Zoom TAC-2R Thunderbolt Audio Converter

Zoom TAC-2R Thunderbolt Audio Converter Overview

The Zoom TAC2-R is a 2in2out thunderbolt audio converter for Mac OS X. It features blazing 20 gigabits per second, which is twice as fast as USB 3.0 and up to twelve times faster than Firewire 800. The TAC2R is also bus-powered, so it is a perfect portable solution for a traveling musician. the TAC2-R features an AKM AK4396 Digital-to-Analogue converter, and Burr Brown PCM4202 Analog-to-digital converter.

The half-rack design features 2 XLR/TRS combo sockets, each with phantom power and dedicated gain controls, combined with 2 balanced outputs and dedicated headphone monitoring.

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2-in/2-out high speed Thunderbolt™ audio interface
Support for recording and playback up to 24-bit/192kHz
Ultra-low latency audio streaming
Two combo balanced XLR/TRS input connectors accept both mic- and line-level signal
Hi-Z switches allow direct connection of electric guitar or bass
Switchable 48V phantom power
Two balanced TRS output jacks for connection to amplifiers or self-powered speakers
¼" headphone jack with dedicated level control
Independent gain controls and clip LEDs for each input
Large knob output volume control
Direct Monitoring switch for zero latency monitoring in mono or stereo
MIDI In and Out
High-performance mic preamps with up to 60dB of amplification
4x upsampling during A/D and D/A conversion for reduced noise and enhanced fidelity
Asynchronous transfer system unaffected by computer jitter
Bus powered-no AC power required
Robust metal housing ensures roadworthiness
Works with all Thunderbolt-equipped Macintosh computers running OS X 10.8.5 or later

The TAC-2R serves as an ultra-stable MIDI interface too, allowing you to use your electronic keyboards and controllers as well as sound generating devices such as synthesizers and drum machines. The extreme speed and low latency of Thunderbolt ensure that your audio and MIDI tracks line up perfectly, every time.

More than twice as fast as USB 3.0-not to mention twenty times faster than USB 2.0 and twelve times faster than Firewire 800-Thunderbolt is the interconnection technology of the future. Co-developed by Apple and Intel Labs, it allows signal to be transferred at an incredibly fast 10 gigabits per second, which means virtually no latency.* Thunderbolt interfaces such as the TAC-2R are also unaffected by computer jitter (slight variations in timing), so there's no need to connect an external master clock source.
In addition, Thunderbolt carries 10 watts/18 volts of power (as compared to the 2.5 watts/ 5 volts carried by USB 2.0)-enough to provide stable phantom power. This also allows the use of high-end components such as the Burr Brown PCM4202 analog-to-digital converter and AKM AK4396 digital-to-analog converter in the TAC-2R.
The TAC-2R performs 4-times upsampling during both analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. In other words, when the sampling frequency is set to 44.1kHz or 48kHz, the TAC-2R processes the signal at high resolution 176.4kHz or 192kHz. For A/D conversion, this means less aliasing noise; for D/A conversion, this means increased clarity and fidelity.

The Thunderbolt port on the rear panel carries digital signal to and from your computer in addition to providing power to the TAC-2R-no external power required. Dual front panel combo XLR/TRS inputs allow you to connect a wide variety of microphones as well as line-level signals from electronic keyboards and music players-even passive instruments such as electric guitars and basses. Dual balanced TRS output jacks enable you to connect the TAC-2R to amplifiers or self-powered speakers, and there's an independent ¼" stereo headphone jack with dedicated volume control for private monitoring of the input or output signal. In addition, MIDI In and Out is provided to allow precise synchronization with devices such as electronic keyboards and drum machines.
Dedicated input gain controls and Clip LEDs make it easy to set optimum input levels, and a large Output knob enables fast control over overall output level. A phantom power switch applies 48 volts to the mic inputs, allowing you to use the TAC-2R with studio-quality condenser microphones, and a three-way Direct Monitoring switch enables monitoring of input signal with zero latency in both mono and stereo.