It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:07 am




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
 Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything... 
Author Message
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:55 pm
Posts: 978
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Post 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 ... -converter

I 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!).


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
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.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:10 am
Profile My Photo Gallery
Multiple Donor
Multiple Donor
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:53 am
Posts: 768
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Post 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


Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:19 am
Profile
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:28 pm
Posts: 4105
Post 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


Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:07 am
Profile My Photo Gallery
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm
Posts: 2486
Location: Virginia, USA
Post 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.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:18 pm
Profile
Elite Contributor
Elite Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 2583
Location: Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
Post 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/


Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:23 pm
Profile My Photo Gallery
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm
Posts: 2486
Location: Virginia, USA
Post Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Kataway wrote:
Mac only?

Yes, it says so on their website.


Last edited by Robstafarian on Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:01 pm
Profile
Multiple Donor
Multiple Donor

Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:53 am
Posts: 1518
Location: Seattle, WAq
Post Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Of course Mac only… Is there anything else?? :lol:


Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:43 pm
Profile
Multiple Donor
Multiple Donor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:02 pm
Posts: 1851
Location: Monona, WI, USA
Post Re: Zoom TAC-2: Well this changes everything...
Kataway wrote:
Mac only?

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


Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:36 pm
Profile My Photo Gallery
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:55 pm
Posts: 978
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Post 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


Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:33 pm
Profile My Photo Gallery
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm
Posts: 2486
Location: Virginia, USA
Post 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.

Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:41 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron

board3 Portal - based on phpBB3 Portal Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group. Designed by Vjacheslav Trushkin for Free Forums/DivisionCore.
Heavily modified by Stickist.com. Stickist.com is an authorized Chapman Stick® site. The Chapman Stick® and NS/Stick™ and their marks are federally registered trademarks exclusively licensed to Stick Enterprises, Inc., and are used on Stickist.com and NSstickist.com with SEI's permission.
Click here for more information.