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Published on 02/26/08 at 23:53
Value For Money :
Excellent
Hello,
I had a budget of € 400 for an external sound card with the maximum possible entry, my heart had first swung the Presonus FirePod but my order was refused because Thomann stop production made me go back to the tascam. Use home studio to record most of the groups so acoustic (drums, bass, guitar, vocals, keyboard ,...). I use Windows XP SP2 with an AMD Athlon 3500 +, 1.77 GHz and 1.5 MB of RAM. I also use external preamp (presonus and summit).
So the features
- Runs on USB (anecdote, the user manual states that it is best to place the sound card as far as possible from the screen and the PC, but he delivers with a USB cable that is 80cm! Ca really made me laugh, ca does not result in too).
- 8 XLR inputs: thomman attention it is announced with 8 XLR / LINE, it's false, they are not taken xlr traditional way to connect the jack! 48v power switachable on / off by rows of 4)
- LINE 2 inputs / instrument switchable independently via two buttons on the front!
- 4 LINE inputs on the back or switchable in 4 - 10 db
- 1 SPDIF input on the back of the beast
- 1 MIDI input and output
Outputs: THE LOW POINT OF THE MACHINE
There's there at all eight theoretical output of the machine as follows:
2 outputs Monitor (Left / right)
4 outputs balanced line out
1 stereo output SPDIF
8 out of these, only four are recognized in your sequencer ... WHY!
monitor output is only MONITOR (no way to assign them to something else)
the spdif output is either a line out and line out 2 or 3 and 4 (one chosen in the config of the card). that is to say that the use of external hardware you'll be out 2! (4 if it suits you the same stereo pair goes in two different machine) your master bus being taken by the 1 and 2 you are left with the 3 and 4 (the line out are balanced or symmetrical so biensur mono)
I find it a shame to propose as many entries for so little output (8 XLR forces). It's somewhat limited capabilities of the card but good for the price, we will not complain
- At knobs, found in facade:
the 8 knobs pre amp XLR
2 knobs for inputs 9 / 10 instrument / line
1 volume knob for headphones phones
1 knob monitor
A mix knob which is useful for direct monitoring (actually to the left of knob is the input or the signal that enters directly into the card and right is "computer" or what comes out of your PC. It is so finely adjusted y'as really means to compensate for latency in comfort (small snag when you're postion input with the headphone volume to bottom, ca lack of volume! it is imperative through a headphone amplifier)
The knobs on the air as strong for the rest of the card, it is quite heavy and trust.
I put 8.5 ...
I put 10 if he had y'avait XLR / jack, line out 4 more and a USB cable 1 meter long
UTILIZATION
Installation is no problem in Windows XP SP2
We open the manual, we put the cd you follow the instructions, it restarts, it works ... thank you!
Recognized directly in Cubase SX3, Melodyne and live 6.
The general config could not be more simple and the manual is clear (also in French)
I put the 10 because frankly it's the best of the best
GETTING STARTED
The most important!
Level stability is impeccable! I did everything for planting; anything done, it is not flinching! I just did a recording session with drums and guitar, I have not had any worries!
The machine is still very new I always use the basic drivers who have already look impeccable.
EDIT after 3 weeks of use: The drivers are very heavy CPU usage. On my machine (AMD Athlon 3500 +, 2.2 GHTZ, 1.5 GB of Ram) look at what drivers puff-> watch the video of the lighting of the tascam (
Latency level, I turn to 7ms in Cubase SX3, so it is very correct
I recorded 9 tracks simultaneously without any worries and more than 16 e read without problems either!
Pre amp: Frache for the price, it's good! The pre amp is neither good nor bad! no breath, no buzz ... restore what he comes! It does not make his biggest, most beautiful, hottest, coldest! They are there to do their job, amplify what they sent! and do it very well!
Converters: Again I would say, hat for the price! AC converter is not professional quality but it's not cheap either! It includes his and her's to me and at that price, the main!
I put 10 for that price because I think it is hard to beat in terms of quality
OVERALL OPINION
I use it for two weeks, I had the opportunity to use other audio interface as the line 6 tone port, and phonic helixboard presonus FIREPOD.
Compared to line 6 and the helix board, there are no pictures! it's not even comparable
from the FIREPOD, it should be slightly below the level of pre-amp but the advantage of offering more entries (but less output)
What I like most:
- Sound: My first test was a listening to a cd! I have not recognized my monitor speakers or my headphones! the dynamics are impressive and the sound is very good
- 16 simultaneous inputs for € 400
- Converters
- Stability and the implementation of the product (I like it when everything works right away)
- The usb allows me to work on a laptop without Firewire
- 1U rack-mount format 19''
What I like least:
- Lack of exits
- The USB cable is too short
- I would have liked a headphone again, independent of the first and adjustable on front panel (when recording 16 tracks simultaneously, often several y'as musicos! Logic would have liked a headphone more)
- I also liked that at least four to eight XLR or XLR / LINE for greater range of possibilities
The value for money is in my opinion the best on the market today!
I would do this choice with his eyes closed
I put the 9 in 10 are advised to groups who want to easily register
I had a budget of € 400 for an external sound card with the maximum possible entry, my heart had first swung the Presonus FirePod but my order was refused because Thomann stop production made me go back to the tascam. Use home studio to record most of the groups so acoustic (drums, bass, guitar, vocals, keyboard ,...). I use Windows XP SP2 with an AMD Athlon 3500 +, 1.77 GHz and 1.5 MB of RAM. I also use external preamp (presonus and summit).
So the features
- Runs on USB (anecdote, the user manual states that it is best to place the sound card as far as possible from the screen and the PC, but he delivers with a USB cable that is 80cm! Ca really made me laugh, ca does not result in too).
- 8 XLR inputs: thomman attention it is announced with 8 XLR / LINE, it's false, they are not taken xlr traditional way to connect the jack! 48v power switachable on / off by rows of 4)
- LINE 2 inputs / instrument switchable independently via two buttons on the front!
- 4 LINE inputs on the back or switchable in 4 - 10 db
- 1 SPDIF input on the back of the beast
- 1 MIDI input and output
Outputs: THE LOW POINT OF THE MACHINE
There's there at all eight theoretical output of the machine as follows:
2 outputs Monitor (Left / right)
4 outputs balanced line out
1 stereo output SPDIF
8 out of these, only four are recognized in your sequencer ... WHY!
monitor output is only MONITOR (no way to assign them to something else)
the spdif output is either a line out and line out 2 or 3 and 4 (one chosen in the config of the card). that is to say that the use of external hardware you'll be out 2! (4 if it suits you the same stereo pair goes in two different machine) your master bus being taken by the 1 and 2 you are left with the 3 and 4 (the line out are balanced or symmetrical so biensur mono)
I find it a shame to propose as many entries for so little output (8 XLR forces). It's somewhat limited capabilities of the card but good for the price, we will not complain
- At knobs, found in facade:
the 8 knobs pre amp XLR
2 knobs for inputs 9 / 10 instrument / line
1 volume knob for headphones phones
1 knob monitor
A mix knob which is useful for direct monitoring (actually to the left of knob is the input or the signal that enters directly into the card and right is "computer" or what comes out of your PC. It is so finely adjusted y'as really means to compensate for latency in comfort (small snag when you're postion input with the headphone volume to bottom, ca lack of volume! it is imperative through a headphone amplifier)
The knobs on the air as strong for the rest of the card, it is quite heavy and trust.
I put 8.5 ...
I put 10 if he had y'avait XLR / jack, line out 4 more and a USB cable 1 meter long
UTILIZATION
Installation is no problem in Windows XP SP2
We open the manual, we put the cd you follow the instructions, it restarts, it works ... thank you!
Recognized directly in Cubase SX3, Melodyne and live 6.
The general config could not be more simple and the manual is clear (also in French)
I put the 10 because frankly it's the best of the best
GETTING STARTED
The most important!
Level stability is impeccable! I did everything for planting; anything done, it is not flinching! I just did a recording session with drums and guitar, I have not had any worries!
The machine is still very new I always use the basic drivers who have already look impeccable.
EDIT after 3 weeks of use: The drivers are very heavy CPU usage. On my machine (AMD Athlon 3500 +, 2.2 GHTZ, 1.5 GB of Ram) look at what drivers puff-> watch the video of the lighting of the tascam (
Latency level, I turn to 7ms in Cubase SX3, so it is very correct
I recorded 9 tracks simultaneously without any worries and more than 16 e read without problems either!
Pre amp: Frache for the price, it's good! The pre amp is neither good nor bad! no breath, no buzz ... restore what he comes! It does not make his biggest, most beautiful, hottest, coldest! They are there to do their job, amplify what they sent! and do it very well!
Converters: Again I would say, hat for the price! AC converter is not professional quality but it's not cheap either! It includes his and her's to me and at that price, the main!
I put 10 for that price because I think it is hard to beat in terms of quality
OVERALL OPINION
I use it for two weeks, I had the opportunity to use other audio interface as the line 6 tone port, and phonic helixboard presonus FIREPOD.
Compared to line 6 and the helix board, there are no pictures! it's not even comparable
from the FIREPOD, it should be slightly below the level of pre-amp but the advantage of offering more entries (but less output)
What I like most:
- Sound: My first test was a listening to a cd! I have not recognized my monitor speakers or my headphones! the dynamics are impressive and the sound is very good
- 16 simultaneous inputs for € 400
- Converters
- Stability and the implementation of the product (I like it when everything works right away)
- The usb allows me to work on a laptop without Firewire
- 1U rack-mount format 19''
What I like least:
- Lack of exits
- The USB cable is too short
- I would have liked a headphone again, independent of the first and adjustable on front panel (when recording 16 tracks simultaneously, often several y'as musicos! Logic would have liked a headphone more)
- I also liked that at least four to eight XLR or XLR / LINE for greater range of possibilities
The value for money is in my opinion the best on the market today!
I would do this choice with his eyes closed
I put the 9 in 10 are advised to groups who want to easily register