Tascam Announces 202mkVII Dual Cassette Deck with USB For Next Generation Tape Heads Share:

The lowly cassette tape is back to the point where Tascam have released a brand new version of their 202 dual cassette deck (with USB) with plenty of interesting and useful pro features.

It's no secret that vinyl record sales have bucked the trend of falling music sales. But it's not the only physical medium for music distribution on the rise. The past few years has seen the humble cassette tape emerge as a cult favorite, to the point that cassette tape players and recorders are in demand again. And Tascam have taken note with their 202 MK VII cassette deck recorder.

Montebello, CA-May 2018... TASCAM's new 202mkVII dual cassette deck is the latest generation of the company's professional cassette recorders. Coveted for their reliable performance, comprehensive feature set, and audio quality, the 202 series has long been the leading choice for recording studios, houses of worship, audio/music enthusiasts, and other professional applications.

The 202mkVII's most noteworthy new feature is a rear-panel USB output that enables recording and archiving cassettes to digital media. A front-panel ¼-inch, high-impedance (200 kΩ) microphone input with dedicated level control enables live input to be mixed with Tape 1 audio and recorded, in real time, to Tape 2 for karaoke and voiceover applications. The mic input also can accept line-level signals. In addition to the USB output, the rear panel provides stereo analog line-level input and output on unbalanced RCA connectors. A ¼-inch stereo headphone output with dedicated level knob is conveniently located on the front of the unit.

The dual twin-head cassette decks can record and play back independently, including recording simultaneously to create two tapes with the same source. Among other applications, this enables simultaneous creation of a master tape and a copy for distribution, skipping the need to duplicate the master tape. The two decks also provide real-time dubbing at the touch of one button. Tape 1 offers pitch control (±12%) and Tape 2 has a Return to Zero function.

The TASCAM 202mkVII offers two playback modes. Normal playback, as expected, routes sound to the line outputs and headphone output. In Special playback mode, you can monitor the sound from one tape using headphones, while the other tape plays through the line outputs, making it easy to cue another tape. A noise-reduction feature (the equivalent of Dolby B) reduces hiss during playback.

The 3U rack-mountable, professional tape deck supports recording and playback of Type I (normal) and Type II (chrome) cassette tapes, as well as playback with Type IV (metal) tapes. A dedicated wireless remote control is included.