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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: DATBoy on April 17, 2022, 01:30:25 PM

Title: Tascam dr-05x battery box issues with plug in power off
Post by: DATBoy on April 17, 2022, 01:30:25 PM
Hello!

I just recorded my first show last night with this tascam with all the normal stuff I use for recording, thinking that it would be an easy transition to use much like my Sony PCM-10. However, despite the friendly user interface on the tascam, I found this thing to be very problematic with the plug in power off! So much so, that when plug in power turn ON, the microphone volume attenuates a bit lower compared to the battery box on the same volume recording level with plug in power OFF. Obviously with plug in power on, it compromises the intentions of what the battery box is for. I don't think this should be happening. In fact, I would argue that with a level of 0, which I used to test, there should be no sound coming out with the battery box and mics  - however, the opposite is happening.

If I connect the mics with plug in power off and without a battery box, the device will not get any signal, like it should. Also, if the "line input" on this tascam is connected to a source and not the mics, it will work as intended with the level 0 being no signal.

I have two different battery boxes and both work as intended on the pcm-10 in the line input. However, both are doing the same issue I have on the tascam.

Overall, it doesn't seem like the input, intended to be that which is integrated with the mic port, is doing the job optimally and appropriately compared to my experience with the devices with a dedicated line input.

Anyone have a workaround on this? Should I consider getting a rotary dial volume control cable to connect into the battery box and recorder, on the plug in power OFF setting, to try to make the recording volume control work more ideally? I don't think putting the limiter on is the best solution since the PCM-10 has one and I never used it - and it worked well.

Thanks for reading. I hope someone can help.
Title: Re: Tascam dr-05x battery box issues with plug in power off
Post by: commongrounder on April 17, 2022, 05:32:41 PM
The external input jack on the DR-05x and DR-07x is designed with a wide gain range. All the way from mic level to “sort of” line level. The gain cannot be turned all the way down to zero input signal (i.e. infinite attenuation). I measured the sensitivity at minimum gain, and a 500mv input signal provides 0db full scale. That is a bit sensitive for most line level signals, and would require additional attenuation on the incoming signal to allow for some digital headroom. As to the plug-in-power dropping the signal level when switched on, I believe that is due to the additional loading of the p-i-p insertion circuitry.  I have used an in-line attenuator with my DR-05 units to drop the fixed line level outputs of a couple devices down enough to avoid digital overs on louder peaks. Not the best of designs if you use line level sources often, but it can be dealt with in such a way as to not affect the sound quality.
Hope that helps.