IF-AN/DM 8-channel Analog Expansion Card specs

[waterstrum]

Anybody know the tech specs on the IF-AN/DM 8-channel Analog Expansion Card?
I'm thinking of buying one, but I can't find any info on the converters.
Is it the same as the channels on the DM?
Anybody here using one?
Does it sound O.K.?
Thanks

 

[Domino]

I'd like to know as well. What cables and such are needed?

 

[TascMan]

I bought mine when I bought the mixer. They sound exactly like the mixer's converters. I have been very happy with the purchase because of it's usefulness. I wish it was already built into the DM though. As to its converters, this is from RedBus from another forum: (Actually it was the old TascamForums, Dec 7th 2009)

"IF-AN/DM uses the AK5383 converter (24bit/96kHz, 110dB range)
The DM-3200/DM-4800 uses the newer pin compatible AK5385A converter (24bit/192kHz, 114dB range).
The actual performance of the option card should still be equivalent to the mixer, given the performance of the op-amps in front of it. It's doubtful whether we'd get the 4dB of extra performance out of the IF-AN/DM by swapping chips...
RedBus."

Both are 24bit, which is a big deal. It's interesting that the DM's converters are capable of 192KHz. It must have been an executive decision to limit the board at 96. At the time, they probably figured, 'what's the point?'

 

[TascMan]

snake needed include something similar to these. DB-25 snakes.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid= ... &_from=R40

TRS 1/4" are probably the most common as the Inputs and outputs are all balanced on the card.

 

[waterstrum]

I ordered an IF-AN/DM card.
My hope is to use it to insert outboard gear.... mic pre's, comps etc.
Is this a reasonable expectation?
How do you folks use your AN/DM ?
Thanks

 

[cmaffia]

I ordered an IF-AN/DM card.
My hope is to use it to insert outboard gear.... mic pre's, comps etc.
Is this a reasonable expectation?
How do you folks use your AN/DM ?
Thanks

I use mine for all of my external preamps and to bring in the stereo mix from my Rosetta 200.

 

[Drumstruck]

Similar to cmaffia for external pres plus for inserts - will be adding another AN/DM card in the near future. Also use the surround card for additional sends sometimes.

 

[waterstrum]

Thanks all.
I got the card and am trying it in inserts for various mic pres.
I've got a few tube mic pres and was hoping I could insert them after the mic input in the DM.
It works, but the gain structure is very different.

Not sounding good yet.
I guess the actual mic input needs to go in to the external pre?
I was hoping I could use the DM as a patch bay to use various mic pres with different mics.
I can do that now, but the sound is not at all like the sound of the mic directly in to the external preamp.
Any advice?
Thanks

 

[cmaffia]

I actually use an 8 channel XLR snake box as a "patchbay" which is located in the middle of my sound room floor. The XLR outputs from the snake go to my preamp inputs and the preamp outputs go to the inputs on the analog card. It's crude but it works and I don't need to touch the Tascam except to unmute whichever preamps I am using on the input channels. I labeled the snake inputs so I know which preamps I am using. Like I said it's quick and dirty but it works for me as my sound room and vocal booth are in one small room. I'm sure there are other ways to do this either with or without additional hardware that some of the gurus here can suggest.

 

[waterstrum]

Thanks!
That is a great idea.
A big XLR patch bay.
I'm going to give that a try.

 

[Drumstruck]

Again similar to cmaffia's

I have:
- a 16 way stagebox going into the DM pres - 12 mics and 4 lines
- an 8 way stage box going into my external pres
- an IF-AN/DM connected to the external pres line I/O

This way the external pres work as mic pres or as inserts with a simple flip of the DM routing bank.

It works so well I'm after another IF-AN/DM for my external EQs/Comps

 

[Chuchi]

Hi guys, I have almost the same settings. I do have a "stage box" with 8 input. Every input is connected to 8 external preamp and the preamps linked to a DB 25 => the Analog card..It works well..

 

[Pall]

Hi All,

Is there a way to choose the input Gain on the IF-AN/DM card anywhere. I don't uinderstand what swap means when we look at the TASCAM IF-AN/DM Reference Level Setting documentation. Thanks for your help .

 

[Arjan P]

Hi Pall, and welcome! Without the whole sentence, I also don't know what 'swap' means.. IIRC, you can set a number of dip switches on the PCB of the card to set the reference level of inputs and outputs of the card.

 

[Pall]

Thanks a lot Arjan, Sw should be switch... Sorry for my bad english. Best regards and thanks again for your quick answer !

 

[Arjan P]

OK, (nothing wrong with your English BTW) - if you take a look at the AN/DM on its own, on the printed circuit board near the input and output connector there are several dip switches. Google 'dip switch' and you'll see what to look for.

Each switch has 2 positions, On and Off, and the refrence sheet shows settings as follows: For the Inputs: All switches Off means inputs are set at -11dB, all switches On means inputs are set at -20dB. For -16dB you can see what the configuration of the switches should be. It works the same way for the Outputs. Hope this helps!