Analog Mixer Overdrive

[ceedubindustrie]

Dear all-

Over the weekend I found that overdriving the input to a channel on my Tascam m-30 mixer made for lovely distortion on my x0xb0x. The input LED was lit up like a tannenbaum.

The Tascam manual said that hot levels aren't good for the mixer, but I'm not sure if this is what they mean! I'd like to know if it is Patently Bad. In other words, do you have experience with mixer components failing due to high input?

I ask because my Behringer can withstand it, but sounds like crap. I'd like to continue to use the Tascam for this effect if I'm reasonably sure it is OK.

-C

[Somnium7]

I used to do this all the time with my Tascam mm-20 and never had any negative consequences. I do it now with my current mixer and no problems here either.

I can't see how this could cause any component failures in the circuitry.

[_DK]

I'd guess the electronics won't last as long as they would with a normal use... you'd have to recap soon etc etc

[cjacek]

In addition to possibly getting bent VU meter needles, from pinning them, I can't see such overdriving to be good [at least in the long term as DK already mentioned].

[jjones1700]

I'm not sure how audio amps (or pre-amps in this case) work, but in radio receivers / transmitters it is possible to blow out transistors from overloading the front end or suffering too much resistance on the back side and burning something out. I would imagine that the circuits in the mixer are designed to handle a specific voltage range. Whether or not you are exceeding what the manufacturer's tested limit is anyone's guess.

Instead of blowing out a mixer and turning it into a door stop, how about getting an effects unit?

[bloomboy]

Yeah, I used to do this on my old mixer with accoustic guitar until I noticed that the channels I most often used to record guitar had become noticeably duller

To use an extreme example, I use old cassette decks with 1/4" inputs and outputs for distortion (not tape distortion, just overdriving the electronics) and I have to get a new one about once every 2 months becuase the high end starts to totally disappear.

Now I use the old mixer when I want that overdrive effect and make sure that every signal is brought back within reasonable parameters before it hits my mixer or tape recorder.