enable), and input monitor.
11

FRONT PANEL SECTION
© INPUT JACKS 1 — 8
(1-8)
These standard 1/4” phone jacks are for connecting
the signal inputs to be recorded. Inputs 1 — 4 are
equipped with trim controls O and can be used with
virtually any kind of source, including microphones and
electric guitars. Inputs 5—8 are designed for use only
with line level instruments.
© REMOTE PUNCH IN/OUT JACK
(PUNCH IN/OUT)
This standard 1/4" phone jack is for connecting an
optional footswitch (Fostex 8051) lor remote foot co nt ro I
of punch-in/out recording. (See the section Punch-in
Recording, page 21.)
© REMOTE ZERO RETURN/PLAY JACK
(0 RTN/PLAY)
This standard 1/4" phone jack is for connecting an
optional footswitch (Fostex 8051) for remote control of
the zero return function. Pressing the footswitch auto¬
matically returns the tape to the "000” position and
starts playback.
© HEADPHONE JACK
(PHONES)
This standard 1/4" phone jack is forconnecting a set of
stereo headphones.
© PITCH CONTROL
(PITCH)
The pitch control lets you finely adjust the pitch (or
speed) of playback within a range of ± 10%.
REAR PANEL SECTION
© TAPE OUT JACKS 1 — 4/SYNC
(TAPE OUT 1 — 4/SYNC)
The signals of the four recorded tracks are output via
these standard RCA pinjacks. These are used to send
the individual outputs to an external mixer for greater
flexibility in monitoring, or for putting different effects on
each of the tracks.
© LINE OUT JACKS LEFT, RIGHT
(LINE OUT L, R)
The signals of the stereo buss are output via these
standard RCA pin jacks. These are used to send the
stereo output to a second tape recorder for making a
stereo master tape.
© AUX SEND JACK
(AUX SEND)
The mixed signals of AUX SEND © and © are output
via this standard RCA pinjack. A signal processorsuch
as a reverb unit or multi-effect device may be con¬
nected here.
© AUX RETURN JACKS LEFT, RIGHT
(AUX RTN L, R)
These standard RCA pin jacks are inputs for the
“returning" effects-processed AUX SEND signal; the
signal is then sent to the stereo buss. Two jacks are
provided, since many effect devices have stereo out¬
puts. The jacks can also be used as auxiliary inputs,
effectively giving the X-28 ten inputs.
© MONITOR OUT JACKS LEFT, RIGHT
(MON OUT L, R)
The signals selected with the MONITOR select switch
(the same as those heard in the headphones) is output
via these standard RCA pin jacks. These jacks are for
connecting to an amplifier/speaker system for moni¬
toring.
© POWER SWITCH
(STANDBY/OFF)
(The STANDBY position is equivalent to “ON.")
© AC ADAPTER CONNECTOR
(DC IN~12V)
For connecting to the included AC adapter.
12

BASIC OPERATION
In this section, we will describe the most basic multi¬
track recording procedures. We've provided a specific
recording example for you to follow, one that shows
you how to record an initial track, then separately
record additional tracks "over" the first track. After the
tracks have been recorded, you’ll learn how to add
effects to them and mix them down to stereo for the
finished product.
Because the X-28 is so versatile, a single manual
cannot cover all of the possible applications. The
instructions and examples that follow demonstrate the
fundamentals of recording basic tracks, overdubbing,
and mixdown. They are intended primarily as a guide;
once you know howto operate the X-28, you should try
out your own ideas and adapt the unit to your own
recording situations — each of which may require its
own specific procedure.
Briefly, here is an overview of basic recording:
Step 1: Record a rhythm machine on track 1. (Nor¬
mally, rhythm parts are recorded first to serve
as a guide to ensure that subsequent parts
are performed in the correct tempo.)
4
3
2
1
oDW+*
aatrano
Rhythm machine
-IN RECORDING MODE
I — FINISHED RECORDING
Step 3: Overdub a keyboard part on track 3 and the
lead vocal and gu itar solo together on track 4.
(Normally, the lead parts are the last to be
recorded, so that the musicians can perform
those parts over a nearly complete backing
band.)
4
3
2
1
*u
Vocal
Onm
Keyboard
&
Guitar
Step 4: Adjust the relative balance of the four indi¬
vidual parts and combine them into a stereo
signal to make the final recording, which is
recorded on a standard cassette deck (mas¬
ter recorder). A reverb effect is applied to the
final recording to add depth and ambience.
(You can, of course, add reverb and other
effects during the original recording and/or
overdubs.)
Master recorder
Step 2: Overdub an electric bass on track 2, while
listening to the rhythm machine on track 1,
4
3
2
1
Bass guitar
13

Recording the First Track — Rhythm Machine
1. First, make sure that all controls on the X-28 are at
their minimum or OFF settings. Most importantly,
this means that all faders should be down, the
MONITOR control should be at 0, the REC SE¬
LECT switches should be at the center (OFF)
position, and the TRIM controls should be set to
-10. Also, make sure that the MONITOR select
switch is setto one of the “LINE” settings (MONMIX
+ LINE or AUX + LINE).
2. Make the necessary connections for listening to, or
“monitoring" your recording. Hyou are using a set of
stereo headphones, plug them into the PHONES
jack. If you are using an amplifier/speaker system,
connect it to the MON OUT jacks on the X-28.
Headphone monitoring is convenient, and some¬
times even necessary — when recording vocals
and acoustic instruments — in orderto avoid feed¬
back from microphones. However, a good ampli¬
fier/speaker system provides the best and most
accurate listening source and should be used
whenever possible.
3. Plug the output of the rhythm machine into the
INPUT 1 jack.
4. S witch the leftmost REC SELECT switch to 1 and
press the REC button. In the display, the number 1
REC TRACK indicator and the REC indicator flash
together, indicating that track 1 is set up for record¬
ing and that the signal can be monitored on the level
meter for track 1.
Q
QipL 2-iirB J-lil-l-
Press REC button.
14

REC SELECT SWITCH AND DIRECT-
RECORDING:
Setting the REC SELECT switches to the numbered
positions (1,2, 3 and 4) enables direct recording.
This means that the signal on the selected input
channel is recorded directly to the corresponding
track, bypassing the PAN and AUX SEND controls
of the channel, as well as the EQ controls and
MASTER fader. The REC SELECT switch must be
set to the same number as the channel to which the
input signal is connected. (For example, if the signal
is connected to channel 1, the leftmost REC SE¬
LECT switch must be set to 1.)
5. N ow, adjust the level of the input signal. Bring the
MASTER fader up to around 7. Do the same with
the INPUT 1 fader, This is the optimum position of
the faders. (The word "optimum" does not mean
“maximum,” but indicates the “best” position — in
this case, the highest level with the least distortion.)
1_ g 3 4 5 6 _
master
6. S tart the rhythm machine and increase its volume
control slowly to an optimum level. Gradually in¬
crease the TRIM control (toward the -60 position)
so that the meter indication fortrack 1 in the display
peaks around 0 or +3. Make sure that the loudest
signals do not consistently push the meter into the
+3 to +6 range, (if you are recording something
other than a rhythm machine to this track, such as
a vocal or an acoustic instrument, the TRIM control
may need to be set near the -60 position.)
Gradually Increase TRIM
Meter should peak around 0 ~ +3
At this stage, you are setting levels so you needn't
worry about content. If your level readings are con¬
stantly in the -10 to - 20 range, increase the level by
bringing up the faders or there will be excessive back¬
ground noise. If your level readings are constantly in
the +3 to +6 range, bring the level down or there will be
distortion. When recording instruments with very sharp
initial attacks such as bass and snare drums, you may
find it necessary to set the levels at a relatively low
range — for example, around -6 to -10 — just to keep
the signal from distorting. A compressor such as the
Fostex MN-50 will help solve this problem,
Note: The left and/or right meters of the stereo buss
will tight to indicate the level of the signal.
Whether one or both of the meters lights de¬
pends on the setting of the PAN control on the
input track; for example, if the PAN control is set
to the left, the left meter will be active. The PAN
setting here does not affect the recording. How¬
ever, for monitoring purposes, it is best to set
this at the center position.
7. N ext, make the necessary settings on the X-28 for
monitoring. Whether you are using headphones or
an amptifier/speaker system, simply turn the MONI¬
TOR control up to around 5, or to a comfortable
listening level. Note that you may also have to make
adjustments on all of the level controls in the re¬
cording and monitor circuits it the volume is too loud
or soft.
Note: Since this first recording (basic track) will be
used as a reference for all additional recordings,
it's a good idea to begin with a rhythmic count¬
off with the snare drum before the actual
downbeat or upbeat of the performance begins.
(This makes overdubbing a lot easier.)
Note: Make sure that the noise reduction (DOLBY
NR) switch has been turned on — both for
recording and playback. This will make your
recording sound as clean and clear as possible.
15

^Monitoring-
Understanding the concept ol monitoring is essen¬
tia! to mastering the multitrack record process. To
monitor a recording means to listen to it. It also
means to check sound levels — aurally, over the
headphones or speaker system, or visually, by
means of the level meters.
One important thing you should understand about
monitoring is that you can be recording a signal at
one level and yet be hearing it through the monitor
at a different level. This is particularly crucial, for
example, if the MONITOR control is set nearO. You
may find yourself cranking up the input faders and
TRIM controls just to be able to hear the signal —
which could result in a horribly distorted recording,
and even possible damage to the recorder. For this
reason, always set the monitor controls to their
optimum positions first, then adjust the input levels.
Another thing to remember is that there are two
different types of signals that are monitored during
the recording process: those currently being re¬
corded (live or input signals) and those that have
already been recorded (tape signals). This differ¬
ence is important in overdubbing. You must adjust
the levels of the individual tape signals with the
faders to get the proper balance of the recorded
tracks when overdubbing a new part.
The X-28 always gives you a visual monitor of the
tape signals with the level meters in the display,
regardless of the monitor settings. However, with
direct recording (setting REC SELECT to track
numbers), the input bypasses the stereo buss, and
the level shown in the stereo buss meter is NOT a
true indication of the level that is to be recorded to
the track. Always be sure to press the REC button to
enable input monitoring with the REC TRACK level
meters.
For more information on monitoring, see the boxed
section, AUX (Auxiliary) Send and Return, page 20.
8. Now you’re ready to record. Press the PLAY and
the REC button simultaneously. (The REC TRACK
indicator for track 1 will be lit continuously, as will
the record and play TRANSPORT indicators.)
tape
SQlMI i
- FEC TRACK -
-TRANSPORT-
FLAT REYVHO P F WO 3 T O p
i~“ii -- imhH i
Press these buttons
simultaneously.
These indicartors will
be lit continuously.
| WifT *lECT <. l G n
A . 0 O a © ^
Press to select Increase fader 5.
TRK 1,
9. After stopping the recording, you’ll want to listen to
it and check that everything has been recorded
satisfactorily. First, switch the leftmost REC SE¬
LECT switch back to the center position to disable
recording. Then, press the INPUT SELECT switch
of INPUT B channel 5 to select TRK 1 and bring up
fader 5 to a suitable level (around 7). Doing this
selects tape track 1 for playback. Set the PAN
control to the center position, for optimum monitor¬
ing. Alsomakesure that the MONITOR switch is set
to MONMIX + LINE, and INPUT Bis set to MONMIX.
Listen to your newly recorded track carefully. If
there is too much hiss or noise, the recording level
might have been too low. If there is too much
distortion, the recording level might have been too
high. Record the track again, readjusting thesettings
as necessary to get the sound you want.
FOUR-TRACK SIMULTANEOUS RECORDING:
The direct recording method, used to record the rhythm
machine in the above example, can also be used to
record four instruments at the same time to different
tracks. To do this: simply follow the above steps,
setting up tracks 2,3 and 4 for recording just as you did
for track 1. If, for example, you are recording a four-
piece band, record each of the musicians on a separate
track, and set the levels appropriately before record¬
ing. Once you have recorded the performance, follow
the instructions for mixdown in the section Mixdown
and Effects Processing — Adding Reverb, page 19.
16

Buss-----
The term “buss” refers to a signal path in the mixing
network of the X-28. The stereo buss {left and right)
is the main signal path of the X-28; the PAN controls
are used to direct the signals on this path. The
overall level of the mixed signals sent on the stereo
buss to the LINE OUT jacks is determined by the
MASTER fader.
Other busses on the X-28 include the AUX buss,
which sends the mixed signals to the AUX SEND
jack and receives a stereo input via the AUX RE¬
TURN jacks, and the monitor buss, which carries the
input and/ortape signals to the MONITOR OUT and
PHONES jacks.
— Recording Bass to Track 2 and Keyboard to Track 3
Overdubbing
Overdubbing, as mentioned in the introduction to mul¬
titrack recording at the beginning ot this manual, is the
process of recording one part (track) while listening to
a previously recorded part in perfect synchronization.
In this example, we ll first overdub an electric bass on
track 2. Once that is accomplished, we’ll overdub a
backing keyboard part to track 3.
1. Plug the instrument into INPUT 2.
2. Set the MONITOR switch to MONMIX + LINE, and
the INPUT B switch to MONMIX.
3. Select 2 with the REG SELECT switch for tape track
2. The flashing number 2 in the display indicates
that track 2 is now set up for recording. Also press
the REC button to enable input monitoring with
track 2's level meter.
4. Now, adjust the level of the signal as you did in
steps #5 and #6 in the previous section. The MAS¬
TER fader should be at its optimum level (around
7), as should the INPUT 2 fader. Also, adjust the
TRIM control for INPUT 2 to a suitable level.
5. To monitor the previously recorded track, make
sure that the settings you made in steps #7 and #9
in the previous section are still intact.
6. You'll probably want to practice the bass part before
you actually record it. To do this, press PLAY to play
back the original recording and play the bass part
as you listen to the mix of the two signals.
7. Now, record the new partby pressing the PLAY and
the REC button simultaneously.
17

8. To hear playback of the two tracks together, switch
the REC SELECT switch of track 2 back to the
center (off) position, then switch the INPUT SE¬
LECT button of INPUT B channel 6 to TRK 2 and
bring up fader 6 to a suitable level. Check the
recording by listening to it through monitor speak-
@ @ H ® @ ® @ © ■
ers. Use the faders on the corresponding INPUT B
channels (faders 5 and 6) to adjust the relative
balance of the two tracks.
9. Overdub the backing keyboard parts on track 3,
following the same procedure given above, using
INPUT 3 this time.
&
Press to select TRK 2.
Vocal and Guitar
Overdubbing the Final Track —
Now that you have recorded the basic parts of a
backing band (drums, bass and keyboards) to on the
first three tape tracks, you can use track 4 to record the
lead parts of the song — the vocals and a guitar solo.
1. In this example, since you will be recording two
parts at one time, you’ll need to use two input
channels. Connect the vocal microphone to INPUT
1 and the guitar to INPUT 2.
2. Since these inputs will be recorded on a single
track, you must use the stereo buss instead of the
direct recording function. To do this, set track 4’s
REC SELECT switch to R. Also make sure the PAN
controls of channels f and 2 are set all the way to
R. This directs both input signals to the right side of
the stereo buss and records them on track 4.
3. Make sure to use headphones for monitoring, to
avoid feedback when recording the vocal part, The
signal will be coming from the right side of your
headphones, so you may want to monitorthe signal
from the center ofthe stereo image. Todothis, refer
to the box, MONO MONITORING IN STEREO
RECORDING, below.
Note: The following instructions (step#4, in particular)
assume that you are using this technique of
monitoring the signal from the center. Even if
you don't, though, they will still be relevant to the
recording of your vocal and guitar parts.
4. Make sure that the MONITOR switch is set to AUX
+ LINE, and that the INPUT B switch is set to
REMIX. (Keep them at these settings throughout
this section.)
i- MONO MONITORING IN STEREO RECORDING:
When reoording signals over the stereo buss (set¬
ting REC SELECT switches to L or R), the PAN
controls for the relevant channels must be set to the
appropriate side of the stereo buss. This means, for
example, that if you are recording to the right side of
the stereo buss, you will hear the signals coming
from only the right side ofthe monitor. This is fine as
far as the recording is concerned, but it can be
irritating to listen to — especially if you are using a
set of headphones. You can eliminate this by send¬
ing the monitor signal over the AUX buss. The AUX
signal isamix that is sent in monotoboththe left and
right channels of the monitor.
To do this:
1. Set the MONITOR select switch to AUX (or AUX
+ LINE), and make sure the INPUT B switch is set
to REMIX.
2. Turn up the AUX SEND controls on the appropri¬
ate channels. (For INPUT B channels, they should
be set most or all the way clockwise to their TRK
settings.) Also make sure that the master AUX
SEND control 0 is set to a suitable level.
3. With the MON I TOR control at a suitable level, you
can now hear the recorded tracks from both the
left and right channels of your headphones or
speaker system, even though the signal is being
recorded over just one side of the stereo buss.
18

5. Press the REC button to enable input monitoring
with track 4’s level meter, and adjust the levels of
the signals. The MASTER fader should be at its
optimum level (around 7), as should the INPUT 1
and 2 faders. Also adjust the TRIM controls for the
inputs to suitable levels.
6. Monitor the previously recorded tracks. Make sure
that the INPUT SELECT switches of the three
recorded tracks are set to TRK. Set the faders for
the channels to suitable levels.
1 a 3 4 5 6 7 B
7. P ractice the vocal and guitar parts before record¬
ing, checking the level of the signals with the level
meters. Press the REC and PLAY buttons simulta¬
neously and record the track as usual.
Mixdown and Effects Processing — Adding Reverb
Mixdown is the process of playing several previously Note: This example assumes that you have a reverb
recordedtracks(uptotour,irthecaseoftheX-28)and unit, preferably one with stereo outputs, and a
mixing them into a composite signal (stereo, in this master recording deck (cassette, reel to reel, or
case). It involves adjusting the balance of the individual DAT).
tracks in terms of level (gain), stereo placement (pan),
and depth (reverb). The resulting signal—the finished
recording — is normally in stereo, and is copied to a
master recorder, usually a stereo cassette deck.
19