The internal digital mixers 36 channels are sufficient to enable mixing of the 24 replay tracks, the eight live inputs, the onboard MIDI tone generator, and the internal effects processor. Each mixer channel is equipped with phase reversal, pad, basic three-band EQ (high and low shelves, plus a fully parametric mid-band), three aux sends, and an insert point (to accommodate an in-line effect or dynamics processor). Ill describe the effects configurations in more depth later, but basically the processors can be set up in three ways: either as eight separate channel insert effects; as four channel inserts plus a multi-effect (intended for combination guitar effects); and as a single high-quality sendreturn loop effect. Currently, the 2488 is shipping with a 40GB hard drive which is claimed to be sufficient for over twenty full 24-track Songs. However, a very welcome feature is that the unit also incorporates a USB 2 port specifically to enable data back-up or audio-file importexport via a computer workstation either for archiving or for further production work. The CD-RW drive installed in the centre of the front panel below the faders is for archiving and for burning audio CDs. Powering the machine up takes about 25 seconds. During that process the software version is displayed in this case v1.00, build 0060 and at the time of writing there were no OS updates posted on Tascams web site, which bodes well. The 2488 has no cooling fan, and the internal hard drive is remarkably quiet, even when recording or playing back. This feature immediately gives the workstation a distinct advantage when compared to many of the earlier generation of comparable workstations and I had no problems at all recording in the same room with the 2488. The unit becomes barely warm after prolonged use, so no problems there either. I have to say that the internal signal path is not entirely intuitive, but there is a useful block diagram in the back of the handbook that helps. Essentially, the eight analogue inputs (and the internal MIDI tone generator source) are each connected directly to their own input channels, each with phase reverse, pad, effect insert, and EQ facilities. At this point the input signals can either be routed directly to the appropriate record tracks, or passed on to a submixer to be used as live inputs at mixdown. The latter route adds level and pan controls before contributing to the stereo submix buss. There are also facilities here for the three aux sends: the first routes to the internal stereo effects loop send bus, while the second and third route to the two external effects sends outputs, each with prepost switching. The twenty-four track-replay channels have similar facilities to those provided in the submixer. The main output can be sent to either the stereo output or submix busses, and the latter is used when bouncing down recorded tracks, should 24 not be enough. Although the main stereo output normally appears at the main rear-panel output connections (and the digital output), there is also a routing facility which enables any odd-even pair of tracks to be presented at these connectors instead, as a direct output. The eight analogue input channels and the tone generator are freely assignable to any of the 24 recording tracks by the simple process of holding the relevant input source button until it flashes, and then pressing the required channel selection button. A source can be routed to more than one track if required, and the function works equally well if you hold the mixer button and then select a source instead. For stereo signals, sources and tracks can be linked in odd-even pairs by holding down one button and pressing the adjacent one. Input signal routing can be interrogated by holding down either a source or mixer channel button, and observing which other buttons flash, or by calling up a Map display, a two-screen depiction of the entire routing status. There are also three pre-configured routing assignments, which can be overwritten if required and which can be recalled using the Quick Routing button. The first of the three modes is called Recording and simply assigns inputs one to eight directly to tracks one to eight, respectively. The other modes are Bounce, which picks up the submix buss and routes that to the appropriate record tracks; and Mixdown which routes the input channels to the main stereo output, via the submix buss, along with the replay tracks. The monitor section is fairly straightforward, with facilities to audition the main stereo output, the internal submix buss (useful when bouncing tracks), and the effects sends (both to the internal send effect and to the two external sends). A fifth option is to deselect all the monitoring sources, muting the monitoring completely which would appear to make the dedicated Mute button redundant In fact, though, the Mute button serves to kill the rear-panel output (normally used to feed loudspeakers) while leaving the headphone output functioning normally. The idea of the Record Source Monitor button, which lets you monitor the input source channels rather than the track replay channels, is that you may want to record dry, but introduce reverb or some other effect on the track replay channels (to help the vocalist with tuning, for example). By switching to the Record Source Monitor mode, you can still check the quality of the input signal, free from any distracting effects. If any channel is soloed, it automatically breaks into the monitoring chain as you would expect. This is a true solo in place mode, allowing the panning and fader levels to be assessed.