Tascam DR-70D 4-channel audio recorder (Part 3)

[audBall]

Tascam added another firmware update (v1.10) a few days ago. It appears they added a MID setting to the gain options.

Files: http://tascam.com/product/dr-70d/downloads/
Release notes: http://tascam.com/content/downloads/products/867/e_dr-70d_rn_vc.pdf

[voltronic]

Thanks for posting that update!  Can anyone find out what the gain pot ranges for the new levels are?  If so, please post it and I'll add it to the FAQ.

It's good to see Tascam posting firmware updates.  I emailed all of their customer service emails with our list of issues, but I never received any reply from them.

[axomxa]

I am leaning toward pulling the trigger on the B & H bundle deal.  It is an outstanding value with memory card etc plus I use Sound Forge (v9.0 currently). 

Before I make final decision would like to hear an MBHO ka200 source using the stock preamps but can't find one on LMA.  Does anyone know of a source using the ka200's?

Thanks   

[noahbickart]

Tascam added another firmware update (v1.10) a few days ago. It appears they added a MID setting to the gain options.

Files: http://tascam.com/product/dr-70d/downloads/
Release notes: http://tascam.com/content/downloads/products/867/e_dr-70d_rn_vc.pdf

This is really great news, I suspect MID will be the preferred setting for most OTS and FOB settings. I can't wait to try it out!

[audBall]

Can anyone find out what the gain pot ranges for the new levels are?

How were these being determined? From the display? I haven't tinkered much with this recorder yet, although I did install the update with no issues.

[voltronic]

Can anyone find out what the gain pot ranges for the new levels are?

How were these being determined? From the display? I haven't tinkered much with this recorder yet, although I did install the update with no issues.

That's a good question - someone posted those ranges a long time ago but I can't remember where.  The official Tascam literature doesn't specify the minimum levels of the trim pots; only the maximums: LOW +11 dB, HIGH: +51 dB, HIGH+: +63 dB.

The numbers I copied and pasted into the FAQ are:
   Gain Pot Ranges:
   LOW:    -21dB to +11dB
   HIGH:   +19dB to +51dB
   HIGH+: +52dB to +63dB

I don't know how those minimum numbers were determined.  Maybe the person who initially posted this in the discussion thread will chime in with where they found it. 

And just in case anyone was wondering, Tascam has not yet posted an updated Specifications page or an updated manual which shows the new MID gain level.

[dogmusic]

The numbers I copied and pasted into the FAQ are:
   Gain Pot Ranges:
   LOW:    -21dB to +11dB
   HIGH:   +19dB to +51dB
   HIGH+: +52dB to +63dB

I don't know how those minimum numbers were determined.  Maybe the person who initially posted this in the discussion thread will chime in with where they found it. 

And just in case anyone was wondering, Tascam has not yet posted an updated Specifications page or an updated manual which shows the new MID gain level.

I suppose the MID level may just fill in the hole in those Ranges, i.e.,

MID: +12dB to +18dB

[voltronic]

The numbers I copied and pasted into the FAQ are:
   Gain Pot Ranges:
   LOW:    -21dB to +11dB
   HIGH:   +19dB to +51dB
   HIGH+: +52dB to +63dB

I don't know how those minimum numbers were determined.  Maybe the person who initially posted this in the discussion thread will chime in with where they found it. 

And just in case anyone was wondering, Tascam has not yet posted an updated Specifications page or an updated manual which shows the new MID gain level.

I suppose the MID level may just fill in the hole in those Ranges, i.e.,

MID: +12dB to +18dB

Maybe, but I doubt they'd give that new setting only a 6 dB range.  I would imagine they would change the ranges of LOW and HIGH and give it a 12 dB range which would be more useful.  I'm not fully confident that the lower limits that I have listed for the 3 levels above are correct though as I can't find them anywhere official.    There definitely does seem to be a gap in gain level between the upper limit of LOW and the lower limit of HIGH on the stock firmware.

Once again, this thing really needs better metering and readouts in general so we can have an idea what's really happening.  If only Tascam customer service would reply to emails.

[audBall]

That's a good question - someone posted those ranges a long time ago but I can't remember where.  The official Tascam literature doesn't specify the minimum levels of the trim pots; only the maximums: LOW +11 dB, HIGH: +51 dB, HIGH+: +63 dB.

I just noticed these are listed under the specs on Tascam's page, however, they haven't been updated for the new MID selection. I wonder if sending a test tone through one of the inputs while adjusting the gain knobs and monitoring the display would give an indication of each range?

[jagraham]

Great news about the "MID" gain setting. My only recording so far was with Nak CM-300s on low. It came out way too low, but I've never run those with any other gain setting on my DR-2d so I was scared to run them on high.

[Chomps]

Great news about the "MID" gain setting. My only recording so far was with Nak CM-300s on low. It came out way too low, but I've never run those with any other gain setting on my DR-2d so I was scared to run them on high.

Are you running a preamp in front? I recorded an acoustic show on low with a SD MP2 and the results were amazing.

[jagraham]

No preamp. I would love that, but I think the Naks have to be modded to run off anything other than batteries. They are powered by 12V each. The results weren't bad at all, just too low for my taste. Something about having to amplify 15 or 20db feels wrong somehow, even if it's in 24 bit.

[Life In Rewind]

Great news about the "MID" gain setting. My only recording so far was with Nak CM-300s on low. It came out way too low, but I've never run those with any other gain setting on my DR-2d so I was scared to run them on high.

Your results on LOW with lower output mics mirrors mine - I've run my Sony ECM999PR and Altec 626a - and had the knobs all way up on LOW.

Hopefully this new firmware (and the new MID setting) will solve the too low level problem (if you consider it a problem - I have a feeling guys who record Heavy Metal might think its the cat's meow!)

[jagraham]

Great news about the "MID" gain setting. My only recording so far was with Nak CM-300s on low. It came out way too low, but I've never run those with any other gain setting on my DR-2d so I was scared to run them on high.

Your results on LOW with lower output mics mirrors mine - I've run my Sony ECM999PR and Altec 626a - and had the knobs all way up on LOW.

Hopefully this new firmware (and the new MID setting) will solve the too low level problem (if you consider it a problem - I have a feeling guys who record Heavy Metal might think its the cat's meow!)

Yeah I think it was you that posted about the Altecs being way too low on LOW but way too high on HIGH so I was reluctant to do anything other than LOW. I really don't know, HIGH might have been fine but it's a risk IMO.

The Altecs are the same as the Naks/Teacs/Primos/Tascams/whatever. I bet anyone using these mics will have a similar issue. Even if recording something loud (like metal) I doubt you would get the levels you want with these settings.

Just curious - how are you powering your mics?

[voltronic]

That's a good question - someone posted those ranges a long time ago but I can't remember where.  The official Tascam literature doesn't specify the minimum levels of the trim pots; only the maximums: LOW +11 dB, HIGH: +51 dB, HIGH+: +63 dB.

I just noticed these are listed under the specs on Tascam's page, however, they haven't been updated for the new MID selection. I wonder if sending a test tone through one of the inputs while adjusting the gain knobs and monitoring the display would give an indication of each range?

I thought about doing this, but unfortunately the monitoring is not accurate (again, the thing that I really wish Tascam had devoted their attention to).  See the FAQ page for an explanation.  Short version - the display moves in 2 dB steps, while in reality the gain is changing in 0.5 dB steps. 

Also, keep in mind the max gain levels Tascam lists on the specs page are with the XLR inputs set to MIC or MIC+PHANTOM which is going to result in a hotter level than if the input were set to LINE.  I haven't tried it with the tone from my FP24, but I imagine you might get to the point where you're brickwalling the input before you get all the way up the input trimpot, especially when set to HIGH and HIGH+.