Clicks & drop-outs on dm3200 adat inputs?

[alberto.irrera]

Hello, I'm a new user, happy new year...

I'm investigating all DM related adat/clock topics 'cause I have drops and glitches in a DM 3200 receiving digital optical signals, but no results.

Random glitches and short drops, very noticeable in particular on adat channel 1... no fw expansion card, i'm testing on-board adat connection.

During these christmas days, I have this tascam for test. It's an used unit I'd like to use in both studio and theatre application, where I usually work with adat-equipped interfaces for multi-track and surround, and this is an annoying problem.

For testing I'm using an M-audio 1814, old unit but I don't think the problem is the audio interface cause I used this 1814 a lot, in similar setup (combined with Tascam DM 24 and Yamaha 01v96, and others digital desks...) until a few weeks ago, without any troubles and with the same macbook pro.

After several test & reset of the dm3200 (sdram etc), I changed 3 adat optical cables and also opened the desk checking for pcb conditions, dust and connections: it seems very clean, zero evidence of fried electronics or bad / lacky ribbon connections...

I have a studio with a lot of gear I could use for better testing the desk, but unfortunately many km away from here: now I'm in holiday and I found this (apparently good) DM 3200 for sale along the way to visit my parents by car... here it's a rural region, no audio gear shops. I wanted to test the mixer before returning to my home, and here I have only this M-audio.

Moreover I forgot the little m-audio snake that hosts word clock I/O for 1814, so I have only adat I/O for clocking...

Somone could help me? Known old troubles with the on-board adat ports of DM 3200??

The desk seems to correctly receive the clock in adat input, but not true: randomly some click appears, maybe no problem during 10 minutes then the f***ing gliches come back...

Actually I'd like to use the desk with in studio with a PTHD setup (DIGI 192) and in live situations with my Motu Ultralite AVB - good piece of gear, but no word clock on board so I am not happy with this clock troubles!

I am so tempted to return the mixer to the seller during my return trip, but shit... could be a good deal (800 euros and all the rest of the desk it seems perfect, excellent cosmetics, analog stages very good!)

Appreciate any help, sorry for the length of the post and my bad english!!

Regards
Alberto

 

[cmaffia]

I've haven't heard of any issues with onboard ADAT only with some of the early ADAT expansion cards which were made when the DM24 was the flagship product. It would be better if you had another external unit to test with to make sure it's not the M-audio interface causing the. I'm assuming that the DM is the master clock and the M-audio is the slave and clocking is matching. Sounds like a classic clock out of sync/mismatch issue. Have you made sure ADAT is syncing correctly on the DM's clock menu?

 

[Arjan P]

Hi Alberto, and happy new year too. Personally, I wouldn't trust any embedded clock signal, and even though maybe it 'should' work, your experience says otherwise and I don't think it is because your DM has a problem (but that's ofcourse guessing from me).

The only test I think you can still do is connect a second ADAT optical cable to the M-audio and make the DM clock master and not slave. Possibly this application is less critical..

EDIT: I see Charlie beat me and assumes you already had the DM as master.. Well, let us know how you go..

 

[alberto.irrera]

Hi guys thanks a lot!

Sure already tested both: DM as master, DM as slave. Doesn't work well, it's a bit better when i set m.audio as master, but random clicks are there...

Apparently the desk recognize correctly ext.clock (0,0% of error, i adat in 44,1 tagged...) and also the m-audio is synced (green light) in the alternative scenario (dm as master).

I know enough well clocking issues: I built a complete studio with several digital gear, pres, avid and other brands interfaces, digital mixer connected together with wc chain and / or embedded clock (all kind, adat, aes-ebu, spdif...).

Is not always easy but usually I find a way, that's my headache for this dm3200!

As said, the same interface works very well without WC (so adat sync) with my tascam dm24.

I'm looking for another interface... but I'm very far from my city (Bologna) so I'd like to discover the most about this troubles before I start my return trip, cause the seller is on the way... if I were sure that the desk has some problem, I return it to him now!

I'm almost sure i could fix this clicks recurring WC chain, but my fear is for having this kind of troubles with my new portable interface (motu utlralite avb) that has no WC. Note never had this with dm24, with or without WC.

Thank you so much

Alberto

 

[alberto.irrera]

...pleas note: the problem is in incoming signals (from interface to mixer).

Sending busses or direct outs from dm to adat out, instead, it seems to work well. Let's say for multitrack recording, i didn't note glitches.

The glitches are in the opposite way: adat in, in particular ch 1 (i tried factory demo routing ch 41...).

Many users need adat out more that adat in, I guess, but personally I often use this setup, working in theatre music where we use surround or live electronics, and for this multichannel purpose is very useful to have 8 ch. out of Ableton Live, QLab or similar daw, always at fixed level (no analog trim in the way) and with a single adat cable!

For me it is a concrete need...

I really hope finally it's the interface (10 years old!) but don't know, I trust that old piece, never left me in trouble.

 

[alberto.irrera]

Hello,

finally the clocking problems seem to occur only with that specific interface.

Even if the 1814 adat outs still works syncing with no issues with others equipment and desks, simply this m-audio and the dm3200 don't like each other...

but thats' ok for me, cause with my other interfaces (motu avb, digi192/96, m-audio 2626...) the desk digital inputs are just fine.

anyway thanks to all, bye

 

[cmaffia]

Congrats. I guess you're keeping it?

 

[alberto.irrera]

Yes!

Think I made a good deal for 800.

In the italian market there are few dm3200 under 1000 euros, if there are usually with some little issue (lcd screen...) or heavy signs of use, but this one instead is very clean, lcd is ok, all fader perfects!

I know well the old dm24, so I'm happy with the workflow of Tascam dm software... not so friendly... and anyway it's much better on this 3200.

So yes I keep it, and I think in case of doubts or problems or just to get infos I'll visit often this forum, I really appreciated my first contact with this community.

One thing will further investigate: about using a Motu 2408 in standalone mode as I/O expansion of the desk, using tdif connections...

I know for sure this way could add more adat OR analog outs, but no one has yet explained to me if is possibile to get 8ch of adat AND 8ch of analog out from this setup... I mean converting a tdif bank to adat, while another tdif bank in sent to analog out of 2408. Is possible with motu PCI / Cuemix software but no one knows in standalone...

So I would have a total amount of 16 adat out for multi-track recording (tracking with a separate interface) as well as 14 analog outputs from the dm3200 for p.a. and stage monitors purposes.... all with a cheap single 1u unit and without buying 2 tascam expansion cards.

Would be great for my theatre jobs where I need a lot of outs and sometimes i record the shows! I'm looking a 2408 in the neighbour for testing... all the Motu manuals are not so clear about that...

Thank you, bye

 

[cmaffia]

Do a search for Motu 2408. There is some good posts around this topic.

http://www.tascamforums.com/threads/alternative-for-motu-2408-extra-i-o.3331/

 

[jazbina]

Exactly the same problem as OP here. Clicks on adat input, particular on ch1. I'm using ferrofish a16mkII. I've tried every single scenario regarding clocking with no success. Going mad...