Topic: Tascam DR-60D - 4 Channel recorder

[adrianf74]

I highly recommend doing some recordings before getting a mod
I ran ck61 > tb > m10 and ck63 > dr60d and they sound very Similar to me
If bm can do a mod to sound better thats great but I don't feel it's needed. Keep in mind the 680 has different preamps hen the 60d too

The 680's preamp was "pretty quiet" as well.  Again, I think it's all perception.  I haven't had a chance to run my 60D yet (likely later this month or next) but I'm sure it's more than sufficient.

How do you stand it having your 60d sit in the box this long?

1) As stated in my signature (and mentioned in the open forum), I've got *a lot* of bigger things to deal with right now. 

2) I've played with another 60D before getting a new one from B&H with Plural Eyes. 

3) I haven't had my AKG Actives/PFA's in my possession for a while as Jon was doing so research into how to make them quieter for me so there's been no point in taking it out (and I've had no shows to record).  A lot of stuff is starting to ramp up and most of those shows where the 60D will see use are festival shows and are month's out.  For now, the M10 will likely see more use.

[fguidry]

But did the Fetheads bring any improvement to the DR-60?

I imagine that with certain recording situations, low level, and certain condenser microphones (Neumann or Schoeps) there might be. But I wonder.

I believe you'll find that using something like the FEThead eliminates phantom power downstream, so a conventional phantom powered condenser will not work with the FEThead.

http://tritonaudio.com/index.php?Itemid=33

Protects the microphone
Some ribbon microphones do not tolerate phantom power, FetHead's circuit uses Phantom power but shields it from its input (and the microphone's output), as a result it offers effective protection to the microphone.

Fran

[aaronji]

I believe you'll find that using something like the FEThead eliminates phantom power downstream, so a conventional phantom powered condenser will not work with the FEThead.

http://tritonaudio.com/index.php?Itemid=33

There is also a "FetHead Phantom" version for condensers.  I wonder if it affects mic performance, as it is presumably siphoning off some of the juice from the deck?

[Carlos E. Martinez]

But did the Fetheads bring any improvement to the DR-60?

I imagine that with certain recording situations, low level, and certain condenser microphones (Neumann or Schoeps) there might be. But I wonder.

I believe you'll find that using something like the FEThead eliminates phantom power downstream, so a conventional phantom powered condenser will not work with the FEThead.

http://tritonaudio.com/index.php?Itemid=33

If you look there you will see there are two versions: one feeds phantom power and the other does not.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

^^ Honest question: What exactly is the advantage of running a FetHead with a condenser microphone?  Unless I'm missing something in the description, the FetHead for dynamic mics just adds gain which can be useful for low-output dynamics and ribbon mics.  Does it only add gain for condenser mics, too?

[Carlos E. Martinez]

Well, it all depends on the noise (of mic, Fethead,, mic preamp), so if the objective is to lower noise because the mic has low noise, then it would be a good thing.

It would all depend on the condenser mic quality.

[hoppedup]

FWIW, I ran a loaner V2 (thanks Hypnocracy!) in front of my DR60-D for the first four tapes I did. I didn't quite like any of them. And I preferred my CA-14>9200 source on a couple of them. I ran a back-up rig each time until Friday night. I decided to leave the V2 out of the chain and run the VM-44s straight into the DR60-D. I think I made my best recording ever. I know a lot of factors play into this and each venue was different. But I will be running without an external pre for a while, I think. I used phantom power with a USB battery and still had three bars (full) after 2h43m of recording.

[Carlos E. Martinez]

I wonder how a Milab VM-44 would behave in film location recording.

My work workhorse is a Sennheiser MKH 416, even if most people are using Schoeps or Neumann nowadays.

But they are quite expensive and I don't work that much to justify the investment.

As I will be soon buying a DR60,  I wonder how my mics will work with it.

[willndmb]

What do you mean by film location?

[Carlos E. Martinez]

What do you mean by film location?

Location shooting is the contrary of studio shooting.

On an actual location you have less ways to control things than you have on a studio.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

Far from scientific, but I can tell you from doing side-by-side recordings with my Milab VM-44's against acidjack's Schoeps MK41's and the similarities between the two when listening to the playback are much more apparent than any differences.  In other words, the Milabs easily compete with the "big boys".  My 2 cents and YMMV, etc...

[johnnybottom]

Hi, I primarily audio record my own band, ergo unattended.  In my last 2 shows I have slate marks on my recording. 1 or 2
Im blown away someone is actually touching my deck while im playing.  I figured leaving the feature enabled wouldn't
hurt. Ill disable the feature now.   Wondering if anyone has seen a slate mark w/o that button being pushed??

[willndmb]

Hi, I primarily audio record my own band, ergo unattended.  In my last 2 shows I have slate marks on my recording. 1 or 2
Im blown away someone is actually touching my deck while im playing.  I figured leaving the feature enabled wouldn't
hurt. Ill disable the feature now.   Wondering if anyone has seen a slate mark w/o that button being pushed??

mines disabled for safety but no I have not had an issue
I would do some home test where you are the only one there just to make sure it's not a faulty unit

[2manyrocks]

In the brief time I had a 60d, I didn't have any surprise slates.  I had to use some effort to get the slate to activate. Shouldn't happen on its own at all.   

[hoppedup]

I've made a few recordings now with mics straight into the 60D. Here's one:

https://archive.org/details/gsbg2014-05-07.VM-44links.flac24