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JeffTadashi « An old interface that can do it all »
Published on 05/01/12 at 22:58The Tascam US-122 is one of the few usb audio-midi combination interfaces on the market. It features two xlr inputs, two line level inputs, direct input monitoring, and a stereo line-level output with level control. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows systems, although due to its age, is not officially supported by the newest operating systems.
This is a great portable interface that can do a little of everything. I mainly used it with my live laptop setup to play synths and keyboards, which is perfect with this unit, since it can process MIDI and audio at the same time. I've also used it to record guitars and microphones on the fly.
UTILIZATION
The drivers on Tascam audio interfaces, in general, can be problematic. Sometimes they work seamlessly, but sometimes they just don't work on certain operating systems or computer setups. I've owned three different Tascam audio interfaces, and each one has different drivers that seem to work the best on different setups. Unfortunately, the US-122 did not function with my new Mac OS 1.7 laptop, but it has worked fine for me on Windows XP laptops. Since this model is discontinued, there will likely never be updated drivers to better support newer operating systems.
The US-122 can record and playback two channels at once (stereo). I've used it with SONAR almost exclusively, and I've had no problems on my Windows systems. The drivers are not as low latency as some of the newer interfaces out there, but it was certainly fast enough for playing live keyboards for live shows.
GETTING STARTED
General setup is fairly easy: Install the drivers from the Tascam website or an included cd, plug in the interface via usb, and start using it through a DAW or standalone soft synthesizer. One of the advantages of this interface is that it is simple to use, especially with MIDI. All of the routing goes though one interface, so it is fairly easy to setup.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is a versatile, portable audio interface that can be useful for many different applications. It may be a bit dated, but if you can find a good deal on this unit used, and you own an older operating system, this interface may be perfect. I owned this interface for several years, and it has served me well.
This is a great portable interface that can do a little of everything. I mainly used it with my live laptop setup to play synths and keyboards, which is perfect with this unit, since it can process MIDI and audio at the same time. I've also used it to record guitars and microphones on the fly.
UTILIZATION
The drivers on Tascam audio interfaces, in general, can be problematic. Sometimes they work seamlessly, but sometimes they just don't work on certain operating systems or computer setups. I've owned three different Tascam audio interfaces, and each one has different drivers that seem to work the best on different setups. Unfortunately, the US-122 did not function with my new Mac OS 1.7 laptop, but it has worked fine for me on Windows XP laptops. Since this model is discontinued, there will likely never be updated drivers to better support newer operating systems.
The US-122 can record and playback two channels at once (stereo). I've used it with SONAR almost exclusively, and I've had no problems on my Windows systems. The drivers are not as low latency as some of the newer interfaces out there, but it was certainly fast enough for playing live keyboards for live shows.
GETTING STARTED
General setup is fairly easy: Install the drivers from the Tascam website or an included cd, plug in the interface via usb, and start using it through a DAW or standalone soft synthesizer. One of the advantages of this interface is that it is simple to use, especially with MIDI. All of the routing goes though one interface, so it is fairly easy to setup.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is a versatile, portable audio interface that can be useful for many different applications. It may be a bit dated, but if you can find a good deal on this unit used, and you own an older operating system, this interface may be perfect. I owned this interface for several years, and it has served me well.