Tascam DA-302
Two DAT decks in a single 3U chassis, built so a studio could dub at double speed and never touch a rewind button again.
Overview
The DA-302 is what it looks like: two complete DAT recorders sharing one 3U rack-mount chassis. Each deck has its own transport controls and its own audio connections. Tascam's advertising billed it as a way to "double your output for less than the cost of two single DAT recorders." The pitch was simple - dub at twice normal speed with ABS time, subcode and PCM data intact, cut two masters at once, or start a dub from any point on the source tape instead of rewinding to the top. The company's copy put the list price at $2,999. Dealer pricing in the trade press ran lower, and one distributor listing in the period press advertised the dual DAT at $1,099 against a $1,899 manufacturer's list.
The feature set is where the machine earns its rack space. Each deck has its own S/PDIF digital I/O, and the digital output format is selectable between S/PDIF and AES/EBU. There's external control I/O for running multiple units together. Append dubbing lets a user pick up a dub from any position on the master tape. Continuous record works between deck one and deck two, and simultaneous record works across both. Sample rates are 32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz. Analog connections are unbalanced RCA jacks. Balanced XLR analog I/O came as an optional kit, the LA-D302.
EQ (1998, p.116) reviewed the machine and flagged a practical catch worth knowing before buying: the DA-302 can pass and handle timecode in a limited fashion even though it is not otherwise a timecode-equipped deck, and every connection on the rear is an RCA jack unless the optional XLR kit is fitted. That review also noted the "Cascade" outputs provided for chaining multiple machines together. For anyone wiring a pair of these into a larger room, the RCA-only default is the detail that shapes the patch bay.
The trade press took notice at the 1997 NAB convention, where the DA-302 got a "Pick Hits" honorable mention. The judges recognized the dual-well DAT recorder alongside a short list of other products. The same NAB coverage described each section as having fully independent transport controls and audio connections, with internal 2x-speed dubbing and relay (continuous) recording and playback across the two decks.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.