Tascam US-144

brian marshall
April 21, 2008

Rating: 6/10

Not all that happy - while the sound quality isn't bad, the left channel at low volume (up to the first marker) is about half that of the right channel and the same on mono analogue I/P. Ok in headphones, I had the unit for a while before I realised the problem, even tho I knew there was something wrong. Three other new units were the same! Tascam aren't helpful! Also the unit would switch to 48k input when the digital I/P hadn't been used for about 30 minutes. Also, trying to set the inputs the same is a hard job, should have been one control, not two.
I think there are better units for the similar price

Ian Dalton
January 25, 2008

Rating: 10/10

I ordered my strat from Dolphin on the 9th after 9pm and it arrived on the 11th at 10am, that's fast. The guitar arrived in perfect condition, and quite well set up, which was a bonus. This is the best guitar I have ever played, it was a 50th birthday present, and it's just a shame it's taken me this long to realise my dream! Your sale price was unbeatable (I searched!), and your after sale interested is appreciated. I am a happy man,
cheers,
Ian

Chris Hampson
January 15, 2008

Rating: 10/10

This USB 2.0 interface is worthy every penny. While it cannot compete with the very high end of audio interfaces due to noise ratio etc, it is perfectly good for most day-to-day recording setups. I would highly recommend this for a home studio due to its size and also, of course, as a portable interface to carry in a laptop bag. The great thing about the US-144 is that it can be run directly from one USB 2.0 cable - no need for extra power cables!

The design of the unit is virtually perfect - some will not like the flat rotary controls but, again, this is ideal for audio on the move. I did notice that the rotary controls had different resistances and I'm still not sure whether this is a fault or a design feature.

For those budding recording artists who need two phantom-powered XLR inputs it is ideal. There are also lots of extra features built into this compact unit (digital in/out, midi, line out etc). I would also recommend this unit for school music technology - rugged design can withhold knocking around, easy setup for stereo ambient recording and at just over £100 will not break the bank.

I gave it a perfect 10 because for the area of the market it is aimed at, I do not think you can get any better.

Alex Allmont
October 30, 2007

Rating: 9/10

My requirements for an audio interface were simply good quality audio (to record from guitar and decks) and MIDI. I found that the wide range of devices on the market made choosing the right model quite hard, so in the end I went for the Tascam because I like the brand, it seemed like a fair price and looked really durable.

The staff at Dolphin helped with a few final questions over the phone and the package arrived the next working day. My first impression of the unit was that it really is robust - it's a tough metal case about the size of a 3 DVD box-set with protective plastic panels on either end. Everything is laid out logically - the level control and input selection is on the top panel, the front panel has all the connections you will frequently swap about whilst recording, the more static connections (USB, line out, etc.) are on the rear.

The switches on the top panel are nicely recessed and feel very solid. The only gripe I have with the unit is that the level controls are very light to the touch – they didn’t feel as tough as everything else on the device. However, after a few hours playing around this was hardly noticeable, it would only be a concern if you knocked the controls during a set.

A summary of the specs: the US-144 handles up to 96kHz 24-bit audio with two input channels (as 2 mono inputs or 1 stereo input). Each channel can accept either an XLR or 1/4 inch jack input. The right channel has an optional pre-amp which allows you to plug a guitar directly into the input, and if you are using condenser mics then the unit can power them. On the back is a standard phono line out, S/PDIF digital input/output and MIDI in/out, and it also has a headphone output on the front of the unit. The device is powered directly from USB so there here is no need for an external power supply.

I tested in XP and the installation is incredibly easy - this unit works like any other sound device, just select it as the input/output in your audio software. I experimented with a few packages - some much older applications struggled with 24-bit audio so I tested it with the trial of SoundForge 9.0 and 24-bit recording worked perfectly. It’s also great working with zero-latency, very nice for overdubbing tracks. This unit was definitely designed with recording in mind and everything is just where you want it when capturing a performance. I would strongly recommend this for someone who needs decent sampling without paying too much for really high-end kit.

Thomas Jansen
October 18, 2006

Rating: 9/10

I connected the new Tascam interface to my pc a week ago. I chose this one out of many because of the low budget I have to handle with, the use of usb 2.0 and the pesumption it comes with great mic pre-amps (so I\'ve heard).
When it comes to getting started I must tell I\'ve never experienced such a simple drivers installation. Two clicks and we\'re on. My first concern were the flat knobs. Don\'t you worry about this! They are solid and work very well. Not only the knobs, the entire \"machine\" is as solid as a rock focussing on its metal construction.
I must tell, I\'m very happy about my new interface. Though I got a lot left to discover. Untill now I only worked with a simple microphone plugging it into the \"line in\" turning the flat knob to \"mic\". Using the Tascam us-144 is quite an improvement comparing the sound coming out of it with the one out of my simple soundcard. And what about latency? What latency? When selecting \"lowest latency\" on the control panel it goes from under 4 to only 2 ms and that\'s not much, is it?
I feel I\'m finally getting started now I got this nice interface. But why the us-144 and not the us-122L? Well, I think the digital in and out and the seperate output controls for line out and phones can turn out handy some time.
And is there anything I don\'t like about this so called solid rock? Well, like it\'s pointed out on the Tascam website, sometimes the interface looses connectivity when starting your pc again. So you\'ve got to disconnect your interface then connecting the usb again time after time. It\'s not such a big deal but it is a bit annoying.