Tascam CD-RW900SL Professional CD Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got it and love it. This is an extremely sturdy unit, built to last. Buttons, panels, inputs, slot loading: everything about it is durable.
Function seems to be great as well. The keyboard input and remote are great features and (as professional gear) it is free from SCMS (and of course the "Music CD"). The gain controls (record level setting) are essential for proper transfers from analog material and seem to be very sturdy as well. Separate knobs for each channel is a thoughtful approach and they have a nice feel. Input controls are typically the achilles heel of any recording equipment (eventually the rheostats get dirty and start making noise on the source when you move them, though we may be beyond that nowadays), so we'll see about that in a few years. I do hope they are as well made as the rest of it.
This is pro quality equipment and would be equally at home in a studio rack or in a high end system. It has 24 bit converters and the quality and ease of recording is great. While it will even play MP3's (though not sure why one would need it to), it has pitch control and will also do direct digital dubs.
Of course we can also put it in the rack in the home studio, but the bottom line for a lot of what I expect to be doing with it: If you want a CD recorder to make lossless transfers from legacy analog sources (cassettes, LP's, etc.) this is the equipment to get. It's worth paying a bit more than the pro-sumer products (and it's really not that much more here). I have Sony pro-sumer stuff in my stereo system and this machine is WAY more solid than any of that. Even the patch panel for inputs (in the back) is rock solid (far better than any home or pro-sumer equipment and even than most of the "pro" gear I've seen). Some other brand may some esoteric specs that are a little better or a reputation, but if it breaks down all the time it's not functional and if it costs twice as much (at this price point) you'd really have to find some feature you absolutely had to have that this one doesn't to make that worthwhile. They do make a model a step up from this that adds a few features, but I didn't really think it was anything I couldn't live without. This machine does cost twice as much as the bottom of the line consumer recorders but what they packed into it is more than worth that (much smaller) difference.

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Offering the professional recording capabilities that radio stations, post-production houses, and recording studios require, the Tascam CD-RW900SL Professional CD Recorder features a robust slot-loading transport, 24-bit A/D & D/A converters, MP3 playback, key control, sample rate conversion, and selectable CD disc reading speed.
It has a dedicated analog front panel input control, rear panel unbalanced (RCA) I/O, and S/DIFF digital I/O (optical and coaxial). Other features include Auto Cue and Auto Ready from the menu, selectable I/R remote Enable/Disable, and MP3 Action Setting (prevents accidental termination of continuous MP3 playback).


Key Features

Specifications
Recordable discs: CD-R, CD-R-DA, CD-RW, CD-RW-DA
Resolution: 16 bit linear
Sampling frequency: 44.1 kHz
Frequency converter input: 32KHz to 48KHZ
Frequency response: 20 Hz~20 KHz ±0.8 dB (playback) ±1.0 dB (recording)
Signal to noise ratio: 95 dB (playback) 90 dB (recording)
Dynamic range: 95 dB (playback) 90 dB (recording)
Distortion: 0.006 % (playback) 0.008 % (recording)
Channel separation: 90 dB (playback) 80 dB (recording)
Wow and flutter: < 0.001 % (Unmeasurable)
Analog inputs:
Unbalanced RCA pin Level -10 dBV ±2 dB (Full Scale -16 dB)
Minimum input level -19 dBV (adjustable level at Full Scale -16 dB) Input impedance 22 KØ ±10% (unbalanced)

Analog outputs:
Unbalanced RCA pin Level -10 dBV ±2 dB (Full Scale -16 dB)
Maximum output level +6 dBV ±2 dB Output impedance 600 Ø ±10% (unbalanced)

Phones: 1/4-inch; 20mW + 20mW (into 32 ohms)
Digital input: Coaxial RCA pin jack (IEC-60958 Consumer use) Optical TOSLINK (IEC-60958 Consumer use)
Digital output: Coaxial RCA pin jack (IEC-60958 Consumer use) Optical TOSLINK (IEC-60958 Consumer use)
Keyboard: Mini DIN 6 pin
Dimensions: 12.1 x 19.0 x 3.7 inches
Weight: 10 pounds

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