Sunday, March 8, 2020

TASCAM TEAC PORTA power adaptor notes

If anyone is trying to use various TASCAM PORTA-STUDIOS but does not have the original PS-P1 adaptor, here is some info...

The original was:

15V DC, 400mA, center NEG, 5mm outer barrel 

The machine states 11-15V DC beside its jack, and requests that you only use the original adaptor.

I service these machines and from time to time see an original adaptor, but not often.

Many ads online claim to be PS-P1 equivalents but I have my doubts.

Modern switching adaptors often don't work at all. You might see the machine struggling to turn on (blinking power light) as the motor's surge current shuts down the switching adaptor over and over again.

The lesson is, get a good 12V DC LINEAR (transformer based) adaptor with sufficient current handling (400 to 1000mA - more is never dangerous) in order to get proper performance.