Tascam M-___ Story...

[sweetbeats]

Well, I had an interested party, but, understandably, it was prohibitive to ship to NY from the West coast, so its still here.

In the process of getting info of the current status of this mixer for the then potential buyer I decided I have the gumption to finish the cosmetic part of the refurb as well as the minor repairs needed on a couple of the modules. I figure it will make it more marketable and enable the opportunity to get some glamour shots for Ghost.

To summarize this project thus far, the master section has been completely cosmetically refurbished and repaired (multiple wiring repairs, the repair to the oscillator and a some pot repairs), and 100% recapped...the master section is 100%. The meter bridge has been cosmetically refurbished (including selective painting of the housing) and 100% recapped...all the lamps are working. In short the meter bridge is also 100%. The frame has also been cosmetically refurbished including new paint, and multiple repairs to the motherboard have been executed...frame is also 100%. The power supply which was non-existent when I obtained the mixer was brought into existence via a power supply for an M-520 mixer which is about as appropriate as one could get since it is clear that this prototype mixer is, in part, a forerunner to the M-50/M-500 series mixers. The power supply was cosmetically refurbished, mildly modified to match the requirements of the mixer, and 100% recapped. The one-of-a-kind power supply umbilical to interface the power supply and frame was also fabricated. Power supply? 100%. Last but not least two I/O modules have been cosmetically refurbished, 100% recapped and repaired as needed and are..100%. All audio IC sites were socketed on those two modules. That leaves 10 I/O modules to, at the very least, be repaired as needed and cleaned up, and the finishing touch, the solid walnut trim panels to be fabricated.

The walnut material has been selected and skip-planed, and all the rest of the knob and switchcaps have had soap and a toothbrush taken to them. That's where things were at.

Each module has a total of 11 jacks; one XLR, and 10 RCA. The RCA jacks are PCB mounted in two blocks; one block of 6 and one block of 4. One of the 6-jack blocks on one of the modules looked like a couple of the jacks got ripped right off with some cabling or something. Lucky me I found an identical jack block on some spares from an M-300 series mixer I used to have. Sweet. Repaired jack set on the left, the bad part on the right ready for its new assignment taking up space in the trash can:

Here are the 10 modules in process stripped of dress panels and jack plates:

Jack plates ready for polishing:

This is the first time the dress panels have been off of these modules and, like the master section chassis, one of the I/O module chassis had lots of hand-written designators on it. Prototype indeed:

Oh, and by the way, if anybody was wondering if module #6 was okay, the proof is in writing...hahah!

Here are three of the modules in process. What's happing with these 10 modules involves a less in-depth cleaning. The dress and jack panels are being cleaned and polished as with the master section and the two fully refurbished I/O modules, but I'm not totally disassembling the modules and getting them clean-clean-clean. Loose dust and dirt is being removed for the most part, and they are being inspected for any loose wires and such, but I'm not recapping them and cleaning all the pots out and such. That will be something for the new owner to do if so desired (all the caps necessary to finish the recap are included with the mixer). So my intention is for the modules to be 100% functional, and very pretty, but also 100% original. Anyway, here are three in process:

I'm also replacing the dust gaskets on the input and meter source select switches since the original rubber ones were toast. The material I'm using is from M-520 spares. Also notice how nice the push-switches cleaned up...for all the neglect this thing displayed when I got it, I really do think it has low mileage overall, and that it presumeably spent its life on southern California is good...dryer environment. Anyway, closeup of the gaskets and some switches:

At the end of the day, all 10 modules are now cleaned and inspected, and the panels are polished up...I just need to do a little cleaning of the faders and straighten some of the fader knob shafts and then its time to reassemble and reinstall the modules back in the frame. Then it'll be on to woodworking.

This thing is going to look fantastic.

I'll be wanting more than $300 when I'm done for sure.

This mixer is the only hybrid recording/FOH/broadcast console I've ever seen...if there's a feature you want its probably got it, and a number of things that would surprise you. If you like one-of-a-kind super cool-devices, this mixer qualifies.

Stay tuned...

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Glad to see this finally coming closer to the stage of completion but sad to know that it will be leaving the hands of a truly loving re-constructionist who put so much time and effort into bring this beast back to life.

Looking forward to finally seeing some completed shots that I can put my own digital spit and polish on.

Cheers!

 

[sweetbeats]

Yeah, believe me I constantly have second thoughts about letting it go, but I'm pretty certain it will sit under a cover for its remaining life here if I were to keep it. Keeping it just because I want to be the one that has it is precisely the reason its got to go. It would be a different story if it was a better match for the multitrack machine (the MM-1000). I am committed to that machine and committed to getting it setup to run 2" 16-track. If the M-__ had 16 I/O modules then it would be harder to choose, but I really think it is important to have a mixer with at least 16 separate line inputs or monitor returns and the M-__ just doesn't have it. Like I've said in the past the sheer number of inputs and flexible control surface configuration options on the M-__ make it *possible* to mix 16 or more tracks, but there are some limitations on it. Its not really what the M-__ was designed for and I don't want work-arounds to be part of my workflow. And the other thing is that I've philisophically drifted toward simplicity in my preferences in my signal path. At least that's what I'm trying to accomplish. The Soundtracs MX-32 mixer I'm currently using is straight-forward; relatively high on the quality factor and relatively low on the bells and whistles factor and has enough inputs to have sources permanently setup as well as 16 tape returns all to separate channels, so there is a desirable "set-and-forget" element there that I'm happy with. And then you bring the MCI JH-416 into the picture...now we're talking a desk that from an architecture and time period standpoint is a solid match for the MM-1000...with the +/-24V audio power rails, +4dBu nominal oparating level standard through each amp stage, etc., etc., etc., its a match. And true 16 mix buss architecture, well, that's it. And then you juxtapose the M-__ in front of that and it just doesn't make sense. I've got three mixers, I only need one and I simply cannot expect to be better at staying away from gear hoarding if I keep the M-__. Eventually there will be only one mixer. It'll either be the Soundtracs or the MCI. The jury will decide once I have a chance to experience the MCI sound. I think there is confidence that it'll be great with the Ampex multitrack and the 3M halftrack. I think the question for me is whether it is a good match personality-wise for DAW projects. That might sound silly, but I enjoy working both with the DAW and with the analog machines and there are times when I AM looking for more transparency in the mix path. The MCI desk is sure to be anything but transparent. My experience with the Soundtracs console so far is that it has personality but not so much that it can't be that "transparent" mix path, and the MM-1000 can provide plenty of personality to make the Soundtracs a good functional compromise between "personality" projects and "transparent" projects. What I'm hoping is that I'm so jazzed with the sound of the MCI desk that there is no longer a need to operate in two ideological camps project-wise; that everything just sounds great through it, and then it'll be the winner even though its outfitted with four less aux busses than the Soundtracs and a number of other "limitations"...but that's part of why I like it. That and the fact that it has relays that click every time you press a button...

Anyway, none of this should take away from the merits of the M-__. Because of the super cool globally configurable monitor and source switching features it would be a pleasure to use when mixing or tracking and needing to switch back and forth between tape tracks and DAW tracks in large chunks. Once I understood how that "REMOTE" section works the lights went on in my head regarding how handy and efficient a tool this mixer is. It'd be a fantastic mate for an 8-track tape machine and 12 DAW channels (which could be more DAW tracks than that if you sub-mixed in the box).

Once it is all put together I still plan on doing some video tutorials about the features and operation of it before its sold...sort of a video manual I guess. And I will be choosy about the buyer because it will be important that the buyer have a certain degree of technical ability since there are no schematics to go with this mixer and it is relatively complex. Certainly a one-of-a-kind mixer will need somebody capable of supporting it and keeping it going either by his/her own volition or via his/her support network.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Yup. I can understand that fine line between hoarding and wanting the gear to actually use it. I'd imagine that for anyone out there wanting a uniquely flexible mixer for an 8 track set up, the M___ would be a fantastic choice and silly not to jump on it when it goes to market.

Best of luck the rest of the way with the final finishing touches.

Cheers!

 

[cjacek]

In the event that you do restore it 100% top to bottom... What's labour of love worth to you? I don't think it's hoarding at this point. I'd keep it, even as an exhibition piece. Putting so much detail work into it and then letting it go for a few hundred..? I can now hear restorers world wide deeply exhaling in disbelief. ..........

 

[sweetbeats]

In the event that you do restore it 100% top to bottom... What's labour of love worth to you? I don't think it's hoarding at this point. I'd keep it, even as an exhibition piece. Putting so much detail work into it and then letting it go for a few hundred..? I can now hear restorers world wide deeply exhaling in disbelief. ..........

Exhibition piece for who? Me? I'm not interested in opening a museum. The number of people in my 6 member household that care about this thing in the least would be 1. The sum total of people in my small town that would even humor me with engaging in discussion over this mixer is, like, 3.

Some exhibit.

The thing is, I have no room in my house or shop for this mixer, and I don't have an emotional attachment to it. I like cleanin' and fixin' stuff up. I think (maybe delusionally) that nobody else is going to do the same job fixing this this thing up. Its one of a kind, very cool, and very practical and functional as a 12 x 8 mixer. So its gotta get a good break, and I'm the guy to do it. And its close.

Color me happy...got the faders for the 10 remaining I/O modules checked out and it took very little time. Confirmation again that this mixer has low miles on it. Surface neglect and abuse, yes, but I have yet to have ever opened up ALPS faders in an 80's mixer to find them this clean. Not even close. Usually there is a hairball on each side of the slide bushings...NOTHING on these faders. Here is a pic, and this fader hasn't been touched. Just opened it up and snapped the pic:

Now for the best part of a mixer refurb...putting it all back together.

 

[sweetbeats]

A teaser...

I've got 5 of the 10 modules reassembled and in.

Some lame phone-cam pics:

It looks pretty sweet.

 

[sweetbeats]

Got the rest of the modules assembled and in...

These pictures are marginally better but still not great...but the M-__ is coming together.

All that's left besides testing things out is to RE-re-cover the wrist rest, and to fab those trim panels.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Looking good, Holmes!

Cant wait to see it with the new wood trim installed!

Cheers!

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Played around again with a couple of the shots you just posted, Cory and figured I'd post up a couple of examples of the mixer with some lighter wood examples of standard style trim and fuller coverage trim.

wallpaper sized image below;
https://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h250/thefontmeister/IMG_3409lighttrimwallpaper.jpg

Wallpaper sized image below;
https://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h250/thefontmeister/IMG_3404wallpaper.jpg



Cheers!

 

[cjacek]

Exhibition piece for who? Me? I'm not interested in opening a museum. The number of people in my 6 member household that care about this thing in the least would be 1. The sum total of people in my small town that would even humor me with engaging in discussion over this mixer is, like, 3.

Some exhibit.

The thing is, I have no room in my house or shop for this mixer, and I don't have an emotional attachment to it. I like cleanin' and fixin' stuff up. I think (maybe delusionally) that nobody else is going to do the same job fixing this this thing up. Its one of a kind, very cool, and very practical and functional as a 12 x 8 mixer. So its gotta get a good break, and I'm the guy to do it. And its close.

Color me happy...got the faders for the 10 remaining I/O modules checked out and it took very little time. Confirmation again that this mixer has low miles on it. Surface neglect and abuse, yes, but I have yet to have ever opened up ALPS faders in an 80's mixer to find them this clean. Not even close. Usually there is a hairball on each side of the slide bushings...NOTHING on these faders. Here is a pic, and this fader hasn't been touched. Just opened it up and snapped the pic:




Now for the best part of a mixer refurb...putting it all back together.

To "trip" you is not my intention, Cory. I know the situation but, but... I guess what I'm saying is that I can't imagine putting so much time, effort and energy into it and not having any sort of attachment to it. This is not like collecting junk and storing it but rather time consuming restoration and detail work of a rare piece of history, unlike anything 99.9% of people would do. Sell it, OK, that's fine but I would not take less than a few thousand for it. You might not have any buyers but anything less would just be selling yourself short and painfully cheap. Most buyers are not going to appreciate the work you've done or treat it [the mixer] as you would (no matter what they say) and will rather take advantage. I've seen fully restored (similar capacity vintage boards) go for several thousand and still they were not as detail restored as yours. I guess I'm concerned that you're giving away your amazing talents for free (or close to it). Why restore it so wonderfully and then not put it either to use or keep it as a piece to be proud of or.... sell it for big bucks? OK, I understand if the plan was to get something significant for it but seems like it's a waste of time if you're going to get rid of it for cheap. Hey, maybe I'm measuring by my own standards but it's painful for me to see someone giving away their time for cheap like that. You love to restore, great, I can't fault that but it'd be cool to get a nice reward after all that work, like a big stack of bills, if you decided to sell. You mention not having an emotional attachment to the board but clearly, at least from your post, your words indicate otherwise (at least to me). Well, whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[sweetbeats]

Played around again with a couple of the shots you just posted, Cory and figured I'd post up a couple of examples of the mixer with some lighter wood examples of standard style trim and fuller coverage trim...

That is just rediculous, Ghost...in a good way. Wow. Folks there are some other concepts presented over the in the Tascam Wallpaper thread of Ghost's work on this mixer starting on about post #311 here.

Way, way cool, Jeff. Awesome. Thank you so much for all the time you're putting into these sneak previews...its magical. And really, really helpful in a practical way too in terms of helping me see in advance some different ideas. It will help steer what comes off the planer.

 

[sweetbeats]

To "trip" you is not my intention, Cory. I know the situation but, but... I guess what I'm saying is that I can't imagine putting so much time, effort and energy into it and not having any sort of attachment to it. This is not like collecting junk and storing it but rather time consuming restoration and detail work of a rare piece of history, unlike anything 99.9% of people would do. Sell it, OK, that's fine but I would not take less than a few thousand for it. You might not have any buyers but anything less would just be selling yourself short and painfully cheap. Most buyers are not going to appreciate the work you've done or treat it [the mixer] as you would (no matter what they say) and will rather take advantage. I've seen fully restored (similar capacity vintage boards) go for several thousand and still they were not as detail restored as yours. I guess I'm concerned that you're giving away your amazing talents for free (or close to it). Why restore it so wonderfully and then not put it either to use or keep it as a piece to be proud of or.... sell it for big bucks? OK, I understand if the plan was to get something significant for it but seems like it's a waste of time if you're going to get rid of it for cheap. Hey, maybe I'm measuring by my own standards but it's painful for me to see someone giving away their time for cheap like that. You love to restore, great, I can't fault that but it'd be cool to get a nice reward after all that work, like a big stack of bills, if you decided to sell. You mention not having an emotional attachment to the board but clearly, at least from your post, your words indicate otherwise (at least to me). Well, whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck.

Daniel, I *know* you of all people wouldn't try to "trip" me up...

I have an attachment to the M-__ mixer yes but it is an attachment of appreciation for its features, place in history and just a connection secondary to my knowledge of its inner makeup, but I will feel about it just as I did when the M-520 and 388 headed down the road; lifted of a burden with cold hard cash in hand. You may recall the sale of the M-520 helped fund a trip to Disneyland for the wife and kids and I. The 388 proceeds paid for a digital SLR camera for my wife that she would have never asked for but I knew she wanted it. These are the things that mean so much more than keeping the M-__ around. I took $700 for the M-520 and $900 for the 388. Considering their condition maybe the buyers in those cases got a good deal, but what I got was above market average and I paid below market average in both cases...WAY below. Yes I put a lot of time into those projects and worked them to a level higher than most would or could take them, but I enjoyed the process and learned a ton in each case and part of that learning centered around honing on what I want in my analog studio. Once I was exposed to the build quality of the Ampex machines I knew there was no going back. And at that point the M-__ became a poor fit due to my aspirations of running the MM-1000 as a 16-track. Along comes the Soundtracs with all the channels needed, a more simple control topology and more headroom...also some more robust aspects to build quality. I wished at that stage there was a mixer that was in the same eschelon as the MM-1000 but I didn't think they existed. Then the MCI came along and when I went to look at it I immediately saw it came from the same school of design as the Ampex stuff. Done.

Big picture: as nuts as it seems these last 4-5 years have been a journey of finding out what really clicks for me. I had to make a lot of mistakes and learn a LOT to get to that point but that "point" was realized with the MM-1000, and then the MCI desk, and most recently the 3M halftrack. These things resonate with me. So that's what I mean by stating I'm not emotionally attached to the M-__. Its a misfit for me and, although it probably doesn't look like it, I really want a simple studio...simple signal path with stupid-big old vintage hardware...and just one multitrack machine, one mixer, one halftrack, etc. Not a bunch of "options" tucked away in the shop. I set a boundary for myself that I need to pare this stuff down to the point where what I've got fits in the music room. SO...attached to the M-__? Of course. LOOK at it...it is one of the coolest mixers I've ever seen and I LOVE that it was made by Teac. And there is so much history tied into it since it is clearly a bridge between the Model 15 and M-16 mixers and the new generation M-500 series with clear influence on the M-300 series as well as some of the stand-alone rackmount processors. The control surface is unmatched for any 12 x 8 mixer I've ever seen. But I'd like to take the fam to Disneyland again...we need to...its been a rough few months. And the M-__ is sitting on the table where the MCI frame needs to go. Ask me how excited I am to hear audio pass through that bonafide early 70's big-iron desk with 48V pk-pk power on the audio??

And maybe I'm undervaluing the M-__ because, for all intents and purposes, nobody seems interested. Its a one-of-a-kind, which is cool, but I bet many are wary of the fact that there is no user community for this thing and no document set. It needs to have a tech-savvy owner.

BUT, that being said, I won't give it away. Back when it was still somewhat disassemble and half not cleaned up and certain repairs not conducted, npo trim panels etc., I figured it wasn't worth so much in terms of being able to move it. Now the price of admission will be reasonably higher for sure.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

That is just rediculous, Ghost...in a good way. Wow. Folks there are some other concepts presented over the in the Tascam Wallpaper thread of Ghost's work on this mixer starting on about post #311 here.

Way, way cool, Jeff. Awesome. Thank you so much for all the time you're putting into these sneak previews...its magical. And really, really helpful in a practical way too in terms of helping me see in advance some different ideas. It will help steer what comes off the planer.

Thanks for the kind words on the shots and very glad to hear that you might try to incorporate some of my design ideas into the wood trim panels.

Like you described in your response to Daniel, I too do this as a labour of love and for the learning experience of fine tuning my editing chops in Photoshop which is a very complex program to master and your pictures have really given me a tremendous opportunity to combine my love of the gear and my budding hobby/ part time career in photography. So its a win-win situation in my opinion.

Anyway, I hope your M___ does end up with a worthy new home and that you get fair market value for it.

Cheers!

 

[pianodano]

Hi Cory,

Just a note from a old guy. I have followed your rebuilding efforts for years. You are exceptionally talented and just like I have been acussed of many times, you are a perfectionist. Wear that as a badge of honor. Much of the world will never achieve the results that you do. But from what you have said, this is the part that you won't care for.

I have spent most of my life undervaluing my work. I have spent countless days of my life working on projects that I had long before ran out of money on but that I just would not release to the customer until I was happy with the results. Here is what I have learned and I can promise you that this is true. If you do something for nothing, people (ALL) think that the value is very little or nothing. If you sell your time or a product for vey little, people (Nearly ALL) think that they are getting over on you and most feel very proud of themselves and can be found laughing at you behind your back in many cases. If on the other hand, people pay dearly for something, they usually feel that they have receive a tremendous product. I don't know why human nature works this way. But after lifetime of being in business, I know that it does.

Another little tidbit that a very wealthy person shared with me years ago - I was working on a buildout for one of his Karate studios. I mentioned to him that I was stunned that people would spend so much money on fun and games. He told me emphatically: Danny, there is a whole lot more money in fun than there is in work.

I have always said that I would sooner throw into the creek behind my house items that I paid so dearly for but that todays generation find no value in whatsover except for possibly nostalgic. An example would be one of my 38 decks. I paid $2800.00 in 1985 money. They sometimes sell for 2 or 3 hundred bucks. Ain't ever gonna happen in my life. My wife can do as she pleases when I'm gone, but I worked mighty hard to earn those 1985 dollars.

Hope you're not mad.

Danny

 

[sweetbeats]

Of course not, Danny.

You are a wise and respected friend. Same goes for you, Daniel.

Best part about friendship is that you can (or *should* be able to) be honest and not have things get all wierd and freaky.

So, Danny, are you saying I should either put a "right" price on it and sell for no less and if it doesn't sell then just keep it?

 

[pianodano]

Of course not, Danny.

So, Danny, are you saying I should either put a "right" price on it and sell for no less and if it doesn't sell then just keep it?

Yes. And I have closets full of the stuff too. Unless and I say this with some reservation, I could find someone like yourself that truly appreciates what you have to sell. Even then, I would have to give it much thought.

 

[sweetbeats]

Yeah...that is a huge factor for me. If there was somebody that could make good practical use of it and that I knew appreciated it the way and could care for it, that would be worth $$$ to me. But I won't give it away in any case.

 

[cjacek]

Danny, great post, hit all the important notes (thanks for backing me up ). Cory, listen to Danny. He speaks the truth and is a great friend.

 

[skywaveTDR]

I can tell you what it is. It is either a M50 or a M512 depending on the Aux send master pots.
I have a unit here in my post production studio and am very familiar with them. The other option would be a M520 but yours does not look that long. These were outstanding mixers and if it is in good condition you will have a lot of fun with it.
Of course I used to work for Teac so there is no surprise to me. Only two mixers can look like that one.