Tascam 100 as Pre-Amp vs Juiced Link? at DVinfo.net

Arne Johnson · January 25th, 2011, 04:08 PM

So, we've installed and are loving Magic Lantern, and want to take full advantage of the audio features (AGC Disable, meters, etc..) We've been using our Tascam 100 to do dual system, but would love to start running audio into the camera. We've been getting great sound from the Tascam, but have found ourselves tangled in Plural Eyes mistakes/de-syncs/etc often enough that we'd like to record to camera.

My question is, can we get good sound by just using our Tascam to pass through the signal to the camera? I haven't even figured out how exactly to do that (I'm guessing it's pretty straightforward), but I've been reading that people use the Zoom recorders to do the same. is there any great advantage to getting a Juiced Link device and spending the extra dough (besides the tripod mount)? Also, will the line out send stereo signals that separate out the two xlr inputs (when we have shotgun on one, lav on the other).

Keith Forman · January 25th, 2011, 08:25 PM

It is USB bus powered, so no--unless you can power it with a physical hack.

Arne Johnson · January 26th, 2011, 10:51 AM

Do you mean the Tascam is USB powered? It's actually USB charged for its backup battery, but it also run on AA batteries and has a regular wall-plug charger. So, not sure what you mean...

I did some experimenting last night and was able to get the sound passed through to the camera, but it was only on one channel. It only recorded the left xlr input from the Tascam...not sure why that is, but it's still useful as long as we don't need two sources. I guess we could record one mic to the tascam and the other to the camera...anyone know how to get both channels?

Jay Massengill · January 26th, 2011, 12:10 PM

I think the OP is referring to the DR-100 portable recorder, not the US-100 USB interface.

Generally you need an attenuating cable to take the stereo line output of a recorder and send into the stereo mic jack of the camera, unless Magic Lantern can accept line-level signals directly.

There are a number of threads in various parts of this board that illustrate how to do this.

Unless you're using an internal mixing function in the recorder's menu, the Left and Right channels will stay separated when going to the camera. So if you are using just one mic that's all you'll get into the camera on one channel.
Unless the cable you experimented with isn't wired correctly (or has a bad connection), you should get both Left and Right from the recorder into the camera on separate tracks.

Arne Johnson · January 26th, 2011, 02:39 PM

Thanks!

I just did a quick look on B&H, and Sescom apparently makes a cable that's exactly for the Tascam100-to-DSLR, so hopefully that should solve my problems...

That done, still wondering if using the Tascam as a pre-amp is acceptable, or if Juiced Link will make an appreciable difference...

Jon Fairhurst · January 27th, 2011, 07:57 PM

I haven't tried the DR-100 into a DSLR. When recording, it isn't quite as clean as a juicedLink into the 5D2 with ML, but it's not bad.

The problem could be the headphone or output amp. Into the headphones, it's definitely hissy when you turn the volume up. Companies often spend a bit of money on a preamp, but as little as possible on headphone/output amps.

January 25th, 2011, 04:08 PM	#1
Arne Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: United States Posts: 88	Tascam 100 as Pre-Amp vs Juiced Link? So, we've installed and are loving Magic Lantern, and want to take full advantage of the audio features (AGC Disable, meters, etc..) We've been using our Tascam 100 to do dual system, but would love to start running audio into the camera. We've been getting great sound from the Tascam, but have found ourselves tangled in Plural Eyes mistakes/de-syncs/etc often enough that we'd like to record to camera. My question is, can we get good sound by just using our Tascam to pass through the signal to the camera? I haven't even figured out how exactly to do that (I'm guessing it's pretty straightforward), but I've been reading that people use the Zoom recorders to do the same. is there any great advantage to getting a Juiced Link device and spending the extra dough (besides the tripod mount)? Also, will the line out send stereo signals that separate out the two xlr inputs (when we have shotgun on one, lav on the other).

January 25th, 2011, 08:25 PM	#2
Keith Forman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Williamstown Mass Posts: 192	It is USB bus powered, so no--unless you can power it with a physical hack. __________________ http://www.vimeo.com/keithforman/videos http://www.keithforman.com

January 27th, 2011, 07:57 PM	#6
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	I haven't tried the DR-100 into a DSLR. When recording, it isn't quite as clean as a juicedLink into the 5D2 with ML, but it's not bad. The problem could be the headphone or output amp. Into the headphones, it's definitely hissy when you turn the volume up. Companies often spend a bit of money on a preamp, but as little as possible on headphone/output amps. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

January 26th, 2011, 10:51 AM	#3
Arne Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: United States Posts: 88	Do you mean the Tascam is USB powered? It's actually USB charged for its backup battery, but it also run on AA batteries and has a regular wall-plug charger. So, not sure what you mean... I did some experimenting last night and was able to get the sound passed through to the camera, but it was only on one channel. It only recorded the left xlr input from the Tascam...not sure why that is, but it's still useful as long as we don't need two sources. I guess we could record one mic to the tascam and the other to the camera...anyone know how to get both channels?

January 26th, 2011, 12:10 PM	#4
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	I think the OP is referring to the DR-100 portable recorder, not the US-100 USB interface. Generally you need an attenuating cable to take the stereo line output of a recorder and send into the stereo mic jack of the camera, unless Magic Lantern can accept line-level signals directly. There are a number of threads in various parts of this board that illustrate how to do this. Unless you're using an internal mixing function in the recorder's menu, the Left and Right channels will stay separated when going to the camera. So if you are using just one mic that's all you'll get into the camera on one channel. Unless the cable you experimented with isn't wired correctly (or has a bad connection), you should get both Left and Right from the recorder into the camera on separate tracks.

January 26th, 2011, 02:39 PM	#5
Arne Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: United States Posts: 88	Thanks! I just did a quick look on B&H, and Sescom apparently makes a cable that's exactly for the Tascam100-to-DSLR, so hopefully that should solve my problems... That done, still wondering if using the Tascam as a pre-amp is acceptable, or if Juiced Link will make an appreciable difference...