Tascam has announced the MP-800U SD/USB Player with Bluetooth Receiver, USB DAC and FM Tuner, a next-generation memory player designed to provide a wide range of options for music playback in restaurants, clubs, hotels, banquet halls and similar environments.
As both system integrators and the public move away from the use of CD media, the new MP-800U is a next-gen commercial multimedia player with a wealth of features that include the ability to play audio from PCs, smartphones, streaming audio, SD memory cards and USB flash drives. The MP-800U’s USB/flash drive ports allow for the playback of WAV, MP3, and AAC files – enabling the unit to accommodate most popular audio file formats. The SD card slot and USB type A port are located on the unit’s front panel, ensuring ready access at any time.
The MP-800U also supports USB Digital Audio Conversion, which allows any device equipped with a USB-C connection to be plugged into the front panel. This capability means that computers, phones, tablets and similar devices can all be connected to the MP-800U and used to playback media stored on said devices, opening a wealth of audio sources that can be used.
The MP-800U also incorporates an FM tuner and carries a rear panel port for connecting an antenna. Similarly, there are rear panel unbalanced RCA connectors to facilitate dedicated tuner output capability. This feature facilitates easy integration of FM broadcasts into any existing installation. Additionally, a DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) tuner model is also available in the EU and Australia.
For further convenience, the MP-800U also supports Bluetooth audio by means of the optional AK-BT2 Bluetooth adapter. With Bluetooth capability, users can pair Bluetooth equipped devices with the MP-800U to add yet additional streaming audio sources to the set-up.
Both Stereo balanced XLR outputs plus unbalanced RCA outputs (independent from the RCA connectors used for the FM tuner) are provided. These two sets of connectors enable the MP-800U to fit into a wide range of environments, including professional level installations or those that may be less sophisticated.
The unit’s Auto Cue automatically skips silence at the beginning of a track, guaranteeing instant playback from the first audible sound. The Auto Ready function enhances control by pausing playback at the start of the next track. Together, these functions provide playback options for professional environments. Completing its key features, the new MP-800U features a ±16% Pitch Control function that enables adjustments to be made to the audio if required. Further, external control of the MP-800U is available via Ethernet (Telnet) when used with the optional IF-E100 Ethernet Control Card.
In addition to these features, the MP-800U has an extensive set of secondary attributes. These include a Power-on-play function that can automatically start playback when the unit is turned on, an incremental playback function that jumps to the beginning of the next track, the ability to key the original function, which changes playback speed without changing pitch, as well as a fade-in/fade-out playback function and direct track searching using the unit’s number keys.
The MP-800U also offers wireless control using a free iOS/Android app, and there is a optionally available RC-20 remote control to facilitate cueing of up to 20 tracks. When paired with a mixing console, Fader start / stop is possible using the Control I/O connectors on the rear of the unit.
Completing its feature set, the MP-800U offers unbalanced RCA connectors dedicated for tuner output, a Level adjustment function, a panel lock function that can disable use of the front panel buttons to increase operation confidence, and a headphone output that enables audio monitoring.
‘The MP-800U takes audio playback for commercial spaces to an entirely new level,’ says Tascam Product Specialist, Sean Daily. ‘With a rich feature set, this unit can take music sources from just about anywhere while offering a high level of control that simply hasn’t existed in commercial audio players previously – all in a 1U form factor. I encourage A/V system integrators to take a good look at this new offering. I’m confident they will be impressed.’
The TASCAM MP-800U is expected to be available Q2 2025.
More: www.tascam.com