Published 9/9/09
Active monitors and USB interface
Tascam have announced two new entry-level products: a pair of very small active nearfield monitors, and a bus-powered USB 2 audio interface. The VLM3 monitors are designed to find a home in bedroom studio setups, with each cabinet using a single full-range 3” driver and a small front-firing bass-reflex port to make itself heard. The units are powered by a 24W amplifier located in the left speaker, which also houses the volume control and a stereo RCA phono input. The right speaker is connected to the left with the same kind of bare cable used in domestic stereo setups. Despite being designed for beginner use, the monitors could find a home in larger studios, which use small, full-range monitors to check how mixes will translate to typical consumer gear.
The Tascam US100 is a simple bus-powered interface designed to work hand-in-hand with the VLM3s. Its small aluminium chassis houses a single mic preamp with a choice of XLR and jack inputs, a front-mounted instrument input and a stereo RCA phono line input, which can also be configured with RIAA equalisation for use with a turntable. Only one input can be recorded at a time at 16-bit, 48kHz. Outputs are unbalanced RCA phonos, which will perfectly suit the VLM3s, but will require the user to purchase phono-to-jack leads for connecting to most studio monitors. Priced at under $100 each in the US, both of these products could furnish a beginner with a basic recording and monitoring system for under $200, which looks like a bargain.
Tascam +44 (0)845 1302511
www.tascam.co.uk
The Tascam US100 is a simple bus-powered interface designed to work hand-in-hand with the VLM3s. Its small aluminium chassis houses a single mic preamp with a choice of XLR and jack inputs, a front-mounted instrument input and a stereo RCA phono line input, which can also be configured with RIAA equalisation for use with a turntable. Only one input can be recorded at a time at 16-bit, 48kHz. Outputs are unbalanced RCA phonos, which will perfectly suit the VLM3s, but will require the user to purchase phono-to-jack leads for connecting to most studio monitors. Priced at under $100 each in the US, both of these products could furnish a beginner with a basic recording and monitoring system for under $200, which looks like a bargain.
Tascam +44 (0)845 1302511
www.tascam.co.uk
