New 24-track digital recorder from TASCAM: Studio Bridge

[Max Relic]

Studio Bridge looks like a modern take at studio or mobile multitrack recording

 

[-mjk-]

Lots of I/O. Looks like a great location recorder.

 

[-mjk-]

Holy cow, I just noticed they show a Soundcraft Ghost console on the website. I have one of those in my studio. Very interesting!

 

[-mjk-]

This too: https://tascam.com/us/product/model_2400

 

[Max Relic]

I see it as a digital version of multitrack tape recorders, no frills at all.
IMO it may appeal those who already have a suitable sized mixing desk and probably wouldn't make use of the 2400 / Model 24 onboard controls. Price looks reasonable at 999 (USD / Euro).

 

[Max Relic]

I just noticed they show a Soundcraft Ghost console on the website. I have one of those in my studio

Is it the 16+8? I guess they are rare on 2nd-hand market and not cheap, I've seen a few 32+32 at a high price tag.

 

[-mjk-]

@Max Relic, I have the larger format 32 x 32 x 8 bus.

 

[-mjk-]

The more I read about this product, the more impressed I am with it. For the cost of the unit and the D-connector cables, you can get a 24 x 24 USB interface with DAW control. Tascam even provides a track sheet in the Support section! With more complete MIDI support than the other Models, one can run many of the functions of the DAW including transport and track arming, from the Studio Bridge surface. For someone like me with an inline analog recording console, this is a very tempting piece of equipment.

 

[Max Relic]

Agree, it is tempting if one already has enough channels (not me, eh). I searched about D-Sub Tascam cables and found pre-made ones pretty expensive, but with a solder and a bunch of cheap TRS-TRS multi-core cables it can be home built easily. Maybe the cables can be soldered to the patch bay.
As one who should have to start from scratch, I think the Model 2400 looks like a more pragmatic solution. Can't justify the price tag at the moment.

 

[-mjk-]

Agreed. Fortunately for me, cable assemblies in Taiwan are very cheap and the quality is excellent. I've priced those sub-D Tascam cables and was very pleased with the quote. But Thomann cables are also pretty cheap. TBH, if I ordered the Studio Bridge from Thomann, I would just add the cables to the order.

I use Dante for my digital console connectivity. The Studio Bridge would allow me to track with the Ghost, either to the Bridge's internal recorder or through USB to the DAW. Some projects that don't need so many tracks or don't need automation would well be mixed directly on the Ghost. The Bridge allows mixing to tracks 23/24 or the mix could be sent to the DAW on a stereo track (which is how I normally work). The more I think about the Studio Bridge, the more I think it would benefit me. It's hard to beat that warm analog sound of the Ghost console.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I've been reading all the documents, including the Level Diagram. The analog inputs are calibrated in dB and then after the A/D everything is in dBFS, up to the outputs, which are then specified in dB. This makes it very easy to work with analog gear. There are also internal pads for adjusting input and output levels for connecting to different types of I/Os. They really put a lot of thought into this device. The device can accept +24 dBU! And, the cool part is, you also get +24 dBU back out! The diagram shows that +24 dBu = 0dBFS. You should check out the Level Diagram because it's probably the coolest analog/digital signal document I've seen.

 

[Max Relic]

Correct me if I'm wrong, couldn't Studio Bridge be the new ADAT after so many years?
Re. docs, so far I've intentionally avoided reading the manuals in depth because of GAS, but as I happened to download them from day one I guess a read is mandatory.
+24 dBU is pretty hot.

 

[-mjk-]

@Max Relic, I think that is a very fair comparison, yes. Being able to connect an entire large format analog console to a PC with 24 channels of bidirectional audio for that price, is insane. If I want to do that with Dante, the price more than triples.