Topic: TASCAM DR-2d - announced at NAMM

[eric66]

I think if the recorder will get very hot (and it did when I got the error), especially on hot summer days and wearing it on your body or in your pants
there's a chance of card errors, try to avoid that and wear the recorder in a sleeve case on a belt or in a backpack.

FWIW, my DR-2d never gets hot, not even warm really. I've never had any problems running it in my pocket for 3+ hours. Maybe you're confusing cause and effect?

I haven't had any problems with my DR-2D until now and it didn't get hot but the card error I recognize from my DR-07 (exactly the same problem) and it happened
when the recorder got hot due to the air temperature.
Did you record shows at days over 30 degrees celcius and wearing the DR-2D in your pocket ? I think under those conditions
the DR-2D can get hot as well and give problems.

[Gutbucket]

This may be slightly off topic, but I have a pair of Core Sound Cardioid Stealthy Mics (with battery box) coming very soon and I am going to use it with the DR-2d.  I'll be recording fairly loud rock music.  Should I use MIC IN or LINE IN?  I will be using the battery box.  If I do use MIC IN, do I set POWER ON on the DR-2d?  Thanks for any and all information! :-)

Set the recorder's plug in power to off when using a battery box.  You can use either input, best choice depends on how much gain you need.

[yug du nord]

Without diggin deep in this thread, can anyone tell me if it's alright to run two external preamps or battery boxes at the same time with the DR-2D?  Can the "plug in power" be turned off.....   or is the 3v (or whatever) that would be feeding power to the mic input not an issue to be concerned about? 
I'd like to run two sets of mics > two external preamps > DR-2D.......   without damaging either preamp.  Is this possible?  I've been on the fence with this recorder for a while...............  and this is the "million dollar question" for me.  Thanks.

[darby]

Guy,
I don't see that as being any different than running a SBD/AUD MTX
you just have to set the MIC sensitivity to LOW and set the input to 67 or below... and of course turn the PIP OFF

[yug du nord]

So the PIP for the MIC input can be turned off? 
Thanks man!

I guess that I'd have some fear if I plugged a SBD > PIP (mic input).....  could that cause any damage to the SBD??  I know it's not P48, but it's still a little bit of juice.

[Gutbucket]

So the PIP for the MIC input can be turned off? 

Sure.  Same as on all small flash recorders I'm aware of.

[Patrick M.]

What a great and informative thread! I've learned a lot about this device, but like many old school tapers I am a bit lost with my new digital recorder and I am seeking some advice. I haven’t recorded a show in years, and the last time it was with a rockboxed IRiver H320 which went reasonably well. But I mainly recorded on DAT with the D8, D100 and M1 respectively. It was pretty simple, plug into the mic in, set the 20db limiter and hit record… but now I feel overwhelmed.

After a little research (and reading this thread), I opted for the DR-2D, which mainly appealed to me for its dual recording ability (on the very off chance I might get board access one day). I am also a journalist, so I know it can come in handy professionally as well. I have read most of the posts in this thread, but I am still confused on the set up for recording loud concers.

I plan on recording a test show tomorrow night, then a few next week… so I want to make sure I don’t mess it up. I have a pair of Sonic DSM-6S mics with a PA-6LC 85Hz Bass Roll-Off as well as HEB 6041s . I plan on using the Sonics tomorrow and the HEBs next week. I don’t see an option for setting the a 20db limiter on this thing, is that possible? Or is it even needed? What’s the ideal set up for either of these mics? Should I use line in or mic in (I used to use line in with the Sonics on my D100)? I have read that certain SD cards can be problematic, should I not use anything over 16gb? Also, how does it handle the 2gb file size limit?

Sorry for all the questions... It looks and feels like a great little device and I'm very happy with my purchase, I just don't want to mess things up!

[firmdragon]

I plan on recording a test show tomorrow night, then a few next week… so I want to make sure I don’t mess it up. I have a pair of Sonic DSM-6S mics with a PA-6LC 85Hz Bass Roll-Off as well as HEB 6041s . I plan on using the Sonics tomorrow and the HEBs next week. I don’t see an option for setting the a 20db limiter on this thing, is that possible? Or is it even needed? What’s the ideal set up for either of these mics? Should I use line in or mic in (I used to use line in with the Sonics on my D100)? I have read that certain SD cards can be problematic, should I not use anything over 16gb? Also, how does it handle the 2gb file size limit?

Sorry for all the questions... It looks and feels like a great little device and I'm very happy with my purchase, I just don't want to mess things up!

for the 4061s...

if you go line in you'll have low levels at max "gain".  mic in, i've only tried using low gain setting and got decent enough levels, was stealth so i don't really know if you could over load it.  look for a LMT function in your menu, it's like the safety clip in the irivers.

for the sonics...
i have a feeling you could probably use the PIP though have never tried it, though if no one else pipes in i'd ask len himself.

2gb limit
handles it well.  just creates 2 files.

in all cases, you could do a dual recording and it'll record 2 files at once with one being at a lower input level.  read up on it.

[sunjan]

I guess that I'd have some fear if I plugged a SBD > PIP (mic input).....  could that cause any damage to the SBD??  I know it's not P48, but it's still a little bit of juice.

I'd be more concerned about you totally overloading the recorder if you feed a SBD signal to the mic input! 

[Gutbucket]

look for a LMT function in your menu, it's like the safety clip in the irivers.

The limiter on the DR2d is a limiter, reducing gain momentarily once it's threshold is reached, then releasing and returning to the previous gain setting.  It is not like Iriver's saftey clip, which rachets down the gain setting when the treshold is reached without releasing. 

i have a feeling you could probably use the PIP though have never tried it, though if no one else pipes in i'd ask len himself.

Batterybox or preamp is required to power Core HEB mics (which are DPA 4060/4061), PIP is not sufficeint.  I'm not sure about the Sonic Studios mics (ask Guy).

[Patrick M.]

So for the Sonics, I should use the battery pack into the mic in? I need to mess around with it more and figure out how to set the limiter.

[Gutbucket]

Go: microphones > batterybox specific to those mics > DR2d's mic input (low gain setting, PIP off, input gain adjusted as necessary for good recording levels)

You have small, battery powered supplies which are specifically designed to power the mics properly with the correct voltage and current.  Use them for best results.

Limiter is non adjustable, simply on or off via the rec input menu.  Not sure what the threshold setting is, that might be indicated in the manual but I doubt it.  You can also turn it on/off independently for the lower level dual recorded stereo file as long as that is recording from the same input (ie: not mixing inputs or recording two seperate stereo files).

[firmdragon]

look for a LMT function in your menu, it's like the safety clip in the irivers.

The limiter on the DR2d is a limiter, reducing gain momentarily once it's threshold is reached, then releasing and returning to the previous gain setting.  It is not like Iriver's saftey clip, which rachets down the gain setting when the treshold is reached without releasing. 

oh my bad.  that's rather disappointing.

[Patrick M.]

Go: microphones > batterybox specific to those mics > DR2d's mic input (low gain setting, PIP off, input gain adjusted as necessary for good recording levels)

Thanks for tips, my first trial run with the DR-2D went very well with the Sonics, I was almost nervous that it was a little too easy! I actually had to set the gain to mid since it wasn't a terribly loud show and I was in the balcony, but I tried out the dual record feature just in case (it wasn't necessary). I wasn't sure about the other setting though...  I set the level control to off, do most people do it that way? I assume that it's just a means of auto limiting that the dual recording feature may make redundant. I'm not sure what the difference is between auto and limit in the options either.

So now I'll be switching to the HEB's... I should still use mic in? I had the low cut feature turned off for the Sonics since my battery pack had a roll off, but I don't have one for the HEB's (it's flat response). Should I use the low cut setting on the DR-2D? Perhaps at 80hz? I'll be recording loud rock.

Also, on the recording setting, how much time does the pre record setting give you and what does the delay feature do?

[Gutbucket]

Auto level control rides the gain up and down during the recording and is typically useful for dictation more than music recording.   The limiter momentarily reduces gain near clipping without changing the gain setting.

If you get a strong enough signal using the line input then do that, if you need more gain, use the mic input.

Bass rolloff is a personal choice. Some use it all the time, others never do. Play around with it to figure out the details, same with the other functions.