Tascam Dr-40 Buzz/Clicking noise.

M

mw5j1

Active member
Hello,

I recently purchased the Tascam Dr-40 and a Rode Ntg-2.

When the mic is plugged in there is a buzzing noise that appears (especially when the input level is high). It is worse when you change the record mode from mono to either 4 channel or to stereo mode ( I am guessing due to it being a mono mic.)

This guy seems to be having the exact same issue:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/502892-tascam-dr-40-clock-bleeding.html

My Rode Videomic and Zoom H1 sound clear with the level turned all the way up.

I am no audio expert, I am doing something wrong? The tascam is no good?
 
Have you tried a different microphone cable? This sounds like what could happen if you had a bad shield or a loose connection at one of the plugs.

I assume since the Rode is a balanced mic and the Tascam has balanced XLR inputs, you're using a straight-through male-to-female XLR cable for the microphone, right? Are you using phantom power, or the battery in the mic? (Please, not both at the same time!)

Are there other devices plugged into any of the remaining inputs on the Tascam? It's a good idea to turn down any input channels you aren't using.

- Greg
 
Thanks Greg for the reply.

I did try a different xlr cable, still the same. No, not using phantom and battery at the same time. I tried both phantom and battery powered seperately with the same issue.

I could be just imagining it, but the buzz seems worse when I record with head phones plugged in to monitor it. I will try and turn down the other input levels and see if that helps.

Is there a chance that the preamps on the tascam simply produce a lot more noise than the zoom h1?
 
Any possibility of a "sound bite"? One person's "buzz" is another person's hum. It would help, at least for me.
 
That does sound like some kind of electronic interference from a digital device, possibly internal to the Tascam. Is there anything on the display that is flashing or varying at the rate of those interference pulses (once per second or so, right)? You should also try to eliminate external sources like cell phones, laptops, digital watches, etc. from the immediate vicinity. Does the display have a backlight that can be turned off? Have you tested running it with an AC adapter versus batteries?

I sure hope they don't all sound like that -- I was really thinking about a DR-40 for grabbing wild sound, doing radio interviews, and so on.

- Greg
 
I have a similar issue. I am experiencing it when using external mic (RODE NTG2). When nothing is plugged to the second XLR input and recorder is in STEREO mode I hear loud electronic noise from that channel. Switching to MONO mode solves the problem. Because channels can't be turned down independently this means that in 4 channel mode and only one external mic plugged, there is no way of eliminating this noise. I understand that this "empty" channel can be simply not used in post but it is annoying while monitoring (I hope this noise does not bleed to other channels). What is weird is that once I start recording and press "Menu" button (navigate to "menu" screen) the buzzing sound goes away. This makes me think that as Greg suggests there must be something on the main screen that is causing it. Turning the backlight off does not change anything. I am also hearing the same noise when recorder is in EXT/STEREO or 4 CH mode and no mics are plugged at all. Same thing in LINE , MIC and MIC + Phantom, this does not seem to make a difference.
 
Hi broughtonfilm,

Thanks for you input.
I found exactly what you are describing. Also, it seems that the ntg-2 is almost not useable with the dr-40 due to the rather quiet output levels. Is it the weak preamps in the dr-40 or is it that the rode ntg-2 simply requires a lot of power? When the rode videomic is plugged in it is a lot more sensitive.

Any thoughts?
 
mw5j1 said:
Hi broughtonfilm,

Thanks for you input.
I found exactly what you are describing. Also, it seems that the ntg-2 is almost not useable with the dr-40 due to the rather quiet output levels. Is it the weak preamps in the dr-40 or is it that the rode ntg-2 simply requires a lot of power? When the rode videomic is plugged in it is a lot more sensitive.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

When I updated the firmware it seemed to help with the NTG-2's low levels. Did you download the 1.01 firmware??
I am completely green when it comes to audio so I can't really help more.
 
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I just came back from B&H photo video store. I replaced my DR-40 unit for a new one. Looks like there are some pretty big variations from sample to sample. This one seems to be much better. I can still hear an electronic "helicopter" type sound but it is very very silent. Otherwise the unit behaves the same, meaning that navigating away from the main screen while recording solves the problem completely. Very strange. Now I am wondering if there are units that are 100% fine.
 
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broughtonfilm said:
I just came back from B&H photo video store. I replaced my DR-40 unit for a new one. Looks like there are some pretty big variations from sample to sample. This one seems to be much better. I can still hear an electronic "helicopter" type sound but it is very very silent. Otherwise the unit behaves the same, meaning that navigating away from the main screen while recording solves the problem completely. Very strange. Now I am wondering if there are units that are 100% fine.
Click to expand...

No, I haven't installed the new firmware, going to do that now. I am a newbie audio guy as well, so I am a little lost.

Thanks for your help.
 
broughtonfilm said:
I just came back from B&H photo video store. I replaced my DR-40 unit for a new one. Looks like there are some pretty big variations from sample to sample. This one seems to be much better. I can still hear an electronic "helicopter" type sound but it is very very silent. Otherwise the unit behaves the same, meaning that navigating away from the main screen while recording solves the problem completely. Very strange. Now I am wondering if there are units that are 100% fine.
Click to expand...

I have uptaded the firmware and now it's better but I still hear the "helicopter" sound - all other anomalies are gone - but it seems to be the sample clock what's causing the helicopterish noise as if change the recording format (khz) the amplitude changes too.
The weird noise is there even if no cables and microphones are connected and specially so when you connect to USB bus power.

At B&H they accepted it as a return.

In the DVestore demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVJutxxC4c Guy cranks up the DR-40 up to 90 and it's still really good when compared to the units we are complaining here about.

As equipment designer and manufacturer to me it seems that some if not all of the DR40s were released in a hurry. Earlier models do have that sticky battery door and the XLR combo port release levers were not considered when the housing was designed - so it can't sit evenly on the table but tilted a bit towards the built in mics... just these little things.

Tõnis
 
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I bought a Zoom H4n to do a comparison with this dr-40. The dr-40 definitely has something wrong with it. I am going to return it. The Zoom h4n does exactly what I wish the tascam could do.
I like the tascam build better , seems more professional but it just doesnt work.
 
broughtonfilm said:
You can't turn down the unused channel independently.
Click to expand...

You can record single channel so you would be turning the unused channel off. Record Mode .. Mono .. Ext In 1. I noticed some type of crosstalk when I had both channels on and only recording on one side with external mic and this solved it for me. Also, re the inability to adjust one channel separately, a workaround might be to use the Dual mode and set the offset -6 dB etc. and use that track. If you use the internal mics be sure to isolate the recorder from the environment as there is no internal suspension.
 
J Michael said:
You can record single channel so you would be turning the unused channel off. Record Mode .. Mono .. Ext In 1. I noticed some type of crosstalk when I had both channels on and only recording on one side with external mic and this solved it for me. Also, re the inability to adjust one channel separately, a workaround might be to use the Dual mode and set the offset -6 dB etc. and use that track. If you use the internal mics be sure to isolate the recorder from the environment as there is no internal suspension.
Click to expand...

What about shooting with internal mics + external mic ? Sort of 3 channel mode. Yes, you can simply not use the 4th channel in post but while recording you have to listen to the noise in the "empty" channel. I don't get what you say about Dual mode, how does that solve the problem of inability to adjust one channel separately?
 
broughtonfilm said:
What about shooting with internal mics + external mic ? Sort of 3 channel mode. Yes, you can simply not use the 4th channel in post but while recording you have to listen to the noise in the "empty" channel. I don't get what you say about Dual mode, how does that solve the problem of inability to adjust one channel separately?
Click to expand...

Dual lets you record a separate pair of "safety" tracks to help avoid clipping on the primary tracks. You set the gain to a lower number relative to the primary pair. So in this case if left was too hot on the primary you would use the left secondary. Not an ideal situation since I don't think you could change the delta during a session, but it might help.
 
J Michael said:
Dual lets you record a separate pair of "safety" tracks to help avoid clipping on the primary tracks. You set the gain to a lower number relative to the primary pair. So in this case if left was too hot on the primary you would use the left secondary. Not an ideal situation since I don't think you could change the delta during a session, but it might help.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your attempt to help but I don't remember mentioning an issue where a left channel is too hot. This is not the issue that is being described here. Did you read a thread by any chance?
I think your advice is somewhat irrelevant or I am not getting something. Thanks anyway.
 
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