Personal View site logo
Tascam DR-40
  • 120 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @vicharris

    Question was not about HVX200, but about specific recorder tha only have XLR and 6.3mm inputs.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Hopefully I'm understanding this properly but I had this same problem with my first wireless mics on my HVX200. I used this adapter below which I'm sure everyone knows, along with this mono to stereo pin. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/888539-REG/CablesToGo_03174_3_5mm_Stereo_Female_to.html

    Is this the problem you are having? Is this for Dieter?

    The only problem is that with this many connections, my audio would take a hit easily. I had to be very careful and I think it might have even picked up RF hits easier from all the added points of exposure. Also, with the DR40, I have to turn off the two on board mics when I'm using wireless lavs. They don't seem to get along and I'm not using cheap wireless. Just an FYI.

    108423.jpg
    190 x 674 - 97K
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @vicharris

    3.5mm, yes

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @fosterchen

    No, I mean existing small lavel electret mike.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev What type of connector does the mic use? 3.5mm?

  • fosterchenfosterchen

    One mic that I have that can connect directly to the back of the DR-40's XLR input is the AKG C430.

    http://www.akg.com/site/products/powerslave,id,278,pid,278,nodeid,2,_language,EN,country,ENUS,view,specs.html

    It needs phantom though, which might drain batteries faster, but with a windscreen over the mic it works pretty well.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Guys how to best connect electret small mike to DR-40?

  • StevenTrillbergStevenTrillberg

    Apparently there was a second firmware update for the DR-40 back in June, v1.20. I just happened to check their website today and saw it: http://tascam.com/product/dr-40/downloads/

    I haven't had a chance to test it out yet to see if the helicopter noise issue has been fixed - though the release notes don't mention anything.

  • JiveJive

    Google "helicopter noise". My unit had this issue, as did others in this thread, and Google should provide more info.

    Basically though, if you have this issue, it's impossible NOT to notice (especially at higher input levels)

  • skiandbikeskiandbike

    @Jive Any specifics on the issues to look for when I receive it?

  • JiveJive

    @skiandbike Good luck on getting a unit without issues. I've heard there are some out there...

  • skiandbikeskiandbike

    Amazon has the DR-40 for just over $137 shipped...15% off the listed price shows up at checkout. Finally pulled the trigger on one.

  • JiveJive

    @lewball82 Looks like a pretty handy solution for traveling if you already have an iPhone

  • lewball82lewball82

    Sorry that was the Tascam IM2

  • lewball82lewball82

    Cheers for the feedback Jive. Just bought the Tascam IO2 instead though which is for use with the ipod, iphone or ipad. It is basically the same 2 condenser mics as the DR-40 which plug straight into the unit. You can download a multitrack app (harmonicdog) which is pretty much exactly what I needed as i had my ipod with me anyway. This actually gives a pretty good recording for what it is and it only cost me $70 Australian. Definatley reccomended if you use any of the apple hardware and you want to save some cash and still produce a decent recording. Cheers

  • THX1965THX1965

    I really like my DR-40. Just found out that I can use my small iPod USB-AC adapter (with a standard USB to USB mini cable) to power the unit. No need to buy the big AC brick that Tascam is selling. The firmware upgrade with independent recording volume for EXT 1 and 2 really made the device much more useful.

  • JiveJive

    The DR-40 only has 2 internal mics, so by design, you would need to use the external mics as well to record 4 simultaneous tracks. When you record 4 channels, you end up with 2 stereo files.

    When overdubbing, I believe you can only record up to a single stereo file (2 channels) as you are already playing back a previously-recorded file.

    More info on 4 channel recording starts on page 57 of the DR-40 manual, which you can download here: http://tascam.com/product/dr-40/downloads/

  • lewball82lewball82

    Hey there, I'm currently traveling around the world and will be for the foreseeable future and am looking for a recorder that's small and portable with at least 4 seperate recording tracks. The DR-40 looks like it fits the bill. As I will be using only the internal mics all I want to know is, can I record or overdub 4 seperate tracks using only the internal mics? (dont mind if its only mono recordings) I only have 2 guitar tracks and 2 vocal tracks to record but not sure if I can only multitrack with external mics? Just want something to get my ideas down but need to be able to mutitrack without external mics. Hope someone can give me some advice as to whether this can be done or if there's something better out there for me for around the same price?

    cheers

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    DR-40 Firmware update 1.10 is now available.

    The new update allows independent control over the two input levels, so you can match up different microphones. The delay setting has also been expanded, especially useful for live recordings when the console is far away from the band.

    http://tascam.com/product/dr-40/downloads/

  • BobbrooksBobbrooks

    Can I hook the DR-40 directly to a radio or computer to record the audio output? The directions are not too clear to me about this.

  • MirrorManMirrorMan

    I've used a DR-100 for more than a year now. With DPA-4060 lavs it works pretty well. They are sensitive mics so the gain doesn't need to be turned up so high. The preamps are OK, but nothing great. I've also used it with a Rode NTG2 which is a quiet mic but when I turn up the gain some slight noise is introduced.

    Battery life is OK. It does seem picky with rechargeable batteries so I mainly use the Li-ion battery. Other than that I've had no other problems.

  • JspatzJspatz

    I use nothing but lithium ultimate in all devices. They seem to last forever unless I forget to turn something off at the end of the job.

  • BobbrooksBobbrooks

    I have a new DR-40and tested the battery life. i was set at Dual, MP-3 128, Phantom off, and turned on Record on a trip. The battery died at 8.5 hours. Tascam told me that if I had it at basic settings the batteries would have lasted longer. The manual says they should last 18 hours. Everything else works great so I am reluctant to return it. Will good rechargeable's do better? Anyone have any thoughts?

  • banaphshbanaphsh

    Olympus LS-100 is coming this February.
    http://cinescopophilia.com/399-olympus-ls-100-24-bit-multi-track-recorder-with-xlr-inputs/

  • ShaveblogShaveblog
    You might try going to a store and trying a different brand and/or model of lav to see if the periodic ticking goes away. Also, if the lag has any exposed metal that's grounded to the mic cable, try placing your finger on the metal and seeing if that gets rid of the ticking. If it does, you've got RF, and there's little you can do about it aside from using a different recorder and/or mics.

    I use a wired lav into a Zoom H1 so I don't have these issues, but another possibility is the Senn's receiver. It may have poor RF filtration on its line level output. It actually could be a lot of things, but if the noise is a periodic ticking or popping, that's classic RF and now that you know it's an interference issue you can start hunting down the culprit. Sometimes it's as simple a fix as a $5 ferrite collar around the audio output cable where it plugs into the recorder. You can find them at Radio Shack/Amazon/eBay.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/1P-TDK-5mm-Clip-on-RFI-EMI-RF-Radio-Audio-Video-Cable-Noise-Filter-Ferrite-Core-/120783197899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1f3d56cb#ht_3285wt_1189
Add a Comment