TASCAM M-520... From farm team (M-30) to major league

[lo.fi.love]

Yeah, so I splurged, foolishly or not, and got a TASCAM M-520 instead of a M-512. For some reason it seems that the M-520 is more common in availability, used, than the M-512. I got it from a guy on Craigslist who used it to record a couple of bands that I'm familiar with from the San Jose area. He was a real gentleman and he put up with me and my difficulty in finding a ride down to his place to pick it up... an ordeal which took two weeks! (I ended up asking my girlfriend... something which I didn't want to impose, but everyone who owed me a favor was either unavailable or unable to help)

$450, cash. Andrew Jackson is the King of Craigslist. The seller didn't have the power supply cord at the time because he had taken it to his practice space and forgot, but I'm picking it up from him tonight (Wednesday).

The mixer is in great shape. The faders are so smooth, the whole unit is really clean, except for some light dust from sitting in a garage for three months. Once I get the power cord, I'll put it through as many of its paces as I can. After which, I'll move it into my bedroom and set it aside until I can organize my other gear to accommodate it, as I'm sure that my room mates will appreciate being able to use the coffee table again.

I snapped a quick picture with my MacBook's webcam:

Now, I wanna ask a couple of questions:

1. Does anyone have an mp3 of a track recorded using a M-520, that I may listen to?

2. Does anyone have experience using a Rode NTK microphone with the M-520's pres? From what I understand about both the NTK and the M-520 pres, the sound should be warm enough to bathe in. Just curious. The NTK is the next mic on my "someday" shopping list.

3. Any clever tips or tricks that might help in my use of the M-520?

Gosh, I'm so excited. I've made a huge step up. The only way I think I could do better than this would be if I got an Ampex 16-track and an MCI or API console.

As they say here in Northern California (and this almost makes my Native Oregonian blood boil), I'm "hella stoked"

 

[sweetbeats]

1. I do but I gotta look for it and upload...its not a completed project, just initial vocal tracking, but it would give you an idea.

2. Dunno, but the M-520 pre's are my favs among all I own and did the best at handling transients and presenting as warm.

3. Didja get the manual with it? That is my very best suggestion is to read that thing, at least the operations section and study the flow diagrams. There are some asp[ects of the M-500 mixers that are a little different than "contemprorary" mixers in terms of how the stereo busses are used as well as the program groups.

I think you'll be happy with it, and congrats. It is a very flexible mixers with features you won't find on small format mixers on the market today.

I've got spares galore so PM me if ever you need something.

 

[lo.fi.love]

Yeah! It came with the manual. I'll be checking it out tonight, after I pick up the power cable.

 

[cjacek]

That is a scrumptious deal.

 

[A Reel Person]

Just change your name from Lo-Fi to Gear-Junkie...

and get it over with already!

Heh, heh,... yeah,... the power cable. Just forgot it. Left it with my other gear. Gosh, all those cables look alike. Heh.

 

[lo.fi.love]

and get it over with already!

(Insert my twentieth quip about how my user name is now inaccurate)

I really had no idea that I'd go from having a mild interest in recording to building what has become almost a complete studio...

Funny how that works

 

[ausrock]

2. Does anyone have experience using a Rode NTK microphone with the M-520's pres? From what I understand about both the NTK and the M-520 pres, the sound should be warm enough to bathe in. Just curious. The NTK is the next mic on my "someday" shopping list.

Congrats on the purchase.

Re the NTK............Don't write off other mics. People get all "gushy" over Rode, a company who made their initial fortune hawking either mics which were (secretly) Chinese made, or Aust., assembled from Chinese components, sure in recent times they've changed but I personally, still have little faith in their products. Seriously consider SP's T3........and if you have the inclination, swap the xformer for a Cinemag and/or the tube for a NOS GE 6072 and you'll have a damned fine mic for the $$.

 

[jedblue]

(Insert my twentieth quip about how my user name is now inaccurate)

I really had no idea that I'd go from having a mild interest in recording to building what has become almost a complete studio...

Funny how that works

Worked for me like that too

 

[lo.fi.love]

Whoa baby. M-520 is go!

Quick update:

I got the power supply cable/umbilical from the seller. I've been tinkering around with the mixer with just a stereo mic and an electric guitar, with my headphones and no monitors. I have to say that I'm completely and utterly impressed by the sound and color of this mixer.

The M-520 definitely has its own unique 'sound'. I view this as an asset and not a drawback, as I have seen some suggest on other bulletin boards. It seems to me, upon my first impression, that it's incredibly simple to defeat/circumvent the natural sonic thumbprint of the mixer with simple EQing. Case in point: Anyone who says that the M-520 lacks high-frequency detail should think again, because I've gotten fantastic results in one hour of messing around with the thing. AND, I have only approx. one year of mixing and recording experience, so it clearly doesn't take a whiz to figure it out.

(... Not to devalue myself or to overlook the fact that I've spent many hundreds of hours studying audio engineering over the past year. I'm just saying....) (Pride point! )

I'm giddy. I'm totally beside myself with excitement. I'm already dreaming about the things that I'm going to do with this mixer. I can't wait to put it to full use.

sweetbeats: Your old 48-OB is now married and living happily in Oakland with her husband. If only the 48 and the M-520 could have cute, little gray and beige babies together... ha ha