The Tascam Studio Bridge Multitrack Recorder/USB Audio Interface offers a highly functional ‘bridge’ between the analogue and digital recording domains.
With the Studio Bridge, recording engineers have the option of recording to a DAW using the Studio Bridge as a 24-input/24-output USB audio interface or, alternatively, recording directly to the Studio Bridge itself. This flexibility exists because the Studio Bridge has its own internal 24-input/24-output multitrack recorder – with support for Punch In/Out – that uses an SDXC SD card as its media format. The recorder supports 24-bit digital audio at 44.1kHz and 48kHz.
The Studio Bridge offers an easy-to-use solution for mix summing. Recording sessions that have been tracked directly to a DAW can be output from the software through an analogue console and outboard gear, summed, and then recorded back to the DAW or to the internal SD card. Summing can also be performed from tape or anything tracked to the internal recorder of the Studio Bridge.
To help make interfacing between the analogue and digital domains as seamless as possible, the Studio Bridge has an internal quarter-inch audio click output. Further, it has its own DAW transport control for Record, Play, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind. Additionally, it has its own tactile track arm buttons to arm/disarm individual tracks as well as to Punch In/Out on the user’s DAW of. Record Ready is also supported via HUI (Human User Interface) and MCU (Mackie Control Universal).
For interfacing Midi instruments and other equipment, the Studio Bridge also serves as a USB Midi interface. The unit’s I/O and support for Midi Sync make it easy to synchronise the analogue recorder and DAW with a full Midi rack of equipment such as drum machines, sequencers and Midi controllers.
Rounding out the unit’s rich feature set, the Studio Bridge includes a built-in metronome with click output to keep live performers in step with the already captured tracks. There is also Dual Footswitch control for assigning different control functions to multiple foot switches. A Control app (available for both Mac and Windows) facilitates visual monitoring various signals, adjusting their Peak Hold time and other functions.
‘The Studio Bridge enables a wide range of existing 8-bus or more analogue mixing consoles to make the transition to a 24-track digital multitrack recording studio,’ says Tascam Product Specialist, Sean Daily. ‘Now, with a computer, DAW software, the Studio Bridge and an external mic preamp, users can have a compact and very capable recording set-up. Best of all, this potent and very versatile studio tool can be rack mounted to conserve space. I’m confident that a wide range of musicians and recording professionals will find much to like.’
