In article ,
Bob Realist wrote:

Got an opportunity to buy a mint Tascam M3500 desk for cheap. It has a
full meter bridge but it doesn't have the balancing amps installed.
Anyone have an idea where I might find a set of LA-3500 boards, and what
might be a reasonable price for them? The desk is 24 channel, I think
that means I'd need 3 boards. Been keeping an eye on ebay, no luck so
far...

Not to sound like a snob, but have you tried to mix on an M3500? It's
not an 'easy to get along with' console. The last time I tried, we had
a Studer A80 1" 8 track feeding it and a pile of really fine mikes and
it was like pulling teeth to to get good sounds out of it. You do the
math...

I say a modern Mackie is a huge step up, and people gripe about those
all the time.


Just trying to prevent some headaches,

Monte McGuire

Not to sound like a snob, but have you tried to mix on an M3500? It's
not an 'easy to get along with' console. The last time I tried, we had
a Studer A80 1" 8 track feeding it and a pile of really fine mikes and
it was like pulling teeth to to get good sounds out of it. You do the
math...

Maybe you made the mistake of trying to use the 3500 EQ.

I say a modern Mackie is a huge step up, and people gripe about those
all the time.

Using the Mackie EQ is REALLY a mistake.


Scott Fraser

Not to sound like a snob, but have you tried to mix on an M3500? It's
not an 'easy to get along with' console. The last time I tried, we had
a Studer A80 1" 8 track feeding it and a pile of really fine mikes and
it was like pulling teeth to to get good sounds out of it. You do the
math...

Maybe you made the mistake of trying to use the 3500 EQ.

I say a modern Mackie is a huge step up, and people gripe about those
all the time.

Using the Mackie EQ is REALLY a mistake.


Scott Fraser

"ScotFraser" wrote

Maybe you made the mistake of trying to use the 3500 EQ.

I *like* the M3500 eq.

Hey, deja vu... have we had this discussion before? g



Using the Mackie EQ is REALLY a mistake.

Right, I *knew* we agreed about something!

--
"It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!"
- Lorin David Schultz
in the control room
making even bad news sound good

(Remove spamblock to reply)

"ScotFraser" wrote

Maybe you made the mistake of trying to use the 3500 EQ.

I *like* the M3500 eq.

Hey, deja vu... have we had this discussion before? g



Using the Mackie EQ is REALLY a mistake.

Right, I *knew* we agreed about something!

--
"It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!"
- Lorin David Schultz
in the control room
making even bad news sound good

(Remove spamblock to reply)

I *like* the M3500 eq.

Well, I used one for a lot of years & made a couple hundred records with it,
but I disliked the EQ from day one. Just didn't do it for me. I'd already beed
spoiled by API550s by that time.

Hey, deja vu... have we had this discussion before? g
BRBR

I think this comes up once a year on cue.

Scott Fraser

I *like* the M3500 eq.

Well, I used one for a lot of years & made a couple hundred records with it,
but I disliked the EQ from day one. Just didn't do it for me. I'd already beed
spoiled by API550s by that time.

Hey, deja vu... have we had this discussion before? g
BRBR

I think this comes up once a year on cue.

Scott Fraser

The Tascam 3500 board is a great board. There have many hit records
recorded on it. I have the LA-3500 Balanced Amplifier Kit. I was just
getting ready to list it on ebay and was doing a search and came up with
your post. You can email me .

I'll jump in to say that I've had my M-3500 for almost 15 years...and I
find no problems mixing with it...
...and even though I have a bunch of outboard EQ's...I will still use the
3500 EQ's on some tracks as needed.
They are not extreamly flexible EQ's...but they can do a good job
too...just got to dial 'em in.

I like the 3500 so much...that even when using my DAW...I still come out
of it and mix in analog through my 3500, using all outboard processing,
and letting the DAW just be a playback device...
...though I also like to still record/mix to/from my analog 16 track.

If you can find a decent 3500...it will blow away the Mackie boards...IMO.

I'll jump in to say that I've had my M-3500 for almost 15 years...and I
find no problems mixing with it...

I used one for a lot of years & probably mixed a couple hundred album projects
on it, but I wouldn't say without any problems. Interfacing with +4 gear was
always an issue (which the line amps would cure.) I never was fond of the EQ
although several here seem to like them. All in all it was a decent performer
in its price range, & probably the last nearly pro affordable mixer Tascam made
before going a lot further down market. Oddly enough, I rather liked the mic
pres, considering the price.

..and even though I have a bunch of outboard EQ's...I will still use the
3500 EQ's on some tracks as needed.

It was the 3500 EQ that pushed me into buying a lot of pro level outboard gear.

They are not extreamly flexible EQ's...but they can do a good job
too...just got to dial 'em in.

For basic tone shaping they're not too bad, but certainly not something to use
for any surgical correction or mastering quality tone shaping.

If you can find a decent 3500...it will blow away the Mackie boards...IMO.

Sonically, yes. The Mackie seems to have a slightly lower noise floor, but much
worse EQ. The Tascam always came across as less harsh, a bit warmer, when
comparing mixes with a couple Mackie-equipped friends.
BTW, I have a 32 channel M3500 currently sitting idle in my studio for anyone
interested in a purchase.






BRBR

Scott Fraser