Topic: DAP1 needs serviced........

[F.O.Bean]

I was wondering if anyone knew how much Paul at prodigital would charge me to repair a DAP1 I just tried to transfer from DAP1>Marantz PMD670 and the DATS on the DAP1 have diginoise all over them when trying to playback. I KNOW the DATS are fine, so its GOT TO BE the DAP1. Any info is MUCH appreciated.........

Thanks,
Bean

[Gil]

It needs to be serviced, ya yinzer

Have you tried a tape cleaner first? That solved the diginoise problems on my old DTC-A7.

You're more than welcome to borrow mine. That is, if I ever see you again.

[F.O.Bean]

yes i tried a tape cleaner

[Todd R]

It's been about 10 years since I sent anything off to Paul at prodig.  But back in the DAT day, I sent him portable and full size DAT decks probably 6-7 times.  Seemed like no matter what was going on or what the repair was, the bill was $200-250. 

Given that rates have gone up over the last decade, I'd guess the repair bill will be in the $250-300 range.  I'd probably put out an ISO in the yardsale for a working DAT deck, esp a full size deck rather than a portable.  A full size deck would probably go for cheaper used and it's transport is probably more robust than a DA-P1.

I don't think I'd get it repaired, unless you can't drum up one from ts.com.

I need to get back to transferring DATs, those master tapes aren't getting any younger.

[DiggerinVA]

What machine were the dat's recorded with. I remember alignment issues between Sony's and Panasonic's in the past. Just wondering if that could possibly be it.

[hi and lo]

What machine were the dat's recorded with. I remember alignment issues between Sony's and Panasonic's in the past. Just wondering if that could possibly be it.

Yep. Total speculation here, but this could be a situation where the DA-P1 is actually fine and the issue has to due with differences in alignment between it and the deck that originally recorded to your DATs. It's possible your old deck was out of alignment, but otherwise functioned correctly, which is actually not all that uncommon. This has happened in the past to more than one friends and the end-result was that the deck that recorded that DAT was the only deck that could also play it back without errors.

I think the last thing I'd recommend is going the repair route just because it's going to be very expensive. First, you should find a blank DAT and see if the DA-P1 will record and play back a new recording OK. If that works, it's still possible the DA-P1 is out of whack, but at least you'll know it wasn't DOA. Where to go from there is a bigger question, but I'd probably lean towards selling or swapping your deck with someone before spending more money.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

http://www.prodigitalinc.com/

His rate is $82 per hour...   

Terry

[F.O.Bean]

i found a full size panasonic on ebay BIN for $200. seems like thats my best bet

[H₂O]

Panasonic's are ok (I own a SV-4100 and have owned a SV-3800) but I would only buy one of the following nowadays:

 - Sony DTC-A8, DTC-A9
 - Sony PCM-2600, PCM-2800
 - Sony PCM-R500, PCM-R700

If you only have 44.1 and 48 Khz tapes the Sony PCM-7040 is the way to go.

All these decks are 4 motor decks and have very reliable transports - plus they are very easier to repair and parts are pretty cheap (i.e. pinch rollers which can fail pretty easy over time can be bought for $20 from full compass).

This seller in Canada has 4 R500's for less than $200 shipped each.

[F.O.Bean]

my dats wsere all recorded on a sony d8. they used 2 play just fine back in the dayn hoppyfully the panasonic full sized decks will have better luck!

[capnhook]

Bought a low-hours used Sony PCM-R500 a while ago and never looked back.......it has played every tape from any d7 or d8 I have ever made tapes on.

Git yinz one, you will be happy for sure, Bean.   

[One Cylinder]

>>>> FWIW I used to tape primarily with a DA-P1, but occassionally w/ a Sony D7 and a D8.  For playback I had a Panasonic SV-3800, a Tascam DA-20 and a Sony PCM-R500. The Panasonic was my primary playback deck and the DA-20 my main cloning deck. Out of the three decks, the PCM R500 was by far the most unreliable. Almost always - if I experienced  playback issues (diginoise) I could throw the DAT in one of the other two decks and it played fine. Didn't matter if I had taped the show w/ my DA-P1 or one of the little Sony decks, the Panasonic and Tascam were always good to go.

If I had a sizeable number of DAT masters to transfer and no access to a DAT deck, I'd pick up a Panasonic 3800. But I'd definately have it checked out by Plonick prior to running any of my tapes in it. Diginoise sucks, but getting your DAT stuck in a deck would really blow!!

my dats wsere all recorded on a sony d8. they used 2 play just fine back in the dayn hoppyfully the panasonic full sized decks will have better luck!

[darby]

Bought a low-hours used Sony PCM-R500 a while ago and never looked back.......it has played every tape from any d7 or d8 I have ever made tapes on.

Git yinz one, you will be happy for sure, Bean.   

after dicking around with my old DA-P1, my D8, my DA-20, and my Fostex D-5
I finally broke down and bought a used Sony R500
out hundreds of masters, only 2 wouldn't play back,
and one of those was because the recorder's head slipped out of alignment

[H₂O]

"the PCM R500 was by far the most unreliable"

You must have had a lemon - I have rarely heard of problems with the R500

[tapjunkie]

FYI: Paul does sell decks that have been refurbished too.  That way at least you know if works if you buy one.