Tascam FW1884 Firewire Controller

by Tascam

Product Features

• Please see the above description.
• INFORMATION:
• Currently this item is on backorder. You may contact us or check back later.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 26.7 x 24.5 x 9.7 inches ; 39.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 39.8 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002H0SJY
• Item model number: FW1884
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,125 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Co-designed by Tascam and Frontier Design Group, the Tascam FW1884 professional DAW control surface and audio/MIDI interface provides comprehensive mixing, automation, editing and navigation tools for your studio recording. It offers audio and MIDI interfacing to computers as well as control of DAW parameters via eight 100mm motorized touch-sensitive channel faders, one master fader, and controls for pan, solo, mute and select functions on each channel. Tactile control for four bands of parametric EQ, a jog/shuttle wheel and a variety of shortcut keys for various popular software applications are also included.

Comprehensive mixing, automation, editing and navigation tools for DAWs (see larger image).

Tactile control for four bands of parametric EQ, a jog/shuttle wheel and a variety of shortcut keys for various popular software applications (see larger image).

See larger image of the back ports.

In addition to its surface control capabilities, the FW-1884 provides eight balanced XLR analog mic/line inputs with high quality mic preamps, phantom power and inserts on every channel. The mic input circuit uses a hybrid design combining the best of discrete and IC-based circuitry for 54dB of gain, wide dynamic range and natural response. The mic inputs have phantom power assignable in groups of four and include an analog insert on each channel for inserting outboard signal processing.

Using 24-bit/96kHz A/D and D/A converters, the FW-1884 offers full 96kHz operation on all analog I/O channels with compatible DAW software. In addition to its two FireWire (IEEE 1394) computer interfaces, the FW-1884 gives you eight channels of ADAT lightpipe as well as stereo S/PDIF inputs and outputs. Perfectly suited to multi-channel surround production as well as standard stereo mixing, the FW-1884 provides eight analog outputs for simultaneous connection to L/R and 5.1 surround matrices.

Four MIDI inputs and four MIDI outputs on the FW-1884 allow you to connect with a wide variety of MIDI sound generation and timing tools. Its Word Clock in and out jacks allow computer systems to maintain accurate clock synchronization in digital recording environments. Also, its assignable footswitch jack can be used for tasks such as hands-free punching or MIDI control.

In use, the FW-1884 allows up to 18 audio inputs to be accessed at once. As a DAW controller, the FW-1884 is compatible with a wide variety of popular applications including MOTU Digital Performer, Emagic Logic, Steinberg Cubase SX, Steinberg Nuendo, and Cakewalk Sonar. By emulation of HUI and Mackie Control, the FW-1884 can be used as a comprehensive control surface for DAW applications that support those protocols such as Digidesign Pro Tools and more.

Key Features

• Comprehensive mixing, automation, editing and navigation tools for DAWs
• Eight 100mm motorized touch-sensitive channel faders, one motorized touch-sensitive master fader
• Dedicated controls for pan, solo, mute and select functions on each channel; tactile control for four bands of parametric EQ
• Shortcut keys for various popular audio software applications
• Eight balanced XLR analog mic/line inputs with high quality mic preamps
• Phantom power and inserts on every channel
• 24-bit/96kHz A/D and D/A converters; full 96kHz operation on all analog I/O channels with compatible DAW software
• Eight channels of ADAT lightpipe, stereo S/PDIF inputs and outputs.
• Eight analog outputs, allowing connection of L/R and 5.1 surround matrices
• Dedicated headphone output
• Four MIDI inputs, four MIDI outputs
• Word Clock in and out jacks
• Assignable footswitch jack
• Up to 18 simultaneous inputs
• Compatible with a wide variety of popular DAW applications
• Operates as a standalone 18x2 line mixer without a computer.
• FE-8 (eight-channel sidecar) expands FW-1884 with eight additional channel control strips up to 128 channels (15 FE-8s).
• SoftLCD application simulates a "scribble strip" by displaying what each channel is controlling
• Includes Cubase LE 48-track/96kHz recording and mixing software
• Compatible with MOTU Digital Performer, Apple Logic, Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo, and Cakewalk Sonar. Control surface compatible with Digidesign Pro Tools.
• Dimensions: 22.9 x 5.4 x 18.9 inches (WxHxD)
• Weight: 22.7 pounds
• Compatible with the latest Intel Macs

Software Support
The Tascam FW-1884 supports the following applications as a control surface:

• Ableton Live 6.04 and higher
• Cubase 3.02 and higher
• Nuendo 3.02 and higher
• SONAR 5
• Logic Pro
• Final Cut Pro
• Digital Performer 5 and higher

Product Description

COMPREHENSIVE MIXING AUTOMATION EDITING & NAVIGATION TOOLS FOR DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS EIGHT 100MM MOTORIZED TOUCH-SENSITIVE CHANNEL FADERS & 1 MOTORIZED TOUCH-SENSITIVE MASTER FADER DEDICATED CONTROLS FOR PAN SOLO MUTE & SELECT FUNCTIONS ON EACH CHANNEL TACTILE CONTROL FOR 4 BANDS OF PARAMETRIC EQ 8 BALANCED XLR ANALOG MICROPHONE/LINE INPUTS WITH HIGH QUALITY MICROPHONE PREAMPS PHANTOM POWER AND INSERTS ON EVERY CHANNEL 24-BIT/96 KHZ A/D & D/A CONVERTERS 8 CHANNELS OF ADAT LIGHTPIPE STEREO S/PDIF INPUTS & OUTPUTS 8 ANALOG OUTPUTS ALLOWING CONNECTION OF L/R & 5.1 SURROUND MATRICES DEDICATED HEADPHONE OUTPUT 4 MIDI INPUTS & OUTPUTS WORD CLOCK IN & OUT JACKS ASSIGNABLE FOOT SWITCH JACK UP TO 18 SIMULTANEOUS INPUTS OPERATES AS A STANDALONE 18 X 2 LINE MIXER WITHOUT A COMPUTER INCLUDES CUBASE LE 48-TRACK/96 KHZ RECORDING & MIXING SOFTWARE & GIGASTUDIO 3 LE 64-VOICE STREAMING SOFTWARE COMPATIBLE WITH MOST AUDIO-EDITING SOFTWAREDIMENSIONS: 5.4"H X 22.9"W X 18.9"D WEIGHT: 22.7 LBS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars all you ever need, September 7, 2007

By 

Timothy P. Sullivan "midiman11" (RI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tascam FW1884 Firewire Controller (Electronics)

this one product has become the "center" of my studio , inputs are super clean as an interface for all my audio needs , and i even use the lightpipe IN from a korg168rc mixer - so that i can actually get 16-20 separate items recorded all at the same and keep them separated and pristine sounding - unit has 4in and 4out midi interfaces , i use 2 of them. i use this with the included cubase LE and now cubase 4 , LE was great to work with and mix with - but only allowed for 4in's recorded at a time - i use the transport controls more than i use a mouse now - and the motorized fades are a wow factor , if i make a few level and pan automations - the faders move so smooth and almost too perfect - i reccomend - only wish the FE8 additional fader packs came down in price

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Software Fixes make this product more valuable, November 15, 2008

By 

Trent Perkins (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tascam FW1884 Firewire Controller (Electronics)

Overall, this is a good product with tons of I/O, a great surface and good quality, but I have two issues, one of which has already been fixed in a software upgrade, and one of which needs to be addressed by Steinberg (or possibly issued as a more robust Cubase template by Tascam).

The Drivers that come with this system will not allow you to have more than 3 GB of RAM. However, Tascam has finally released v 1.70 which fixes this problem so you can now put as much RAM on your system as you want. It works with both 32 bit and 64 bit programs with no issues now.

The second issue involves it's interface with Cubase (which is as much Steinberg's issue). The Scrub wheel will not do what you want it to do, and many of the buttons don't do what they appear to do until programmed that way. Also, the encoders are very limited in what they can do compared to similar products (that this was apparently modeled after which is also frustrating). The Flip button doesn't work in Cubase. On the other hand, there is a fair amount of flexibility in how you do program the buttons to work. It would also be nice if Steinberg made a direct map for this controller instead of having to use the Mackie protocol.

With that said, this is still a great product, especially if you need a hardware "brain" for your studio. It has tons of I/O compared to similar products including inserts on every audio channel and great Monitor capabilities (including panning). It has near zero latency. I also like the EQ section controls (although they won't affect direct monitor channels). However, in reality, my experience is that you will more likely use the mouse for EQ tasks in the DAW environment.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware of the Firewire problem, July 17, 2009

By 

Victor Knight Jr. (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tascam FW1884 Firewire Controller (Electronics)

I have owned the Tascam 1884 for well over two years. Within that time mixer has died two times, due to a failed firewire issues. You will know when your mixer has died. Every light on the mixer will be on and that means the mixer is dead. The first time it died, I sent the mixer back to Tascam for a repair. That cost me $275.00, so when it died the second time, I was done with the Tascam 1884. I now have a cheaper mixer that does all of what the 1884 did, only with out problems. I would recommend the Alesis Master Control over the 1884. I'm sure some of you out there have no problems with the 1884. But for me, I'm done, so be wise buyers and get the right stuff, to do what you need with out it not working for you.