The TASCAM FR-AV4 is a professional four-channel field recorder and mixer designed for filmmaking, television production, documentaries, interviews, weddings, live events, podcasting and location sound recording.

It uses dual analogue-to-digital converters and 32-bit float technology to provide an analogue dynamic range of at least 133 dB. This allows the recorder to capture very quiet and extremely loud sound sources while reducing the risk of clipped or unusable recordings.

Four Ultra HDDA microphone preamps provide clean, low-noise performance through balanced XLR/TRS combo inputs. The FR-AV4 can simultaneously record four isolated input tracks together with a stereo mix, providing a total of six recorded tracks.

Key Features

• Four-channel professional field recorder and mixer
• Records four individual tracks plus a stereo mix
• Maximum of six simultaneous recording tracks
• Maximum recording resolution: 192 kHz/32-bit float
• Dual A/D converter architecture
• Analogue dynamic range of at least 133 dB
• Four TASCAM Ultra HDDA microphone preamps
• Four balanced XLR/TRS combo inputs
• Individually selectable 24V or 48V phantom power
• Built-in four-input/two-output mixer
• Built-in timecode generator
• Dedicated LTC timecode input and output
• HDMI timecode, clock synchronisation and recording control
• HDMI 2.1 with 4K/60 Hz and 8K/30 Hz video pass-through
• Cascading support for multiple FR-AV4 recorders
• Six-input/two-output USB-C audio-interface operation
• 1.9-inch colour LCD touchscreen
• Jog wheel and dedicated physical controls
• WAV/BWF and MP3 recording
• BEXT and iXML metadata support
• Ambisonic A-format and B-format recording
• Automatic file-saving protection
• Optional Bluetooth monitoring and remote control
• Supports SDXC cards up to 512 GB
• Powered by four AA batteries, USB-C or an optional AC adapter

Recording Specifications

Recording media:

• SD cards
• SDHC cards
• SDXC cards
• Maximum supported capacity: 512 GB

WAV/BWF recording:

• 48 kHz
• 96 kHz
• 192 kHz
• 24-bit
• 32-bit float
• BEXT metadata
• iXML metadata

MP3 recording:

• Sampling frequency: 48 kHz
• 128 kbit/s
• 192 kbit/s
• 256 kbit/s
• 320 kbit/s

Input channels:

• Four

Maximum recording and playback tracks:

• Six tracks
• Four isolated input tracks plus stereo mix

XLR/TRS Microphone Inputs

The FR-AV4 has four balanced locking XLR/TRS combo inputs for connecting professional microphones, wireless receivers, mixers and line-level equipment.

Microphone-input specifications:

• Connectors: Four XLR/TRS combo sockets
• Input type: Balanced
• Maximum microphone input level: +4 dBu
• Minimum microphone input level: −76 dBu
• Input impedance: 2 kΩ or higher
• Phantom power: 24V or 48V
• Phantom power can be selected individually for each XLR input

Line-input specifications:

• Maximum input level: +24 dBu
• Nominal input level: +4 dBu
• Input impedance: 8 kΩ or higher

Camera and External Input

The additional 3.5 mm stereo input can receive audio from cameras, lavalier microphones, wireless microphone receivers and other external devices.

Specifications:

• Connector: 3.5 mm stereo mini jack
• Input type: Unbalanced
• Supports mono or stereo sources
• Maximum input level: +1 dBV
• Nominal input level: −19 dBV
• Minimum input level: −79 dBV
• Input impedance with plug-in power off: 6 kΩ or higher
• Input impedance with plug-in power on: 1.6 kΩ or higher
• Selectable plug-in power: 2.5V or 5V

Line, Camera and Timecode Output

• Connector: 3.5 mm stereo mini jack
• Maximum audio output level: +6 dBV
• Nominal audio output level: −14 dBV
• Audio output impedance: 210Ω
• Can provide an audio signal and camera-level timecode
• LTC timecode format compliant with SMPTE ST 12-1
• Adjustable output delay: 0–300 ms

Headphone Output

• Connector: 3.5 mm stereo mini jack
• Maximum output power: 50 mW + 50 mW into 32Ω
• Recommended headphone impedance: 16–600Ω
• Dedicated headphone level control
• Flexible selection of individual channels or the stereo mix for monitoring

Timecode Functions

The built-in timecode generator allows recorded audio to be accurately synchronised with cameras, video recorders and other audio equipment.

Timecode features include:

• Internal timecode generator
• Dedicated timecode input
• Dedicated timecode output
• Jam-sync operation
• HDMI timecode synchronisation
• USB timecode output
• Camera-level timecode output
• Optional Atomos wireless timecode synchronisation
• High-accuracy TCXO clock generator

Supported frame rates:

• 23.98 fps
• 24 fps
• 25 fps
• 29.97 fps
• 29.97 drop frame
• 30 fps
• 50 fps
• 59.94 fps
• 59.94 drop frame
• 60 fps

HDMI Connectivity

The FR-AV4 includes HDMI 2.1 input and output connections for integration with compatible cameras and monitor recorders.

HDMI functions include:

• Shared audio and video clock synchronisation
• HDMI timecode synchronisation
• Automatic recording start and stop from compatible cameras
• 4K video pass-through at up to 60 Hz
• 8K video pass-through at up to 30 Hz
• Embedding recorded audio into an HDMI video signal
• Passing the camera’s original audio through the recorder
• Cascading multiple FR-AV4 recorders
• Synchronised recording control between cascaded recorders

Multiple FR-AV4 units can be connected through HDMI when more than four microphone inputs are required.

Built-In Mixer

The integrated mixer can combine the four input channels into a two-channel stereo mix while keeping the original isolated tracks available for post-production.

Mixing and processing functions include:

• Input gain adjustment
• Channel panning
• Four-band equalisation
• Low-cut filter
• Limiter
• Noise gate
• Input delay
• Output delay
• Tone generator
• Flexible monitor routing

Input and output delays can be adjusted between 0 and 300 ms.

Automatic Mixing

With firmware version 1.10 or later, the FR-AV4 includes an Auto Mix function using gain-sharing technology.

Auto Mix can:

• Automatically prioritise the active microphone
• Lower unused microphone channels
• Reduce unwanted background noise
• Support up to four channels
• Apply different weighting to each channel
• Save settings as user presets
• Be controlled through the TASCAM Recorder Connect app

Auto Mix is available when recording at a 48 kHz sampling rate.

Ambisonic Recording

The FR-AV4 supports spatial-audio recording for virtual reality, augmented reality and 360-degree productions.

Supported formats include:

• Ambisonic A-format
• Ambisonic B-format
• AmbiX
• FuMa

USB Audio Interface

The FR-AV4 can function as a professional USB-C audio interface with compatible computers and mobile devices.

USB specifications:

• Connector: USB Type-C
• USB standard: USB 2.0 High Speed
• USB Audio Class 2.0
• Six inputs and two outputs
• Supported sampling frequencies: 48 kHz and 96 kHz
• Supported resolutions: 24-bit and 32-bit float
• Mass-storage mode for transferring recorded files
• Compatible with supported Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS and Android devices

Bluetooth and Remote Control

Installing the optional TASCAM AK-BT2 Bluetooth adapter enables:

• Wireless audio monitoring
• Remote recorder control
• Wireless timecode synchronisation with compatible Atomos products
• Waveform and input-level monitoring
• Metadata editing
• Simultaneous control of up to five compatible TASCAM recorders
• Record-Link synchronised recording

Remote operation is provided through the TASCAM Recorder Connect app for compatible iOS, iPadOS and Android devices.

Audio Performance

• Equivalent input noise: −127 dBu or lower
• Dynamic range: 133 dB or higher
• Total harmonic distortion plus noise: 0.01% or lower

Frequency response at 48 kHz:

• 20 Hz–20 kHz

Frequency response at 96 kHz:

• 20 Hz–40 kHz

Frequency response at 192 kHz:

• 20 Hz–60 kHz

Data Protection

The automatic file-saving function saves the active recording approximately every 20 seconds. This helps reduce the amount of recorded material that could be lost if the recorder loses power or unexpectedly shuts down.

Display and Controls

• 1.9-inch colour LCD touchscreen
• Physical jog wheel
• Dedicated monitor-selection button
• Assignable shortcut key
• Dedicated recording and transport controls
• Controls designed for operation during mobile and field production

Power Requirements

Power options:

• Four AA alkaline batteries
• Four AA NiMH rechargeable batteries
• Four AA lithium batteries
• USB bus power
• USB power bank
• Optional TASCAM PS-P520U AC adapter

Maximum power consumption:

• 5.4W

Approximate maximum battery life with phantom power switched off:

• Alkaline batteries: Up to 9 hours
• NiMH batteries: Up to 8 hours
• Lithium batteries: Up to 17 hours

Battery operating time decreases when using four microphones, phantom power, headphones, HDMI and 32-bit float multitrack recording.