Upgrade the preamps in Tascam M-1600

poopchute

poopchute

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Just like the title of this thread says...
I want to know what is the best way to upgrade the 8-Xlr preamps to something better. Is there any kind of Mod I can do? Or can I recapp the preamp Capacitors? Or am I just best off to just buy a separate 8 channel preamp unit to just bypass the originals?
What is the general consensus?
Merry Christmas!!
 
I don't think you will get anything more out of the pres, even if you upgrade the caps.
AFA completely replacing them with something else...I think it will be awkward with that mixer...and then to what quality level do you want to go?

IMO...get something standalone that's higher end...and either bypass the mixer pres...or if you don't have the budget for a high-end 8-channel standalone, get a 4-channel or even a 2-channel, and use them on your critical stuff, and use the mixer pres for lesser items.
I mean...how often do you need simultaneous 8-channels for tracking?
 
Nothing you can do to turn it into a Neve, or an API. :D
But you can get Neve and API preamps that you can use on line in.
 
Miroslav, yeah I probably dont need 8 preamps at once except for when I want to do drums and a rhythm instrument. I know that decent preamps can start to get pricey. Especially, the more you want.
And I do like the mixer. But the 1-8 XLR preamps I have tried out seem very thin and low powered.
I have heard on some mixers there are mods and even things you can do to update the preamps or restore them.
 
I agree with everything that’s been said so far. I don’t have the schematics for the M-1600 series so I can’t offer specifics, but you’re not likely to get any more character out of those preamps. You *might* be able to reduce noise and distortion, and maybe increase clarity, but you won’t be able to effect the headroom at all, and the improvements that could be may or may not even be audible. I suspect it is garden variety opamp-based mic pre. If anybody has schematics I’ll be happy to take a closer look, but I’m 99.9% sure what I’m saying is the case and the advice you’ve received above is spot-on. Not trying to be disparaging of the M-1600’s performance...the pres get the job done like hundreds of other products, but if you want something with greater headroom and character, something that excites you when you plug a mic up to it, you’re best to add something to your outboard gear bag of tricks.
 
Would I be able to use something like an Apollo 8 or 8x and its preamps as a replacement preamp module for the Mixer when recording to tape and then the bonus would be that I could also use the Apollo 8x for digital recording? Obviously not at the same time but separately...
 
When it comes to getting a D-sub cable for the connection to a Tascam TSR-8 I should use a 25-pin d-sub but what about the other end? I only am hooking up to a 8 track machine. If I get a 25 pin d-sub on one end and just 8 rca’s on the other how do I know that the 8 rca’s are wired to the proper pins? Or am I gonna half to get 1 with 25 rca’s and just pick the right lines or do I just have to wire my own?
 
So you’re talking about if the audio interface uses DSUB connectors for analog I/O? If so you have to have the pinout for the DSUB connector. There is a Tascam standard pinout that most companies adhere to for their pinout, and if that’s the case with whatever you get there are pre-made snakes you can get. They use 25 pins because it’s usually 8 channels of balanced lines (3 conductors per channel, hot, cold and ground, that uses 24 conductors) plus a shield ground. So you get a snake that’s 25pin DSUB to 8 TRS connectors, and then you’d get TRS to RCA adapters. I don’t know if you can get 25pin DSUB to 8 channels of RCA. You can always make your own, you’d just need the pinout for the DSUB and chances are it follows the Tascam standard.

[EDIT]

There are pre-made DB25 DSUB to RCA snakes. Just Google DB25 to RCA.
 
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sweetbeats said:
So you get a snake that’s 25pin DSUB to 8 TRS connectors, and then you’d get TRS to RCA adapters. I don’t know if you can get 25pin DSUB to 8 channels of RCA. You can always make your own, you’d just need the pinout for the DSUB and chances are it follows the Tascam standard.
Click to expand...

Yeah...I don't think I ever saw a DSUB with RCA connectors.
Also...with the RCA, you're dealing with -10 reference level, while the interface is pushing out +4.
Not sure if that can be changed in the interface...but if not, you also need to account for that...and the fact that you are unbalancing the XLR wiring going to RCA.

A simple way to solve all that is use something like the Fostex 5030 line amps...which had just the right connections and power conversions for what you need...all in one box.This is what I'm talking about: Fostex Fostex 5030 Line Amplifier | Reverb
Trouble is...they haven't been made in a looooong time, and don't come up too often on eBay or Reverb.
I have a pair of them in my studio, from when I had more RCA/-10 connections to deal with...but over the last several years, I've weeded out almost all of that gear. I think the only thing I have left is one consumer level CD player and also a cassette deck...oh, and my old tape echo machine, which uses unbalanced 1/4", but at least it has some options for I/O levels.

I was actually thinking just the other day why I still have a pair of the 5030 line amps in my rack...:D...since I rarely use even the one unit, but it's one of those things you never need until you don't have it... :p ...plus they are both still wired into my patchbays, and I'm too lazy to pull all that out. I would have de-solder the PB connections.

Anyway...there are some other line amp boxes out there. Tascam made some way back, though also rare...Ebtech still makes some, though they don't make them for RCA connectors: Ebtech - Audio Solutions
 
Yeah it really depends on how the I/O can be configured on the interface. It will help if poopchute has a specific make/model of interface at some point.

Tascam hump/converter boxes are LA-40 mkI, LA-40 mkII, LA-80 and LA-81.
 
I am a bit mystified Poopchute? You orignally asked about modding pre amps but then seem to not know how to go about buzzing out a multicore cable?

No one in this audio game should be without a modest Digital Multi-Meter IMHO especially those that choose to dabble with old, analogue kit!

If indeed you don't yet have one get one which bleeps for continuity, makes cable checking SO much quicker (or make a buzzer box).

Dave.
 
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