Tried turning off all the inputs and trying to use each input by itself. Still get the hiss. Used 2 different cables as well. Nothing fixes it but dual record mode. I'm thinking maybe 2 inputs are bad and when dual record mode is activated it switches the good ones to channel 1 and 2 and the bad ones to the backup channels 3 and 4 with the hiss. But when dual record mode is deactivated it defaults those bad inputs back to channel 1 and 2.

The clean audio I do get sound superb. I'm thinking I have a faulty unit or Tascam makes crap products or both. Not sure what to do.

Yes the newest firmware is installed, first thing I did when I took it out of the box was to upgrade it.

I called Tascam and they said it's probably because I I'm using a unapproved SD Card. Not sure how that works because the hiss is there before I even record. Right now I'm using a 16gb 90mbs PNY Card, but I should receive a "tested" SanDisk card this week sometime. They said if it's not the SD card then I should just return it.

Not sure if I should exchange for a new one or sell my SD 302 and use the extra money towards a Zoom F8. My original plan was to use the dr-70D for a few years till I could afford a better recorder like a F8 or 633. But I guess you get what you pay for. Just worried that my replacement will have issues too.

Well I'm returning it. Did the factory reset and now none of the inputs work and the head phone jack works intermittently. Now it won't except the Line input from the 302 also plugging the mic ins directly doesn't work either now. Looks like I got a bad one.

@Chaos123x - at least you discovered this while you still have the option to return it. I would suggest exchanging it for a second copy (Every electronic item in the world is subject to a dud every now and again). There are more than enough people here who have had good luck with it. One thing I forgot to suggest was switching the phase for those given channels. There is an option in the menu for each channel to do so. Doubt it will fix it, though worth a shot at least.

A lot of those cards are either fairly expensive or discontinued. My "approved" 16gb that was supposed to ship to me from Amazon just got delayed a whole month some how. I think SanDisk no longer makes the specific model. I never had issues with my H4n, shoot I just used a old generic 2gig SD card I found in a box of junk.

Ughhhh forgot when you use the dual record mode the backup tracks are unusable because of the extra hiss.

Might have to return this thing anyways.

It's back! Yup started getting the same problem again even with the approved card on my second unit, though not as bad as the first time. I'm going to replace all of my cabling Sunday and try again. Also the headphone jack stopped working, just like the other unit.

The guy at Tascam says it's because the entire system runs through the card. It doesn't just save a file on to the card like you might think. I'm guessing they are using the card for some type of virtual memory or file paging.

I don't know the guy at Tascam could of been blowing smoke. Who knows.

davidp158 - try to power from USB but WITH your AA batteries also put in. I've heard about some problems without AA batteries, like DR-70D can not measure how much power left- so maybe it is the case...

@davidp158 I recently had a similar problem with my DR-70D on a shoot: I was using a phone charger to power it and it kept restarting. Also I had phantom power turned on for all 4 XLR inputs. Turned out it was the phone charger that couldn't supply enough power, it was rated at 0.7A. Switched to my battery pack rated at 1A and everything was fine. Not sure if you were using condenser mics with phantom power but worth a shot.

Dang, sorry I missed out on that deal, Vitaliy. That's a great deal for DR-70 and case. I'll have to keep an eye out for so,etching like that again!

@Vitaliy_Kiselev I'm seeing it for $339... $219 would be killer.