Topic: TASCAM DR-2d - announced at NAMM

[Gutbucket]

Way better than the omnis in the original R-09.

I've only recorded my own guitar twanging and yodeling around the house with the externals and it does a pretty good job gaff taped onto the face of an acoustic.  No idea about using them for typical taping, but get the recorder in a good enough spot and point it in the right direction and they might do pretty well.

[tay666]

Will let you know later. I had to use the internals tonight.
Got busted on a stealth taping. (saw my mic cable)
Promised to not tape anymore, and they let me keep my stuff.
To play it safe, I stowed the mics away and just used the DR-2D's internals while in my jacket breast-pocket.

When I get a chance to check the sound, I'll post back.

[tay666]

Better than the cheap mics I was using.
With the results I got, I'm glad security busted me.

Her is a sample of Avenged Sevenfold that I got last night.
http://www.tylisaari.com/misc/boots/sample/A7X11sample-amp.mp3

As I said, this was in my jean-jacket breast-pocket, Hence the reason it is somewhat muffled.
All I did was boost the volume, as I had my levels set way too low.
(looks like I had it down around 50)

It actually sounds better, than it did to my ears at the show.
During the show, I had trouble picking the lyrics out of the music, due to the mix.
The guitars were really up front in the mix.

I do note that the internal mics don't capture bass very well though.
The sound was actually very bass heavy at the show.

[Gutbucket]

You had the low cut set to off?

[tay666]

Yeah. Low cut was off.
Gain set to low.

Had the same thing happen tonight. Good sound, but not much bass.
And this time I had it so flap on the jacket pocket was fixed so it wasn't covering the recorder.

So I think the internals just don't reproduce base very well.

[Zorrro]

Hi there!

I´d like to ask about the dual mode with 2 sets of mics.

I already have the tascam but I´d like to start using ext mikes to record my and my friends classical solo and chamber music gigs. The question is about preamps I think(?) Is it possible to use two preamps with this machine? For example preamps like Dav bg1, and Grace lunatec?

 I´m pretty bad at all kinds of specs so all the talking about balanced/unbalanced, professional level signal, dbFS, +6dbV, using attenuation cables etc. are a bit unclear to me  . I wonder if shutting PIP makes the mic in work like another line in connection? . All recommendations are welcome! 

Thank you!

[Will_S]

Even with PIP off, the mic in is still more sensitive than the line in.

That said, if you don't add too much gain with your external preamps, you should probably be fine as it doesn't sound like you'll be recording anything ear-bleedingly loud.

My suggestion:  Set the mic-in input to 70 (and line in to 100).  Then get the levels you want by adjusting your preamp.

If even at the preamp's settings your levels are too high, you can take the Tascam's mic input as low as 67.  If levels are still too high, you need to somehow attenuate the signal coming out of your preamp.

[Teen Age Riot]

If levels are still too high, you need to somehow attenuate the signal coming out of your preamp.

One way of doing this: http://www.thomann.de/gb/maudio_microtrack_10db_pad.htm
I've used this a few times now for very loud shows when the line-in was used to patch from the board. It works just fine.

[Zorrro]

Thanks for the replies!

I mainly will record strings alone or with piano and even with some woodwinds sometimes. Even it´s not loud compared to amplified shows, it´s maybe a good idea to buy a pad. Big grand pianos can be quite a loud if spot miked, I think.

By the way: How would you rate the quality of DR-2ds mic in? Do you think it could be a solution to use phantom supply like this http://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_pp2b.htm or here popular Denecke PS-2 instead of another external preamp? Or would it suit better for amplified music?

[Gutbucket]

You probably won't need a pad at the reasonable mic to instrument distances you will probably want to use for what you are recording, but dependng on the sensitivity of the microphones, you may not add much gain if any on your external preamps.  You'll need to use adapter cables though to connect the balanced XLR outputs of the preamps or phantom power supply to the unbalanced 3.5mm TRS stereo input jacks of the DR2d.

If your mics are quite sensitive, just the phantom supply can work.  But the preamps you mention are regarded as good quality and can be set to add no additional gain, so if you have them, use them.  Eitherway, follow the input level advice of Will_S above and also remember to set the mic input sensitivity to low in the recorder's menu.  With only a phantom power supply, you can add mic-input gain on the recorder above the "do not go below level" of 67 if necessary without a problem.  You can't add gain above 100 on the line-input though, and you shouldn't try to attenuate a hot line-input with settings any less than 95.

[F.O.Bean]

So, a few questions:

1. How do you put on new Firmware?

2. What do you set the INPUT at? MIC or LINE

3. Do you do a "quick" or "full" format on the SDHC Cards

I tried the full format and after 25 mins I just turned it off and took out batteries and put it back in and did a quick format.

I think thats it for now

[F.O.Bean]

WOWZA, thats 1.5 hours I'll never get back Happy folks I read all 19 pages Just have those 2 main questions answered

TIA,
Bean

[drivingwheel]

32 Gb cards don't work in the Dr-2d, btw

[Will_S]

32 Gb cards don't work in the Dr-2d, btw

How do you figure?  The manual says it will take SDHC cards up to 32 GB, and several are listed on the tested media list:
http://tascam.com/content/downloads/products/42/dr-2d_media_list_en_r4_20110615.pdf

[Gutbucket]

32 Gb cards don't work in the Dr-2d, btw

Several class 4 & 6 Kingston & class 10 Transcend 32GB SDHC cards work fine for me.