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TASCAM launches HS-P82 8-track field recorder, US-2000 pro USB multi-channel interface and DP-008 8-track digital Pocketstudio (21/10/2009)

Six new TASCAM products launched at the AES includes the company’s first portable multitrack field recorder, pro USB multi-channel interface and 8-track SD flash card Pocketstudio.

TASCAM unveiled six major new products at the 127th AES Convention in New York, including the company’s first ever portable multi-track location sound recorder for film, television and music. The TASCAM HS-P82 is an 8-track location sound recorder, employing Compact Flash (CF) card digital media, for secure and robust recording with no moving parts. The HS-P8 features an internal stereo mix down capability, in addition to the eight discrete tracks. Audio quality is up to 96kHz/24bit (8-track recording) or 192khz/24bit (4-track recording) quality, with time-code and support for industry standard Broadcast WAV (BWF) file format and iXML metadata.

The light weight rugged recorder is housed in an all aluminium chassis and features an upward angled TFT colour touch screen. Eight premium quality microphone preamps are each fed from balanced XLR mic inputs with discrete phantom power and limiters. There is also eight channel digital I/O on a DB-25 connector and two balanced analogue outs on XLR. Input gain pots are recessed on the ergonomic, uncluttered control facia. Dual Compact Flash slots provide for mirroring and seamless A/B recording for backup*. A USB2.0 port enables high speed file transfer to and from Windows® PC and Mac®.

Future software updates will also provide for cascading of two or more recorders. Long battery life is achieved through low power usage and various power options include AA batteries (x10), NP type, AC adaptor, external DC input, and optional V-mount adaptor for ENDURA batteries.

With a mrrp of £4999 (inc. vat), the HS-P82 is highly cost competitive and represents unrivalled value in a high performance field recorder.

*supported in forthcoming V1.10 software.

The US-2000 is a 16-channel high quality USB2.0 rackmount audio interface for multi-channel computer audio applications. The US-2000 provides competitively priced, high end features and specifications for the universally supported USB2.0 connection.

Six individually phantom powered balanced mic XLR and six balanced ? inch line inputs, and a stereo digital SPDIF input are located on the rear panel, while two switchable balanced mic/line XLR/jack combi inputs are mounted on the front for convenient connection and disconnection of various signal sources. Also on the rear are four balanced ? inch jack outputs and a stereo SPDIF output. Signal quality is assured with eight of TASCAM’s premium quality High Gain mic pre-amps and 96kHz/24bit analogue to digital conversion. The ‘classic’ studio outboard facia design features extensive LED metering, with 100 LEDs; five dot meter indicators are provided for the 16 inputs and 4 outputs. Mrrp is £512 (inc vat).

The DP-008 is TASCAM’s new 8-track digital Pocketstudio. Advancing the compact Pocketstudio series, the DP-008 offers intuitive simple operation for portable music production. Powered by four AA batteries, or optional AC adaptor, the DP-008 records to SD and SDHC flash memory card (up to 32GB), with 2-track simultaneous recording and 8-track simultaneous playback. Also featured is an internal reverb processor and internal stereo mixdown capability, in addition to the eight discrete tracks. A USB2.0 connection provides for fast import/export of .WAV files to Mac® or Windows® PC.

An integrated high quality stereo condenser microphone and two XLR balanced mic/line inputs with phantom power are provided; there is also ? inch jack line/guitar level input. For monitoring there are line level stereo phono outputs and a headphone out. The control surface – familiar from the DP-004 – features volume, pan and effect send on each channel, with 2-band EQ per track and 2- band input EQ for recording, and a backlight graphic 128 x 64 dots LCD. Mrrp (inc. vat) is just £299.

Location recording for tutors, music students, and other non-professionals who want to record sound could not be simpler or more affordable than with the TASCAM BB-800. A veritable recording ‘boom box’, the extremely portable BB-800 integrates recording, mixing and playback via its on-board 10watt stereo sound system. Audio is recorded via the four integrated condenser microphones or from two phantom powered balanced XLR mic inputs to SD flash memory card, either in MP3 or uncompressed .WAV format. Overdubs can be recorded to stereo recordings, and tracks can be looped and tempo varied without pitch change. The built-in chromatic tuner and metronome provide audio-visual feedback, making the BB-800 an ideal tuition and practice tool. Power is from a pair of AA cells or the included AC adaptor. Also included is a wireless remote control to enable recordings to be made by musicians from the stage position when the recorder is positioned elsewhere in the room. Mrrp (inc. vat) is £399.

Two AV installation products being launched at AES are the SS-R05 solidstate recorder and MD-02B MD recorder. The SS-R05 is TASCAM’s new entry level model in its CF memory card series for commercial audio, designed to offer all the advantages of the latest file based solidstate media in applications previously fulfilled by CD, CD-R, MD and cassette tape. The SS-R05 deletes all the remote connections and balanced I/Os of its series siblings, providing a highly affordable easy to operate standalone CF recorder/player.

The 1U rack space SS-R05 records 44.1kHz/48kHz digital audio to CF media in either MP3 or uncompressed .WAV file formats. It is equipped with unbalanced phono line analogue and SPDIF (with sample rate convertor) digital I/Os. Features include power on play, auto track increment (level or time), PS/2 keyboard input for folder/file naming and remote control, VSA function, playlist and folder play, edit functions (Rename, Delete, Divide and Combine), internal clock for time stamp, and wired remote control. Mrrp is £479 (inc. vat).

TASCAM is the only manufacturer currently producing an MD recorder for the commercial audio market, and the MD-02B is the successor to its popular MD-350. The 2U size MD-02B features an all new transport and new features. With high quality ATRAC3 compression, the unit supports stereo, mono, LP2 and LP4 modes (with multiple mode disk support), digital input level, synchronised input level recording, and sample rate conversion for 32kHz and 48kHz to 44.1kHz. As well as balanced XLR and unbalanced phono analogue I/Os, there are both optical and SPDIF digital I/Os. Other features include a front panel PS/2 keyboard port for quick track names and control, headphone out with level control, input monitoring without disc, power on play, auto track increment by time or level, grouping of tracks and group play, an increase in the number of tracks for program play, from 25 to 32, fade in/out recording, and Divide, Combine, Erase, Move and Title edit. A wireless remote control is included. Mrrp is £525 (inc. vat).

www.tascam.co.uk  

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