TASCAM is pleased to announce the MP-800U SD/USB Player with Bluetooth® Receiver, USB DAC and FM Tuner. This next generation memory player is designed to provide a wide range of options for music playback in restaurants, clubs, hotels, banquet halls, and similar PA and sound reinforcement environments. As both system integrators and the public move away from the use of CD media, the new MP-800U is a next generation commercial multimedia player with a wealth of features that enable it to fit seamlessly into a myriad of environments.
The MP-800U is adept at handling a variety of audio sources as a single device. This includes the ability to play audio from PCs, smartphones, streaming audio, SD memory cards, USB flash drives, and more. The MP-800U’s USB / flash drive ports allow for the playback of WAV, MP3, and AAC files—enabling the unit to accommodate most popular audio file formats. Equally important, the SD card slot and USB type A port are located on the unit’s front panel, ensuring easy access at any time.
The MP-800U also supports USB DAC (Digital Audio Conversion), which allows for any device equipped with a USB-C connection to be plugged into the unit’s front panel. This capability means that computers, phones, tablets, and similar devices can all be connected to the MP-800U and used to playback media stored on said devices, opening a wealth of audio sources that can be used.
The MP-800U also incorporates an FM tuner. To optimize FM performance, the MP-800U includes a rear panel port for connecting an antenna. Similarly, there are rear panel unbalanced RCA connectors to facilitate dedicated tuner output capability. This feature facilitates easy integration of FM broadcasts into any existing installation. Additionally, a DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) tuner model is also available in the European Union and Australia.
For added convenience, the MP-800U also supports Bluetooth audio by means of the optional AK-BT2 Bluetooth adapter. With Bluetooth capability, users can pair their Bluetooth equipped devices with the MP-800U to add yet additional streaming audio sources to the setup.
For maximum versatility when interconnecting with a variety of other equipment, the MP-800U provides both Stereo balanced XLR outputs plus unbalanced RCA outputs (independent from the RCA connectors used for the FM tuner). These two sets of connectors enable the MP-800U to easily fit into a wide range of environments, including professional level installations or those that may be less sophisticated.
The MP-800U features Auto Cue, which automatically skips silence at the beginning of a track, guaranteeing instant playback from the first audible sound. The Auto Ready function enhances control by pausing playback at the start of the next track. Together, these functions provide playback options for professional environments.
Completing its key features, the new MP-800U features a +/-16% Pitch Control function that enables adjustments to be made to the audio if required. Further, external control of the MP-800U is available via Ethernet (Telnet) when used with the optional IF-E100 Ethernet Control Card.
In addition to the aforementioned features, the MP-800U has an extensive set of secondary attributes. These include a Power-on-play function that can automatically start playback when the unit is turned on, an incremental playback function that jumps to the beginning of the next track, the ability to key the original function, which changes playback speed without changing pitch, as well as a fade-in / fade-out playback function and direct track searching using the unit’s number keys.
In addition to its track related capabilities, the MP-800U offers wireless control using the available free iOS/Android app. One can also use the optionally available RC-20 remote control which facilitates cueing of up to 20 tracks. It should also be noted that when paired with a mixing console, Fader start / stop is possible using the CONTROL I / O connectors on the back of the unit.
Completing its feature set, the MP-800U offers unbalanced RCA connectors dedicated for tuner output, a Level adjustment function, a panel lock function that can disable use of the front panel buttons to increase operation confidence, and a headphone output that enables audio monitoring.
Sean Daily, TASCAM Product Specialist, commented on the new TASCAM MP-800U, “The MP-800U takes audio playback for commercial spaces to an entirely new level. With a rich feature set, this unit can take music sources from just about anywhere while offering a high level of control that simply hasn’t existed in commercial audio players previously—all in a 1RU form factor. I encourage AV system integrators to take a good look at this new offering. I’m confident they will be impressed.”
The TASCAM MP-800U is expected to become available early June 2025.
To learn more about the TASCAM MP-800U, visit https://tascam.com/us/product/mp-800u.
