• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Tascam 102i Review (Audio Interface)

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,385
Location
Seattle Area
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Tascam 102i Audio Interface (DAC, ADC and headphone amplifier). It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $399.

I like the departure from usual designs by having the unit tilted up some:

Tascam 102i DNR review audio interface adc dac.jpg


Here is the back side (I put spacers under it to make it easier to take the picture):
Tascam 102i DNR review audio interface adc dac back panel.jpg


The DAC output was surprisingly poor with stock class driver. I downloaded the image from Tascam which remedied that. Download speed was quite slow though. They need to host this someplace better. Once there, I lost all output. :( Had to figure out the cryptic routing UI to turn the computer output back on for each channel.

Note that my testing is focused on performance in specific areas. I am not testing functionality of these interfaces.

Tascam 102i DAC Measurements
As always, we start with our DAC output with volume adjusted to 4 volts out:

Tascam 102i Measurements DAC.png


Not something to write home about but not broken either:

best audio interface review dac.png


Letting the output swing out more doesn't get you better performance:

Tascam 102i THD+N vs Level Measurements DAC.png


Dynamic range is similar:

Tascam 102i DNR Measurements DAC.png



IMD test shows surprisingly high level of noise when the signal is low:
Tascam 102i IMD Measurements DAC.png


Jitter suppression is good but there could be bad stuff buried in higher than wanted noise level:
Tascam 102i Jitter Measurements DAC.png


The filter is unfortunately the typical, incorrect one:

Tascam 102i Filter Measurements DAC.png


While this is very common, I wish at least pro products implement this correctly with faster cut off.

Linearity could be better:
Tascam 102i Linearity Measurements DAC.png


Last test was quite a puzzler at first:
Tascam 102i THD+N vs Frequency Measurements DAC.png


Surely we don't have half a percent noise and distortion! Let's find out the cause:

Tascam 102i FFT Measurements DAC.png


This is the typical noise shaping we used to see in older DAC chips. Noise in the audible band is reduced by pushing it into ultrasonics. Native performance needs to be a lot better so this is not needed or at least not needed to this degree.

Finally multitone shows that higher frequencies produce more distortion:
Tascam 102i Multitone Measurements DAC.png


Tascam 102i ADC Measurements
Here is our dashboard:

Tascam 102i Measurements ADC.png


Pretty disappointing performance:

Best ADC review.png


Distortion is the problem. Noise is much better:

Tascam 102i DNR Measurements ADC.png


Linearity is not great:

Tascam 102i Linearity Measurements ADC.png


The high distortion seems to be frequency independent:

Tascam 102i THD+N vs freq Measurements ADC.png


Tascam 102i Headphone Measurements
Here is our dashboard with volume adjusted for 4 volt out:

Tascam 102i Measurements headphone.png


Not bad. Let's load it down to 300 ohm and see what we get:

Tascam 102i Power into 300 ohm Measurements headphone.png


Very strange response. Not sure what is going on. Maybe it has a dual stage buffer or something? Regardless, we have OK amount of power.

Switching to 33 ohm causes the power to drop way down:

Tascam 102i Power into 33 ohm Measurements headphone.png


Suspecting that it is due to high output impedance and I measured it at 85 ohm. This some of the highest I have ever measured and falls in the category of truly awful! You not only lose a lot of power but the frequency response of the headphone can change resulting in tonality variations.

Conclusions
Performance of the DAC in Tascam 102i is reasonable. ADC however can't even clear the 16 bit hurdle with 4 volts in. Headphone amplifier is just junk with high output impedance.

Based on performance measurements I perform, I can't recommend the Tascam 102i. For a current product, it simply is not very competitive.

-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Man these interfaces take a ton of work to measure. So many subsystems. My fingers are hurting!!!

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
 

Koeitje

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Messages
2,292
Likes
3,880
The channel balance seems to be off for the DAC part?
 

phoenixsong

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 17, 2018
Messages
874
Likes
685

restorer-john

Grand Contributor
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
12,579
Likes
38,278
Location
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
I put spacers under it to make it easier to take the picture

I've noticed those audiophile spacers in a few of your recent shots. Clearly you have also found the benefits of critical elevation in reducing surface interference and promoting more "air" and "separation".

Did you get yours off the top of first press, extra virgin olive oil containers like I did? ;)
 
Last edited:

daftcombo

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 5, 2019
Messages
3,687
Likes
4,068
Nice review again, thanks a lot!

In the same vein, MOTU and Focusrite Scarlett seem a bit cheaper and better.
 

PeteL

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 1, 2020
Messages
3,303
Likes
3,838
If at least it was competitive in price... It's more than twice as much as the competition and not half as good. What's going on here, Tascam is not known to be overpriced and have been there forever with relatively high volume target, more semi pro than full fledge studio stuff. The discontinued UH 7000 is about 10 years old with the same functionality but still is today miles better. I still use mine today and from experience, very poor customer support, drivers writing was not their strong suit neither, very late each time for OS compatibility, but when it works it performs, this here is just embarrassing from a company that mature.
 

Vict0r

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
647
Likes
1,580
Location
The Netherlands
Ouch. At least the case looks nice, right? I'll stick with my Motu M4. :)

Thanks for the review!!
 

restorer-john

Grand Contributor
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
12,579
Likes
38,278
Location
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Very comprehensive review @amirm

The A/D - D/A reviews are most illuminating as there are many members who use these devices for measurement, not just recording their garage band. I know they take twice as much work, but it's worth it.
 

Paco De Lucia

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
62
Likes
131
Motu all the way. (20 years experience)
 

Ron Texas

Master Contributor
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
6,076
Likes
8,908
Thank you for another review @amirm This product really isn't aimed at hi-fi although it appears those making audio recordings could do better for $400.
 

dtaylo1066

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 12, 2019
Messages
628
Likes
741
I've noticed those audiophile spacers in a few of your recent shots. Clearly you have also found the benefits of critical elevation in reducing surface interference and promoting more "air" and "separation".

Did you get yours off the top of first press, extra virgin olive oil containers like I did? ;)

I am thinking you and Amir have conspired to corner the market with these new "audio spacers" that are silicon-gel-based but with added virgin olive oil and other proprietary additives. Smart move and I am pissed you beat me to it. I suggest you call them GELS. Gelatin Enhanced Levels of SINAD. Brilliant.
 

GWolfman

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
624
Likes
1,041
Headphone amplifier is just junk with high output impedance.
Does this mean it's possible they just tapped one of the line outs for the headphones ?
 

rdenney

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
2,235
Likes
3,856
Back in Tascam’s heyday, this would have been outstanding performance.

Time passes.

Rick “fine for live field recording, perhaps, but thinking my Presonus Studio 24C is better for that and much cheaper” Denney
 
Top Bottom