TASCAM 122, Classic Pro Cassette Playback & Recording

The TASCAM 122 is a legendary, professional rack-mount cassette deck, revered as a durable workhorse for recording studios and broadcast environments. Designed for superior audio performance, this 3-head, three-motor deck offers high-fidelity recording capabilities, including Dolby HX Pro to enhance high-frequency headroom.  Featuring a direct-drive capstan motor and precision tape handling, the 122 provides studio-grade sound quality that is ideal for archiving, mastering, and professional audio production.

Designed for demanding users, the 122 series includes advanced features like full-logic IC control, memory functions, and variable pitch control. The deck features comprehensive, user-adjustable front-panel bias/level tweaks with a built-in 400 Hz/10 kHz oscillator, allowing for precise calibration for any tape type. With balanced input/output terminals and robust, long-lasting heads, the TASCAM 122 remains a coveted piece of vintage audio gear, trusted for delivering reliable, high-quality cassette performance.

Unlike most 2-head consumer decks, the 3-head design (separate record, playback, and erase heads) enabled real-time, off-tape monitoring during recording, which allowed operators to verify the quality of the recording as it was being made.  The inclusion of balanced XLR inputs and outputs, along with unbalanced RCA and front-panel line inputs, allowed for seamless integration into professional studio environments with minimal noise interference, a feature largely absent on consumer decks.

A rear-panel 25-pin D-sub connector provided a parallel control port for external control, such as fader start from a mixing console, crucial for broadcast applications.  In this case, this broadcast 122 comes equipped with the factory “remote control” and about 20 feet of cable to allow the user to sit in their lounge chair and RW/FF/Play/Pause without having to move an inch. 

This piece has been completely run through by our cassette service tech.  Everything just shy of a “factory recalibration” has been performed, and the output on this deck for playback and recording are both very very good. 

Demos are encouraged here in Andover, MA.

$699 (plus applicable shipping and/or sales tax)