digital mixer with pro tools (dm3200 /dm4800)

[68topls]

I was interested in purchasing a control 24 to add to my hd2 setup but was lead to believe my funds might be better suited purchasing a tascam dm3200 or dm4800 as it would include all the features of the control 24 plus some additional features. I know the tascam works with pro tools 9 and 8. I'm more less looking for plus minuses of using the tascam with protools or for that matter any digital mixer.

[albee1952]

While they should both work, the DM3200 is really a POS and I wouldn't spend a dime on one(but as always, YMMV). The DM4800 may be much better( I have no experience with it) but you would only get 32 of the available inputs to work in PT9. I would look at something like the Command8(used) and maybe a Presonus Firestudio Lightpipe, with a bunch of D8's. Just an opinion....

[tonepad]

Originally Posted by albee1952

While they should both work, the DM3200 is really a POS and I wouldn't spend a dime on one(but as always, YMMV). The DM4800 may be much better( I have no experience with it) but you would only get 32 of the available inputs to work in PT9. I would look at something like the Command8(used) and maybe a Presonus Firestudio Lightpipe, with a bunch of D8's. Just an opinion....

Having no prob getting good audio in and out of my dm3200, now as a native interface with PT 9 on a win 7 rig. Interested why you think it's a POS? These kind of unqualified comments are usually reserved for the proletariat over at Gearslutz. FTR a DM4800 is just a bigger version of the same thing. Please elaborate your experience. Again mine works and sounds great...working with a PT HD 8.04 rig on MacPro via TDIF and also via FW to the Win7 pt9 side at the same time!

[68topls]

I'm not looking to use this as inputs as I have a 192 i/o. It's basic purpose would be to act as a controller for pro tools, monitoring to studio monitors, headphone monitoring, talk back, with the ability to do a live performance........sort of a poor mans venue......

[tonepad]

Originally Posted by 68topls

I'm not looking to use this as inputs as I have a 192 i/o. It's basic purpose would be to act as a controller for pro tools, monitoring to studio monitors, headphone monitoring, talk back, with the ability to do a live performance........sort of a poor mans venue......

Exactly how I run my MacPro side...in my case with a 192 digital so I monitor via the TDIF i/o, and I use the 16 channel (2 peripheral slots) control surface option for PT HD 8.04. Works great though for plugin controllers I also have a Novation Nocturn...they both play well together. Not sure but the 4800 may offer more control faders, but there is a limit in PT of 4x8 slots via usb. Any more would require an ethernet connect.

[StudioDuendeTeam]

can PT9 work with IF-FW/DM mkII in TASCAM DM4800? because i have both... and i should buy PT9.. IF it works...

[noah330]

I have owned a DM-3200 for 4 or five years now. It's really nice and it works great with ProTools.

I used it with the firewire card with PT9 from the day PT9 came out up until I upgraded to HD. I wrote the instructions for how to use the DM series with ProTools. If you search my name here or over on tascamforums.com you can find them.

Right now, I'm using the DM-3200 with PT9 HD. I have a 192 Digital that gives me 16 channels of TDIF and a 192io for my analog inputs and SPIDF into a VRM box.

The system works great. The 3200 is a great controller, it has decent pres (no character but they're clean and fine for most things), the effects are really nice (TC Electronic) and the routing and ins/outs are plentiful.

I have my monitors hooked up to the DM-3200. The only complaint I have about it is that you can only hookup one set of monitors (with the DM-4800 you can have three (IIRC)).

The transport controls work, the faders feel nice and it stores a lot of different setups. I have templates for DP7, Final Cut and PT HD in there. I think I still have a setting for a pair of DA-88s as well. You just load up what you need - it's great.

All in all I would recommend it to anyone who wanted some good, clean pres, a control surface and MIDI interface (it gives you a 2x2) for a fair price. The TC effects are just a bonus, as I usually use my Lexicon bundle.

[albee1952]

My comments were based on what 2 friends that owned the desk told me. Both were not thrilled with the sound and both were bit by the screen failure that hits those models. If it works good for you, roll with it without a second thought

[noah330]

Fair enough.

I usually don't comment on something unless I have used it enough to know if I like it or not.

One thing I will say is that the DM series does have a learning curve. I came over from a few digital mixers (TM-D1000 and Ramsa DA-7) so I was used to how they worked so it wasn't so bad. Just a different way of thinking. Way back I had a MotorMix and Studio Vision then the TM-D1000 and PCI-822 into Sonar then the DA-7 with Sonar, Nuendo with Houston then the DM-3200 with DP and now PT.

I have seen people slag products that they don't take the time to learn. I'm sure not everyone loves the DM series, but for me they work really well.

[albee1952]

Heck, I don't use half of what the 003 has to offer(maybe a good thing since it seems to work about half the time these days). The 2 friends I mentioned are both highly skilled and experienced on digital consoles. One has gone with the Presonus digital(whatever the new one is called) and the other is using the 003 controller. I love the look of the new SSL Nucleus, but its awful expensive