Tascam US-HR series: 3 USB interfaces for DJs, producers & streamers
Tascam is back on the audio interface frontier with the simultaneous announcement of three USB boxes from the new US-HR series. Meet the US-1x2HR, US-2x2HR, and US-4x4HR featuring Alienware-like designs and 24-bit/192kHz conversion quality.
Tascam US-HR series
Sporting Ultra HDDA mic preamps, the new audio interfaces promise high signal-to-noise ratios and low latency performance over USB. Of note are the loopback function for easy recording of computer (system) audio and integration with the popular Open Broadcast Software (OSB Studio) streaming application. These could help content creators get high quality audio sorted without the typical complications of such setups. Not a new function on audio interfaces per se, but welcome nonetheless.
Out of the box, the US-HR series work under macOS, iOS & iPadOS, and Windows. The software bundle includes Cubase LE, IK Multimedia SampleTank SE4, and a three-month subscription for Antares Auto-Tune Unlimited. You can read more about the latter here.
The boxes’ design is an eye-catcher for sure. The side walls are adorned with a honeycomb motiff made of cast aluminum. It’s said to add a welcome bit of heft and ruggedness to the otherwise compact interfaces. They are also angled, with the controls tilted slightly upwards. Clearly some thought went into decent ergonomics!
US-1×2HR, US-2x2HR and US-4x4HR
Tascam US-1×2HR · Source: Tascam
Looking at the interfaces, the US-1x2HR is the smallest model with 1x microphone input and 1x Hi-Z instrument input on dedicated front panel jacks. The Hi-Z input can be toggled between Line and Instrument input from the front switch. Also present are Line Out volume and Headphone volume knobs.
On the rear side, you will find a micro-USB port that serves as 5V DC IN input, labeled “for tablet use”. I believe it lets you hook the interface to a tablet and supply power from it, but I’m not certain. The computer connection is modern USB-C. Next to it, there are Direct Monitor On/Off and Input Select Front/Rear switches. A pair of RCA line inputs and a pair of RCA line outputs are present, which is an obvious nod towards DJs and casual listeners. Finally, there’s a +48V phantom power switch for the microphone input.
Tascam US-2x2HR · Source: Tascam
The US-2x2HR is a more typical desktop audio interface with a pair of mic/line/instrument inputs on combo jacks at the front. An useful feature will be the Monitor Balance knob. It lets you blend between direct input audio and computer audio in the monitor and headphone mix. Very convenient for streaming! I also like the Line Out volume knob next to the headphones jack and volume.
The rear panel is a clean-cut affair with a pair of balanced line outputs on 1/4-inch jacks, MIDI I/O, USB Type-C for computer connection and DC IN 5V power supply input.
Tascam US-4x4HR · Source: Tascam
Finally, the US-4x4HR bumps the US-2x2HR’s feature set to four mic/line/instrument inputs, two headphone jacks, and four balanced line outputs.
Price and availability
The Tascam US-1x2HR, US-2x2HR and US-4x4HR are now available for pre-order at Thomann (affiliate link). The prices are as follows:
- US-1x2HR: £116 / €125
- US-2x2HR: £158 / €169
- US-4x4HR: £238 / €255
More information
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