Tascam DM-3200 Digital Mixer "Sticky" Fader

[Peter Batah]

I was wondering if anyone has had any difficulty with a fader, or faders not moving freely. In my case it also makes a scratchy noise. If so I would like to get some feedback as to what your solution / recommendation might be. I would then like to compare your experience with one that I had today with a product that came highly recommended for the job. Thank you. Peter

 

[Gravity Jim]

If it's sticky because of a physical problem, then I'd shoot it with Caig DeOxIt spray and work the fader back and forth a few times. It won't help signal because faders on a digital mixer don't actually pass signal: they're more like "encoders" than actual faders.

I suppose because of the way they work that there is a slim possibility that it is "sticking" due to software, but that seems like a remote possibility.

 

[Peter Batah]

Thank you so much for your input. Here is what I have just been through. After speaking with several people who either distribute or sell the Caig product directly I purchased their FaderLube Product #F5S-H6. This was of course after explaining to them that one of my faders (#9 to be exact) did not travel as smoothly as did all the others. It also made a scratch sound. They recommended the F5S-H6 which is a dilution of the formula (5% cleaner/lubricant; 95% carrier/propellant) which is intended to be sprayed on and left to dry.

http://i.imgur.com/peffkim.jpg

I applied small bursts of the aerosol along the fader opening. It did not help at all. So what do I do next you may be asking. I decided to apply the same small bursts of the product into the adjacent fader #10. What a monumental mistake. Now fader #10 is difficult to move up and down and also makes that scratch sound I mentioned earlier. I have in been touch with both Caig and Hosa who distribute the product. They are looking into the matter and the folks at Caig are sending me their DeoxIT® Fader, #F100L-L25C

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1746/.f

What phrase have I used a thousand time: If it ain't broke, then don't fix it.

How was I to know. I thought that I was doing the right thing, especially having sought out the advice of people "in-the-know"

Hopefully the product that they are sending me will rectify the situation. I really don't know what else to do. I am not happy right now.

Had to vent a little (or a lot). Sorry about that.

Peter

 

[Gravity Jim]

There is no physical way that spraying a fader with Caug products would make them sticky. I don't know what to tell you, except to maybe open up the unit and give the faders a look. Good luck.

 

[Peter Batah]

Thank you @Gravity Jim . Then, I have no other explanation for why fader #10 became as difficult to manipulate as did the original problematic fader #9. As a matter of fact I took videos that clearly show how the faders performed before and after the lube treatment. Strangely enough, the folks at Caig didn't seem overly surprised when I presented my results. Thanks again for chiming in sir. Have a wonderful weekend. Peter

 

[cmaffia]

Surprises me as well. I've use Caig Fader lube since 2009 and never experienced that issue. Somethings not right. I've also use Dexoit which should be in every musicians tool bag.

 

[Peter Batah]

@cmaffia Was that the 5% or 100% variety?
The full name of the product that I purchased is DeoxIT FaderLube

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1750/.f?sc=2&category=293


If anyone is interested.

 

[cmaffia]

What made you put lube on either of these faders in the first place. Was there an issue before? I'm wondering if something was spilled in there prior to your purchase. Fader lube should not create that issue. This symptom I'm seeing in your videos is more like when someone uses contact cleaner and washes away all the original lubrication.

 

[cmaffia]

I've used F5S-H6 but I've never had to use it on any of my DM's.

 

[Peter Batah]

What made you put lube on either of these faders in the first place. Was there an issue before? I'm wondering if something was spilled in there prior to your purchase. Fader lube should not create that issue. This symptom I'm seeing in your videos is more like when someone uses contact cleaner and washes away all the original lubrication.

Yes there was an issue with fader #9 as I stated in my earlier post(s). That is what led me to the Caig product that was recommended by more than one of their distributors. When I saw that using the product on that fader was not helpful I decided to try it on adjacent fader # 10 which worked perfectly fine before. Obviously, in retrospect, that was a huge mistake. And, you are right about the "contact cleaner" effect. That is what the folks at Caig mentioned as well. Hopefully the replacement product will yield better results.

 

[Marvel]

Hey Peter, did you ever get that stuff and what was the result? It sort of looks a bit like my fader problem here, in a thread where you also replied.
http://www.tascamforums.com/threads/spare-parts-dm-4800.5074/#post-24902

MY broken and sometimes working fader is also scratchy, so we maybe onto something here..

Cheers,
Marcel

 

[Peter Batah]

@Marvel As I mentioned in my original post, the aerosol spray was of no help to me. I eventually received / applied their DeoxIT® Fader, #F100L-L25C product. This had little to no effect as well. My faders 9 and 10 still sound a little scratchy but function well otherwise. Perhaps one day I will be brave enough to open up the unit. But, for now, I can live with it. Good luck!

 

[goodflow]

I have also experienced my faders becoming more sluggish after applying DeOxit. My initial suspicion was that maybe there was some dust in there that got condensed into a sludge after the spray, so yesterday I gave my third fader bank a thorough air-dusting followed by the recommended DeOxit regimen, and wouldn't ya know it- my "problem Fader" (ch 17) is more sluggish than before the treatment, and some of the (previously fine) adjacent faders now sometimes hesitate as well. Symptoms are basically identical to what Peter Batah has demonstrated... I don't have any answers, just wanted to share that this is indeed a thing that happens. I'll be installing 2Seemy in the next few weeks and plan on taking a close look at the fader board for clues.

 

[Peter Batah]

@goodflow Thanks for the update. Let me know if you find a way to free up those suckers. Have a good one. Peter

 

[goodflow]

Interesting point that might be relevant- the stickiness seems to be predominantly when the fader is in the all the way up or all the way down position (i notice it when I toggle layers)... if the fader is somewhere in between it doesn't seem to be as sluggish, such as when following DAW automation on the remote layer.

 

[Gerk]

The "gunk" would probably gather at the two ends of the fader which would explain this.