TASCAM Portacapture X8 review and test – portable recorder with a color touchscreen

Maxim Liadov

TASCAM helped pioneer multichannel recording equipment. Since the 1970s, it has released many important products, from an 8-track reel-to-reel recorder through the growth of digital formats. Expectations have increased: users now want high-resolution recording, built-in effects and USB audio-interface operation. We have also wondered why portable recorders still often use old monochrome LCDs and text menus with unintuitive controls, despite modern smartphones and advanced apps. Battery consumption once explained this, but efficient ARM processors and automatic screen dimming make that excuse less convincing. The innovative flagship TASCAM Portacapture X8 follows this reasoning.

A high-resolution colour touchscreen and well-designed software make the Portacapture X8 suitable for modern users. Two removable supplied microphones support standard XY or AB stereo arrangements. More interestingly, 4 XLR/TRS inputs accept microphones with +48 V phantom power.

The recorder avoids overwhelming users with settings and quickly opens ready-made recording modes. MANUAL is the main mode, recording individual channels and a stereo mix. A mixer balances channels, a large meter shows all 6 channels, and each input has its own settings. A large physical wheel near the bottom allows precise gain adjustment for the selected input.

The Portacapture X8 has a good Russian translation. Menu items were clear enough that we did not need the manual.

MUSIC mode provides presets for piano, guitar, vocals, wind instruments, strings and ensembles. It records only 2 channels but adds hardware reverb with large hall, small hall, room, studio and plate presets. Hardware effects available in every mode include a high-pass filter to reduce boom, a gate, compressor or limiter, and EQ.

FIELD mode enables noise reduction. PODCAST records 4 people and plays jingles. VOICE replaces the usual meter with a circular display visible from any direction. Without headphones, users can play recordings through the small built-in speaker if necessary. MP3 recording makes it a complete voice recorder. ASMR suits quiet sounds, while TUNER and METRONOME are useful for musicians.

The launcher has room for more apps, so future firmware may add functions. TASCAM regularly improves operation through updates. We tested firmware 1.03 with a Class 10 microSDHC card as required by the manual and encountered no difficulties. The recorder also browses and manages card files and can work as a card reader.

An important feature is 32-bit floating-point recording. It uses 25% more storage but allows internal processing without unnecessary conversions. Files can then open on a computer without conversion, retaining all signal peaks.

Dual recording is also possible. Alongside professional LPCM up to 192 kHz, the recorder can simultaneously create 320 kbit/s MP3 files. This is convenient for quickly sharing a compressed version or emailing a standard MP3.

USB audio-interface mode includes a low-latency ASIO driver with 8 recording channels and 2 playback channels.

Portacapture X8 specifications are fairly typical for portable recorders. Signal-to-noise ratio 102 dBA, THD+N 0.005%.

An expansion socket under a rubber cover accepts an optional small Bluetooth module for remote control from a mobile device. The app duplicates the recorder touchscreen. Record and overload indicators are also provided.

The balanced combo XLR/TRS sockets accept microphones and line sources. Separate mini-jack line input and output connect cameras and other equipment, helping synchronize video and separately recorded audio later. The mini-jack headphone output has a physical level control and sufficient volume.

USB-C supplies external power and connects a computer for card-reader and USB-interface modes. The power switch has a lock position to prevent accidental shutdown.

The underside has tripod and camera cold-shoe mounting options, plus a compartment for 4 AA batteries.

We recorded with the supplied microphones and connected a Neumann condenser and the electret microphone DPA 4099. Recording worked without problems, with ample gain and more than enough headphone monitoring volume. We especially liked 32 BIT FLOAT recording and were impressed by the headroom. Even peaks 6 dB above zero returned to a clean, unclipped level in an editor simply by lowering the passage volume. Recording quality is professional, comparable with other high-end TASCAM recorders. We heard no unusual characteristics. The supplied microphones record well and resist air blasts, though we prefer external microphones.

Conclusions

The Portacapture X8 is a true TASCAM flagship. It combines 2 supplied microphones for stereo recording with 4 professional microphone inputs, hardware processing and mixing during recording. Preset modes are friendly to beginners. USB interface mode with ASIO records 8 channels to a laptop or mobile device without using a microSD card. Musicians should appreciate hardware EQ, compression and reverb for ready-to-use recordings or direct speaker feeds, allowing the recorder to replace an inexpensive mixer. Although 192 kHz is prominent in marketing, we find 32-bit floating-point recording more interesting for later editing. It avoids hard digital clipping in the recorded file, letting peaks return through level reduction or dynamics processing. Besides AA batteries, any suitable 5 V USB-C source can power it. Optional Bluetooth adds smartphone remote control. Anyone waiting for something new in portable recorders should consider the TASCAM Portacapture X8.

Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/tascam-x8.shtml.