Tascam US-600

The Tascam US 600 is a well designed 6 in and 4 out interface that works via USB 2.0 with a computer. This interface has one of the cleanest looks and designs that I have seen in a long time. It looks great on a desktop work surface and it doesn’t take up much room. There are LED meters on each input to show signals and overloads, also there are plenty of versatile connections for any set up with 4 XLR/TRS and 2 unbalanced RCS outputs. The XLR inputs have phantom power (preamps) and they are very quiet and clean, they do not color the sound at all.

UTILIZATION

They only issue that I have run into with this interface is the drivers didn’t seem to appear very stable form time to time. I was using this interface back in 2011 so I am not sure if they have fixed the issues yet but on Vista and even when I got Windows 7 I would get so many errors with this interface and it almost made it unusable at times. But when it did work I loved it, but you just never knew when it was going to fail on you.

GETTING STARTED

Getting started was simple, and a manual was not needed.

OVERALL OPINION

There were times that it would have a driver error in the middle of a project and would force me to shut down and I would lose everything that I just recorded. When I contacted Tascam about this they said it had to be something wrong with my system but I didn’t believe that was true because it was a newer laptop and I didn’t have any issues with another interface that I had. I eventually had to return this interface and get something else, but I really didn’t want to because I loved the preamps and looks of the US 600. But it became a paper weight to me because of the driver issues, I had no choice but to get something else.

Giving me the great aveture home studio, it was the first item I bought as such! The idea was to find a way to record my keyboard (Yamaha CLP-1000) in audio AND midi for less. After testing the USB interface very average afternoon Prodipe I resigned myself to buying the US 600 that I had recommended.
I also needed a phantom power supply to power my condenser microphone (Rode M2)
It has 4 inputs Jack / XLR equipped with volume knobs on the front and two red LEDs, one that lights up if it there's saturation. Level output, and RCA digital output (I confess that I am never be used)
Treatment of info is 96 kHz, although laymen know that it is mostly a trade name and the 48, or even 44.1 enough ...
I use Windows 8 64-bit but it works great with seven 32 bits.

UTILIZATION

No worries soft, installation is alone, the little app comes with redirection to configure I / O but I have never needed to configure what was originally planned .I have tested first with Cubase 5 or she was recognized instantly.
Level latency is imperceptible as all current external sound cards worthy of the name in audio and midi.
I use it to record my microphone, occasionally a guitar. She is doing very well and is very easy to adjust the sound level by standing at the edge of clipping.
I use only the jack for the audio return, waiting to really test it on the monitor speakers!

GETTING STARTED

In 4 years of use I once met a concern in terms of food. Yet I have taken all the necessary precautions when I switched 48V (not moving too much, first turn off the 48V and then the rest ..).
The concern was palpable when I touched the headphone jack. I felt small electric tickling was more intense but remained very low, so no particular danger!
Still, I think if you go up the range from Tascam, this problem disappears.
So bad score for this, but if that is the problem is not reproducible on another and you will not have to worry!

OVERALL OPINION

This sound card is great, except for the small problem mentioned. It is ideal for a beginner and it is very affordable!
Level design I find quite elegant knobs have a nice feel, a little more room to manipulate might have been preferable. It is very light, I take with me to travel and takes up very little space!
In short I recommend it, but not in a pro studio or she is far beyond in terms of features of its competitors