Tascam USB audio interface

[Yesfan70]

Some of you guys may have remembered me asking about digital audio recorders a while back. Well, I was thinking about getting one a few weeks ago until I came across this at Amazon. (link)


This little device lets me connect my turntable directly to my PC for recording. A digital recorder would probably gave me more flexibility, but I think this is perfect for my needs which is just basically digitizing some of my albums that I can not get on CD.

The Tascam is pretty neat. It has RCA inputs for connecting various input sources and even has a ground connection and built in phono preamp for direct connectivity of my turntable. At one point, I had thought about one of those USB turntables, but going this route will let me upgrade the TT should I decide to do so in the future without losing the USB connection. The Tascam is USB powered, so it's just a matter of plugging into a USB port on your computer.

You can also connect instruments too if you want. There's a switch on the back to choose between instrument, TT, or line level inputs. There's also a headphone output for monitoring and a set of RCA outputs for connecting a pair of powered speakers. For now, I just have my TT connected with a USB to my PC. The front panel has knobs for adjusting the input level, balance and the output level for the headphones or monitors.

The Tascam also includes software that has a copy of Audacity editing software. Since I already have Audacity on my computer, it was just plug and play for me. Here's a couple of (not very good phone) pics.

I found some of my Rush albums when I was going through my (fairly small) vinyl collection. I might compare them to the remasters I have once I get them recorded.

 

[Botch]

Tascam makes some neat stuff.

 

[mcad64]

Yesfan,
I wish you wouldn't have posted this!! I really should get something like that and digitize my vinyl collection. But, I am just so damn lazy. Cd's are so easy to do, stick in in the computer, rip, and 4-5 minutes later you are done. Albums have to be cleaned, put on the turntable, flipped over, wait 45 minutes or so until it ends then edit with software. Such a PITA. I am so bad that instead I find myself on Amazon looking for CD versions of the vinyl originals. I am one lazy A-HOLE!!! Anyone want a vinyl version of Triumph's Allied Forces!!!??? :music-rockout:
Mike
I'm young, I'm wild and I'm free
I got the magic power of the music in me

 

[Yesfan70]

Yesfan,
I wish you wouldn't have posted this!! I really should get something like that and digitize my vinyl collection. But, I am just so damn lazy. Cd's are so easy to do, stick in in the computer, rip, and 4-5 minutes later you are done. Albums have to be cleaned, put on the turntable, flipped over, wait 45 minutes or so until it ends then edit with software. Such a PITA. I am so bad that instead I find myself on Amazon looking for CD versions of the vinyl originals. I am one lazy A-HOLE!!! Anyone want a vinyl version of Triumph's Allied Forces!!!??? :music-rockout:
Mike
I'm young, I'm wild and I'm free
I got the magic power of the music in me

Don't get me wrong, if I can get it on CD I much prefer that route. What I like best about this USB device:

1) Great for transferring out of print music, or music that is no longer on CD such as vinyl, concerts on laserdiscs, etc.
2) Great if you only have SACDs and/or DVD-As of a few albums that you don't have on CD or that the used price for the CD version is still too high.
3) As mentioned before, I can upgrade my turntable and not have to be confined to those USB turntables.
4) A guess on my part, but I imagine the Tascam's ADCs are better than the ADCs of my sound card.

The only thing I 'hate' (and I use that word very lightly) about this unit, is it is USB powered. If it was able to be plugged into a wall socket, then this thing would make a great little phono preamp for those receivers that lack a phono input.