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Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
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robmartino
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Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:55 pm Posts: 978 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
I noticed Zoom released their TAC-2 Thunderbolt audio interface about a month ago. Strangely, there has been very little discussion about it online where the merits of RME, Universal Audio, Apogee etc are debated. The Zoom is significantly cheaper than comparable units so I figured maybe it's just a cheap knockoff that, despite the impressive specs, wouldn't perform well in live performance situations. https://www.zoom-na.com/products/studio ... -converterI was close to trying out a UA Apollo Twin, where one can get almost no latency playing through UAD plug-ins, and around 4-5ms latency if using native CPU plug-ins. That seemed pretty good (with interfaces in the past I couldn't get much lower than 10ms, which I found fairly unplayable). But then I saw one YouTube review that showed a TAC-2 with 2.9ms latency at 64 sample buffers, which seems really impressive. Sweetwater had a deal on a demo unit so I figured I'd give it a try. I opened up MainStage on my 2013 MacBook Pro, went to the audio settings and configured it for 96K sampling rate, and got this: Attachment: Screen Shot 2014-07-24 at 12.46.55 PM.png That's actually a playable setting - no clicks or pops with two channels of audio, and a few effects (chorus, delay, reverb). I almost can't believe it! I had to double check a couple times that I wasn't just monitoring through the interface by itself but indeed the signals were being passed to the computer, processed, and sent back with under 1.0ms delay. Even if the buffer size needed to be increased to 64 the round trip latency is still 2.0ms or less, and 3.0ms at 128 samples. At 48K samping rate it's still easy to get under 4ms latency with 64 sample buffers. This COMPLETELY changes the feel of playing the Stick though a laptop - no perceptible or even subconscious disconnect between what your fingers are doing and what you hear. I don't know how the preamp or digital/analog conversion quality compares to an RME or Apollo but this does suck me back (even if temporarily) into exploring computer based effects processing (and also use the plug-ins I actually develop all day!).
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_________________ Rob Martino YouTube - Facebook - Bandcamp - Instagram Rosewood Grand Stick #7025 - Mirrored 4ths 5+7 Paduak Grand Stick #5197 - Mirrored 4ths 6+6
Last edited by robmartino on Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:10 am |
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carvingcode
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Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:53 am Posts: 768 Location: Dayton, Ohio
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Depending on many things (DAW, number of AUs, processor in Mac, etc) you may run into performance issues with that low buffer and latency setting. But, that's where you need to be for playability. I'm definitely interested on following your reports on this.
Randy
_________________ Randy Brown
Rosewood Alto #5764
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:19 am |
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earthgene
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:28 pm Posts: 4105
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
I am so glad you are here Rob. I am now going to read this a second time to make certain I have understood what you've said. Thanks for the review.
_________________ Gene Perry http://www.geneperry.com http://www.freehandsacademy.com
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:07 am |
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Robstafarian
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Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm Posts: 2486 Location: Virginia, USA
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
I hope that you will update this thread as your experiment progresses, (other) Rob. I also hope that we will each get a Fractal Audio FX8 before I die of GAS.
Last edited by Robstafarian on Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:18 pm |
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Alain
Elite Contributor
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:02 am Posts: 2583 Location: Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Mac only?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=649zljSmGLI[/youtube]
_________________ Grand Stick, Wenge, 12 strings, MR, SN 6667 http://soundcloud.com/Kataway http://www.youtube.com/user/Shawinijazz https://alainauclair.bandcamp.com/
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:23 pm |
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Robstafarian
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Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm Posts: 2486 Location: Virginia, USA
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Yes, it says so on their website.
Last edited by Robstafarian on Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:01 pm |
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rclere
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Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:53 am Posts: 1518 Location: Seattle, WAq
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Of course Mac only… Is there anything else??
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:43 pm |
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EricTheGray
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Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:02 pm Posts: 1851 Location: Monona, WI, USA
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Yes, Thunderbolt is only on the Mac at this point. It is not an Apple proprietary interface, it's made and licensed by Intel. The issue is that it is more expensive to make and it has been slow to expand it's universe. The data transfer capability is incredible and, as Rob shows, the latency is FINALLY to a point where it might be possible to use it live We are all ears, Rob! -Eric
_________________ Rosewood SG12 #5966, Mirrored 4ths Twitter: @ejknapp http://ericjknapp.com
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:36 pm |
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robmartino
Site Donor
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:55 pm Posts: 978 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
I haven't been able to do much more testing though my QSC/Fishman setup, just with headphones. Here are some latency specs I've been getting:
96 Khz sampling rate 32 buffer - 0.8ms round trip 64 buffer - 1.7ms 128 buffer - 3.0ms
44.1 Khz sampling rate 32 buffer - 1.8ms round trip 64 buffer - 3.6ms 128 buffer - 6.5ms
I've been building up some more complicated MainStage setups using multiple plug-ins (including Guitar Rig 5) and am getting pretty solid performance at 88.2 Khz/64 buffer size (1.8 ms RT latency). Through headphones, the sound quality of the clean Stick sound (a pair of Avenson IsoDIs into the Zoom) is comparable to the straight sound of the StepABout with no EQ, no complaints about the A/D and conversion quality so far (admittedly I don't have the most finely tuned set of ears for those types of subtle determinations), but most importantly the low latency makes for an almost identical playing experience.
Since laziness is a key factor in my rig considerations, the idea of fitting the entire effects and controller setup in one laptop bag (MacBook, Keith McMillen 12 Step foot controller, Roland expression pedal, Zoom TAC-2, pair of DIs or StepABout) has me envisioning lovely 10 minute setup times, leaving me free time to ponder my first adult beverage after the gig.
_________________ Rob Martino YouTube - Facebook - Bandcamp - Instagram Rosewood Grand Stick #7025 - Mirrored 4ths 5+7 Paduak Grand Stick #5197 - Mirrored 4ths 6+6
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Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:33 pm |
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Robstafarian
Site Donor
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm Posts: 2486 Location: Virginia, USA
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Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
If Zoom comes out with a TAC-4, with individual phantom power, I might just get myself a Mac Mini.
Last edited by Robstafarian on Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:41 pm |
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