DM 3200 , what to look for- buying used

[Talent Factor]

Hey Folks,

I'm new to the forum here, and I am currently shopping for a dm3200 or dm4800.

I'm looking for advice on common failures and things to to look for on used units, or for the price if purchasing a new 3200 is a wiser choice.

Great site, I'm a long time user of Tascam products and I am also a long time Cubase user, just recently updating to pro 8.5. Which the DM 3200 seems to be a good choice for. I'm defiantly open to other options though.

Look forward to any advice,
Thanks in advance!
Michael

 

[cmaffia]

First off, welcome to the forum!

New vs. Used: I will preface by saying this is my opinion. If you want to assume the risk involved with buying anything used, that's up to you.

Personally speaking, I would suggest buying new only because if you're buying used, you're taking a huge risk assuming everything is working correctly. These machines 2nd hand are now long in the tooth and anything could go wrong. Buying new gets you some warranty coverage and peace of mind that everything is working. As you know there's a steep learning curve with this board (steeper for some than for others). The last thing you want to throw into the mix is if something's not working, is it because of a hardware issue or is it an operator issue. Cubase works great in both Win 7 and Win 10 (search for my thread on Win 10 compatibility). Also, buying new would mean your only choice is limited to the DM3200 as the D4800 was discontinued last year. The DM3200 is probably adequate for most so I wouldn't be concerned with it being your only choice. I strongly recommend hunting down a MKII firewire card. Unfortunately manufacturing of the card has been put on hold due to the required DSP chips no longer being produced by the manufacturer. Tascam hasn't officially stated they are discontinued but .....well let's just say they are discontinued. They are hard to find on eBay and sometimes they pop up on the forum in the Market Place section. Long story short, it's a must have expansion card in my opinion. 2nd must have is the analog expansion card.

Warning! Whether you own a DM3200 or 4800, your LCD screen will most likely die within the first 3 years. It's a rare event if it doesn't. The LCD's have a very high failure rate. Replacing it costs $200 a pop. That can add up over the years if you plan to use the board for as long as possible. The good news is there is a 3rd party solution that is very simple to install (www.2seemy.com). I would recommend getting the 2seemy card when your screen starts to die and call it a day. However, if you have it in your budget to get it now, I would as who knows how long this individual will offer this solution.

Hope that answers some, if not all of your questions.

 

[stellarmaster]

Hi All.
I'm new to this forum also.
I just bought a used DM 3200 last week off craigs list. ( take risks and repair )
It features the meter board, FW card and many lines across the screen.
The price seemed fair at $650
I have ordered the 2seemy card and I will install it.

My first problem after set -up was the "enter" button not working.
Last night I opened it up, removed the circut board, blasted the switches with contact cleaner and, just to be safe I re-soldered all the switches as they appeared to have been cold soldered to begin with.

It may sound difficult but only took an hour. I lost one small screw in the carpet, oh well.
The "enter" button is now working and everything seems OK.
I plan to replace my Mackie 1640i board with this DM 3200.
No complaint about the Mackie but that it is no longer supported by apple / logicX and I like logicX.

I have not used the DM 3200 and I don't know anyone who has so I welcome any tips from those who do.
Thanks

 

[Talent Factor]

Cmaffia, really appreciate your response and welcome!
I've been browsing a lot of the posts here and have planned on the third party card. Looks like a smart choice. Hopefully I can track down the other expansions.

I agree about buying new, but I see so many long time users (and praisers) of these boards , it seems like a pretty reliable unit. Mixed with the opportunity to get the meter bridge and cards included. I may just buy a new and a used unit.
I actually started out looking for just a control surface, as I figured it would suit my needs. But these units kept popping up in the conversations online, so I am pretty much sold after hours of reading. With everything these have going for them, I'm surprised people are even buying control surfaces lol.
It's too bad that they discontinued the 4800, seems like a perfect choice for me.

Congrats on the find stellarmaster! I hope she turns out to be a keeper.

 

[cmaffia]

Yes these machines are workhorses however like any other electronic equipment, they are prone to failure with age. They are costly to ship if repairs are needed and depending on what needs to be fixed, the repairs themselves could end up being cost prohibitive. If you're buying used you are trusting that whoever you are buying from is being honest. When comparing the DM4800 to the DM3200 it's basically "more of the same". DM4800 users will probably take issue with that statement but generally speaking there are little differences between the two. The biggest differences being cost, 2 more expansion slots, 8 more banks of faders and the fat channel. I'm guessing their demise had something to do with lack of sales due to the fact that they were priced a lot higher than the DM3200 but really didn't offer more. Having said that, had I been looking to purchase a DM for the first time two years ago, I probably would have purchased a new DM4800.

 

[ampsarus]

Tallent, Stellar, welcome to the forum, hope you come onboard with a DM and join the family. All of the advice above is spot on and correct. To add to that, I dont think it has been overstated how good the 3200 and 4800 sounds or how powerful it is with integration. You never hear people say 'I sold it, didnt sound good enough'.

Of note, the 4800 has a fan and the same power supply as the 3200 but it has 3 modular boards inside instead of 2, so 4800 has to support 1/3 more load as 3200 with the same power supply.

I got my 3200 used with a couple cards and bridge with a clean screen off of craigslist.
As of 16 months, the screen is still fine but I leave it powered 24/7 except in known thunderstorms. I believe the heat cycling of off/on, heat cool, up down is the main factor in component failure, not just atm screens.

Used or new, get one they are killer!

Best,

 

[Talent Factor]

Very good points to consider, I am definitely appreciating the info and welcomes!
B&H is the best price I can find new. Any other suggestions for where to buy?

 

[cmaffia]

B&H always has great prices. Check with the site admin. I believe we get discounts from some of the vendors through forum and B&H is one of them. Not sure how it works or if the discounts are still valid.

http://www.tascamforums.com/threads/discounts-and-special-deals-on-audio-gear-for-our-members.1976/

 

[Gravity Jim]

Try Full Compass. They're blowing them out so cheap you have to call for the price. Ask for Barb in Sales and tell her Jim Bordner sent you... She may give you a better discount.

 

[stellarmaster]

Good so far. I have installed the 2seemy cards on the dm 3200 and have photo's if anyone wants to see them.
The 2seemy instructions are easy to follow and look almost the same.
I am still interested in changing the on board screen but not for $200.
Is the screen on ebay any good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301228362342?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I have the board hooked up on a mac mini running logicX.
Machine controls are working and automated faders are following the mix.
I am just learning how to work it so I won't be using for any serious production for awile.

 

[cmaffia]

Similar but not compatible. If you already have the 2SeeMy option then don't waste any more money with the LCD screen.

 

[goodflow]

Something else to be aware of that I haven't seen discussed on here is that many of the DM-3200's are not compatible with the ADAT cards made for the DM series- so if ADAT is a major part of your work flow you'll want to either buy a machine that has already had ADAT cards installed, or run the serial # by somebody at Tascam to find out whether or not it's from one of the no-ADAT batches. I believe (but may be mistaken) that this only applies to the 3200 and not the 4800.

 

[cmaffia]

Speaking of ADAT cards, I have a working ADAT expansion card that I no longer use.