DeafDave

Thanks, I've manage to open it up using 2 pairs of pliers but Im not sure where the fault is? I can see there's at least one resistor soldered in place and another wire connected to the main ridgid rod centre that runs up to the back of the microdot connector Did you find the same fault in the same place each time?

Would you have any photos you could share of the parts unscrewed and whats inside please Matthew? Were you able to repair them without further problems? What brand are yours? DPA? Deity? other Chinese knockoff? and would you have a link for where to purchase please? I can see where the join is on my DPA ones, they are €105 to buy new from DPA so I might try opening them with 2 pliers before I throw mine out!

Just to confirm the DPA 56 Ta5f microdot adapters I bought and used were all made by DPA and bought through a national distributor for DPA. The 2 microdot adapters that failed were DPA made.

I use my DPA 4060s with many different devices so I have kept them terminated as microdot but I have had to get the microdot ends on the mics rewired several times due metal/solder fatigue caused by people screwing the microdot end instead of holding it still and turning only the adapter to screw it on. I have had 2 of DPA's microdot 56 Ta5f adapters fail and they are unrepairable. Wiggling them in a lectrosonics transmitter causes break up, glitch/spalt sounds and audio drop out. I tried electrical cleaner but this didn't help. Making the same movements whilst in the transmitter with other adapters caused no problems so clearly they are broken somewhere inside. Pity they aren't unscrewable to access and repair inside. When recently purchasing a Tentacle Track E I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a Tentacle microdot to screwable mini jack adapter at a fraction of the price of a DPA one! So far so good....

It would be nice to be able to see the health/charge state of these internal batteries!! Did anyone find a guide about how to change the batteries in the MixPre10T series? I have found them for the 6 series alright but nothing for the mixpre recorders What are the batteries inside the MixPre10? Perhaps a 2032 but what is the rechargable? Someone mentioned an AA rechargable above?

Might be the Schoeps and nothing to do with the Tacit. Ive heard interference with Schoeps before Tacits were invented. If you removed the Tacit from the audio chain did the interference suddenly disappear?

Are Rycote still improving the Tacit? or has the design settled down? I have noticed that just touching the plastic part of the XLR that screws into the back of the metal barrel creates noise so Im thinking I should send it back to see if something is loose inside. I have gotten interference also while using them with a Sennheiser 8050 so Im wondering if I have older versions (Shell to shell attached, as mentioned earlier in the thread). Is there a quick and easy way to check what version I have? Also did Rycote ever sell a barrel version of the Tacit? This was mentioned in the thread above but I've never seen it on their site or for sale anywhere... so perhaps that idea was scrapped?

Got a link Joon or could you email me the information?

Sound Devices fixed the problem after I sent the unit back and also posted a page on their site explaining this known issue with unbalanced devices.

Thanks for your reply Nate - very helpful! Im going to run the smartView Duo on a separate hawkwoods battery pack so that its not in my audio chain. Have you ever had problems with bncs from the camera causing interference? I had terrible problems on a shoot recently and I think it was the bnc cable roll that the hire company provided for the director's monitors

Hi, Im looking at buying a SmartView Duo, not the 4k, and Im wondering can I power it from an NP1 battery using a HawkWoods SQN4s? Im wondering if owners of the SmartView could tell me how long I would get before having to change battery? At the moment I only use NP1s so it would be handy to keep it that way if the SmartDuo isnt too power hungry and not have to buy a different type of charger and batteries. I'll buy a bigger battery for the new cart at some stage when I have time... Thanks for any tips!

The unit is no longer holding its time code settings despite the blue flashing light and a battery attached which has a charge. This was all working fine before it was sent away for the mod 14.

Shure UK modified my 664 under warranty so that inaudible noise (80khz) created when using unbalanced devices on its inputs no longer shows on the level meters. Since I got it back the spring device (Push to eject) on the SD card slot no longer works. It worked fine before it was sent off and had always worked fine. Normally you push the card and a spring pushes it out so that its easier to grab and take out but that spring no longer works since I got the unit back. If I push the sd card nothing happens so I have to remove the CF card in order to get a grip on the SD card. The 664 still sees the SD card and records to it and formats it but I am concerned that if part of the mechanism isnt working that part of it might come loose and which could mean the card gets stuck or that it blocks a card being inserted. Im thinking the only way that mechanism could have been damaged is if someone pulled the card out without pushing it in first to allow it to pop out itself. Has anyone else experienced this on their 664 or any other device using SD cards?

Sound Devices have finally owned up to the fact that there is an issue with some of their range of 664s - check your serial as per this page: http://www.sounddevices.com/notes/mixers/664/664-xlr-ins-with-unbalanced-outs/

Yeah is it the 664 in your mind you refer to? the one that works like a dream ... I mean is a dream.

Its just wired as a balanced cable, no electronics added. Its mass produced so its not something you can open easily but you can use a multimeter to test continuity and know how its wired inside.

Thanks for your clear and unabusive response Rick! So refreshing and helpful!! Im still trouble shooting this and would be interested from hearing back from owners of the 664 who use it with unbalanced input devices. Do you own the Sennheiser g2s and if you bought them new was the output cable balanced? I own 2 of the Sennheiser g3s and they ship with an unbalanced output cable called the CL100. Do you own a 664 and if so are you using any unbalanced gear with it? if so does it all work ok or are do you have to make modifications to allow it to work? My 664 has a problem with the unbalanced output cable from the g3 receiver and this manifests itself as a huge amount of noise on the channel. I think it doesn't like pins 1 and 3 being linked and creates a lot of noise on the channel. Using a balanced cable eliminates this problem. I can plug the unbalanced cable into an SQN mixer and none of the noise is present so it can handle an unbalanced input but MY 664 cant. It seems some other 664 owners have problems with unbalanced inputs and that a mod is needed so that makes me wonder if its just some 664s within a range of serial numbers that have a problem with unbalanced inputs? Sound Devices have been quick to suggest sending the unit back but have refused to tell me what they think is wrong and what they are going to do to fix it. I have a solution for using the g3s in that I now have 2 x balanced CL500 cables from Sennheiser which normally ship with their more expensive radio mics. I'd prefer if the 664 could handle unbalanced inputs with no problems like the SQN mixer could!

Hi Mike I have a noise problem with my 2 Sennheiser g3s connected to my 664. Both my g3s arrived brand new with a unbalanced CL100 stereo locking minijack to male xlr cable. There is a blue rubber band around the cable which in very faint writing has CL100 written on it After some experimentation I conclude that my 664 doesnt like unbalanced cables though Sound Devices claim the 664 can take unbalanced sources on its inputs. If I only have this unbalanced cable plugged into the 664 I can see and hear noise on the channel - a lot of noise. Sennheiser ship their more expensive 2000 series with a balanced version of this cable which works fine with the 664 - No noise. These have an all metal xlr casing and the rubber ring has CL500 on it as opposed to the unbalanced cable which has a blue plastic part on the xlr connector and a light blue rubber ring which has CL100 on it. So the cable isnt the only problem here. The unbalanced cable caused no problems plugged into a SQN mixer which means that the 664 has a problem handling unbalanced inputs. Im not sure if all 664s have this problem or if its just a batch of them but I was surprised that Sound Devices suggested I send it back when I complained about the noise. They have so far refused to tell me whats wrong and what is involved in fixing it which I find dishonest. I was asking on another post about this in an effort to trouble shoot it and got abuse from various people for not knowing what was going on and not RTFM etc etc. There seems to be a lot of people on this forum who delight in giving out to people for not knowing something or tell them they should be away troubleshooting instead of asking on this forum, which I consider to be a part of troubleshooting!! I don't really like engaging with people who get a kick from spewing out abusive comments and feeling superior because they know something that someone else doesn't know. I find that anti-social and anti-educational. One of the principles of education is that "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION"

Rich. The gear is sitting in front of me and I know its mic out, I have a mic open and it sounds fine except for the noise floor. Output gain is zero and the options are a range between +12 to -30.

Again, sorry for not being a real sound guy Mike. I must try harder. You are amazing and very real. Actually sorry for asking any questions as well Mike, I hope I didnt wake you or annoy you too much by not knowing something. You couldnt be wrong, never! True Im not a good troubleshooter or problem solver, im not good at anything. Do you feel better?

Mike I find you quite rude and Im sure a lot of other people on here do. Clearly you enjoy being rude. Sorry for not being a real sound person, I just borrowed the costume from a halloween shop ...

Its not a line level out of the g3. Its mic level. Almost nothing can be heard when the input is set to line in. It certainly gets rid of the noise but everything else too!! The receiver is an EK 100. Its part of the Sennheiser EW 100 G3 set. The voice level is fine on mic input, its the noise thats the problem - huge noise floor which I think the cable is generating On the 664 The gain is at 3 O'Clock and the fader is at unity gain 12 O Clock which is a good starting point for most mic level inputs. @John Blankenship - perhaps you are thinking of a different model? My Lectros are line output alright but not my Sony URX-P2, they are mic level out of the reveiver and so are the Senni G3s @studiomprd - RTFM right back at you. Its mic level. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are thinking of different Senni gear? In terms of wiring, I havent found that thread, do you have a link, are people having to rewire the cable? its sealed at the xlr end so perhaps they are making one up from scratch but can it act as the second antenna like the one supplied? The units are still in warranty so I hope Senni will give me replacement output cables from the receiver....

I have a 664 and 2 new Senni g3s but I am getting white noise when the receiver is plugged into mic level in on the 664. Phantom is off. I dont have this problem with my Lectros or Sony radios. The noise is at -18 on the channel meter with the reviver plugged in and off. When turned on it drops to about -25. Still pretty awful!! Im wondering if there is some incompatibility with the Senni g3 and their output cable (which acts as a second antenna for diversity) and the 664? I emailed SD about this who said send the 664 back but they didnt elaborate on what the problem was and what they would have to do to fix it!! I havent upgraded the firmware so its still on what the 664 came with which is 1.04 but I really think its the Senni G3 output cable. Has anyone any ideas? Thanks!

Yes!! - "gain preset knobs white indent is hardly visible" I presume you are talking about the Silver knobs? I never liked them on my 442 and couldnt believe when I saw them still in use on the 664!! white on silver - bright on bright? the white mark on the black knob makes perfect sense because there is contrast between them!! I would love to replace the silver pots with better ones if anyone makes them? Though it would have been nice if the new 664 had come with the solution!

Hi Im wondering if any of you experts might have some suggestions on this? Im trying to put together an audio system for a hidden camera show. Ideally the actor, who sets people up for a comedy scenario, will need to wear a lav mic which would plug into a small unit which can record the mic but also transmit the audio wirelessly to the director while the gag is happening so they can follow the audio and whats happening. Ideally this would just involve one unit which can be hidden on the person but Im not sure what that unit is!? I thought Zaxcom made a wireless transmitter that recorded audio too but Im only finding the zfr100/200/300 which dont transmit wirelessly. A more simple option would be to use something like a Zoom and use a DPA 4071 plugged into the microdot to xlr phantom adapter and just record and not transmit audio wirelessly It would be great to find a unit that would take a microdot input from a dpa mic, record the mic with good limiters and transmit it wirelessly After writing this Im thinking that it might be more realistic if the actor was wearing a shoulder bag, then a recorder and transmitter could easily be held and the mic could be pointing out of the bag disguised and not hidden under the actors clothes Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks! DeafDave