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PostPosted: June 13th, 2021, 2:35 pm 
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This afternoon, I just got in a Tascam DA-3000 digital recorder, does PCM up to 24bit/192kHz and DSD128 to SD or CF cards as storage. It also offers a digital output based on the analog input signal. So have it set up playing into my DAC (Chord M Scalar + DAVE DAC). It sounds pretty good dead cold out of the box. I have found that I prefer using the DAVE as a digital preamp directly into my amplifiers, so this allows me to consolidate inputs to the DAC instead of an analog preamp (or in my case, a passive). There are some modifications I can do to the Tascam that I have read about, such as upgrading the 7812/7912 regulators to something like the Belleson superreg replacements, and replacement/bypassing of the electrolytic capacitors on the AD/DA board. The opamps, unfortunately, are surface mount components, but they are respectable. One other modification that has been suggested is using an external high quality word clock. The internal clock is a 1ppm temperature compensated oscillator, but there are better clocks. I suspect the input stage to the ADC is pretty close to the datasheet for the Burr Brown converter, and one person suggested an input transformer instead of the single-ended to balanced circuit at the front end of the converter. However, don't want to hack too much beyond one-for-one component upgrades for now.

Oh, I guess I should do some vinyl rips. I haven't done any since the old Pioneer CD Recorder from ages ago. Nice Stable Platter transport, but it has been boxed up in the basement for years.

David


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PostPosted: June 13th, 2021, 3:39 pm 
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I guess in all my excitement I left out one little detail. I am using an analog phono (RIAA) preamp in this setup, not going directly to digital from the cartridge. I guess that goes without saying, but have heard of digitizing direct from the cartridge and applying gain and RIAA equalization in the digital domain. But that takes a computer-based solution.

David


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PostPosted: June 13th, 2021, 10:46 pm 
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David McGown wrote:
I guess in all my excitement I left out one little detail. I am using an analog phono (RIAA) preamp in this setup, not going directly to digital from the cartridge. I guess that goes without saying, but have heard of digitizing direct from the cartridge and applying gain and RIAA equalization in the digital domain. But that takes a computer-based solution.

David


I tried that and was not happy with the results. I think you're better off with a good phono pre and a A/D converter. The Tascam is a great piece.


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PostPosted: June 13th, 2021, 11:03 pm 
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If you are going to digitize an LP directly, I would use a flat gain preamp after the cartridge with loading and then RIAA in DSP.

Works well here just playing vinyl once you match the cartridge loading and gain to the ADC.

Channel D Audio does that for their system to digitize vinyl.


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PostPosted: June 14th, 2021, 7:17 am 
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HAL,

I have some nice phono preamps, both tube and solid state, that are well suited for the task. My purpose in using a phono-pre + ADC was to avoid connecting yet another computer to my system besides my streamer system. The fact that I can also rip and do post-processing and tagging of the recorded files off system is attractive from a workflow perspective, I can use the tools and computer best suited for the task.

David


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PostPosted: June 14th, 2021, 12:11 pm 
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I wish you'd said something, you coulda borrowed my DA-3000.... I also have an Apogee Rosetta 200 you could borrow to see which one does a better job on PCM...

Roscoe

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PostPosted: June 14th, 2021, 1:04 pm 
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Roscoe,

Thanks. I only found out via talking with Paul Clarke (Don Diego) that you had the unit. Yeah, borrowing the unit would be good for trying it out, but I read enough favorable experience online to make it a comfortable purchase. I was having trouble finding an audio interface offering similar capabilities that could operate standalone (they are designed for connection to a DAW), and something like the RME ADI-2 Pro would function as a ADC providing the same technical performance (up to 24/192 + DSD64/128), at a significantly higher price tag, and would still need to input into a computer for recording. The Tascam DA-3000 looked like a winner to me.

I have Belleson regulators on order, and will crack the lid to see what I need to order for capacitor upgrades. The person who wrote about modifying the unit used low ESR Panasonic FM capacitors, bypassed by 0.01uF PP or PS caps, but I may want to consider using ELNA Silmic II capacitors, particularly in the signal path (providing they fit), foregoing the bypass.

David


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PostPosted: June 14th, 2021, 10:07 pm 
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Well, I opened up the unit to take a look at the upgrade task in hand. The regulator replacement will be a piece of cake, I don't even have to take the power supply board out, the regulators are on a small board that is plugged in via a ribbon cable to the main power supply board. I just have to remove the screws securing the regulators to the heat sink, unplug the cable, and I can remove the small board to desolder the old regulators and replace them with the Belleson regs.

The audio board on the Tascam is another matter. There are a number of small 22uF/50 United Chemicon KMG capacitors, plus a few SUNCON (former Sanyo) 47uF/35V capacitors on the board. Probably around 40 leaded caps in total. That is alot of desoldering to do, and the odds favor lifting a trace in the process. Both capacitors used on the board are high quality Japanese manufactured, maybe not audiograde, but solid, well performing industrial grade, rated to 105C so long life in service. I think it is better to leave alone.

David


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PostPosted: June 20th, 2021, 7:24 pm 
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Update on the Tascam DA-3000

I put in the Belleson superregulators in place of the 7812/7912 regulators and let it burn in for a couple of days. No other changes. The improvement in digitalized analog sound quality was very significant, it lost the bit of grain I heard initially with the unit new out of the box. Spun some vinyl this afternoon, and it sounds better than a lot of high res digital recording on Qobuz, i.e. very transparent. Digitized at 24bit/192kHz rate. Really pleased on how it has ended up sounding, I think it will permit me to use the Chord DAVE as a digital preamp full time in my system and still have satisfying analog playback.

David


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PostPosted: June 20th, 2021, 7:37 pm 
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Roscoe Primrose wrote:
I wish you'd said something, you coulda borrowed my DA-3000.... I also have an Apogee Rosetta 200 you could borrow to see which one does a better job on PCM...

Roscoe


Roscoe, thanks for lending me the Rosetta 200. I ordered RCA to XLR adapters so I can use single ended input to the Rosetta, and will give it a try. Noticed that it uses a switching supply rather than a linear supply like the Tascam. Also noticed the ADC is a Cirrus Logic CS5361 in contrast to the Burr Brown PCM4202 on the Tascam. Also, the Rosetta 200 is all surface mounted parts, whereas the Tascam does have through hole radial capacitors, which make the potential for upgrade, however the signal path parts are all surface mount. Both obvious do 24/192, though the Tascam does DSD as well. You should hook up your Tascam unit in your system and try it as an input to your Mytek Manhattan 2 for phono (or tape).

David


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