Zoom TAC-8 Thunderbolt Audio Converter

The rack-mountable TAC-8 from Zoom is an 18-input / 20-output Thunderbolt interface designed to form the central hub to any professional or home studio environment. The unit offers 8 analog inputs, 10 analog outputs, and 10 digital inputs and outputs via ADAT optical and S/PDIF connections. Additional I/Os include Word Clock and MIDI. The high-performance Thunderbolt connection provides 8 channels of simultaneous recording and playback with ultra-low latency at 24-bit / 192 kHz.

The front panel offers 8 XLR/TRS combo jacks which work with microphone- and line-level signals. Additionally, inputs 1 & 2 offer Hi-Z instrument inputs, while all channels offer +48V phantom power switchable in two banks of four (1-4 and 5-8). A large knob controls the main output levels, while two independent volume controls are provided for the 1/4" headphone outputs. The rear panel offers dual balanced analog TRS main outputs with an additional 8 TRS outputs for multi-channel monitoring or external effects processing.

The TAC-8 can operate as a stand-alone microphone preamp and ADDA converter without being connected to a computer. The included MixEfx software provides a comprehensive onscreen mixer with independent level, phase reversal, and panning controls for each channel. The software allows you to route any input to all outputs and create custom mixes for each pair of outputs. Three mixes can be saved to the memory slots for instant and total recall. The TAC-8 ships with a Thunderbolt cable and power adapter.

• 18-in/20-out high-speed Thunderbolt audio interface
• Record and play back 8 tracks simultaneously
• Support for up to 24-bit/192 kHz high-definition audio
• Ultra-low latency audio streaming
• 8 combo balanced XLR/TRS analog input connectors accept both mic- and line-level signal
• High-performance mic preamps with up to +60 dB of amplification
• Hi-Z switches allow direct connection of electric guitar or bass (Input 1, Input 2)
• Independent gain controls and clip LEDs for each input
• Switchable +48V phantom power (Inputs 1-4, Inputs 5-8)
• 10 balanced TRS output jacks for connection to mixers, amplifiers, self-powered speakers, or effects devices
• Dual front-panel 1/4" headphone outputs with dedicated volume controls
• Large knob output volume control
• 4x upsampling during A/D and D/A conversion for reduced noise and enhanced fidelity
• Asynchronous transfer system unaffected by computer jitter
• Robust metal housing ensures roadworthiness
• S/PDIF In/Out: 2 In / 2 Out, up to 24-bit/192 kHz audio resolution
• ADAT Optical In/Out: 2 In / 2 Out at 192/176.4 kHz (S/MUX4 compatible), 4 In/4 Out at 96/88.2 kHz (S/MUX compatible), 8 In / 8 Out at 48/44.1 kHz
• Word Clock in/out
• Clock source indicator
• MIDI in/out
• Rack-mountable (1U space)
• Works with all Thunderbolt-equipped Macintosh computers running OS X 10.8.5 or later
• Steinberg Cubase LE software download