Tascam US 1800 clipping.

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Unknowen
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2017/03/30 23:06:25 (permalink)

Tascam US 1800 clipping.

It's always been an issues but I got around it by using a mixer. But there is no way I can hook up a mic direct to the 1800 without it clipping. Even with dynamic mics... volume turned down all the way. is there a trick or something I'm missing. I would like to be able to record without a mixer. 

Hay look,
Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
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    azslow3
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/03/31 08:00:09 (permalink)
    Sorry, I probably do not understand something...
    You connect a mic to let say input 1, turn the gain knob 1 all the way left and you see "OL" lighting when you start singing/playing?

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    #2
    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/03/31 09:24:59 (permalink)
    azslow3
    Sorry, I probably do not understand something...
    You connect a mic to let say input 1, turn the gain knob 1 all the way left and you see "OL" lighting when you start singing/playing?


    Yup! :) I know there is a -10db on the back as well but nothing has ever worked. Just too hot! I see and downloaded the latest firmware (2016) last night but the unit function just fine other then the direct line in problem.
    "not broken don't fix it" and I found nothing relevant about the update VS. clipping...   

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
    #3
    azslow3
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/03/31 10:35:31 (permalink)
    Firmware can not help, the unit has no Digital controllable gain, the part before AD is analog.
    Max mic input level for US in the specification is +14dBu (line inputs +20). I do not think there is dynamic mic which can produce it (without amplification). So very strange...
     

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    #4
    dwardzala
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/03/31 13:54:47 (permalink)
    Are you sure the input is not a Hi-Z input and/or that you don't have phantom power turned on for a mic that doesn't need it?
     
    I am not familiar with that specific interface but those are things that come to mind to check.

    Dave
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    #5
    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/03/31 14:06:05 (permalink)
    I have no idea, I know that I have few options. well two -10db on back of unit and volume controls on the front.
    Phantom power is not on. :)
     
    Even if I'm using ARC calibration and I plug in the condenser mic I have to keep volume knob to 0 when calibrating.
    Also before I realized it was a condenser mic. ha! I was able to calibrate with volume set to 0 with no phantom power on.
    Have you ever had one of those days... that lasted for a year or two... ?
     
    thanks!
     
      

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
    #6
    Cactus Music
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/01 17:14:05 (permalink)
    The us1800 is exactly the same as my us1641.
     
    Is this new behavior or has this always behaved this way?
     
     
    You obviously tried one of the other front XLR inputs, right. I can see one becoming faulty but not all 8 of them.  
     
    For me a Sure SM 58 or 57 will be set without clipping when the channel gain is set between 12 to 1 o clock. 
    I have plugged just about everything into every channel of my unit and it has never been an issue. 
    Its one of it's strong points is the very flexible input and gain which for me exepts just about any signal from mikes, DI boxes and mixer outputs. 
    At full anti clockwise there would be almost no signal at all. 
     
    To test is this is not something wrong with the peak light system
    Arm a track in Sonar and observe the level for the track, is it overdriven? 
     

    Johnny V  
    Cakelab  
    Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
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    #7
    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/02 01:20:14 (permalink)
    Cactus Music
    The us1800 is exactly the same as my us1641.
     
    Is this new behavior or has this always behaved this way?
     
     
    You obviously tried one of the other front XLR inputs, right. I can see one becoming faulty but not all 8 of them.  
     
    For me a Sure SM 58 or 57 will be set without clipping when the channel gain is set between 12 to 1 o clock. 
    I have plugged just about everything into every channel of my unit and it has never been an issue. 
    Its one of it's strong points is the very flexible input and gain which for me exepts just about any signal from mikes, DI boxes and mixer outputs. 
    At full anti clockwise there would be almost no signal at all. 
     
    To test is this is not something wrong with the peak light system
    Arm a track in Sonar and observe the level for the track, is it overdriven? 
     


    It has always been that way, the preamps are too hot. I even contacted Tascam right after I bought it (NEW) from SW and Tascam never got back to me... Come to think of it they never have gotten back to me on anything. lol I would like to get away from a huge mixer that takes up half the room but... thanks! :)
     
     
    edit: BTW that is with one mic or all channels in use. 

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
    #8
    gswitz
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/02 01:54:23 (permalink)
    There's something not right, either with what you are reporting or with the device.

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #9
    Cactus Music
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/03 18:56:27 (permalink)
    Hard to believe that all 8 channels would be defective. 
    Where are you setting the channel input level knob? 
    And is this with different mikes or just one type? 
     

    Johnny V  
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    #10
    azslow3
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/03 20:54:05 (permalink)
    11Dreams
    Even if I'm using ARC calibration and I plug in the condenser mic I have to keep volume knob to 0 when calibrating.
    Also before I realized it was a condenser mic. ha! I was able to calibrate with volume set to 0 with no phantom power on.

    That is the second really strange observation (condenser mics do not produce any signal without power, by electrical circuit design... there is always some power between somehow electrically connected wires, but it can not be sufficient, even if the result is amplified by "normal" audio interface). Also confirmed from IK site:

    Yes, as a condenser microphone, +48V Phantom Power is required for the ARC measurement mic.

     
    So I repeat my question: are you sure that gain knobs are on zero? You call them "volume" but there are not, these are electrically control the amplification levels, before AD converters and direct monitoring mixing (for which the term "volume" make sense). Do they set all the way left (I mean not "centered")?
     
    When you connect your mixer (the way the audio is not clipping), which inputs do you use?
     
    When you use "direct monitoring" (using "MONITOR L/R" or "Phones" outputs, "Mix" knob all the way left and to be sure without any signal from the DAW), do you also get extremely loud signal from just one mic?
     
    Is turning Gain knob changing resulting level? Separately check in "Direct monitoring" and in the recording.
     
    You you using ASIO driver when recording?
     
    ----
    Up to now, the only theoretically possible explanation (except for ARC) which comes into my mind is an internal shortcut (or a break) in the ground circuit of the unit, pulling the voltage on all gain knobs into "max". Answers on the questions can clarify that.

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    gswitz
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/03 22:15:44 (permalink)
    Have you tried turning the nobs to the opposite extreme? 
     
    I remember once in a dorm room where I had the only radiator that got hotter when you turned the valve clockwise instead of counter clockwise. I obstinately froze for a while before I finally tried the reverse of the directions.

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #12
    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/09 19:01:36 (permalink)
    Cactus Music
    Hard to believe that all 8 channels would be defective. 
    Where are you setting the channel input level knob? 
    And is this with different mikes or just one type? 
     


    It's not 8 its all 14 channels.

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
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    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/09 19:02:21 (permalink)
    gswitz
    Have you tried turning the nobs to the opposite extreme? 
     
    I remember once in a dorm room where I had the only radiator that got hotter when you turned the valve clockwise instead of counter clockwise. I obstinately froze for a while before I finally tried the reverse of the directions.


    yea, that was not a good idea. ha!

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
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    Cactus Music
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/10 16:11:39 (permalink)
    gswitz
    There's something not right, either with what you are reporting or with the device.




     
    This! 
     
    And how are you plugging a dynamic mike into a TRS jack on the back?  
    The rear panel jacks are used for connecting a pre amp or mixer and not meant to be used with any type of mike directly. 
    This brings up a question of us needing to know exactly what you are using, you imply you have tried a bunch of different mikes, is this so? 
    What type of cable(s) are you using? 
    Either the unit is 100% malfunctioning or this is pilot error. 
     
    As I said, there is no way to overload any of the 8 XLR inputs on the front panel when using any common household mike unless you turn the gain past 10'o clock.  
     
    What do you get when you plug an electric guitar or bass into Channel 9? 
     
     
     

    Johnny V  
    Cakelab  
    Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
    3 Desktops and 3 Laptops W7 and W10
     http://www.cactusmusic.ca/
     
     
    #15
    Unknowen
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/10 17:59:03 (permalink)
    All where xlr cables  in the front and xlr to 1/4" (adapters)  in the back.
     
     

    Hay look,
    Somethings are not locked in stone... lol 3/18/2019
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    azslow3
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/10 20:28:52 (permalink)
    11Dreams
    Cactus Music
    Hard to believe that all 8 channels would be defective. 
    Where are you setting the channel input level knob? 
    And is this with different mikes or just one type?

    It's not 8 its all 14 channels.

    Mic is saturating line input (SM58 produce -54dBu, minimal level on rear line-in is -43dBu) while mixer line output does not...  a condenser mic working without phantom power...
    We are moving toward Science fiction... please do direct monitoring test I have described in my previous post.

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    #17
    Cactus Music
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    Re: Tascam US 1800 clipping. 2017/04/11 15:32:27 (permalink)
    I'm sorry  this as far as I will go with this, a lot of questions and recommendations for testing have been offered in this thread and either you didn't follow through or do not care to answer questions.  
     
    I will write this off as a huge waste of my time. 
     

    Johnny V  
    Cakelab  
    Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
    3 Desktops and 3 Laptops W7 and W10
     http://www.cactusmusic.ca/
     
     
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