NAMM 2020: TASCAM Model 12 digital recorder and desktop mixer
Digital recorder rivals Zoom and TASCAM found a big market opportunity in audio and multimedia creators. Everyone has something to say on YouTube/Twitch/whatever these days, but they can’t do so with their computer’s built-in soundcard, right?
Thus, it doesn’t get much easier for the likes of Zoom and TASCAM to retool their small-format digital mixers a bit and market them to podcasters and such. This is the case with the Model 12 Integrated Production Suite, which is a 12-channel recorder and 10-channel mixer with MIDI connectivity and DAW control.
Tascam Model 12
Channels 1 to 6 on the Model 12 have combo XLR/TS inputs based on Tascam’s Ultra-HDDA discrete mic preamps. Stereo channels 7-8 and 9-10 have combo XLR left inputs and TS right inputs. There’s also a 3.5mm TRRS mini jack for hooking up phones and tablets, which can be also done wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0. Outputs include Main (2x XLR), Sub (2x TS), AUX1, AUX2, 2x TRS stereo headphone outputs, and MIDI I/O. The channel strips have 60mm faders with 16 digital effects, 1 knob compressor, 3-band EQ with sweeping mids, and a 100Hz low-cut filter.
In addition to a built-in USB audio interface, the Model 12 features an internal 12-track recorder which records to SD, SDHC and SDXC cards at up to 512GB capacity. 10 tracks and a 2-track Stereo master can be recorded simultaneously, with punch in/out also available. DAW control with the faders and Mute, Pan, Solo, Record arm, Play, Record, Stop, FF/rew, Jog buttons is also available by virtue of an HUI/MCU protocol emulation.
All in all, a very capable unit in the right hands, but certainly not a piece of starter kit. If I owned a rehearsal place, I’d love to have one of these in there to possibly capture a magic moment, or even because those faux wooden cheeks look mighty cool! For podcasting and streaming, I think 12 channels is overkill. Then again, I’m not Joe Roagan or anything…
Price and availability information has not been published yet.
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