Topic: opinions on home DAT decks?

[shane]

I'm looking to buy a DAT deck for home and have been looking at two different models on Ebay.  One is a Panasonic SV-3700 w/ low hours and the other is a Sony PCM-R300 used for one semester.  The price on either one is about the same.  Any opinions on one over the other.  
Also looking to get a digital sound card.  Opinions on that?  Internal? External?  Any problems buying a used one?  

Thanks,

Shane

[busknuckle]

I seem to recall reading a few posts related to the transport mechanism (I think) or pinch roller issues or something being a weak link in the R300. Someone else could chime in on this one.

[dave w]

Definitely go with the Panasonic.  Better construction, better A/D etc.  Plus, if you ever need it, you've got AES in/out in addition to SPDIF.  Now, if it was an R500...
-Dave

[Tim]

stay away from the R300's... the biggest lemons of home dat decks, major transport issues.

get the Panasonic, nice deck for sure.

[nickgregory]

the R300 I have is great now that I have sunk in the $225 to get the transport replaced by Paul at Pro Digital with an older model transport.  For what it is worth, I have heard several people that after the transport was replaced it worked great, but if I was to buy new....not a chance would I get a R300

[jpschust]

the panasonic is decent, though if it were up to me ill stick to my tascraps.  they are workhorses of dat decks, never had a problem with any of them except the dual well one.  that one eats tapes like a mo-fo.

[Tim]

I love my da20's!!! I have a da20mkII that is my main playback deck in my home system and a da20 that I use when I clone, which is not very often.

I'm going to have them serviced by Paul very soon and anticipate being able to listen to my dat collection for another decade with these two decks.

my tapes will die before the decks do...

[Brian]

get the SV-3800. you'll thank me when you are listening to your tapes on playback great DA in those bad boys

the DA-20MKII is also a very nice deck!

home dat deck is going to be my next purchase and i am definitely getting one of these two units.

Brian

[leegeddy]

i'll echo others thoughts about the Sony R300. while i don't have one myself, i've heard from many folks about the transport issues.

the R500 is a beast and a huge step above the R300.  i've had one for about 2 years now and put over 1,000 hrs. on it. i've yet to have any issues with it.  AND i've played 120meter DG tapes before w/o a prob.

marc

[Todd R]

I have a Sony A6--same transport as the R300, basically the same deck as the R300 other than the handling of scms.  Mine died after not too many hours of use--the same transport related problems as have been discussed.  I had Paul Plotnick of prodigital rebuild the transport and since that time it's been rock solid.  Bottom line, the R300 had better be at least $225 less than another deck your looking at, since this is what prodigital will charge to do what sony should've done in the first place.

[Tim]

well put Todd...

[shane]

I got a reply back from the seller of the SV-3700 regarding the hours on the machine.  They said they weren't sure of the exact hours but that the meters on the back are about a quarter of the way up.  Any idea what this means?  Thanks.

Shane

[taperchick]

Hi everyone!  

I'm new to the board and have been having problems with my Sony 87ES DAT deck.  I'm wondering if any of you could offer up some advice.  I bought it used off of eBay relatively cheap and it has been working fine for about a year now.  Didn't get a manual with it though.  Lately, I've been having transferring problems with tapes that I know are good.  It will play the tape and suddenly there will be static and the tape will stop playing and then I can't get it to rewind or go forward.  The counter also looses it's place in the display.  Anyone have any knowledge about this machine?  Should I just toss it out the window and break down and buy a new one?

[nickgregory]

I would give Paul a call at pro digital....if anyone knows anything about the machine, he would.

http://www.prodigitalinc.com

[wbrisette]

the R300 I have is great now that I have sunk in the $225 to get the transport replaced by Paul at Pro Digital with an older model transport.  For what it is worth, I have heard several people that after the transport was replaced it worked great, but if I was to buy new....not a chance would I get a R300

I agree 100% with this one. Had I known that 18 months after purchasing it I would be having Paul replace the transport, I would have bought the R500 from the beginning. However, 3 years after Paul replaced the transport, and I haven't had a lick of problems with the R300.

Wayne