Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface

zZounds' Take on Tascam US1641

Looking to record your band? Unless you want to produce your next recording one overdub at a time, you'll need a lot of inputs. How many is "a lot"? How about sixteen? That's what the Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface packs--plenty of simultaneous channels for doing sophisticated drum kit tracking, plus guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals--plenty to record the whole band at once! And at zZounds' unbeatable low price on this already affordable interface, full-band tracking has never been so wallet-friendly.

The Difference That Live-Tracking Makes
When an entire band tracks a song simultaneously, recording engineers call it "live tracking," and for rock, metal, punk, indie and jazz, live tracking is the key to laying down exciting takes. There's a certain ineffable energy that exists only when musicians play together, an organic give-and-take that makes a recording breathe with life, and can mean the difference between a forgettable dollar-bin toss-off and a recording that stands the test of time. Of course, to track an entire band in a single pass takes a lot of inputs. Drums alone hog up at least four inputs for decent recordings. Add to that a couple of guitarists, a bassist, multiple singers, a keyboard player. . . The inputs get taken up fast. But with the sixteen analog inputs that the Tascam US1641 provides, you'll have the channel flexibility you need to capture more than just a great song, but a great performance.

Zero-Latency Monitoring
Once you've tracked your first full-band pass, you're ready for overdubs. This is where the US1641's zero-latency direct monitoring capability is integral. All recording software introduces some sort of playback delay when recording. Automatic delay compensation within the software makes this a non-issue when laying down your first tracks, but when fattening up a song with overdubs this delay makes monitoring through software an impossibility. The US1641 provides direct input monitor routing, completely handled internally, for zero-latency monitoring. This means that you, or whoever is performing the overdub, will hear what's being played without being distracted by playback delay or software-induced echo. In short, a professional digital recording interface needs direct monitoring capability, and the Tascam US1641 has it.

Eight Mic Preamps For Out-Of-The-Box Flexibility
Half the inputs on the Tascam US1641 are already front-loaded with robust, transparent microphone preamps. You'll be able to plug up to eight microphones--including high-end studio condenser mics that require 48-volt phantom power--directly into this USB interface without the need for additional external mic preamps. These preamps have 60dB of gain, enough to handle hot condenser mics, medium-output dynamic mics, and even low-output, un-powered ribbon microphones. The next two inputs are balanced 1/4-inch jacks, mounted on the front face of the unit and switchable from line-level to Hi-Z for direct recording of guitars and basses (they make great inputs for amp modeling software as well). Channels eleven through fourteen are balanced, line-level, 1/4-inch inputs for direct connection of keyboards, drum machines, synth sound modules, hardware sequencers, external mixers, or the aforementioned additional mic preamps. All analog inputs feed an analog-to-digital converter stage that is capable of 96kHz / 24-bit audio conversion for well-above CD-quality digital tracking. Digital S/PIDF I/O rounds out the 16-channel input section and makes the Tascam US1641 the core of an expandable home studio. If your music tends towards the electronic, the US1641 provides MIDI I/O for synching MIDI-capable synths, sequencers, and sound modules with your recording software.

Ships With Cubase LE4-Get Tracking Right Away
Don't already own a recording program? Don't worry, the Tascam US1641 ships with a "lite" version of Steinberg Cubase 4, one of the best-selling, professional multi-tracking programs available. Even though it's a "lite" version, Cubase LE4 still offers 48-tracks of audio recording, making it the perfect match for the high channel count of the Tascam US1641. And if you've already got Logic, Sonar, Digital performer, Live, or just about any other DAW, you'll be happy to know that the Tascam US1641 runs off ASIO (Windows) and CoreAudio (Mac) drivers, so its compatibility is near-universal.

Whether you're tracking in the studio or recording a live concert performance, the Tascam US1641 gives you the high-channel count you need for making exciting, inspiring, and professional-sounding recordings. Let zZounds hook you up with more recording channels today.

Manufacturer's Description for Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface

With sixteen inputs, the TASCAM US-1641 is the ideal choice for musicians to record the whole band to a computer. Eight mic/line inputs plus six line inputs gives you plenty of channels for a large ensemble, drumset, live recording or worship service. It includes Cubase LE 4, Steinberg's latest version, for 48 tracks of 96k/24-bit recording power. Using the latest high-speed USB 2.0 technology, the US-1641 packs the interfacing power of a big console into only one rackspace.

The eight mic inputs employ TASCAM Pro mic pres for 60 dB of gain and phantom power for studio-quality recordings. Two balanced TRS line inputs on the front panel are switchable to guitar level for direct-in recording of bass or guitar tracks. Four more balanced line inputs and outputs fill out the rear panel, along with MIDI and S/PDIF digital inputs and outputs for a total of 16 ins. A built-in power supply means there's no special wall-wart to lose, and connection to the computer is handled by USB 2.0 technology - 40 times faster than USB 1.1 and 20% more bandwidth than FireWire 400.

The US-1641 comes with Cubase LE4, Steinberg's latest version of the 48-track, 96kHz recording workstation, so you'll be ready to cut tracks right away. The US-1641 installs ASIO and Core Audio drivers for Windows XP, Windows Vista 32 and Mac OS X, with simple instructions for hooking up to Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Digital Performer, SONAR, Reason, Live and nearly all other recording software. For musicians and bands always looking for more inputs, the US-1641 is the ultimate choice. zZounds is an authorized dealer of Tascam products.

16 simultaneous Inputs

4 Simultaneous Outputs

14 x 4 Analog Input/Output

Stereo S/PDIF Digital Input/Output

8 XLR Mic Inputs with Phantom Power

USB 2.0 Computer Interface

Up to 96kHz/24-bit Audio Resolution

Zero-latency Hardware Monitoring

Independent Monitor and Headphone Outputs

16-channel MIDI Input and Output

Includes Steinberg Cubase LE4

ASIO and Core Audio support for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X

Weight: 3.2kg / 7.1 lb

Dimensions (WxDxH): 19 x 11.1 x 1.74 in. (482.6 x 280 x 44mm)