asking this question one more time. does anyone use the tascam dm 4800 with sonar as a control surface and mixer? how do u like it? does it work well with plugin manipulation?thanks

I'm a moderator over at Tascamforums.com. We have had great reports from DM4800 users and Sonar integration. The DM4800 users 64bit internal presision as does Cakewalk. It uses Mackie Controll emulation has a USB connection with your DAW so it emulates 3 Mackie Controll units. Wich is nice. So you have a 24ch. input layer, a 24ch return layer, a 24 ch. bus layer (12 stereo busses), and the 24 ch. Mackie controll layer (remote controll) layer. It has a cascade port built in, so if you buy two you can cascade them without anything else (but you have to buy the cascadecable (wich you will be able to get for free if you buy two).

The additional IFFWDM MKII is a great addition. This firewire audio interface gives 32x32 ch. at 96khz. It works without problems. Some firewirecards it does not like, but the cheapest cards (VIA) it does like.... So there may be some startup problems. But many users have been troublefree.

It has the fatchannel. Wich essentially gives EQ and AUX controll per channels on their own dedicated knobs. You can, connect out of the box, two speakersets. And with the additional surroundcard an additional surroundset can be connected. This card is 7.1. So if you do 5.1. it gives you another set of 2 stereo mix outs to check mixes on.

The best thing about the thing is, there are many support documents available for the DM4800 on the Tascam site. So it should serve you well. And with an Argosy desk it will knock any client out.
It has loads of auxes. Great for stereo mixes for your talent. And you can connect all your Lexicon and TC electronics effects over AES EBU because the desk has 4 slots available for cards. So your IFFWDM MKII, the Surroundcard and a AES EBU card will leave an extra 8 ch. slot for any card you desire.

The DM4800 can allso be connected to a X48 and serve you well for any remote recording you would like to do. The old DM-24 has a pre amp wich exceeds a 100khz frequency response. The new DM4800 pre amp has exceeded this spec. According to Tascam product specialists.

Hope this helps,


Muziekschuur

thanks for the input how does it work with plugins?control wise is it as crapy as the mackies? also i wouldnt be using there card i have a motu hd192 and 24io is going through this mixer going to effect my siginal flow?how would recom i hook it up with that setup im at a cross roadsin my studio to either stay with sonar or go pt i have finally got my system stable but would like a nice control surface THAT WILL CONTROL PLUGINS without a promblem and 24 faders.....when i have used a digi002 the plugins could be tweak right away via knobs know i wont be buying that but a control24 which i have been told works as well.....so thats my sit. dont get me wrong i love the sound of my motus and sonar but the pt controller24 seems like it intergrates well with its monpoly..lol and im so sick pf using a mouse to control my plugs it drives my nuckin futs

Any idea when the 64 bit drivers will be available for the mkII firewire card? That is what is holding me back as far as purchasing the 4800.

Hi Rob; I have a DM4800, X48 and Sonar Producer 7.0.2. Although my intent is to use the DM4800 primariliy with the X48, I also wanted the option to use it as a control surface with Sonar and a computer interface/control surface (lot's of options and flexibility). So I can't answer your question directly, but at least you can see what the rationale was/is. Also IMHO, most control surfaces are lacking and what people really want are mixers anyway, and they also need the functionality of a mixer (monitor section, mic pres, faders, etc., etc) which is why I chose the DM series to serve both purposes. I'm also awaiting the FW card update (as is everyone else) as I've just purchased a quad core machine with Vista. Please regard anything that Muziekschuur says with the utmost respect and confidence as I do as he is extremely knowledgable and can help you in understanding the TASCAM mixers.
DJT

with the dm3200, it works great as a control surface and mixer..I would imagine the dm4800 does the same and more due to the additional 8 channels...

I don't use it for plug in manipulation so, can't answer that...Tascams digital mixers rock, period!! I believe you will see more and more till they take over the small digital mixer domain... look out Yamaha!!!!

"57"

How are you doing, choicewize?

I am not sure what you are referring too...

I really use the dm-3200 as an input and return monitoring board.....

I rely on all the effects and such from sonar...

I know i can control some of sonars effects through the rotarys on the board, but never tried.....

I do use the effects from the board when having live jams in the studio, but mostly, I track

direct and output thru tdif cabling to the 2408...I have used light pipe but prefer the tdif cabling...don't know why....

this has been the way I have been doing it for about 4 years...before, the dm-3200, I was using a behringer analog board with onboard meters..i think its called the mx-9000 or something like that...

"57"

Hello Muziekschuur:

First of all, I've really enjoyed reading your threads and want to thank you for all the support you show to us new users and not-so-new users. I am using SONAR Producer Edition and have used the Cakewalk stuff for many many years. I have a small home music studio and use it for friends and a little production here and there. I presently use two old Tascam M2600 MII analog boards (31x8 & 16x8); my method of computer interface is two Motu units (8x8), all with an old Windows XT computer...so you see I'm needing to get into a digital mixer and new computer. So, I have been reading everything I can find on the web about the DM4800 (including its manual) and how it would work with a new VISTA desktop that I plan to purchase. Can you look over my questions below and comment...I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

1. Is the DM4800 and the additional Firewire Card now compatiable with Window Vista Home Premium? I don't think I can purchase this unit until I'm assured of VISTA compatiability. I will be selling my M2600 boards and with at the point of no return once I do this.

2. If I do not initially use the Firewire card, can I still get a large amount of I/O between the DM4800 and SONAR using USB? Have I understood this correctly, the USB can get me 24in and 24out at a maximum of 48 and not 96 sampling? If this is so, for my needs it sounds like the USB would be fine until the Firewire Card is VISTA approved...then the 96 would be great.

3. I know about getting the 1st 24 analog inputs via the DM4800's inputs. I would like to bring in the next two sets of 8 inputs via tha Adat method. I have two ADAT XT-II tape decks that I'm thinking I could use as my Adat Interfaces--this is because they have preamps in them. So if I hook the 1st XT up to the DM4800's Adat connections on the back, and purchased an Adat card for the 2nd XT-II...do you think this would work? I know both of my Adats only output 48k samples...but would that still be ok? Down the road I would purchase Adat convertors to actually received higher sampling rates.

4. What about the Analog input card that is available for the DM4800, would it be better to forget the Adat methods and install two of these cards into the DM4800 for 16 more inputs? Are their preamps good?

5. I have never had to deal with clocking stuff: Will I have to connect cables from the DM4800 to the computer, or to the Adat XT-II units if I'm using them for additional inputs?

6. In my present computer, I use the motherboard Firewire and an additional Firewire card. I split my two Moto input modules between the two firewire methods, but cascade my two external hard drives off of one of the firewire methods. Is there any tricks like this I need to know before purchasing the new VISTA computer?

Well, I've taken a lot of your time...again I thank you for your time and energy and I hope someday when I'm up and running on the DM4800 with a VISTA computer running SONAR that I can pass information on to those who are starting up too.

Thanks again.

1. Vista compatability. There is none right now. Tascam has send out a Vista driver for use with the IFFWDM MKII. The USB driver for remote controll is Vista compliant. Together with a Motu 2408 MKIII it would be Vista compatible. I suspect that the IFFWDM MKII will be Vista compatible with the release of a new driver. When this will be released I am uncertain about. The IFFWDM MKII is Leopard ready.

The DM3200/4800 is a fantastic tool together with the IFFWDM MKII under Windows XP. With it's current servicepack 3 it even outperforms Vista 32bit.

In your case I'd buy a Mac Pro. Or, if you are skilled with the buildproces. Build a nice quadcore based on a 45nm INTEL. The Mac Pro can be used together with Windows XP Pro and Vista (with a dualboot option provided by Apple). The Mac comes with great warranty. So it is a safe buy.

2. USB is strictly for remote controll. If it would use MIDI connectors there would be 6 midicables between PC/MAC and the DM-series mixer. USB has a lower latency and replaces the need for a midi interface.
3. ADAT and AES EBU & SPDIF are "older digital interfaces". 96khz samplingrate will be the way of the future is my guess. The DM4800 and X48 48 ch. recorder can be connected over TDIF wich supports 96khz samplingrate without SMUX (channelhalving). The IFFWDM MKII supports 32 in/out at 96khz aswell. So if you have a busy studio I'd get a DM4800 and a X48 and a IFFWDM MKII. This way redundant recording can be offered to clients and full mixdown at high samplerates wich would stall a pc because of heavy processing can allways be performed because all " finished tracks" can be imported in the X48 and thus provide a great basis for submixes.

4/5 & 6. I'd get a X48 with analog card (24 channels at linelevel) and use a choice of pre-amps to attract clients ( AMS-NEVE API SSL AVALON DRAWMER Universal Audio) into the X48 offering you 48 channels of recording.

Hope this helps,

Muziekschuur