Upgrading to DM 3200

[mdloomis]

Greetings,

I've been using MX-2424 and DM-24 for quite some time now (both were purchased when they first came on the scene) and I've come to know and love their great sound - and their idiosyncrasies. But now its time for an upgrade. Even though the DM 3200 has already been around for awhile, it looks like it still fits my needs almost perfectly. Looking at the manual, it seems the 3200 is what I had hoped the DM-24 would have been. The 3200 uses the same basic paradigm as the DM-24 so the transition to the new board should be fairly smooth, but so many of the DM-24's limitations in routing and interface seem to have been eliminated.

Anyone experience any negative issues running an MX-2424 with the DM-3200? My last setup was flawless in that regard, but you never know - things change sometimes. How is the DAW integration with Logic?

Thanks in advance...

Michael

 

[John Flynn]

go for it... its an excellent console and it works flawlessly with Logic.. Don't know the MX-2424 so i will let the more experienced on here give you advice on that..

 

[captdan]

Very generally speaking: if you like the DM24, you'll love the DM3200. If you've run an MX-2424 with the DM24, you'll be able to do the same with the DM3200.

Users tend to have more issues with software DAWs than hardware recorders, mostly because of drivers and setup routines. But most all of these issues are resolvable.

The DM3200/4800 consoles are stellar, flexible devices which, in my admittedly partial opinion, have no peer in their price range. Maybe even twice that.

CaptDan

 

[cmaffia]

My prediction is that the DM series will be considered "legendary" in years to come. Get one while you can!

 

[Drumstruck]

The only thing I'd add is to consider stretching the budget to a DM4800 - the extra channels would allow you to control all 24 channels without swapping layers and the 8 aux send I/O are also worthwhile

 

[mdloomis]

Yeah, the 4800 looks nice. All tracks on a single layer and the dedicated Fat Channel knobs are attractive, but I'm really needing something physically smaller than that. Thanks for the feedback, guys! Pulling the trigger tomorrow...

 

[Gravity Jim]

Same deal here. The 4800 would be sexy, but I needed something that would fit in the same space as a Yamaha 02R. The 3200 has turned out to be plenty.

 

[cmaffia]

Something else to consider, the DM4800 was unofficially discontinued for months now so it is next to impossible to get one new. You can probably still find one but not for long. The DM4800 functionally would have been the ideal machine for me however the math doesn't add up when listing the differences between the 2 machines. Don't get me wrong, for what you get at it's price point is incredible but it is less attractive when the DM3200 exists at half the price. The same goes for the MU-1000 which almost half the price of the DM3200?.....Really? A meter bridge who's functionality is duplicated when using either the TMC software (free) or the 2SeeMy card ($230) on a dedicated monitor?

Here's what I'd do (and did). I'd go with the DM3200 with the firewire and analog expansion cards as well as a 2SeeMy card. Over time, whatever money you saved by not getting the DM4800 I'd spend on things like quality microphones, the DA-3000, software or anything else that would help bring your sound to the next level as much as the DM3200 will. Purchasing the DM3200 with the firewire card alone will be a serious enough upgrade from the DM24!

 

[John Flynn]

Interesting

Didn't know the DM4800 is discontinued tho I suppose it would have only been a matter of time. Main downside to the 4800 is its physical size. Its bloody huge. Takes up a big section of my control room and when would you really need to track more than 10 instruments at a time? Most likely i would go for the 3200 if i was going again and the meter bridge, tho pretty is fairly pointless to be honest.
Yeah the 3200, the fire wire defo and an analogue card if you need more than 16 ins or have a lot of outboard stuff.
Cmaffia has summed it all up there i reckon...

 

[captdan]

Both the DM32 & 48 are big units. At the time I was researching a new digital mixer purchase in 2009, I'd narrowed it down to three machines - Yammie O2R96, DM4800, and 3200. Had I not been familiar with the O2R96's physical footprint, I would've been shocked when I saw the 3200 for the first time. I was anyway. And the 4800 looked like an Amek Angela by comparison. Massive!

The 4800 certainly offers some advantages - fewer layer switches and the previously mentioned Fat Channel. Extra auxes are a plus, and the beefier monitoring capabilities are very helpful too. Downside: a LOT of expensive real estate wasted: 8 additional pre amps when, at least for people like me, 16 are too much. It's a rare day when I'm tracking more than two inputs simultaneously. And layer switching isn't a big deal; in fact it can be greatly reduced even with the 3200 by programming the Rotary Encoders to serve as Aux and alternate layer faders. That's the beauty of these mixers - they can be customized and optimized for a huge number of studio tasks. And both models are the same inside; one mixer won't sound any different than the other.

Charlie's ideas are valid; investing in good mikes, maybe a couple of different specialized pre amps, (room treatment if it hasn't already been done) and a decent compressor will yield bigger dividends if you absolutely don't need to track 24 inputs at a time. But yes - there's the Bling Factor - a 4800 installed in a nice desk is hellishly impressive. And so's the 3200 too, IMO.

Whichever board you choose will serve you well if you've planned out your workflow and budget

CaptDan

 

[captdan]

Re: meter bridge - On one hand, it's a pricey unit considering the display features are accessible elsewhere at no additional cost. For a lot of people, the money could be spent more effectively on other gear - or saved for a rainy day.

On the other hand, I wouldn't get rid of mine because at least 20% of my workflow is mastering related. I've come to rely on both the MU1000's display (for peak metering) and the TMCompanion's meter (set to 'Average) used together for mastering tasks. That advantage alone has made it worthwhile - not to mention, when self producing a track, the higher visibility of the MU1000 makes viewing from a distance a lot easier.

Personal opinion: Perhaps Tascam should've offered two different bridges - say an MU1000 for the DM3200, and an MU2000 for the 4800. Why? Because the MU1000 is a wee bit short sitting atop a 4800; the board is so wide the MU1000 looks a bit dinky in an amusing sort of way. (Forgive my overly technical verbiage. )

CaptDan

 

[John Flynn]

Very valid points..
For me the meter bridge would impress me more if it worked in the remote mode for protools.....But maybe thats just me.....
I do regularly wish that I had a smaller console or a larger control room lol

On occassion when i have to plug cables into the back i have to do it by feel rather than sight. There are so many cables plugged in the back of that thing i'd hate to have to take them all out and put them back again...
Anyone have more info on the discontinuation of the DM4800? Is the DM3200 also going to be discontinued?

 

[AudioWave]

I based my decision on needs rather than size. DM-3200 is fine if you don't need or desire or ever plan using the Fat channel, extra Faders, extra Channels, extra Aux's, and extra Option slots.

 

[jamsire]

I will say this about having a DM4800.

The first and only criticism I received when I did my Pro Tools and Cubase Midi Controller videos were from DM3200 users because they didn't have enough additional channels available for mid controller setup using the midi faders, remote layer, and midi mixer. If you want to have less midi remote devices AND full midi fader functionality as well as a dynamic console - the DM4800 is the way to go.

I don't have 24 mic pres hooked up to my DM4800. I do have two synths, electronic drums, guitar preamps and guitar synths, etc. plugged in at all times and available via the routing screen. Eventually everything gets discontinued, but they still work! I'll take any discontinued Neve console.

Good luck in your decision and welcome!

 

[John Flynn]

Audiowave's point is the most important. As you are at present using a DM24 you will know exactly what your needs are and your likely future needs. A consultation of both boards can be done to see if for you the extra expense and footprint are worth while. The fat channel IS a big plus. I suppose i took it for granted never having owned a DM3200. The extra faders are useful when mixing (not so relevant for tracking in my case) I only use 8 of the available 12 aux (4 for 2 stereo headphone mixes to live room) and 4 for internal effects) and while I have 4 cards fitted i only use 2 of them really. (The firewire and one of the IF-AN ones). Examine ones needs and buy what you need. In hindsight i bought much gear on the premise that i 'might' need it in the future. Best to buy when you Actually need it. At least that's my opinion now...

 

[John Flynn]

@jamsire

Thats one impressive video. Watched it today... Now if only i could get a midi out into the back of my DM4800.... Lol The back of my DM is a very scary place...

 

[captdan]

There's no definitive proof the 4800 has been discontinued. Several retail/wholesale outlets have made noises about that, but Tascam - far as I know - has made no such announcement.

The DM3200 is still in production. Even if it's discontinued next week, there will be a lot of them in use for years and years. Just like people who buy a new Ford will likely be driving it in 2024 - I suspect records will be released by those operating DMs in the same year.

Usually this topic leads to the inevitable; "What's Coming Next?" I'll excuse myself from that discussion by saying "probably nothing like the DM and I really don't care..."


CaptDan

 

[jamsire]

"What's Coming Next?" I'll excuse myself from that discussion by saying "probably nothing like the DM and I really don't care..."


CaptDan

I'll tell ya what's coming next - AWESOME MUSIC!

 

[John Flynn]

Put it this way Capt... My mac pro is early 2008... My Dm4800 is at least 5 years old (Maybe older) As you pointed up constant upgrading is a mugs game. I did upgrade to pro Tools 11 this year merely because it is 64 bit and i have 32 gigs of Ram... This upgrade took Avid years but there is where the buck stops with me.
I hope the DM works as long as I am recording.
My only concern was ever the firewire drivers but at this point I doubt my mac has another operating system's life in it so its not so big a deal.

 

[captdan]

If you want to have less midi remote devices AND full midi fader functionality as well as a dynamic console - the DM4800 is the way to go.

Jamsire speaks truth; once you start delving into the User Defined Layer, discovering another world beneath the one you thought you knew, the extra 4800 channel power is undeniable. Then again, there's a lot of unused power in the 3200 too. Just a bit less of it.

PS: If Firewire is the main flavor of DAW routing, you're STILL limited to 32 bi-directional channels on either mixer- something Drumstuck and Audiowave have already made salient points about.

CaptDan