Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #6

[kirk97132]

Famous last words!

Hi and Lo....I am not going to try to play down any issues you have had.  And I feel like you, I and a few others have been in the trenches of the 680 from the start.  You are absolutely an example of worst case.  I feel exactly the opposite and even have two of the decks.  I do in fact use the deck for very important, paying, no second chance work.  I am not going to argue your stance, I am well aware that you feel justified in your post's and the position you take.  You opinion is your opinion and we are all entitled to think what we choose.  We can all believe what we want, but just because a persons believes something does not make it true or right.  To even the playing field, I do think this deck can perform flawlessly, time and time again.  That's my opinion and that's what I believe.  What I would hope that someone takes away from the pro's and cons; positive and negative reactions is that to feel safe and ensure no issues you need to be well aware of what you doing with the deck, your powering options and the fact it is not built with a cast aluminum case like some other much more expensive units so it is not something that will take a licking and keep on ticking.  The deck does have it's own set of limitations that you need to be aware of.  But for the amount of features you get coupled with the recording quality you can get there is nothing near it at this price point.   Do we all feel that it is a safe choice for doing pro work....no, you are a prime example.  Do some of us feel that it is a sfae choice for doing pro work...yes,I am a prime example.  One thing I think we do ALL agree with is that for approx $500 you cannot find anything else that will give you as many channels, as good a recording quality and as many features built in.  Are there decks that are better, of course.  Can you buy them for even twice the price, not really.  I also think that if you went back to square one of this thread, many many problems come down to operator errors.  Many many others seemed to be related to battery power issues.   Have you noticed that once all of us here on TS discovered the flaw with multi-voltage batteries and the 680 that the problems reported dropped way off?  So if you are looking to buy a deck to do pro work on a budget I say get this deck.  IF you are starting a business and you want to be as sure as you can be recording more than four tracks at once....save you money or change you business plans buying strategy and increase your budget.   IF you are trying to make a decision based on the response of this thread...do yourself a favor.....set aside quite a few hours and read through the entire thread then make your own call on what to do.  If you ask us...we are all gonna have a slightly different answer

[hi and lo]

One thing I think we do ALL agree with is that for approx $500 you cannot find anything else that will give you as many channels, as good a recording quality and as many features built in.

Absolutely, I am in complete agreement.

Are there decks that are better, of course.  Can you buy them for even twice the price, not really.

Here's where I disagree and say the DR-680 is not fit for critical applications. Although the average taper might be OK with a botched recording ever now and then, professional applications demand perfect reliability. Just wait until July and the 100 degree temps... you will see plenty of 680 complaints. This deck has multiple points of failure and is only fit for hobbiest applications. We recommend the 680 to a local venue where we have an installed rig, because it seemed like the most logical choice, and it failed to power up after a few months of use.

I'd much rather have 4-channels at 2x the price (ala the R-44) because it will work every time.

[Grosse_j]

Nevertheless in my case I went well with DR 680, but not with R44 as that was damaged three times during 2 years while connecting it to PC via USB for transfering files, following three weeks for repair...
 That was for me the reason to change to DR 680 - but I try to work with some redundancy.
Setup is no more lightweight and higher costs but more sure for recording and includes a real good metering on netbook as described earlier here:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=147677.msg1943695#msg1943695

Meanwhile I use a set of two LiPo batteries (5000mAh) an RME UC instead of the scarlett.
If you go with the RME UC Mic's via SPDIF to digital In (DIN) of DR 680 you may even realize 8 Channels recording  (4 with Quadmic, two via DR680 chanel 5/6 and the two UC Mic's via SPDIF, but that is a little  less "redundant" in case of DR 680 failure for the 5/6 channels while RME UC runs well on if netbook crashes.

More sure but more volume and weight (and money)
Best regards
Grosse_j

[AdamHuston]

Ok so I will be running bsc1's to channels 1 & 2 and SBD to channels 3 & 4.  Now my question is can you do an on the fly matrix on a separate track?  While you still have the two other tracks channels 1 & 2 and channels 3 & 4.  If so how do you set it up in the menu to do this?  Thanks in advance as I am still relatively new to using it.

[lukpac]

Ok so I will be running bsc1's to channels 1 & 2 and SBD to channels 3 & 4.  Now my question is can you do an on the fly matrix on a separate track?  While you still have the two other tracks channels 1 & 2 and channels 3 & 4.  If so how do you set it up in the menu to do this?  Thanks in advance as I am still relatively new to using it.

Yes, by default your monitor mix will get written to the stereo track (7+8 if you want to call it that). Just enable that track and set you mix using the pan and monitor level controls.

[connloyalist]

Just received my new DR-680 today 

So far it seems to be working just fine, but there is one thing that is bothering me. The speaker on top hisses all the time, regardless of the volume level. When I insert a headphone jack then it does indeed turn off, as the manual says. But is there a way to turn that speaker off (kill that hiss) without inserting a headphone jack? I have a loose headphone jack which I will use for that purpose if there isn't another way, but that is a workaround I would prefer not to need.

Regards, Christine

[Chuck]

Just received my new DR-680 today 

So far it seems to be working just fine, but there is one thing that is bothering me. The speaker on top hisses all the time, regardless of the volume level. When I insert a headphone jack then it does indeed turn off, as the manual says. But is there a way to turn that speaker off (kill that hiss) without inserting a headphone jack? I have a loose headphone jack which I will use for that purpose if there isn't another way, but that is a workaround I would prefer not to need.

Regards, Christine

Welcome aboard!

I just insert a 1/4" headphone adapter in there, as I never want that speaker to work.

[connloyalist]

I just insert a 1/4" headphone adapter in there, as I never want that speaker to work.

That's what I was planning on doing. Good to know I didn't receive a bad unit (would be just my luck on the 13th of the month). Thanks for reassuring me

Regards, Christine

[lukpac]

That's what I was planning on doing. Good to know I didn't receive a bad unit (would be just my luck on the 13th of the month). Thanks for reassuring me

I don't recall offhand how hissy my speaker is, but I also just keep an adapter in the jack all of the time to mute the speaker.

[Chuck]

I suspect most DR-680 users leave an adapter in there. I actually use the headphone output occasionally when I record, so I just plug my headphones into the adapter when I need to. FWIW, that headphone output is crap too. It's very noisy.

[darby]

after having the first 680 in the world to have the main board take a crap and writing them off a few years ago
I broke down and bought one cheap on eBay the other day... just got it in the mail

sold it months ago and never plan on looking back 

[Chuck]

after having the first 680 in the world to have the main board take a crap and writing them off a few years ago
I broke down and bought one cheap on eBay the other day... just got it in the mail

Hi, my name is darby I'm a DR-680a'holic. It's been a few years since I last used a DR-680... 

Glad to see you back in the fold darby. I've had three of them crap out on me and I still like them. You just have to recognize the limitations.

[danny3]

Just received my new DR-680 today 

So far it seems to be working just fine, but there is one thing that is bothering me. The speaker on top hisses all the time, regardless of the volume level. When I insert a headphone jack then it does indeed turn off, as the manual says. But is there a way to turn that speaker off (kill that hiss) without inserting a headphone jack? I have a loose headphone jack which I will use for that purpose if there isn't another way, but that is a workaround I would prefer not to need.

Regards, Christine

Just looking for some clarification here. I have two 680s and have no issues with the speakers hissing, and I use the headphone out frequently to play recordings( through my car stereo) on the ride home after a gig.
Although I seem to recall some past discussion about the speaker/headphone quality here,  I question whether or not Christine's unit may be defective?

edit to add: yeah the speakers crap out on loud playback. If you are playing through a stereo via headphone out good results will come from keeping the 680 'phones volume' at a moderate volume and adjusting gain on the stereo.

[Gutbucket]

I have noticed (with slight alarm) input audio coming out of the speaker while recording.  I either use a headphone adapter or just keep the headphone gain pot turned all the way down to silence it.  Still suprised there isn't a switch (menu or physical) to disable the speaker though, since there is on other Tascams like the DR-2d, and it would be more likely to cause a feedback condition for applications this machine is designed for, so it seems like something of an oversight to me.

The headphone output isn't great but is usable.  Although it uses a smoothly variable pot, the gain changes are not smooth but exhibit rather coarse digital steps which are noisy.  It has enough output to drive Senn HD650s decently enough though and as long as I don't need to adjust playback level with the headphone knob while listening it's okay.  Actually, cranking it up the headphone knob and adjusting level using the monitor mixer stereo master instead is smoother and more acceptable for me.  However doing that might get too hissy with lower impedance phones which will be louder at any given knob position than those 600ohm Senns.

[Gutbucket]

after having the first 680 in the world to have the main board take a crap and writing them off a few years ago
I broke down and bought one cheap on eBay the other day... just got it in the mail

Welcome back, pioneer.