Comments on: Is Your Tascam US-144 mkII Noisy? Just Sit on it.

By: tascam US 144 MKII - homerecording.be forum

tascam US 144 MKII - homerecording.be forum — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:52:31 +0000

[...] apparaat even niet verkocht zou hebben omwille van problemen met het apparaat. na te lezen op: Is Your Tascam US-144 mkII Noisy? Just Sit on it. Because I am Here zijn er leden die dit apparaat hebben en al problemen hebben [...]

By: Z.

Z. — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:03:52 +0000

Benjamin : The symptoms you describe are typical of a faulty electronic component. Get it changed before it dies totally (and your guarantee expires!) I had one where, when switched to Guitar (and only when switched to Guitar), the input would click when the green Signal lamp switched on and off. I have read of people having several unrelated problems with the Mk2. I wonder if the quality control has slipped?

I have the exact same problem that Benjamin had, however, MY US-144 is NOT under warranty ><

By: hassle

hassle — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:32:33 +0000

I just ordered one. I can’t imagine the hassle of sitting on it with wires connected and all, but then I remembered the coffee cup warmer my wife bought that was never hot enough to keep the coffee warm. It at least ought to be able to keep.

By: Jan Jacobs

Jan Jacobs — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:11:44 +0000

If you’re looking for a music store with REALLY GOOD customer service, try N’Stuff Music. I buy all my gear there, and the guys are very helpful and knowledgeable. Plus, they’re a family-owned local business, not a giant like sweetwater & guitar center.

By: me109

me109 — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:38:59 +0000

In spite of everything, and due to my budget, I just ordered one. I can’t imagine the hassle of sitting on it with wires connected and all, but then I remembered the coffee cup warmer my wife bought that was never hot enough to keep the coffee warm. It at least ought to be able to keep the MkII above 65 degrees! My Lexicon Alpha was just too slow and noisy to stand anymore.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:59:57 +0000

Exact same problem here that renders the device useless for me, since I use it for guitar amp modeling (guitar rig 4). The clicks and pops are very bad by themselves, but when you use a hi gain amp with distortion or overdrive the slight clicks and pops become a huge issue. I can see in various forums that many people have the same issues. In the official forum TASCAM pretends nothing is wrong, so no solution.

STAY AWAY FROM IT! BUY SOMETHING ELSE!!!

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:33:11 +0000

no, wait, I tell a lie. The DO have Win7 for the Mk1; also 64-bit.

http://www.tascam.com/details;9,15,70,19.html

OK, I know what I’m gonna do.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:30:21 +0000

No Win7 drivers – you’re right! Wheras the mk2 versions all have Win7 drivers online. Cheek.

I see a new US-800 has been announced. No details yet. But not as portable.

By: Titus

Titus — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:45:46 +0000

I used the 144 without any problems, but it was also in an environment that never got cold. I’m choosing not to go with the 144 because they don’t have driver support for Win 7. I have one machine running win 7 64 bit, and getting something to work on that machine is another hassle altogether.

By: Titus

Titus — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:43:19 +0000

I also wish there were something comparable in design and price, but there really isn’t. I’m going to return the two units in favor of a Lexicon Omega. I’m with you- I also prefer the knobs on the front for desktop recording; I’m not as excited about the Omega interface, but if it works, I’m game.

The ice-bag trick is genius! I didn’t pop open the units, primarily because I didn’t want to void any warranty. But I’ll remember it for the future.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:42:21 +0000

…ah, you say you had the old 144, without problems. Also no click?

Perhaps I’ll go that route. The preamps are supposed to be better in the Mk2, but by how much? The gain isn’t that great either, and I use a Shure SM7, which needs quite some gain.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:33:15 +0000

No whine problem, nor the “frying” sound you have. Apart from the Guitar-green lamp click phenomenon, mine was very very silent. I have three Edirol interfaces and Tascam’s 1641, and they are silent, too, so I do have a reference. I used a Shure SM58 at the dead of night with AKG headphones.

So did you have TWO with this whine/fizzing? Because that indicates a failing component, and to have it twice is unfortunate indeed! Your serial numbers are earlier than mine, but still fairly far apart.

My (old-school) boss taught me a trick: forget fault-finding with oscilloscopes and signal generators. Just put on headphones, then touch each component with ice bundled in a sealed bag. Hear a change? That’s your faulty component!

I’m almost certain the click is a design fault. A pity, because there’s nothing else in that price range that does 96k. And I prefer the layout to having knobs in front for desktop work.

By: Titus

Titus — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:48:05 +0000

Benjamin,
You know, I hadn’t noticed whether the clicks are associated with the SIG light turning on and off. You’re probably right. Do you also have the whine problem?
And since you mention it, my serial numbers were: 0021661 and 0012254.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:31:24 +0000

On closer listening, I notice your 144 mk2 also has the right channel Guitar setting click problem!

Listen at 1:10[s8], 3:10[s4] and 3:50[s8] (they are all right channel, set to Guitar.) You can clearly hear clicks.

I bet this is happening as your voice switches the green SIG light on and off, right?

Drat. I was hoping mine was just faulty. I was going to order another one, but if yours also has this problem, then obviously they all do this.

Mine was serial number 0040815 by the way.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:53:55 +0000

The symptoms you describe are typical of a faulty electronic component. Get it changed before it dies totally (and your guarantee expires!)

I had one where, when switched to Guitar (and only when switched to Guitar), the input would click when the green Signal lamp switched on and off.

I have read of people having several unrelated problems with the Mk2. I wonder if the quality control has slipped?