TASCAM CDA500 CD Player and Cassette Recorder
February 8, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
TASCAM’s new CD-A500 makes the most of the two most popular consumer audio formats and combines them into an attractive package that delivers both functionality and value. Now the process of duplicating entire CDs or individual tracks to cassette can be handled in one convenient, easy-to-use system. Playback can be continuous from deck to deck in either direction, making this unit invaluable in long play systems contractor applications.
- Integrated CD Player/Reversible Cassette Deck
- RCA unbalanced outputs common for both cassette deck and CD player
- RCA unbalanced outputs dedicated to the CD player
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Tascam CD160MKII Rackmount CD Player with MP3 Capability
January 30, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Tascam CD160MKII Rackmount CD Player with MP3 Capability The Tascam CD160MKII is a cost-effective rackmount CD player that is perfect for studios, PA systems, radio stations, clubs, fitness centers, dance studios, houses of worship, any application where a reliable, practical CD player is required in a rack. For live sound, nothing is more convenient than a CD player safely tucked into your rack for break music or backing tracks. The CD160 features the added convenience of MP3 playback. Other features include +/-6% pitch control, headphone output with level control, shuffle play, S/PDIF digital output, 32-track programming and 4-way repeat function (One/All/Program/A-B). Includes wireless remote.User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Has problems with CDRs
This unit has difficulty buffering data in what is called ESP (Electronic Shock Protection) mode when playing back CDRs burned as an audio CD. I’m guessing it is a software issue with that feature.ESP mode is on by default when you place an audio CD in the unit. When it is on, it has random issues with playback of CDRs; skipping, hanging stopping. You have to physically turn it off (ESP Mode) with the remote (no button on unit to turn it off). When it is off, the playback of CDRs has no issues. There is nothing in the documentation (unit manual) that recommends or suggests that this is a problem; I have confirmed that it is. I checked the documentation from front to back, including the trouble-shooting section. The trouble-shooting section has a heading of “Audio Skips” but does not reference ESP mode to be a problem. The unit does not seem to have the same issue with store-bought audio CDs in ESP mode (at least the few I tried and I did not try it for long as that is not why I bought it) , just CDRs. And it is a random issue, it did not show problems for a few weeks with the second unit I got that NVS replaced because it did it in the first five days with the first unit. I can only assume that it is not my CDRs or how I make them because they are high-quality TDK CDRs and they have no problem running in any other CD player I own.
Here’s another strange twist. I burned an MP3 disk of the same songs and put it in the player as it does say it plays MP3s. The documentation does not say whether or not ESP mode is on or off when playing an MP3 disk. I assume it is off because it plays all MP3s without any issues.
As long as I keep ESP mode off or create MP3 disks, I am able to use this player as I had intended for CDR playback. I’m disappointed in TASCAM as I have used their products in the past without bugs or issues. If I had a chance to pick another player without the hassle of NVS customer service I would have done so but they did not give me that option. In fact, they were not customer friendly in the slightest and wanted to blame me rather then try to resolve the issue to my full satisfaction. Not once did they offer me suggestions or options. In fact, they berated me and accused me of perhaps not knowing how to operate a CD player when I told them the second player had also started malfunctioning. And they did this after replying to my second email (five days after the first) because I mentioned that I would not give them a favorable reiview due to their lack of response.
I have thousands of dollars in audio studio equipment that I have had and continue to have for the last twenty years, so I am confident that I know what I am doing and I know how to operate a CD player. This is the only piece of equipment I wish I had not experienced in all these years. I would prefer not to have it and have something else, but I am able to work around the ESP bug that it has and keeping it is less hassle then returning it for a third one from NVS (only option they gave me) that will likely have the same bug.
So beware. It works but has issues with the ESP feature.
5 Stars VERY Excellent CD Recorder - Handles EVERYTHING Well!
Got this to replace the previous model CD Player by Tascam - the CD160 (non-MK3II, non-MP3 ability).Tested this with several different CDs - both burned and non-burned, saw no issues with the burned CDs. And those were using el-cheapo CDs, nothign special, generic brands. So I’m not sure why others have had issues with burned CDs.
As for MP3s, I haven’t yet tried that, but I’m sure it is just as good as everything else.
The only CON I would give is that the Remote does not include a Power button - the previous model did. In my opinion, that’s important for some situations - not really for ours.
Also, an additional note on the remote. This was something I really thought was very interesting, and I doubted how well it would work. The skip and fast-forward/scan were on the same buttons. So if you just tap the button, it skips ahead, but if you hold the button, it scans/fast-forwards if you hold it down. Same thing for the reverse direction button… In my opninion it worked superbly - better than I could have imagined. We used these features during a choir practice, and this one little feature was very helpful (to me).
Tascam CD160MKII Rackmount CD Player with MP3 Capability
March 20, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Tascam CD160MKII Rackmount CD Player with MP3 Capability The Tascam CD160MKII is a cost-effective rackmount CD player that is perfect for studios, PA systems, radio stations, clubs, fitness centers, dance studios, houses of worship, any application where a reliable, practical CD player is required in a rack. For live sound, nothing is more convenient than a CD player safely tucked into your rack for break music or backing tracks. The CD160 features the added convenience of MP3 playback. Other features include +/-6% pitch control, headphone output with level control, shuffle play, S/PDIF digital output, 32-track programming and 4-way repeat function (One/All/Program/A-B). Includes wireless remote.User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars VERY Excellent CD Recorder - Handles EVERYTHING Well!
Got this to replace the previous model CD Player by Tascam - the CD160 (non-MK3II, non-MP3 ability).Tested this with several different CDs - both burned and non-burned, saw no issues with the burned CDs. And those were using el-cheapo CDs, nothign special, generic brands. So I’m not sure why others have had issues with burned CDs.
As for MP3s, I haven’t yet tried that, but I’m sure it is just as good as everything else.
The only CON I would give is that the Remote does not include a Power button - the previous model did. In my opinion, that’s important for some situations - not really for ours.
Also, an additional note on the remote. This was something I really thought was very interesting, and I doubted how well it would work. The skip and fast-forward/scan were on the same buttons. So if you just tap the button, it skips ahead, but if you hold the button, it scans/fast-forwards if you hold it down. Same thing for the reverse direction button… In my opninion it worked superbly - better than I could have imagined. We used these features during a choir practice, and this one little feature was very helpful (to me).
3 Stars Has problems with CDRs
This unit has difficulty buffering data in what is called ESP (Electronic Shock Protection) mode when playing back CDRs burned as an audio CD. I’m guessing it is a software issue with that feature.ESP mode is on by default when you place an audio CD in the unit. When it is on, it has random issues with playback of CDRs; skipping, hanging stopping. You have to physically turn it off (ESP Mode) with the remote (no button on unit to turn it off). When it is off, the playback of CDRs has no issues. There is nothing in the documentation (unit manual) that recommends or suggests that this is a problem; I have confirmed that it is. I checked the documentation from front to back, including the trouble-shooting section. The trouble-shooting section has a heading of “Audio Skips” but does not reference ESP mode to be a problem. The unit does not seem to have the same issue with store-bought audio CDs in ESP mode (at least the few I tried and I did not try it for long as that is not why I bought it) , just CDRs. And it is a random issue, it did not show problems for a few weeks with the second unit I got that NVS replaced because it did it in the first five days with the first unit. I can only assume that it is not my CDRs or how I make them because they are high-quality TDK CDRs and they have no problem running in any other CD player I own.
Here’s another strange twist. I burned an MP3 disk of the same songs and put it in the player as it does say it plays MP3s. The documentation does not say whether or not ESP mode is on or off when playing an MP3 disk. I assume it is off because it plays all MP3s without any issues.
As long as I keep ESP mode off or create MP3 disks, I am able to use this player as I had intended for CDR playback. I’m disappointed in TASCAM as I have used their products in the past without bugs or issues. If I had a chance to pick another player without the hassle of NVS customer service I would have done so but they did not give me that option. In fact, they were not customer friendly in the slightest and wanted to blame me rather then try to resolve the issue to my full satisfaction. Not once did they offer me suggestions or options. In fact, they berated me and accused me of perhaps not knowing how to operate a CD player when I told them the second player had also started malfunctioning. And they did this after replying to my second email (five days after the first) because I mentioned that I would not give them a favorable reiview due to their lack of response.
I have thousands of dollars in audio studio equipment that I have had and continue to have for the last twenty years, so I am confident that I know what I am doing and I know how to operate a CD player. This is the only piece of equipment I wish I had not experienced in all these years. I would prefer not to have it and have something else, but I am able to work around the ESP bug that it has and keeping it is less hassle then returning it for a third one from NVS (only option they gave me) that will likely have the same bug.
So beware. It works but has issues with the ESP feature.
