Question for Needledroppers (Tascam DR-05x)*

Eggcellent. It might be placebo but I think I hear the 24/48 ones are the tiniest bit better but no difference between Focusrite and Tascam for that.

The original pressing of that LP is the only version of it to have.

I see one useful difference between the DR-05 and your DR-05x is the DR-05x can use up to MicroSD XC cards.

For my Zoom I use a MicroSD extender cable. It locks in place on the unit but the MicroSD card slides in and out of it easily and with enough place to grab the card. Saves wear and tear and frustration trying to fool with the little door on the unit. Here's one
Micro SD To TF Card Extension Cable Adapter Flexible Extender For Car GPS US 6921694688760 | eBay

And there is an extender/adapter that locks into the unit's MicroSD slot but uses a full size SD card (up to SD XC for yours)
SDHC SDXC Car TF Micro SD To SD Extension Cable Adapter Flexible For GPS TV | eBay

 

I've got over 6000 titles on vinyl that I don't have digitally. No way I'm ever going to transfer all of them, but also no reason to ever buy them again on CD or inferior downloads from iTunes. But I'm not as AR as some about my needledrops. I'll put on a record into Sound Studio, go do something else, come back, and flip it whenever. Then I cut out the silence, export it to my desktop, run it through ClickRepair, open it in WAV Editor, Downsample to 48 khz, dither, save at 16 bits, reopen the file in Sound Studio to split into tracks, then import it to iTunes and add the metadata. The whole process may take 15 minutes of active time.

 

Indeed. And there's still a lot of great music that hasn't ever been available digitally in any form. These are actually the two records I've most recently digitized and as far as I'm aware you simply can't buy a digital copy of either:

Hasse Walli, Hassan Bah & Afro-Line - Dakar Nights
Mudhoney - Ensam I Natt / Vortex Of Lies

 

As you may have guessed, I would opt for whichever devices allow you to record without the use of a computer. You've had issues (as have I) in the past with Windows/USB. Just because a USB device works now does not guarantee future compatibility after another Windows update. If we weren't talking about needle drops, I would not necessarily have this opinion.

All I can say is there is nothing more frustrating to me than to be half done cleaning up a rip only to find out there is a dropout or two - what a waste of time and a real PITA to try to fix (if you can).

Others may feel differently, but I am not about that life (anymore)!

 

That is exactly what prompted me to start this thread in search of an alternate recording process -- frustration due to USB belches and having to redo things for no other reason. Tweaking the Windows USB performance settings and/or using the Tascam or Focusrite with their better ASIO drivers seems to have eliminated or at least reduced the issues with USB recording and Windows 10, but as you say there are no guarantees. Bypassing Windows and the whole USB interface by digitizing directly to the inserted MicroSD card does guarantee that there will be no USB issues!

 

True that...
"microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC (up to 128GB) cards can be used as recording media"
The older DR-05 maxed out at 32GB with microSD or microSDHC.

Another difference is that the 05x screen is supposedly significantly brighter with better contrast for use outdoors or in bright light. At my age, I'll take any visual advantage!

 

I have not had one issue since migrating to the DA-3000 - it was a costly, but worthwhile investment for me.

 

Regarding the Tascam not having a true “line” input and the potential for signal overload and distortion, I totally avoid the issue and the need for an additional attenuator by routing my turntable output through my Marantz SR7012 receiver and into the DR-05x by way of the “Zone 2” stereo analog RCA output jacks. The Marantz allows independent volume level control for each zone while otherwise leaving the audio signal unaltered. Between the Tascam’s fairly sophisticated recording level input controls/options and the Marantz’s independent output control, it’s easy to balance the two devices to achieve a clean recording at desirable levels.

 

Anyone try the DR-40X with RCA cables to TRS/XLR from rec outs on an integrated or direct outs on phono preamp?

 

Why would the results be any different than using the stereo mini jack on the DR-05x? Are they true line level as opposed to mic level? Otherwise, specs for the two units are the same.

 

From the product description:

Dual Neutrik® XLR/TRS combo jacks support both mic-level and +4dBu line-level. These inputs can accept balanced microphone or line level from Mixers or the FOH console.

DR-40X | FEATURES | TASCAM

 

I understand that. What I’m questioning is the notion or expectation that the end product (the digital recording) might somehow be “better” with the DR-40x vs. the DR-05x. Comparing the product specs and descriptions, I say no, so long as the analog input is adequately attenuated either by lowering the source output levels, the device recording levels or a combination of the two. A DR-40x might make the process easier and possibly eliminate the need for an external attenuation, but, unless I’m missing something, the basic workflow and the final result should be the same.

 

I get that the specs of the converter are the same. But if I were to buy one of these, I'm not routing it through another box. It's either going through the outputs of the phono pre or the rec outs on the integrated amp. That means the device itself would need to have a way to attenuate. I'm glad the cheaper model works for you but I don't think it would work for me, which is why I asked if anyone had used the DR-40x or something similar. Thanks.

 

I can’t imagine that the DR-40x wouldn’t work for you as it has the line-level inputs you desire. It’s easy enough to buy, try and, if necessary, return if purchased from Amazon, Sweetwater or any other online retailer with a generous return/exchange policy. Also, don’t some phono preamps have controllable output levels? I suppose yours doesn’t or you would have mentioned it.

 

SteelyNJ, thank you for all your efforts. I'm with JohnO, in that the 24/48 sounds slightly better, maybe more natural. Either way I think the simple solutions you provided for needledroppers are great. If, I could summarize what I am currently understanding from the thread options would be the hand held portable digital audio recorders vs the thingy's in the box, which I believe they call USB Audio Interfaces (needs a cooler name).

So examples of are:

Handhelds (which record to various size XD cards (awesome!) or straight thru using USB output cable to PC/Laptop):
Tascam DR-05x and various other models
Zoom handhelds

USB Audio Interfaces (the thingy's in a box--and have those funny looking microphone connectors on the front) This option requires a PC to record to, so there's that:
Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
PreSonus Studio 2/6 USB 2x4
Novation AudioHub 2x4 (this one looks cool)

I personally like the handheld digital recorder option because holding that little device in my hands will definately bring out the audio geek in me with all it's fuctionality. I think the little box thingy's are more serious looking and I suspect in theory they probably have better Analog-to-Digital converters in them. So, really this comes down to geeky audio nerd vs serious audiophileletist (sp). I guess I'm in the geeky nerd camp on this one.

 

Quite possibly in reality, not just in theory (we know the manufacturers' posted S/N ratios and the Focusrite's is higher) but as my comparisons demonstrate, there's really no discernible difference, especially when sourcing from vinyl record playback.

 

BTW, I knew I had never bought the theme from Peter Gunn on vinyl (or any other format for that matter) but I thought maybe it was in a stack of albums I inherited from my father-in-law. There's one Henry Mancini LP there but unfortunately it didn't contain the desired track. (I do, however, have the Peter Gunn theme on some ELP CDs...but I don't think those versions count!)

 

Not that this adds anything of value to this thread but I find it kinda weird that just as I start reading the updates on this thread Kodachrome starts blasting out of the speakers at McDonalds. And the new McDonald's cranks the music pretty loud.

 

Sadly “Kodachrome,” “Nikon cameras” and the whole concept of “black & white” are well on their way to becoming anachronisms!

 

Hey SteelyNJ would you mind sharing your steps you did for the Tascam 05X. Mine just arrived today. I went into the settings and set it up to record at 24/48, but I noticed all sorts of other things in the menu. Are there any other settings I need to do within the Tascam before connecting to the "Receiver/turntable" and hitting the Record button?

 

Are you recording to a MicroSD card?

 

BTW, if you didn’t already find this, you probably want to download the reference manual. It explains a lot of things that aren’t included in the printed owner’s manual.

 

Yes, using a micro SD card. Did you change any of the settings besides the 24/48 stuff?

 

I don’t think so. I used the MANUAL recording level setting, pushed the RECORD button once to put the device into monitoring mode, adjusted my recording levels and pushed the button again to start recording. Straightforward.

 

Thanks TSteelyNJ. I think I got it all sorted out. I'm going to do some needle drops of albums that I previously did with my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 internal PCI card and see how they compare. While doing a quick practice needle drop this morning I a/b with headphones from the receiver headphone out vs the headphone out on the tascam while in record mode. I did hear differences, such as the bass was deeper and fuller coming out of the receiver vs the tascam.