Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

I have a CD player connected to the AUX/IN in front and cassette deck
connected to the two outputs on the back side (I think they are 1/4"
jack outputs) inorder the record what I'm playing.

My problem is this:

When I'm playing the volume level is very well mixed and balanced.  (I
have plenty of volume to hear the music and the DTXpress kit).
However, when I play back the recorded tape, the drum sounds are
almost all I can hear....I can barely hear the aux/in music on the
recorded tape.

Is there a setting somewhere I can change for this or does this call
for a mixer to be attached to better balance the output sound?

(The tape deck is nothing special....just some old Teac analog deck)

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "rjbb2" <rjbb2@y...> wrote:
> 
> I have a CD player connected to the AUX/IN in front and cassette 
deck
> connected to the two outputs on the back side (I think they are 1/4"
> jack outputs) inorder the record what I'm playing.
> 
> My problem is this:
> 
> When I'm playing the volume level is very well mixed and balanced.  
(I
> have plenty of volume to hear the music and the DTXpress kit).
> However, when I play back the recorded tape, the drum sounds are
> almost all I can hear....I can barely hear the aux/in music on the
> recorded tape.
> 
> Is there a setting somewhere I can change for this or does this call
> for a mixer to be attached to better balance the output sound?
> 
> (The tape deck is nothing special....just some old Teac analog deck)

I assume that you're listening through headphones. Does the tape deck 
have two VU meters? Are the levels roughly similar when recording? 
Disconnect the tape deck and connect your headphones to the output. 
If the mix is okay, chances are that something about the tape deck is 
faulty, though it's hard to imagine what at this point. If the heads 
were uniformly worn, the drums would be diminished, too. The same 
could be said about the effects of any Dolby NR (B or C) applied to 
the signal; you could remove Dolby and check it. 

You've most likely fiddled with the module's front volume knobs for 
aux and power. If you mix the drums way down through headphones, can 
you create better levels at output? Is there a panning knob on the 
tape deck turned too far in one direction and attenuating some of the 
signal? You must be using an adaptor for the 1/4" jacks of the 
module's outputs and the RCA plugs of the tape deck. Is it 
functioning? Are all of your cables working? I could be overlooking 
something, but maybe something will click. I do think that a separate 
mixer is ultimately a more versatile option, but we should solve this 
one, at least to some extent. Only something amiss somewhere would 
cause your problem.

Ed

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I never thought to connect the
headphones to the back output jacks and check to see what I'm getting
there.....but that would rule (in or out) the unit or the deck as the
case may be?

I've monkey a lot with the the AUXIN volume and have had some
success....but if I succeed in getting a good mix on the tape, I can
not hear myself playing when doing the acutual recording through the
DTXpress unit.  

I really think my problem is probably related more to the old crappy
tape deck I'm using?  (If the deck had a heaphone jack and way to
monitor the recording, I could probably solve my problem that way,
using the deck's headphone jack)...but it dosen't.  I may look around
for a better tape deck.

It does have two meters, but no way to adjust the pan between R/L:
only a single input volume.

And yes I 'am listenig throught the headphones (FROM the DTXpress
unit...not the tape deck).

And yes I am using rca --> 1/4 patch cables to connect to the DTX.

Thanks again for your suggestions...more comments below inline...

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "emf" <liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "rjbb2" <rjbb2@y...> wrote:
> > 
> > I have a CD player connected to the AUX/IN in front and cassette 
> deck
> > connected to the two outputs on the back side (I think they are
1/4"
> > jack outputs) inorder the record what I'm playing.
> > 
> > My problem is this:
> > 
> > When I'm playing the volume level is very well mixed and
balanced.  
> (I
> > have plenty of volume to hear the music and the DTXpress kit).
> > However, when I play back the recorded tape, the drum sounds are
> > almost all I can hear....I can barely hear the aux/in music on the
> > recorded tape.
> > 
> > Is there a setting somewhere I can change for this or does this
call
> > for a mixer to be attached to better balance the output sound?
> > 
> > (The tape deck is nothing special....just some old Teac analog
deck)
> 
> I assume that you're listening through headphones. Does the tape
deck 
> have two VU meters? Are the levels roughly similar when recording? 
> Disconnect the tape deck and connect your headphones to the output. 

I will try this first...to see what I'm getting

> If the mix is okay, chances are that something about the tape deck
is 
> faulty, though it's hard to imagine what at this point. If the
heads 
> were uniformly worn, the drums would be diminished, too. The same 
> could be said about the effects of any Dolby NR (B or C) applied to 
> the signal; you could remove Dolby and check it. 

Not using dolby at all
> 
> You've most likely fiddled with the module's front volume knobs for 
> aux and power. If you mix the drums way down through headphones,
can 
> you create better levels at output? Is there a panning knob on the 

Yes the tape sounds OK then, but I cannot hear the kit when playing as
I have to crank up the AUXIN volume to compensate for the bad mix


> tape deck turned too far in one direction and attenuating some of
the 
> signal? You must be using an adaptor for the 1/4" jacks of the 
> module's outputs and the RCA plugs of the tape deck. Is it 
> functioning? Are all of your cables working? I could be overlooking 

I think they are.....I would think I would not be getting anything at
all on the tape if the cables were not connected properly

> something, but maybe something will click. I do think that a
separate 
> mixer is ultimately a more versatile option, but we should solve
this 
> one, at least to some extent. Only something amiss somewhere would 
> cause your problem.

I think trying to borrow a another deck would help me trouble shot
this better...
> 
> Ed

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "rjbb2" <rjbb2@y...> wrote:
 
> I really think my problem is probably related more to the old crappy
> tape deck I'm using?  (If the deck had a heaphone jack and way to
> monitor the recording, I could probably solve my problem that way,
> using the deck's headphone jack)...but it dosen't.  I may look 
around
> for a better tape deck.

Well, I think that the tape deck is the safe bet for your problem. 
Damn. Where were you when I really could have helped? I had an old 
Nakamichi deck that I couldn't give away a few months ago, despite 
the fact that it was in perfect working order. Big help now. To my 
mind,a good mix from the output through the headphones would pretty 
much clinch it, unless I'm missing something. 

Ed

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "emf" <liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "rjbb2" <rjbb2@y...> wrote:
>  
> > I really think my problem is probably related more to the old
crappy
> > tape deck I'm using?  (If the deck had a heaphone jack and way to

> Damn. Where were you when I really could have helped? I had an old 
> Nakamichi deck that I couldn't give away a few months ago, despite 

Well I'm sorry I missed that too...but appreciate the thought.....and
while we are on the subject, may I ask what you use to record with
from your DTXpress?

I do have the Yamaha MIDI cable (and have been able to save my kits
and load a few from here) and suppose I could record to a laptop, but
I KNOW ZIPPO about midi and I'm more interested in playing than
fooling around with computer settings and software.

Unless of course you could recomend software for "MIDI idiots" like
myself that would make it easy to record to my 'puter?  This might be
the way for me to go???  Most of the sample/demo midi stuff I've
looked at is WAY more than I need for simple recordings.  In fact most
of it is overwhelming to me....and I would much rather be playing that
reading a software manual.

In the meantime, I'm finding the selection of cassette decks somewhat
limited...

Thanks for your help

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "rjbb2" <rjbb2@y...> wrote:
> while we are on the subject, may I ask what you use to record with
> from your DTXpress?
> 
> I do have the Yamaha MIDI cable (and have been able to save my kits
> and load a few from here) and suppose I could record to a laptop, 
but
> I KNOW ZIPPO about midi and I'm more interested in playing than
> fooling around with computer settings and software.
> 
> Unless of course you could recomend software for "MIDI idiots" like
> myself that would make it easy to record to my 'puter?  This might 
be
> the way for me to go???  Most of the sample/demo midi stuff I've
> looked at is WAY more than I need for simple recordings.  In fact 
most
> of it is overwhelming to me....and I would much rather be playing 
that
> reading a software manual.
> 
> In the meantime, I'm finding the selection of cassette decks 
somewhat
> limited...

Personally, I have Cakewalk as my PC sequencer, though I haven't used 
it in a long time. It, and Steinberg's Cubase, are very popular with 
the MIDI drumming crowd, but there are many other entries. The 
problem is that they can be labor-intensive and costly. A few vendors 
offer inexpensive sequencers for bread and butter work (even 
freeware, I think), and isn't Garage Band a popular alternative to 
the big boys?  I recall someone testifying to its merits on the board 
not long ago. 

Remaining completely in the hardware camp is certainly viable if you 
want to avoid MIDI (and there's nothing wrong with that if it doesn't 
offer anything that you need). I'm a big advocate of those four-track 
cassette tape decks, complete with elaborate mixing boards, that 
companies like Fostex and Tascam began manufacturing about 20 years 
ago (the one that Studiomaster made was especially good; they were 
rare then and even rarer now). Fostex and Tascam decks are often 
available on ebay for a fraction of their former worth (well under 
$100), only because the digital age is upon us. You can record, mix, 
and twiddle knobs to your heart's content, and get valuable 
experience in mixing/ recording/bouncing tracks. You can even take 
the output from one and make a two-track master on your PC--if you 
have the right software, interface, and disk drive--or on a stand-
alone CD recorder, which you might also be able to find used for not 
much money. 

The new digital decks, which do what the analog ones do but more 
simply, often with a built-in or extra option to recorder straight to 
disk, are also possible alternatives. You'd have to spend more even 
at the entry level for a four-track used, and I personally find low-
end digital sound not worth the convenience. But that's a personal 
call. At any rate, they'll function like recording notebooks. I'd 
stay away from the two-track variety, despite the temptation of 
price, since the technical restrictions will wear on you almost 
immediately.

Ed