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Author Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4  (Read 100941 times)

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Offline Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #15 on: August 13, 2011, 04:28:54 PM »
Mike, it's a WAV file that's zipped with WinZip.
I can upload in a different format if you can't open it.

Got it to work. That site apparently doesn't like Chrome. Works fine with Firefox.

That is some crazy shit Chuck! I wonder what caused it.

I'm not going to be happy if that happens to me for Cracker and CVB tonight.
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kirk97132

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #16 on: August 13, 2011, 05:00:02 PM »
thats fucked.   I *was* going to buy one of these.

I wouldn't let this be the reason to stop you.  I have had two decks with no issues at all

Offline Chuck

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #17 on: August 13, 2011, 05:24:16 PM »
thats fucked.   I *was* going to buy one of these.

I wouldn't let this be the reason to stop you.  I have had two decks with no issues at all

Strangely, I agree. I still think it's a great recorder.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

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Offline dlh

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2011, 11:50:02 AM »
For anyone that is interested, here is a link to a recording that exhibits the cyclical volume swings on my DR-680:

CyclicalProblem.zip

http://www.filesavr.com/xzhoOJOW


I agree with your earlier guess, that it sounds like a phantom power thing.
I've run my DR-680 with 6 channels of phantom power without issue.  I'm powering with a homemade 16AA-12v supply.
Have you had any feedback from Tascam?  I'd like to get to the bottom of this one too.
Hope this gets resolved for you.
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Offline MattH

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2011, 12:22:40 PM »
Does anyone know definitively whether two DR-680's can be linked to the same clock via the digital out of the first recorder? I know the start/stop controls can be linked but the clock is what's important to me.
Anyone???
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Offline Gutbucket

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2011, 12:36:43 PM »
Sure, as long as you only need 6 additional unique channels on the second deck.  I frequently lock my 680 to the digital out of an R44 and simply don't record the digital input on the DR0680 (if I want to lock clocks only), or if I have card space to spare, I do record that stereo digital input and use it to easily align the 680 tracks with the R44 tracks in the DAW, since it is a digital copy of whatever I send out of the R44's digital out.
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Offline Chuck

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #21 on: August 30, 2011, 03:03:50 PM »
What are you guys using to power your DR-680?

After talking to Tascam, I think the 9v DVD battery might be the problem with mine. Especially when it's really hot and I'm recording outside. Both of my issues occurred when it was really hot out. Like 95 degrees and above. That's the only thing I can think of...

I may go back to SLA, unless I can find a small/cheap NiMH 12v DC source.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

Microphones: AKG C 480 B comb-ULS/ CK 61/ CK 63, Sennheiser MKE 2 elements,  Audix M1290-o, Micro capsule active cables w/ Naiant PFA's, Naiant MSH-1O, Naiant AKG Active cables, Church CA-11 (cardioid), (1) Nady SCM-1000 (mod)
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Offline hi and lo

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #22 on: August 30, 2011, 03:47:23 PM »
What are you guys using to power your DR-680?

After talking to Tascam, I think the 9v DVD battery might be the problem with mine. Especially when it's really hot and I'm recording outside. Both of my issues occurred when it was really hot out. Like 95 degrees and above. That's the only thing I can think of...

I may go back to SLA, unless I can find a small/cheap NiMH 12v DC source.

A 9v DVD battery is the only thing I feel safe powering the 680 with. I'm pretty much convinced use of a Tekkeon, particularly if using the auto-detect voltage feature, will corrupt the rom / fry the mobo. We successfully powered the 680 using the 10v Tekkeon setting, but even then I think it's been acting funny since. Still working, but had a really weird glitch the other night on channels 5-6.

The 680 runs pretty hot in a bag when we used with a 9v dvd battery for several hours. If it's 95+ outside, I wouldn't be surprised if issues crop up.

Offline Fried Chicken Boy

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #23 on: August 30, 2011, 04:03:32 PM »
We successfully powered the 680 using the 10v Tekkeon setting, but even then I think it's been acting funny since. Still working, but had a really weird glitch the other night on channels 5-6.

So you might have to send it back for DR-680 number four?  I hope this glitch is/was only temporary.

Offline hi and lo

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #24 on: August 30, 2011, 04:20:58 PM »
I'm hopeful it was [temporary]. The first issue I noticed was that the unit completely froze when trying to play back the files that were recorded while powered by the Tekkeon at 10v. I had to pull one of the AA batteries to get it to power off, however it operated normally once I powered it back on. Probably a random occurrence.

The second issue I noticed was that the unit absolutely would not accept an analog patch out of Charlie Millers 744t last Friday. No matter what channels I tried (5&6 or 1&2) I got no signal. I guess I should step back and say this isn't so much an issue related to channels 5&6, but rather a general problem not accepting the signal. Dan's R44 accepted the patch no problem, so I'm hopeful it was just a grounding or balancing issue. 5&6 worked just fine when I used my mics+preamp.

Still... after having deck #3 perform flawlessly since mid-June, these two issues do make me a bit nervous.

kirk97132

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #25 on: August 30, 2011, 06:15:41 PM »
As for the patch.....did you try changing the inputs on th top of the deck?  I know that they say "line" & "Mic" but in reality they are just sensitivity settings.  I have taken an analog feed from things before and even with the switch set to line and the gain at full there was no signal showing.  Throw the switch on the top and POOF levels, sometimes I need to throw the High sensitivity mic switch if it is a real soft incoming signal.   The 744 can adjust output levels via the menu and since people patch out of CM at times maybe he has it set low in order to not overload lower end recorders inputs(just a guess on my part but would make sense)

The deck locking up until the batteries are removed seems to be, in my experience, something that newer dual power deck will do at times.  I've had a Tascam HD-P2, an Edirol R-44, and the DR-680 all do it to me.  My guess is some internal switching chip just gets stuck with the two voltages on it, or in the case of the HD-P2 it was a low voltage situation and would not shut off. 
« Last Edit: August 30, 2011, 08:28:59 PM by kirkd »

Offline hi and lo

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #26 on: August 30, 2011, 06:51:57 PM »
Great advice kirk. I didn't think to flip the mic/line switch, but wasn't seeing any levels on the line setting with the gain cranked to 30ish. Most likely our troubles were user error... too many beers to think clearly and not enough time to troubleshoot.

Offline moodymarco

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #27 on: September 02, 2011, 06:46:08 PM »
Hello everybody,

I'm really new here, that's my first post on this forum. Thanks to all the contributors of this topic about the DR-680 I've already learnt a lot of useful things.
I just bought this recorder a few days ago. I was thinking about using a JoeMeek TwinQ with it connected to the digital input, as the TwinQ's got an SPDIF output ... but unfortunately I can't get the two them to work together and I end up with the "DIN unlock" message with every attempts I made.

I tried every frequencies available in 44,1, 48 and 96 Khz (set accordingly and manualy on both the TWINQ and the DR-680), with two different configurations of the DR-680 preferences for each frequency.
One with I/O>INPUT set to "analog", the other set to "Din". In the "REC" sub menu, the "ST REC" inputs were always set to "DIN".
I repeated the same tests, turning on and off the DR-680 in between every attempts (It may sound rather esoteric but I was following some suggestions found on gearslutz), but none of this has been successful.

Does any one of you have any experience trying to connect these two together ?

Not so long ago, I emailed both Tascam and Joe Meek to ask for some help. If I hear any useful thing from them, I'll post the replies in case it can help others.

In the meantime, I've been trying to read as much as I could of this -huge- topic, but was unable to find a comprehensive list of the preamps which are known to work well with the DR-680.
So far, and still while reading this same topic, I found that the:

- Boss UA-5 (modded)
- M-AUdio Duo
- Sound Devices USBpre 2
- and also the Metric Halo Mobile ULN-2 (if connected to the digital input and output)

seemed to do a good job with the Tascam recorder.
Would there be other preamps you could add to this list ?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give !
Best,

MM

kirk97132

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #28 on: September 03, 2011, 08:29:18 AM »
I used a twinQ for a couple of months with a 680 and had no issues. So it has been too long to remember exactly how the meek works but verify that you have selected the output you want IE: SPDIF (or AES can't remember if the twinQ has aes out).  I had used a coaz rca output on the twin Q and never had a lock issue.  Check you cable maybe try another to be sure?  BUt I can assure you that the Joe Meek will work as digital source for the 680. 

Most preamps do work with the 680 the one that does not is the Audient mico via spdif....I think the aes output from the mico will work but I'm not positive.  I assume that you mean an edirol(roland) UA-5 not a Boss?  There is also a lunatec V3 and since you are already using an ac only powered unit(twinq) the Lucid 2496 will work but is only an analog > digital converter you'll still need preamp.   I  there is a thread in the preamp section that covers spdif output preamps:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=142263.0;all
« Last Edit: September 03, 2011, 08:31:24 AM by kirkd »

Offline moodymarco

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #4
« Reply #29 on: September 05, 2011, 05:13:57 AM »
Thanks very much KirkD !

You're right, I start to think it may come from my faulty - and unique :( - coax cable. I'm gonna buy a new one this week and carry on new tests.
It's already very nice and very reassuring to know that both TwinQ and DR680 worked well together in your case !

Thanks again !

Best,
MM

 

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