DP-32SD button problems

CraigG58

CraigG58

New member
Hello all!

Been quite a while since I stuck my head in here, but I thought someone could offer me some kind advice.

I have a Tascam DP-32SD, out of warranty, which hasn't been used for a few months (real life stuff interrupting my music creation process, you know how it goes). I recorded a 10 minute click track on it today, and everything seemed to work fine. That is, until I tried to navigate around the track.

Seems the rewind and fast forward buttons have taken on a mind of their own. The FF button seems to work properly most of the time, and also brings me to the last recording spot when pressed along with "stop". The rewind button is another story. When I hold it down, sometimes it rewinds, some times not. The return to zero function along with the stop key combination seems to work fine though, so to me it doesn't seem like a mechanical problem with the rewind button, but who knows.

When it attempts to rewind, the timer seems to jump all over the place (still in reverse, as it should), but most of the time it will intermittently stop at various places with my finger still on the button instead of performing a smooth rewind until I release it. Sometimes, it will even return to zero while rewinding, as if the stop button was held down along with it.

I'm hoping I'm not screwed and need to take it into a Tascam repair location. The closest one is 90 miles away from me (360 miles between drop-off and pick-up trips, no way I'm doing that). Or, it looks like I can mail it into Tascam for service for who knows how much shipping cost. Plus of course, there's the charge for the repair itself.

I do realize that I can simply live with the jog wheel to accomplish most of the same tasks, but I'm sort of anal about everything on my equipment functioning correctly. Anybody have any suggestions of what I might try to get it working again? I routinely use Radio Shack contact cleaner on my Carvin DX1642 mixer when I get "crackle", but that thing is built like a tank with heavy duty metal around the sliders and pots, so it always fixes that issue without fail. I wouldn't dare try this on the DP-32SD, and it's obviously totally made of plastic of one sort or another.

Any and all suggestions appreciated... Thanks!
 
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I've got an older Tascam 2488NEO and a couple of the buttons have acted up and not make good contact without a bit harder of a press. I've been able to squirt a bit of DeOxit contact cleaner into the button by lifting it very slightly and it seems to get it operating OK for quite sometime. The DeOxit is supposed to be OK for plastics and it's pretty much the only cleaner I use and trust on electronics. I have no idea how long I might be able to do this before the button finally fails, but it's been a good bandaid fix so far.
I had been playing around with MIDI control of the transport so the the basic functions could be operated by a computer mouse commands via the computer, but proved limiting on some of the buttons such as pressing record and play simultaneously to start record.
 
Thanks so much arcaxis, at this point I'll give just about anything a try!

BTW, I did install and fully format a new SD card as well, with unfortunately no change.

So, this leaves me with the obvious question... Is there a place you can suggest where I might find this stuff locally?
 
Duh, use Google Craig! Looks like Radio Shack carries it, and there's one nearby.

Thanks mucho again, your advice is appreciated!
 
Hello again, arcaxis. I thank you again once again for your advice, but one more thing...

There's several flavors of the DeoxIT D-Series product listed on the CAIG web site. General description for D5:
"Fast-acting deoxidizing solution that cleans, protects, lubricates and improves conductivity on all metal connectors and contacts - without harm to metals and plastics."

Sounds good, and I assume that's what you're using, but there's also several flavors of this product with numbers that follow "D5". Here's their pamphlet of the D5 products, which does little to clear this up (sorry for the gigantic URL, but it is what it is!).

https://system.netsuite.com/core/me...e=140670&promocode=&promocodeaction=overwrite

To make matters even more confusing, there's also DeoxIT Gold, Shield, and Fader cleaners, but I think their titles are pretty much self-explanatory.

So, assuming you're using D5, I'm wondering which flavor of you'd recommend?

Thanks again in advance!
 
Awesome, looks like that would be the D5S-6 flavor. I think I'll pick up some fader lube as well, for both my mixer board and the recorder.

Probably won't run all over the place looking for it, since my wife has an Amazon Prime account, and I can get it that way in just a few days

Either way, I'll let you know how I make out. Kudos again, Bro!
 
You might try reloading the firmware / OS or updating it if a new version is available. I've had a DP-24 for a number of years now and as arcaxis has pointed out......a few buttons seem to need a little firmer push........but nothing like you describe. Hopefully his suggestion will work out for you. As for the SD card.........if you bought more than one in the same package you may have some sort of common defect. Not likely but hey. It's worth trying a completely different brand and package. Good luck.
 
Hi Mickster!

I really appreciate the advice, and I've already tried all of those things. I discovered after my last post that the buttons work if I give them a slightly harder press, as both of you have now mentioned. So, I'm hopeful the DeoxIT will take care of the issue.

Tascam must think this unit's firmware is perfect, as they haven't released a single update since they first started producing it. I worked at IBM for 32 years, and if there's one thing I know, there's no such thing as a program that has no bugs in it.

They need an update for at least one thing that I'm aware of. There's times I can't delete various marks, and there just doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. I'm convinced it's a bug, as I've heard about others running into the same issue with the DP-32SD. Not a biggie, but it is annoying at times. I've emailed Tascam about it, who told me they couldn't reproduce the problem. I wish I had a nickle from every gear manufacturer's support department that's given me that line.

Other than that, the recorder has operated flawlessly since I bought it new 1.5 years ago.

Thanks again, I'll need all the luck I can get here. I love this reorder. ;^)
 
Well, I got a little bored awaiting the DeoxIT products I ordered, and thought I might pick up some canned duster air while I was at the store today. The full brand name is "CRC Duster", and can be used on all sorts of electronics per the label.

I removed power from the recorder, then using the long straw (it came with a short one too), I sprayed around the outside of each button in the area with several shots (Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop, Play and Record) while keeping the can upright at all times in order to avoid the propellant from discharging as much as possible. There was still a slight residue on top of the buttons which I simply wiped off, I assume from the propellant itself. Then, I spent a few minutes exercising the hell out of the buttons by repeated pushes, moving back and forth over all of them in all directions with a soft cloth.

I let things sit for about an hour, then went back, fired it up, and every single one of those buttons was operating just like new with just a slight push. The audible "click" of the buttons is still there as well. Now, how long this fix will last is anyone's guess. If there was indeed a lot of dust accumulated under them, I would think for a long time.

As far as the DeoxIT products go, they will still be a good thing to have in my back pocket, for both the recorder and the Carvin mixer I own. I can get rid of that oily Radio Shack contact cleaner that I used on the mixer in the past too.

BTW, I sent email to the main Tascam service email address, and the return message is ugly $$-wise. Since they're in California, can you imagine what the shipping charges alone would have been, since I'm in Florida? Plus, the repair prices are outrageous.

>> If you would like us to service your product, here is where to send it to:
>
>>
>> TEAC TASCAM Factory Service Center
>> 7801 Telegraph Road, Suite C
>> Montebello, CA 90640
>> Tel: (323)477-1331
>> Fax: (323)887-0891
>> Email: contact@TeacFactoryService.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Instructions - PLEASE READ
>>
>> Make sure when you send it to provide your contact information, a
>> brief
> summary of the issue you have with your unit, and a proof of purchase
> if the unit is under a year.
>>
>>
>> We require a $75 deposit if the unit is not under FULL warranty. We
>> will
> notify you with an estimate once the diagnostic is complete. If you
> approve the estimate, the $75 is applied towards the repair. If you
> decline the repair estimate, we will keep the $75 as a diagnostic fee,
> unless of course the unit is under full-warranty. We charge $75/hr for
> labor plus the cost of parts.
>>
>> Please do not include your power cord or AC adapter as we have many
>> in the
> shop.
>>
>> For your better understanding, TASCAM units have one-year
>> warranty/90-day
> labor warranty. TEAC units have one-year warranty/one-year labor warranty.
>>
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> TEAC & TASCAM Factory Service
>> Teac Factory Service
>> Main: (323)477-1331
 

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The propellant in the canned air was what flushed out the switches.They will get flaky again.Buy some replacement switches either through Tascam 2-3 bucks a piece or through Mouser or Digikey for less than a dollar apiece.
All Tascam service was outsourced to a local repair place appox. 3 yrs.ago.You are better off finding a local-to you- Authorized Servicer on the Tascam website.Just as good if not better and you don't have to pay shipping.
 
Hi wkrbee!

As I was saying in my original post, unfortunately the closest Tascam authorized service center is 90 miles away (360 miles between drop-off and pick-up trips), so that's out of the question as far as I'm concerned.

The buttons have still been behaving so far, but I think that's from exercising them a bit on a recording I've been working on more than anything else. Prior to that, the recorder was sitting around for a few months, although it had a fitted dust cover over it. Yeah, I realize that's no guarantee of keeping dust out of things, but it helps.

It's weird that those are the only two buttons giving me trouble (especially rewind), since I use the jog wheel 90% of the time anyway. Everything else works fine.

The DeoxIT products I ordered were delivered to me today, so that will be my next step if the problem returns. Otherwise, they'll be here if I need them for my mixer, guitar pots and what have you. If they fix the rewind button issue, great. If not, I'll have to buy new button assemblies anyway, so I definitely think it's worth a try.

I'll look around on the web and see what I can find as far as parts go, because I'll definitely have to buy them online due to the distance I mentioned.

Thank you kindly for your suggestions!
 
Forgot to ask, has anyone run across a parts list for the DP-32SD, preferably along with an exploded diagram?

I know it's a long shot, but I had to ask. ;^)
 
Hey Craig.Tascam sells the service manual with exploded views and a parts list.Not much of the spray gets into the sw.most of it runs down and contaminates the circuit boards underneath.The sw. most used fail first-play/stop/ffwd/rwd.If you end up replacing the sw.,replace all the transport sw. at the same time-saves you from having to take it apart when sw. fail that you didn't replace...
 
That's the curious thing. I hardly ever use the button in question (rewind) except for "return to zero" sometimes. That's the main button that was intermittently failing, although it's 100% better now.

If I did go through the major surgery that arcaxis found on YouTube, there's no doubt I'd replace all of the transport switches at the same time. But man, what a major hassle. I was hoping the unit might have the transport switches on a separate circuit board, but if the DP-32SD is anything like that, I'd guess not.

I sent Tascam email to inquire about the parts, along with a service manual. Haven't heard back from them yet (in my experience, they take quite a while to respond), but we'll see.

At any rate, thanks for your continued help guys!
 
I had a DP32 SD. It was malfunctioning within 48 hours of unboxing it. I was also shocked at how lousy the onboard effects are. Not to mention how limited they are as well. I returned it for a full return within two weeks. A horrible product that doesn't even compare to hard disk recorders of 10 or more years ago. For instance, I have a Korg D1600 MKII that cost me $1800. back in 2003 and it still works like the day I purchased it.
 
The DP-32SD, and the entire recording, mixing and mastering process

Pub Style said:
I had a DP32 SD. It was malfunctioning within 48 hours of unboxing it. I was also shocked at how lousy the onboard effects are. Not to mention how limited they are as well. I returned it for a full return within two weeks. A horrible product that doesn't even compare to hard disk recorders of 10 or more years ago. For instance, I have a Korg D1600 MKII that cost me $1800. back in 2003 and it still works like the day I purchased it.
Click to expand...

I've had mine for years with never a problem, except for the one I've discussed in this thread. That only recently developed after hundreds of hours of recording. It sounds like you just received a defective unit, and should have exchanged it. Happens to me all the time, my luck in that department is horrible. If there's a stack of 10 boxes of something I'm buying at a store and there's just 1 bad in it, I'll pick that one without fail. I got so superstitious about it, I now let my wife pick the box out. ;^)

Anyway, the issue I was discussing was ultimately resolved with a few small sprays of compressed air, followed by DeOxit into the buttons in question. That took about 10 minutes including drying time, and it's been fine ever since, about 5 months so far. That problem was at least in part my fault, for not keeping a dust cover over the unit when not in use. I surely make it a point to do now!

As for a large array of effects, I think you're expecting way too much from a recorder that costs only $500. To compare it to another that you paid over triple that amount for (and who knows how much it would cost now, 14 years later) isn't really fair. I don't expect or use that sort of function on a recorder anyway. I record most instruments with no effects at all, and an absolutely flat EQ. I don't do any mixdown or mastering on the DP-32SD either, since the facilities for those items are limited as well (just a 3-band EQ, compressor and limiter). That provides me with raw tracks, which I can then apply whatever effects and corrections required using DAW software. My basic philosophy is, if you use effects and the like while recording, there's no "un-doing" or changing those later if you want to, other than re-recording. My approach obviously isn't the only one that can be used, YMMV.

So, in general I only use it for recording, which is after all its primary purpose. IMHO, its features for that are outstanding... 32 tracks (well, 24 if you use them all in mono, which is what I usually do), combo XLR/TRS inputs, effects send, stereo and monitor outputs, many powerful track edit functions, virtual tracks, looping for rehearsal and up to 8 automatic takes per channel using those virtual tracks, various USB capabilities, auto and manual punch in/out (I have their pedal for manual punch in/out as well), multiple location marks, the ability to easily make safety copies, solo/muting, un-do/re-do, actual sliders vs. pots, metronome, tuner, and most of all not having to screw around with CD's (easily affected by vibration during recording) are all great features, just to name a few. IMHO, considering the price, it's absolutely amazing that this unit has that amount of function for the recording process itself.

When my recording is completely finished for a given song, I just export all of the tracks to my computer via USB, then do all of my mixing and mastering there using SONAR Cakewalk software. That gives me infinitely more control over those activities, and there are a gazillion plug-ins available online for free which extend its capabilities even further. Even their lowest priced "serious" DAW software ("Artist", which is the one I use) is loaded with function, and only $100. You can even make payments on it, if you don't happen to have the cash up-front.

Here's an example of the results I get using this entire process, in a song on which I play all instruments (granted, lousy vocals!):

https://soundcloud.com/user-44230886/every-rose-has-its-thorn

And here's a direct link to their "Artist" version:

https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Buy-Now/SONAR-Artist

If you'd like to check out all SONAR products in general:

https://www.cakewalk.com/products/SONAR/

Best of luck to you!
 
@CraigG58

I can appreciate what you had to say there, and I am glad it has worked out for you. I was on the fence about returning the unit for refund or just exchanging it but to put it simple, I was pissed off. I have read many reviews about how others have had the same problems with defective units. Perhaps one in five are total lemons. I don't know.

Thanks again for your post.
 
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