With the NAMM Show, the CES show for musicians remove comma next month, a trickle of new products is starting. Early out of the box are two from all-purpose audio equipment maker Tascam.
The DR-100mkII is a handheld digital recorder of the dual-mic variety that has become dominant lately. The DR-100mkII specs at 24-bit/96 kHz. A pair of bottom-mounted XLR inputs and 48 V phantom power allow for professional condenser microphone use. The onboard mics can be manipulated through omni to unidirectional patterns. S/PDIF is also an option. MP3 recording tops out at 320 kbps. A mini USB jack allows for downloading digital files. The medium is SD cards. The DR-100mkII has the standard controls, display and onboard speaker.
On the free side is a new PCM recording app designed for Apple iDevices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Called Tascam PCM Recorder Application, the app is designed to turn the device into a handheld stereo recorder. The GUI mimics a handheld recorder with the usual tape transport controls along with a small display. An EQ function and limiter are also included. The app is also functional with the recently release iM2 plug-on microphone module. Download the app here.
