Pricing and availability

* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Step into seamless audio integration with the Tascam CD-A500, where classic meets contemporary in a compact 3U rack mount design. This versatile unit combines the best of both worlds, merging a CD player with a reversible cassette deck for unmatched convenience and flexibility. Whether you're dubbing your favorite albums or setting up a long-play system, the CD-A500 makes it effortless with its intuitive features.

Experience the ease of duplication with the CD Sync feature, allowing you to copy CDs to cassette with a simple button press, ensuring no loss of audio integrity. The integrated A-Side/B-Side function automatically switches the cassette deck to Side B, ensuring uninterrupted playback. Perfect for audiophiles and music professionals alike, this unit offers ±12% pitch adjustment on the cassette deck, enabling precise control over your recordings.

The Tascam CD-A500 is designed with connectivity in mind, featuring RCA unbalanced inputs and outputs that cater to both the cassette deck and CD player, with additional dedicated outputs for the CD player. This ensures seamless integration into any studio setup. Plus, with the included wireless remote control, you can manage your audio effortlessly from anywhere in the room.

Key Features:

  • Integrated CD Player/Reversible Cassette Deck
  • 3-U rack mount design
  • RCA unbalanced inputs and outputs for both cassette deck and CD player
  • RCA unbalanced outputs dedicated to the CD player
  • ±12% pitch adjustment on cassette deck
  • Wireless remote control included
  • CD Sync feature for easy dubbing
  • Continuous play function between cassette and CD

FAQs

Can the Tascam CD-A500 record from CD to cassette?

Yes, the Tascam CD-A500 allows direct recording from CD to cassette, making it ideal for those who want to transfer digital audio to analog format.

Does the Tascam CD-A500 support pitch adjustment for cassettes?

The Tascam CD-A500 features a ±12% pitch adjustment on the cassette deck, allowing users to fine-tune playback speed and pitch.

What connectivity options does the Tascam CD-A500 offer?

The Tascam CD-A500 provides RCA unbalanced outputs common for both decks and dedicated RCA outputs for the CD player, ensuring versatile connectivity for different audio setups.

Is the Tascam CD-A500 suitable for rack mounting?

Yes, the Tascam CD-A500 is designed with a 3U rack-mountable form factor, making it easy to integrate into professional studio racks.

Does the Tascam CD-A500 come with a remote control?

The Tascam CD-A500 includes a wireless remote control, allowing users to operate the unit from a distance conveniently.

AudioHome

AudioHome

TASCAM CD-A500

Video thumbnail for TASCAM CD-A500 by AudioHome

TASCAM CD-A500

AudioHome

AudioHome

Video thumbnail for Tascam CD-A500 by Adrian Rata

Tascam CD-A500

Adrian Rata

Adrian Rata

Video thumbnail for Tascam cd-a500 by John West

Tascam cd-a500

John West

John West

Video thumbnail for TASCAM CD A500 Recording with CD Sync directly from CD to Tape by teguh setiawan

TASCAM CD A500 Recording with CD Sync directly from CD to Tape

teguh setiawan

teguh setiawan

Video thumbnail for Tascam CD A500 by zulkarnin

Tascam CD A500

zulkarnin

zulkarnin

Video thumbnail for TASCAM CD-A500 Disc Digital Audio & BI-Directional Record/play by Babi HiFi

TASCAM CD-A500 Disc Digital Audio & BI-Directional Record/play

Babi HiFi

Babi HiFi

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Tascam CD-A500.

Features and functionality

  • The Tascam CD-A500 allows automatic repeat recording on both cassette sides before returning to CD playback, enhancing continuous listening experiences.

    Source
  • The Tascam CD-A500 only supports standard audio CDs, lacking USB capabilities, which limits compatibility with modern digital formats.

    Source
  • AV switch boxes can simplify setup changes during recording, allowing users to switch monitoring sources without rewiring, ideal for frequent setup adjustments.

    Source

User experience

  • Users report that the Tascam CD-A500's cassette section is often in better condition than the CD section, as previous owners likely used the CD player more frequently.

    Source

Build quality

  • The headphone volume on the Tascam CD-A500 is known to be fixed at max volume due to potential wear, with some noting the CD eject button's print can wear off.

    Source
  • The frequency response of 50-15,000Hz on metal tapes highlights its focus on durability over high fidelity audio reproduction.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • A workflow involves connecting the Tascam CD-A500 to a Yamaha amplifier and an HP laptop with Qobuz for high-quality cassette recordings of digital albums.

    Source
  • Tascam cassette decks, including the CD-A500, are favored for playing and recording demos due to their robustness in daily studio environments.

    Source
  • Users interested in dubbing prefer dual well decks for their ability to play on one side while preserving the recording side for high-quality inputs.

    Source
  • Switching to powered speakers instead of headphones can mitigate monitoring volume issues when using a setup with splitters, enhancing the recording experience.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The CD-A500 is preferred over the newer CD-A580 due to affordability and the primary focus on cassette playback over MP3 and USB functionalities.

    Source
  • The CD-A500 is noted to be made in China, distinguishing it from older, possibly higher-regarded Japanese models in terms of origin.

    Source
  • The Tascam CD-A500's Dolby B and Auto Reverse features distinguish it from newer models with a CSG mechanism, favored for those seeking older, reliable technology.

    Source
  • The Pyle PT659DU, despite lacking a record monitor, is considered by some as a more cost-effective alternative to the Teac W1200, with savings of approximately $300.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • Using a splitter for monitoring on the Pyle PT659DU resulted in excessively loud headphone output, suggesting powered speakers as a better solution.

    Source

Based on 0 Reviews and 0 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star

More TASCAM Tape Decks

tascam 112 MKII

 

# 13

Rank

Claude VonStroke Tom Lord-Alge
2 artists using
TASCAM 134

 

# 18

Rank

Glenn Richards
1 artist using
Tascam 112

 

# 22

Rank

 
Landscape.fm HC-TT

$175.00 - $345.00

# 3

Rank

Richard Devine Andrew Huang Toshiji Mikawa
4 artists using
Korg CR4

 

# 9

Rank

Blake Mills Eric Cannata Jamie Lidell
4 artists using
Akai 4000db

 

# 14

Rank

 
Denon DRM-550

 

# 15

Rank

Elizabeth Parker
1 artist using
Uher CG330

 

# 19

Rank

 
Studer A721

 

# 21

Rank

 
AIWA FX-70

 

# 24

Rank

 

Artist usage

Community setups

Similar

  • Added to Equipboard on by

    seducsyn
    seducsyn

    Gear IQ 2130