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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
 Posted - 12/16/2010 : 10:05:42 AM
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As many of you know, I've enjoyed a longtime gig as a gear reviewer for various tech mags and websites. This time I thought I'd give my pals here on the 'patch first look at an interesting new product.
Tascam TC-1S Solar Rechargeable Tuner
Here is a sobering thought: Some 3 billion batteries are purchased each year in the US; of these about 2.9 billion are discarded, accounting for some 179 tons of waste added to landfills. Yes, rechargeable batteries may be recycled; but that sad fact is that few are. Ordinary batteries? Pay no attention to the bins at you local Big Box Electronics store--if it ain't rechargeable, it ain't recyclable.
So what does this have to do with us? If you use a digital tuner–and who doesn't these days?–you should pay attention. Even if we use rechargeable batteries for flashlights, portable recorders and other devices, the chances are pretty good that our tuners run on the flat button-type batteries. And those cannot be recycled.
I'm a huge fan of renewable power from the sun, as anyone who has seen my collection of solar Tiki torches will attest. So when Tascam asked me if I would be interested in taking a look at their new solar tuner, I jumped at the chance.
To answer the most obvious question first: the solar panel on the tuner is designed to work with artificial light, charging the internal battery in just a just few minutes. And it does not require bright light, either. As I type this it is happily charging away under the glow from my computer screen. The tuner comes with a short strap attached to a carabiner; clip it outside your gig bag and the tuner will keep itself charged. The internal battery is rated at six hours of operation; I have not had the patience to test that. To save energy, the tuner turns itself off after a few minutes.
In the past week I've used the TC-1S in a variety of situations. The built-in mic is quite robust, able to glom onto my guitar or uke amid a noisy bar environment. I have also made use of the 1/4" jack, something I've missed with those clip-on headstock tuners. The bar graph display may be set to four different modes. Three are essentially variations on the standard digital tuner needle with varying degrees of sensitivity–Fine lets you hone in to within one cent, which ought to be enough for you picky types.
To compare the different modes, I clipped a Meisel MCT-7L and a Crafter TG-200H to the headstock of my Po Mahina Deluxe guitar, and placed my trusty old Korg C-30 on the desk next to the Tascam. Guess what? Not all tuners are created equal. The Tascam and the Meisel always agreed, the other two sometimes did and sometimes didn't.
In the Fine setting, I give the edge to the Tascam, as the Meisel is only accurate to within 3 or more cents. The Crafter has the annoying habit of locking every time a string hits pitch, no matter how momentary. Since a string always heads sharp when first struck, this makes it hard to tune, to say the least. And the Korg? I was surprised to see that it never agreed with the others; sometimes it read sharp, sometimes flat. Guess that one is going back on the shelf.
By the way: Digital tuners are great for getting your individual strings in tune, but always use your ears to temper the tuning. For instance, when I tune my guitar to Taropatch, I'll adjust the open B string a few cents flat from pitch. Why? Because, J. S. Bach notwithstanding, our ears do not want to hear a mathematically perfect third.
A fourth mode creates an animated strobe-like display. If you aren't familiar with strobe tuners, here's how it works: a group of animated bars move from side to side; slowing down as you approach the correct pitch. Given the size of the bars, I found this handy for tuning in dim light.
Which gets me to the biggest drawback: for some reason Tascam decided not to include an LED. I passed the tuner to a bass player at a session in a dim martini bar (yes, I do have all the fun) and she found she could not make out the display with the tuner resting on the bridge. Given how little current LEDs draw, and given that most musicians play indoors I find it odd that Tascam would forgo this important feature.
However, this isn't a deal breaker for me. I quickly got used to the display, even in dim light. Oh, and the tuner easily handles the range of an acoustic bass.
After using it for a week, I like this tuner a lot. I like the versatility of the different modes, the size and the 1/4" input, I even like the cool silicon case–mine's blue, but your's can be any one of six groovy colors. Of course you can calibrate it from A 437 to A 446; handy if you play with an accordion. In case you live in a cave, you can recharge the tuner by plugging an optional mini-USB cable into a computer.
Like all rechargeable batteries, the one in the Tascam TC-1S will eventually fail and need to be recycled. Until then, I expect I will be tossing a lot fewer batteries in the garbage.
If you are looking for a new tuner and you want to mitigate your contribution to the waste stream, check it out.
• Chromatic tuner
• Solar-powered battery charging
• USB input for battery charging
• 1/4" instrument/microphone input
• Built-in microphone
• Custom LCD display with note, sharp/flat indicators, bargraph for pitch deviation
• Shock-resistant silicon case included
• Available in six colors: black, pink, orange, green, blue, white
• Includes strap and clip for attaching to instrument case
• Four display modes: Bar, Fine, Strobe Animation, Needle
• 12-note equal temperament scale
• Pitch displayed in 1 cent steps (in fine mode)
• 3.77" W x 0.71" H x 1.57" D (96mm W x 18mm H x 40mm D)
• 1.8oz (51g) weight
msrp $49.99/ $39.99 street
http://tascam.com/product/tc-1s/
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Edited by - Mark on 12/16/2010 10:08:13 AM |
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Bau
Lokahi
USA
226 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 04:09:49 AM
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i hate all the waste from batteries. its one of the worse enviromental probs.
that is a realy great concept to have a tuner light powered!
only i wish it was strictly solar, the way some calculators are, instead of having a battery to replace and just using solar to charge it. I'm already using rechargeable AAAs in the tuners I've got. but I guess i am having to use a wall charger that isn't solar powered. But they do make them.
http://www.amazon.com/SunJia-Solar-Battery-Charger-4/dp/B000H36S0G
I should get one realy.
I have used a solar trickle charger for my motorcycle battery and it works ok. |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 12/20/2010 : 02:41:47 AM
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I had a solar charger for my electric gadgets when I went to my first Aloha camp on Molokai., as I’d heard that there wasn’t a ‘regular’ electricity supply at the camp. It was really good. It was called a Solio http://www.solio.com/charger/
Trouble was, when I got back to the UK, it being February, the dawn isn’t til about 7, and the dusk is about half past five in the afternoon. And during those hours, the sun wasn’t actually visible, what with the massive slab of grey cloud that seems to hang about six feet above our heads for the whole time.
So not really being able to use it, I put it in a ‘safe place’ and haven’t seen it since. I doubt I’ll ever see it again unless I buy another one, at which point it will instantly reappear.
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Tascam Solar Guitar Tuner
