In April 2006 I purchased a new TASCAM 2488. Immediately after sitting down to do serious work on the unit later in April I began to have problems with static on channels 1 and 2. I should also add that I had noticed a "burnt electronics" smell immediately after first opening the box in April but did not think too much of this at the time.

I contacted the dealer who arranged to have the unit replaced. This confirmed a conversation I had had myself with the TASCAM service department about “swapping out units” (since it was brand-new) before I returned the unit to the dealer.

I returned the 2488 studio to the dealer just prior to Labor Day in May, and followed up with an email after the weekend at the dealer's request with a detailed description of the problem.

After hearing nothing I for a couple of weeks I called the Service department at TASCAM directly in mid-June, and here is where the problems seem to have begun. The person I spoke with (not the same person, apparently, that either I or the dealer had spoken with) did not seem to understand that the unit was to be "swapped out". She asked to know the name of the individual I had previously spoken with on the initial calls to the Service center (which I did not have) and informed me that the unit was still sitting on the bench-awaiting repair and could not give me any more information.

Frustrated, I contacted the dealer again, who in turn finally managed to contact another live person at the TASCAM Service department after his calls to the dealer Rep went unanswered. He was then promised by the TASCAM Service person that the unit would be repaired and shipped back no later than June 27th.

It is now July 13th, still no word from TASCAM. This should have been a simple swap out; instead, I have been without an important piece of equipment now that I spent a considerable sum to purchase "new" for six weeks now. I am frustrated that my business seems to mean so little in terms of obtaining service.

When I (finally) get my unit back will TASCAM take into account the time it spent on the repair bench and add that to their limited warranty period, most of which has been spent with the unit sitting on their repair bench?

I hope that this email gets someone’s attention since efforts to do so through now have proven futile. I have a lot of questions and few answers and have yet to receive a reponse from the area Rep or TASCAM.