Description
The Tascam DA-3000 Stereo Master Recorder and ADDA Converter is a 2-track analog to digital/digital to analog converter that can be used as a digital recorder, converter, or monitoring system for mastering, mixing, and tracking applications. It records to SDHC or CF cards and has a USB port that allows you to transfer files to and from an external flash drive. The DA-3000 can record analog or digital signals as stereo PCM files in up to 192kHz and stereo DSD files in up to 5.6MHz.
The DA-3000 was built with dual-mono circuitry to reduce interference between channels to allow for more accurate audio capture. Both the left and right channels conversion is via their BurrBrown PCM1795 converter chip. The unit has a fanless design to reduce internal noise. Visual monitoring of your signals is provided via the front-panel 24-dot level meter.
The recorder provides a variety of input and output in both the analog and digital domain. Stereo XLR and RCA inputs and outputs allow you to connect to most analog sources, while S/PDIF, AES/EBU and SDIF-3 digital connections allow you to integrate a variety of digital sources. You can control the DA-3000 with the included remote control.
The DA-3000 is designed for stereo PCM/DSD recordings at high sampling frequencies suitable for archival masters. This unit is capable of recording analog and digital signals up to 192kHz PCM or 5.6MHz DSD. The unit records to both SDHC cards and UDMA supported CF cards. The variety of inputs and outputs enable connection with all types of studio equipment, including audio interfaces and mic preamps. The analog inputs and outputs include both XLR and RCA jacks. The digital connections include S/PDIF RCA coaxial and XLR jacks to support AES/EBU. The BNC SDIF-3 inputs and outputs support DSD digital connections.
With the goal of making a high-quality audio recorder and ADDA converter easy to use, Tascam designed the front panel with all of the necessary external controls and included long, brightly lit meters and display. The 128x64 OEL display allows you to check necessary information quickly, and the 24-dot level meters allows you to monitor levels at all times. You can synchronize the operation of multiple DA-3000 units by interconnecting their digital inputs and outputs. Files that have been recorded in sync will have sample-level synchronization as well. In addition to stereo DSD recording of Jazz and classical music, this also makes simple DSD multitrack recording of bands possible.
Use of a dual mono structure for the output circuit eliminates interference between the left and right channels and achieves high audio quality by maximizing the performance of the components. Two mono circuits are built into the unit. The left/right channels each use one BurrBrown PCM1795 D/A converter chip. The internal circuit uses a fully-balanced structure that is resistant to noise from the inputs and outputs. This has a great effect on the output and input stage impacting the recorded audio. The input audio is digitalized by the BurrBrown PCM4202 ADC after it passes through the analog input circuit.
Operational amplifiers have a great impact on audio quality, so Tascam carefully selected the NJM2114 and NE5532. In addition, Tascam selected low-impedance capacitors featuring low resistance, low noise and high precision to emphasize audio quality. In order to assure high-quality audio input and output, a stable power supply is indispensable. The EI core transformer incorporated into this unit has separate coils - one for the digital circuits and control panels and one for the analog circuits - making it possible to capture even higher-quality signals by suppressing noise. In addition, for the clock generator, Tascam used a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) that boasts 1-ppm precision.
Cooling fans inside equipment generate noise and can cause loss of accuracy when monitoring at low volume levels. With the DA-3000, Tascam has achieved performance in a fanless design, allowing you to maintain a comfortable monitoring environment that is free of fan noise.