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Author Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)  (Read 24401 times)

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Offline rocksuitcase

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #45 on: February 03, 2016, 01:00:30 PM »
Thanks to both danny3 and Gutbucket. One more if you can bear it:  I found if all the channels are on S you can't hear anything out of the headphones. I grok that, you can't SOLO all channels at once. he question is: is there any practicality to using the Solo buttons for basic live 2 or 4 channel recording- and 2] Does the lock/mix button on the front affect channel selection? 

thanks guys    8)
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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #46 on: February 03, 2016, 01:18:27 PM »
I almost never use the solo buttons.  But then I very rarely monitor while recording.  However I do a lot of playback from the machine and in that case when I want to hear a particular channel (or group of them) in isolation I just adjust the monitor level controls so only the output from that channel (or group) is active, sometimes quickly ganging channels to turn down their levels as a group.  I do that partly because I frequently want to monitor two channels in stereo isolated from the others.  The solo button monos the selected channel to both the left and right outputs, so its not as useful to me.

Keep in mind a few things about monitoring, either live or on playback-
Monitor level adjustment is separate from and comes after record trim level (a rec trim level change affects monitor level, but not vice-a-versa)
Monitor levels have three points of adjustment- channel level, the stereo bus level, and the headphone amp level (effective in that order).  If the stereo bus is turned down you won't hear anything, even if the individual channel level and headphone amp are cranked.
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Offline admkrk

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #47 on: February 03, 2016, 07:35:23 PM »
Thanks, that is pretty much what I was thinking. I am just wanting to try out a Blumlein setup with a set of MXL R144s and the Fetheads cost more than the mics, making it a deal breaker.

Question on using ribbon mics with this unit. Will the high gain be sufficient, or I need to use something like this: http://tritonaudio.com/index.php?Itemid=33

I can't speak to ribbon mics specifically, but I've recorded unamplified sources using dynamic mics without issue using the high gain setting. I wouldn't expect any issues with ribbon mics.
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Offline lukpac

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #48 on: February 03, 2016, 10:52:35 PM »
I original ran into problems with noise with SM57s and SM58s when I had gain set to low, but with it set to high they work well. Again, not ribbons, but definitely lower output than condensers.

Offline danny3

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #49 on: April 23, 2016, 10:23:00 AM »
Posting here seeking any advice you all might give.

I’m a bit dumb at times; I have experienced issues running line-in on my past four weekends out, but other than testing and confirming that the cables used were ok, I neglected doing a fuller diagnostic until today.
It seems that channels 3, 4, & 5 are not getting a signal when running line-in, although they function properly when using mic-in. I have a second unit which tests out fine using the same chain.
Channels 3 & 4 (on the deck in question) will receive a line signal if I set the channels to mic-in (phantom off); I can get channel 5 to show a signal if I set the mic input on high, and crank the gain, so apparently it has an additional issue.
I wasn’t clever enough at the time of panic during set-up to try switching to mic in. I can only assume the issues are internal to the deck.

I’m thinking I need to send it out for repair, but just in case there is something I may be missing or could try, I thought I’d ask here. It’s not too urgent as I have another unit in fine shape (both are mk1.)

Offline dallman

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #50 on: April 25, 2016, 11:22:48 AM »
Posting here seeking any advice you all might give.

I’m a bit dumb at times; I have experienced issues running line-in on my past four weekends out, but other than testing and confirming that the cables used were ok, I neglected doing a fuller diagnostic until today.
It seems that channels 3, 4, & 5 are not getting a signal when running line-in, although they function properly when using mic-in. I have a second unit which tests out fine using the same chain.
Channels 3 & 4 (on the deck in question) will receive a line signal if I set the channels to mic-in (phantom off); I can get channel 5 to show a signal if I set the mic input on high, and crank the gain, so apparently it has an additional issue.
I wasn’t clever enough at the time of panic during set-up to try switching to mic in. I can only assume the issues are internal to the deck.

I’m thinking I need to send it out for repair, but just in case there is something I may be missing or could try, I thought I’d ask here. It’s not too urgent as I have another unit in fine shape (both are mk1.)
It would be easier to speculate if you mentioned what was going into each channel. Mics? Pre's? Can you be specific about all the inputs and settings? Thanks!
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Offline danny3

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #51 on: April 26, 2016, 07:42:56 AM »
"It would be easier to speculate if you mentioned what was going into each channel. Mics? Pre's? Can you be specific about all the inputs and settings? Thanks!"

Thank you for your interest.
My basic m.o. is 2 aud mics, 2 stage mics, all with phantom power, mic-in, low, channels 1-4. And soundboard line-in channels 5&6.
I had issues with my board feeds for the past several shows, but as I said above, only thought to check the cables at home.

Here's the details from my last outing:

Channels 1-6 six were armed. I had stage mics going into 1&2; mic-in, low gain, phantom on.
At the last show I had my audience mics (ca14 > ca9200 > 1/8” x dual xlr) going line-in to channels 3&4, set to line in on top of the deck.
I had a stereo soundboard feed (dual rca x xlr adapters) line-in channels 5&6. I was only showing a signal on channel 6, (since it was a mono board feed, I was able to come away with a satisfactory recording when I mixed this with my stage mics – mic-in channels 1&2.

I recreated the entire chain on a second 680 at home and everything was fine; I feel I have narrowed the issue down to the original deck.
To be specific to what I did at home: I tested mic-in on both units with condensor mics on all six channels; no issues. The above results as far as line-in were from inputing music (DR-2d line out > 1/8" x xlr > 680).

Offline LIVEMUSIC752

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #52 on: August 03, 2016, 04:31:41 AM »
i am a newbie and got a DR-680 2 weeks ago and can't understand how to record with coaxial digital.
got DIN lock then nothing seemed to show up.
what i am doing wrong. how to do you record with DIN.
thanks in advance

Offline lukpac

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #53 on: August 03, 2016, 08:09:27 AM »
i am a newbie and got a DR-680 2 weeks ago and can't understand how to record with coaxial digital.
got DIN lock then nothing seemed to show up.
what i am doing wrong. how to do you record with DIN.
thanks in advance

Assuming you want to record to the stereo track, ST REC must be set to DIN instead of MIX. You also have to make sure the stereo track is armed.

Offline asobriquet

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #54 on: January 04, 2018, 02:51:27 AM »
So, I’m recording some jam sessions with a cascaded pair of DR680’s. In pursuit of yet more channels, I’m wondering if two slave units could successfully be connected to the master unit via a split coaxial signal? I’ve seen such splitters for sale and they are fairly inexpensive, unlike purchasing a third DR680 that may or may not even be connectable in this way.
Anyone have experience with cascading 3 units?
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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #55 on: January 04, 2018, 10:44:47 AM »
I've not done that, but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.
musical volition > vibrations > voltages > numeric values > voltages > vibrations> virtual teleportation time-machine experience
Better recording made easy - >>Improved PAS table<< | Made excellent- >>click here to download the Oddball Microphone Technique illustrated PDF booklet<< (note: This is a 1st draft, now several years old and in need of revision!  Stay tuned)

Offline asobriquet

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #56 on: January 04, 2018, 12:08:58 PM »
Thanks. That’s what I think, too. I might just buy the splitter and test that it successfully passes signal through both sides and then work on getting a bargain DR680.
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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #57 on: January 04, 2018, 04:39:11 PM »
I've never thought about doing that, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Chaining 3 machines in a row should also work, you just won't get automatic control on the 3rd machine. Not really a huge deal IMO, as if you want precisely aligned tracks you have to do that in post anyway.

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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #58 on: January 05, 2018, 03:21:37 PM »
That's a good point, Lukpac.  I can always just chain them and align in post. So long as I run the same SD cards and have them on identical recording settings it should be close enough.

Thanks
Mics: SP LSD2, AKG CK-61,62 & 63, Naiant AKG active couplings x4 (TB cable/PFA), DPA 4061, Avantone CK1 (card, hyper and omni caps), Sony ECM717
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Re: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #7 (mk1 'silver handles' version)
« Reply #59 on: January 05, 2018, 04:11:35 PM »
Sequentially chained (master>slave>3rd-machine), both machines following the master deck should lock to the same clock signal.  As lukpac mentions, that arrangement will only pass transport control signals to the the second deck and not the last one in the chain.  Meaning you'll need to press record / stop on both the master machine and the last deck.  Afterwards you should only need to time-align the start point of the resulting files from all three recorders (file-start-sync).  Expect a larger start-time differential between the last deck the other two in doing that, but as long as the three machines remain linked via SPDIF during recording ([DIN LOCK] with neither of the slave decks showing a [DIN UNLOCK] message), you shouldn't need to worry about having to stretch or shrink the duration of any of the files over the entire length of the recording to match their run-time-sync. 
musical volition > vibrations > voltages > numeric values > voltages > vibrations> virtual teleportation time-machine experience
Better recording made easy - >>Improved PAS table<< | Made excellent- >>click here to download the Oddball Microphone Technique illustrated PDF booklet<< (note: This is a 1st draft, now several years old and in need of revision!  Stay tuned)

 

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