Tascam US-1641

I've always thought that the US-1641 looks like an absolute bargain and they should sell them by the bucket load.

Please let us know how you get on as I would be very interested in one of those for portable recording.

I'll let you know when it gets here and its up and running.

Cheers.

I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it I got it

It works good it works good it works good It works good it works good it works good

One of the things I researched about it - was that it doesnt work so good if you have a Nvidia chip runnig your usb 2.00 -- tascam said to either run it at high latency (blach) or get a card that doesnt have a Nvida chip set

since I had a week to wait for it -- i installed a via chip usb 2.00 card with 5 ports to dedicate to the 1641... My usb ports are Nvida chip sets so - I had no choice ... no big deal -- was like 15 bucks at tiger direct over here -- easy install


so i picked it up after work today

1. Downloaded the latest drivers from tascam web site --
2. Installed easily in like 5 minutes -- although you have to plug and un plug the usb a few times -- just follow the instructions on the screen -- its easy
3. right away it played mp3 files from itunes and windows media player -- no problem
4. ran some tests with sonar 8PE - records my v drums -- no problem via midi at lowest latency -- easy to play in sync with any song i choose -- v-drums are triggering ezdrummer
5. wont record audio at lowest latency -- it has to be set to to "normal latecy" in the firmware -- still no problem to sync and play along on electric guitar with ease --
6. everything plays back fine at any latency
7. I didnt know channels 9 and 10 ( quarter inch inputs) on the front also have pre amps -- so you have 8 XLR pre amps and 2 quarter inch pre amps - all record very well -- pre amps are good -- not bad at all -- not THE BEST -- but good
8. The knob that lets you mix your input volume VS the mix volume is great -- especially for the vocalist that wants the music turned down and his vocals turned up -- just awsome

so -- the only time i had drop outs was while recording audio at lowest latency -- but recording midi (as siad earlier) v-drums triggering ezdrummer -- i could do at lowest latency no problem -- the audio from my guitar was recording at "normal" latency and I found nothing that was intorable with that setting -- no noticable delay that would throw you off

so -- ive only been at it for 3 hours or so -- but as of right now -- ITS A WINNER!! I LOVES IT (knocking on wood)

awww come on -- someone show there enthusiasm with me for crying out loud

Sorry. Just got back from a family wedding up country.

I'm chuffed it's working so well for you. Definitely getting more interested.

ORIGINAL: Jtbass

I'll bite on this one ! I've been thinking of getting either this interface or the edirol m-16dx mixer. Glad to read a positive review here on the forum....I've got a firepod currently but I wanted more inputs to record the worship band at my church.

Question: could you use the mic inputs for line inputs? Would you need a pad ?

Glad to hear the latency is not bad as well.It sounds like the unit is very similar to the firepod as it dosn't have a software mixer,just a balance knob like this unit. How do you think the pre are compared to the firepod? ( that is if you have ever used a firepod....)

Thanks,
Jt

You can only use mics on the mic inputs -- so i guess you would need a pad. (whats a pad?) they have 8 XLR all with pre-amps on the front -- then you have 2 line inputs on the front as well also with pre-amps -- so all all together 10 inputs and 10 pre amps on the front

on the back there are 4 line inputs but no pre amps and 2 digital inputs (I have no need for the digital inputs I dont think)
also on the back are monitor outputs and 4 extra outputs to anything

so it advertise as 16 inputs and 4 outputs -- even though i look at it as 14 inputs and monitor out with 4 extra outs I dont count the 2 digital ins (shrugs)

i almost bought the edirol us 101 for 10 inputs and the limiter -- but it only had 2 pre-amps on it so I passed on that purchase ..... although i have several art pre amps laying around and a 2 channel berringer pre amp --

i dont know enough about the edirol m-16dx mixer to really comment -- I just looked at a web site about it -- it looks all right -- but personally i would get the tascam 1641 instead -- just make sure you dont have a usb card with a Nvida chip -- tascam manual even states that it has problems with that chip -- lucky for me i had an extra pci slot and picked up a new usb 2.00 card for 15 bucks at tiger direct -- works great ( i had originally bought a dynex from best buy to solve the Nvidia chip issue and my computer didnt reconize it ????- when i updated the drivers they were from 1999-- wow!!!!)

like i said ended up buying one from tiger direct for 15 bucks and 5 usb 2.00 slots and a via chip in it -- works great

edirol is over all very compatable with sonar i know that -- very popular with sonar users as well -- people on here love edirol -- so they must be decent I would think

the choice is yours

as far as people complaining about tascam -- I dont know -- I used the tascam us 144 for 5 years with no problems as well -- so I like them thus far

hope that helps

Paul

Waiting on mine from Long and McQuade here in Canada if you have any problems in the next week or so let us know.

Feb 4 2010 -
Just tried this unit on a windows 7 64 bit machine - with the vista/xp 64 bit driver listed in previous post. Upgraded firmware to 1.02, and drivers for 64 bit only mention Vista and XP. Mixed results.

Pros: Recorded 10 audio tracks simultaneously - perfect.  Added another track dubbing, recorded fine, with computer audio monitoring too long delay.

Cons (fixed - see Feb 5 update below): Major mouse problems - For example, in firefox, mouse cannot click any links with this unit on. Turn off the 1641 and restart firefox and the mouse is fine again, links work again. Also inside Sonar, mouse click to activate a recording track, 2 seconds delay before track light comes on. If you impatiently click twice, the light finally come on and then goes off. So the Vista driver doesn't seem to be optimized for Win 7, probably taking too much a share of the USB bandwidth. Otherwise pretty nice (though nearly an excessive 11" deep and not too portable) rackmount unit, and the price is right, but I'm not sure if I want to wait for Win 7 drivers and lose the return option. Too bad the Tascam site doesn't give any clues as to if or when they might get to this. Might be my computer, as I've had other less serious loss of mouse control issues, such as the mouse not responding after computer tries to wake up after sleep.

Update: Feb 5.  Fixed Computer Mouse timeout issue, which seems to have also fixed the mouse hangup 'usb sharing' problem mentioned above.  Other possible 1641 related system conflicts appear when 1641 is in use, such as windows media player freezing up during video playback, internet connections suddenly dropping out. Hard to know if 1641 driver is to blame for any of this or not, but the windows media player did much better on the internal audio card and using a firewire device by m-audio.

This is what I did: Control Panel, Systems and Security, Power Options, changed to High Performance, selected Change Plan Settings, then Change Advanced Power Settings, USB Settings, USB Selective Suspend Setting, changed to Disabled.

Noticed that a newer 64 bit driver for the US-1641 has appeared on the Tascam website, Windows driver ver 2.01 (64-bit) (download). The website doesn't specify whether this is for windows 7 or not, but at least there's some activity. Haven't tested it yet...

I just bought one from Musicians Friend,  Open box with 15% off sale price. $223
Using Vista 32bit OS.  Loaded drivers and played back a couple projects with no problem.
Have to wait for this weekend to test out the multi track recording.

boobtube21


Any updates skylab/beroger0? Is the 1641 still working out for you?

I use Sonar 6 HS and also have Sony Vegas (Movie Studio). Everything worked fine with my US122-L until I upgraded my hd, and installed Windows 7 x64. Now it's ok except for the occasional screeching tantrum, then I just unplug the usb cable/plug back in and it works fine after that. No more native plug ins though, as they all 32-bit except for the Boost 11...

I'm still using Vista 32...I'm too chicken to upgrade, everything is working so well right now I really don't want to look for trouble.  And I have already bought the Win7 upgrade as well as Sonar 8.5...I'm still using Sonar 7. 
I'm recording our band live at our church as well as doing a weekly podcast.  The US1641 is working great. I'm recording all 14 channels.  I'm looking at another preamp with duel inputs and S/PDIF out to the digital input of the US1641 to get the full 16 channels.  But most of those look pretty pricey.  The ART DPS II looks like it might fit the bill.
Tascam came out with 64bit drivers for Win7/Vista/XP  http://tascam.com/product/us-1641/downloads/