DX-4D for my 3440 ??

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cjacek

cjacek

Analogue Enthusiast
I know that the DX-4D NR unit was compatible with the Tascam 34 but will it work with the TEAC 3440 as well ? As you know, the layout at the back is different on the 34 and 3440 with dedicated inputs/outputs for the dbx on the 3440 while the 34 doesn't have those. I know the TEAC RX-9 is the recommended dbx unit for the 3440 but they're a bit harder to find. Any probs using the DX-4D instead ?

Thanks!

Daniel :)
 
I didn't follow the 3440 much and don't know what if any control signals it is capable of sending, but many actual "Tascam" branded dbx units could only go into encode/decode when receiving appropriate control signals from the machines they were designed to work with.

Some of the Tascam dbx units did have global in/out switches for the encode/decode functions, but these didn't affect the actual individual channel functions...those were user inaccessible except by control signals to the dbx unit from the tape recorder via ribbon cable or similar. If the dx4 is anything like the old Tascam dx8 dbx units, it won't work at all unless it gets those appropriate control signals...which I don't know that a 3440 can send.

You may want to call Jimmy in tech support at Montebello and have him look this stuff up. He'll be able to tell you if the dx4's encode/decode only worked with relay switching...and whether it can be integrated with a 3440.

I DO know that you can pick up any number of actual "Dbx" brands of nr and integrate those with a 3440. The actual dbx type 1 units (such as the Dbx 155 etc) did not depend on control signals for encoded/decode switching. They were designed to work with pretty much any make of multitrack. Of course you will have to manually switch the dbx units in and out of encode/decode.....but you WILL have noise reduction. You might want to keep that in mind if Jimmy tells you no-go on the dx4.

If you get one of the actual Dbx brands of noise reduction from Ebay etc, make sure it's a type 1 type. Type 2 or 3 are not the professional circuit and are not very good. Type 1 is what was found in all Tascam dbx types as well as all the other pro versions.
 
BRDTS said:
I didn't follow the 3440 much and don't know what if any control signals it is capable of sending, but many actual "Tascam" branded dbx units could only go into encode/decode when receiving appropriate control signals from the machines they were designed to work with.

Some of the Tascam dbx units did have global in/out switches for the encode/decode functions, but these didn't affect the actual individual channel functions...those were user inaccessible except by control signals to the dbx unit from the tape recorder via ribbon cable or similar. If the dx4 is anything like the old Tascam dx8 dbx units, it won't work at all unless it gets those appropriate control signals...which I don't know that a 3440 can send.

You may want to call Jimmy in tech support at Montebello and have him look this stuff up. He'll be able to tell you if the dx4's encode/decode only worked with relay switching...and whether it can be integrated with a 3440.

I DO know that you can pick up any number of actual "Dbx" brands of nr and integrate those with a 3440. The actual dbx type 1 units (such as the Dbx 155 etc) did not depend on control signals for encoded/decode switching. They were designed to work with pretty much any make of multitrack. Of course you will have to manually switch the dbx units in and out of encode/decode.....but you WILL have noise reduction. You might want to keep that in mind if Jimmy tells you no-go on the dx4.

If you get one of the actual Dbx brands of noise reduction from Ebay etc, make sure it's a type 1 type. Type 2 or 3 are not the professional circuit and are not very good. Type 1 is what was found in all Tascam dbx types as well as all the other pro versions.
Click to expand...

Beautiful! Thanks for the very helpful reply!! :)

I have a dbx 118 compressor/expander. Would that work too ?

Thanks!

Daniel :)

PS: Jimmy said "no". :(
 
The dbx 118 isn't a type 1. It's more of the "compander" family type of unit that worked on a different, much looser principal.

4 channels of Type 1's, even via a couple of matched stereo units, can probably be found for very reasonable prices if you check around.
 
BRDTS said:
The dbx 118 isn't a type 1. It's more of the "compander" family type of unit that worked on a different, much looser principal.

4 channels of Type 1's, even via a couple of matched stereo units, can probably be found for very reasonable prices if you check around.
Click to expand...

Alright, thank you again. :)

~Daniel
 
Get a dx-4d it will work and wont be nearly as much trouble as using some of the dbx brand stuff. If your machine has the control jack on the back the dx-4d will work. Those jacks they put on the back of the 3440 and 22-4 where just bad ideas by Tascam.
 
Daniel,

Do yourself a huge favor and just hunt down a couple of dbx 150X stereo, type I NR units and call it a day. :cool:

The 3440 does not contain the required control signal cable connector that was found on latter models like the 34 which I believe you owned once upon a time.

There is a jury rig for getting the DX-4D NR unit to work with your 3440 but it involves shorting specific connectors on the DX-4D's logic cable and I don't recall anyone documenting via diagram or photo which wires in particular to short so if you gamble and do this, you may end up damaging the DX-4D unit in question and still have no noise reduction.

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Daniel,

Do yourself a huge favor and just hunt down a couple of dbx 150X stereo, type I NR units and call it a day. :cool:

The 3440 does not contain the required control signal cable connector that was found on latter models like the 34 which I believe you owned once upon a time.

There is a jury rig for getting the DX-4D NR unit to work with your 3440 but it involves shorting specific connectors on the DX-4D's logic cable and I don't recall anyone documenting via diagram or photo which wires in particular to short so if you gamble and do this, you may end up damaging the DX-4D unit in question and still have no noise reduction.

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Jeff but the 3440 does indeed contain a dbx "control signal" interface. It's not the remote interface. I'm sure of that. Now what ? :confused:

~Daniel :)
 
cjacek said:
Thanks for the info Jeff but the 3440 does indeed contain a dbx "control signal" interface. It's not the remote interface. I'm sure of that.
Click to expand...
Do you have the schematic of both the 3440 and the dbx unit?

In theory if its using some kind of discrete control lines and not a data bus of some kind it shouldn't be that difficult to interface things....of course that's just speaking as someone with zero exeperience with these specific units....

The schematics would shed a lot more light on what's possible (and what's not).

Cya
Andrew
 
Just googled to see if someone had scanned these manuals and found a link back to this thread - so someone has schematics on the DX-4D, just need to get these and the schematic for your 3440 and we should be able to get somewhere....
 
Thanks for the link to that thread Andrew. Most helpful were some of the answers. So it looks like even though my 3440 has a control input, it doesn't mean the DX-4D cable will fit. I'll just wait for an RX-9 (eBay) or do like Ghost said and get a couple of those type 1 dbx nr units. ;)

Thanks family! ;)

Daniel :)
 
cjacek said:
Thanks for the info Jeff but the 3440 does indeed contain a dbx "control signal" interface. It's not the remote interface. I'm sure of that. Now what ? :confused:

~Daniel :)
Click to expand...
My apologies! :o

I was thinking of the 3340 rear panel which didn't have that connection port.

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
My apologies! :o

I was thinking of the 3340 rear panel which didn't have that connection port.

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

Not a problem Jeff. ;)

~Daniel :)
 
Hi, I am in a similar boat, but my A3440 _does_ have the connector port, in fact the dx-4d plugs perfectly into it.. But it still may not work?
 
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