Topic: TASCAM DR-680 portable 8-track #3

[Gutbucket]

I'm familiar with the PMD 661, but don't own one.  I record nearly everything at 28bit/48kHz so I can't help on the higher sample rates (I'n a few listening tests, I personally have not heard a compelling reason for me to record at higher rates and the doubling or tripling of the amount of data generated is too much of a burden to me for little if any return).

Just ran the deck for the first time last weekend and haven't really listened to much of that yet, but I expect the preamps to be fine for what I'm recording, though I'm not sure of their ultimate noisefloor for nature and ambient recording if that is your interest.  I expect the machine to sound as good as or better than the Marantz but others here have first hand experience with both and may be able to tell you more.

[kirk97132]

I have never heard of a noise issue from the display on the 680.  I know the edirol R-44 had been reported to have that issue by Doug Oade.  I know that somewhere out there was a comparison of the a large number of digital recorders. I can't remember where, it wasn't on TS.  What I do remember was that the on paper the 680 was only surpassed by the Sound Devices 744/788 series...(Maybe the 702 & 722 were the same too)  I do not do any nature type recording.  I have done some purely acoustic recordings in a fairly small room and even with cards at stage lip i still hear people shuffling their feet and creak of chairs coughs etc.  Not a very scientific test but leads me to believe the preamps have nice range and detail.  If I remember where I saw that listing or recorders I'll post the link here.  Hope that helps.  Oh and I have not used any marantz products so I cannot comment on the differences.

[O.DANTES]

Thank you very much,  it's really nice from you to answer me. I am pleased with your positive opinion on the DR 680! 

[doubleyou26]

Brand new owner of a DR-680.  I have been considering it for quite sometime.  I plan to use it for location (music) recording activities as well as my regular job which is audio post for teevee.
It get's its baptism this coming week first on a couple of small TV projects and then a Thursday evening concert in a small very reverberant chapel. 

Question for the experts.  I have a Lexicon Omega usb interface that has s/pdif I-O.  Since the Omega can act as a pass through mic pre-amp as well as a computer interface I'm wondering if anybody has used an Omega to feed the digital ins on the DR-680 for microphone sources?  I know that the Omega pre is not quite as nice as a DAV Broadhurst Gardens for example.  But I just want to know if anyone has tried this with an Omega or something similar to it?

Thanks.  Looking to contribute when I can!

W26 

[kirk97132]

I don't know the Omega stuff.  The catch for the 680 is the way it sees and reads the incoming digital stream.  To break it down to plain english terms....the 680 reads the info attached to the digital feed(the header) it DOES NOT read the actual digital information itself.   So there are some preamps that will not work with the 680.  The Audient Mico is an example of this. 

The preamp you have is not one that a lot of tapers use, so the two best suggestions I have for you are to do search of the Live Music Archive for that preamp paired with the 680, or just hook it up and see if it gives you a DIN lock.  If you get a lock then it will work and that is the easiest way to check IMO. 

[choros]

I have to use 2 S/PDIF cables plugged in at the same time, each way to get my Metric Halo ULN-2 Firewire to DIN Lock with it consistently at all sample rates- and to be able to use and change all sample rates on the fly at will etc. S/PDIF - ULN-2>DR-680, DR-680>ULN-2. Everything works great now.

I posted this - reply #142 here and on a thread on GS:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=141730.135

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/remote-possibilities-acoustic-music-location-recording/588088-uln-2-into-tascam-dr-680-how.html

p.s Although this question was for experts - I'm definitely no expert - but I thought this might help you to trouble shoot if it doesn't work for you the first time.


Jay

[Myco]

If any of you guys want to hear the Busman mod, I posted a copy of my first run with it here.
It's just m27's, m20's and the soundboard into the analog inputs.
Mixed: 60% omni/40% card, then mic mix 65%/ sbd 35%.

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=144288.0

[Gutbucket]

I like those percentages.

[hi and lo]

Does the digital input need to be set to be the same bit depth/sample rate as the recoding setup for analog channels 1-6? Would like to use an SBM-1 with the digital input but am recording everything going directly into the 680, obviously, at 24 bits.

What's the end-result of the digital channels? 24 bit with 8 zeros appended?

What if I'm set to 96kHz on the deck, but 48kHz on the SBM?

[kirk97132]

You could send a 16 bit signal into the 680 when it is set for 24 bit.  It will just add zeros.  But you CANNOT send a 48Hz signal into the 680 if it is set for 96Hz.  It will not give you a digital lock.  IMHO 24/48 is not too big a difference than 24/96.  I don't think the extra space it requires is worth it.  YMMV

[hi and lo]

Thanks for the info on being unable to digi lock!

IMHO 24/48 is not too big a difference than 24/96.  I don't think the extra space it requires is worth it.  YMMV

I totally agree, but wanted to throw this out there as a reasonable plausible scenario. I actually still prefer 44.1 as resampling is one of my least favorite processes. Ten years ago I was using a Zefiro ZA2 to hardware resample and now feel those transfers are almost unlistenable. Software resampling is obviously much better (I prefer r8brain), but it will never be perfect.

[bdasilva]

Well I pulled the trigger and ordered the 680 from B and H photo.... 799 and they include the case (CSDR-680)  Seemed like the best deal.... Same day music advertised they would beat any deal by 5%  When I told them the b&h offer they said they did not carry the case but would sell me the 680 for 724... (I wanted the case)  This is to replace my R4 (with Bussman mods and 80gb fast drive) It has been a brick... I sometimes tho need the extra channels and the on the fly mix.
looking forward to long relationship with this one. 

[kirk97132]

Good deal with a case.  Your gonna want to sell that R-4

[doubleyou26]

I wanted to share a recording made Thursday (4-7) evening.  I recorded a concert for the Lone Star Uke group at the Interfaith Peace Chapel in Dallas.

The featured player is Kemo Hussey (who is well known in the uke community).  Mics used were an Sennheiser MKH 40 on uke, MKH 40 on harp and a KM84 on the bass.
Ambience/Crowd were a pair of MKH 40s in XY.

All the mics went directly to the DR-680.  Raw files were imported into PTHD for mixing.  The room was live, I didn't add any reverb.

Enjoy!

W26

http://www.divshare.com/download/14524619-a33

[bdasilva]

Great recording.....