I found this thread while working on exploring a Tascam M-216 and found these exact same issues. The 1/4" and RCA outs worked just fine, but the XLR connections didn't work - super low level, lots of noise, and I assumed that I was going to spend today taking the back off this mixer and re soldering the XLR connectors.
The mixer is not broken.
The XLR outs of the M-200 Series are unbalanced, but what they also are (as mentioned in this thread) is wired differently than standard XLR cables.
Pin 2 and 3 are swapped. This means that positive and negative are reversed (but pin 1, ground, is fine.)
I tested this theory by opening and changing the wires of two of my unbalanced XLR to 1/4" cables.
I traded pin 2 for 3 on both of them and didn't do anything to the other end.
For good measure I ran these cables into a pair of Boss DI-1 direct boxes to re balance the output.
The results are just fine. No level cut, no hassles at all.
I'd love to solve a few problems with this mixer:
1. XLR
SoundGas and some other folks highly recommend replacing these strange XLR connectors with 1/4" "direct outputs".
I've looked into the jacks and they would look nice, and that could be very handy to have an extra 1/4" output for the mains (monitor and record) and then 1/4" outs for the busses.
What I'd really rather do is have some cables which are correct.
I've never heard of XLR cables which are 1 Ground, 2 Positive, 3 Negative to 1 Ground, 2 Negative, 3 Positive before.
Is this typical? What do we call these? Are there adapters for them so we don't have to build cables?
So curious.
2. Monitor Section
It's a shame that the only output for the monitoring is headphones.
I'd love to listen in nearfields to the monitor mix but that's not really handy.
I am considering something like a Mackie Big Knob to connect between the headphone outs and my monitors (can insert the main outs as well and switch between them if I need to)
I wondered if there was something more Tascam/Teac ever produced as a solution for this?
3. Phantom Power
It's also a shame that there isn't Phantom Power included.
I've scored a simple little box which provides 48v Phantom Power for a mic (often needed) but wondered again if Tascam/Teac produced something more of the era which would do this for me.
I'm really glad this post was here. And thank you to
@sweetbeats for calling our attention to the pins. That really did the trick!