Help with Teac Model 3 and a Tascam DA-38 Recorder

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leakymutant

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Hello,

Im tying to figure out I problem that Im having with my mixer and my recorder working together. I recently got both of this to start a home recording project for myself and I having problems matching the the db levels to each other.

The Teac Model 3 Mixer starts at a db of 20 and goes up to 0 (until it distorts)

The Tascam starts at a db level at 35 and goes up to 0 (until it distorts)

Theres a 15 db gap in between the two so when I go to record through the mixer into the recorder the playback level is 15 db lower then what the mixer is telling me.

Am I doing something wrong with the direct outputs going into the inputs of the mixer or do I need some sort of pre-amp to make the output of the mixer match the input of the recorder.

Thanks
 
The Model 3 was made for tape recorders. Tape has a sweet spot above which distortion rises and below which noise rises. The 0 point is set to help you hit that sweet spot. That 0 is dBVU (decibels, volume units).

The DA-38 is digital. It doesn't really change much until you hit its maximum level at which point it will immediately distort (quite horribly if the converters weren't designed to clip the analog parts first). Digital 0 is set to that point. It's called dBFS (decibels, full scale).

If you are getting peak levels around -15 to -12dBFS on the DA-38 you are in the right general range.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
The Model 3 was made for tape recorders. Tape has a sweet spot above which distortion rises and below which noise rises. The 0 point is set to help you hit that sweet spot. That 0 is dBVU (decibels, volume units).

The DA-38 is digital. It doesn't really change much until you hit its maximum level at which point it will immediately distort (quite horribly if the converters weren't designed to clip the analog parts first). Digital 0 is set to that point. It's called dBFS (decibels, full scale).

If you are getting peak levels around -15 to -12dBFS on the DA-38 you are in the right general range.
Click to expand...

yes thats where its peaking thanks for the help
 
Depending on who you talk to, analogue @ "0" is equal to -20 to -15 on the digital scale. Trying to get the visual numbers to match is a waste of time and does nothing to improve the sound.
 
Just a guess, but are the old mixers are working at the -10db standard and could the DA38 be working at the +4db standard? That would give you a level difference between the mixers and the DA of 14 db?

Alan.
 
witzendoz said:
Just a guess, but are the old mixers are working at the -10db standard and could the DA38 be working at the +4db standard? That would give you a level difference between the mixers and the DA of 14 db?

Alan.
Click to expand...


Wrong. The DA38 input/output levels are the same as the Model 3 and all other Tascam units of that period. The difference is in the types of scale. Analog 0 = Digital -20 to -15.
 
RRuskin said:
Wrong. The DA38 input/output levels are the same as the Model 3 and all other Tascam units of that period. The difference is in the types of scale. Analog 0 = Digital -20 to -15.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected, it's +4db using the D-sub connectors but -10db on the RCA connectors.

Alan.
 
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