Tascam's MM200 isn't just another eight stereo channel mixer — Derek Johnson finds out what difference on-board MIDI routing plus a BBE Enhancer can make.

At first glance, Tascam's MM200 looks like nothing more than a 3U high rack mounting stereo keyboard mixer. This is no bad thing in itself — Tascam make good mixers. However, look again and you notice a subtle difference or two. For a start, the MM200 offers a 4-in, 8-out MIDI switching matrix, and secondly it has an officially sanctioned BBE enhancer built in.

The layout of Tascam's compact mixer should be familiar to anyone who has locked faders with any mixer in the past. Each of the eight inputs can handle a stereo or mono input, and provides four auxiliaries and a 2-band EQ. The pan pot doubles as a balance control when using both left and right inputs. Faders on a unit this small are a bonus, and that's what Tascam have provided — and very smooth they are too.

The other unusual feature is the MIDI In selector switch. Each of the audio inputs has a matching MIDI Thru socket at the rear, and this front panel switch selects which of four MIDI Ins is routed to the channel's Thru — Tascam have stopped short of offering a Merge facility, which is a shame, although it may have made the mixer more expensive. This allows a synth or module to have both its audio and MIDI connections plugged into one channel, so you can determine control both an instrument's level and MIDI control source.

The auxiliaries are perhaps configured a little restrictively; there are four of them, controlled by two pots which share two auxiliaries each (turn left for one, and right for the other). In conjunction with the stereo/mono effect mode switch, this does allow true stereo processing to be undertaken with stereo inputs (if your processor can handle it), but it also means that if you rather like the idea of using four processors at once on one sound source, you can't.

Back to good points: each input has a trim control and an overload LED that warns of clipping 3dB before the event. The master section features a single fader, avoiding accidental right/left imbalance, and the master outputs can be muted. Two sets of outputs are available — master and monitor. Both outputs feature a buss input. The stereo sub inputs, which are routed directly to the master fader, allow another mixer to be patched in for easy input expansion. The monitor input is routed to the headphones and monitor out. It could be used for a CD or tape output, and in a mini-multitrack setup would be helpful for monitoring playback of a backing track at any level while overdubbing. In addition, all the auxiliaries have sub inputs, allowing the aux sends from another mixer to be cascaded with those of the MM200. This means that a set of processors could easily be used by two mixers as if they were one. The main outputs are on jacks, phonos and balanced XLRs, and a ground lift switch should solve any hum problems caused by earth loops.

The last notable facility on the MM200 is the BBE Professional exciter. You can switch the effect in and out, and the amount of the treatment is controlled with a 'definition' knob. Turned full right, the effect is very bright indeed, but in a different way to a treble control turned full up. In addition, the BBE system works on the phase relationships of the audio split into three bands; the high frequency band is treated separately in relation to the mid and low bands, and recombined for output.

Sonically, the MM200 performs as you'd expect from Tascam — ie. very well. For a small mixer it is very forgiving of peaks and loud input signals in general. On a personal note, I found the EQ to be effective and musical, if a little 'soft'; this could be due to the low band shelving at 100Hz, which is just a bit high, and the top shelving at 10kHz, when 12kHz may have been a little better. But all in all it's a good compromise, considering that there is no mid control, and is much better than having a harsh EQ.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the MM200 was the way in which the four aux sends were shared by two pots. I know why Tascam did it — space considerations, and true stereo operation — but perhaps they could have used dual concentric pots, which for all their awkwardness would have endowed the mixer with more flexibility. Also lacking are insert points, but I would have been a bit surprised to see them on a mixer of this size.

But back to the good news. Adding MIDI patching facilities to a compact mixer isn't a new idea — Aria produced one with a basic MIDI Thru box built in a few years ago — but it is a good one, and the way that Tascam have implemented the facility is very useful and logical. The built-in BBE Professional-enhancer system brightens the overall sound without adding unwanted noise. We've all noticed that the audio outputs of modern digital synths often often produce a certain amount of hiss, which tends to be amplified if the treble control is turned up. The BBE avoids this to a certain extent.

Overall, the MM200 is good value and would make a good sub-mixer for a live or studio musician, especially given eight stereo inputs (ie. 16 mono inputs) and the MIDI switching facilities. All your sound modules, effects processors and the mixer itself could be mounted together in one rack, with all audio and MIDI leads hidden tidily away. All your leads would be much shorter as well, which is no bad thing. In fact, it could have been made even tidier if one MIDI In and the MIDI Thru and audio inputs of one of the input channels had been duplicated on the front panel, allowing the musician to easily plug his or her main keyboard into the desk without fiddling around the back of a rack. A missed opportunity, perhaps, but not one so serious as to be worth missing the mixer for. You would be forgiven for thinking that this many knobs and sliders in such a small space could feel awkward. This is not in fact the case, with loads of finger room around all knobs.

The MM200 is flexible and offers good value and good sound. Tascam even give you a choice: should you not want the MIDI switching or BBE enhancer, take a look at the MM100 which offers nearly all the other facilities of the MM200 for less money — it could make an ideal expander for an MM200 you may already own as well. If you're in need of a keyboard mixer — or a sub-mixer of any kind — ignore the MM200 at your peril.

Further information

£499 inc VAT.

TEAC UK, (Contact Details).