Tascam AK-BT1 Bluetooth Adaptor

Tascam AK-BT1 Bluetooth Adapter

The Tascam AK-BT1 is a dedicated Bluetooth adapter that adds wireless remote control to compatible Tascam recorders. It plugs into the recorder’s dedicated Bluetooth device connector and links the recorder to a smartphone or tablet running Tascam’s free control app, so transport, gain and mix settings can be operated from a distance instead of at the recorder itself. Tascam specifies the adapter for the Portacapture X8 and Portacapture X6 handheld recorders and the DR-10L Pro miniature recorder.

The adapter itself is tiny: 22.3 x 14.9 x 5.7mm and about 1.5g, small enough that it disappears into the recorder’s connector and adds nothing meaningful to carry weight or bulk. It runs Bluetooth version 5.0 in dual mode on the 2.4GHz band, with a line-of-sight communication range of approximately 10 metres, and it draws its power from the host recorder, so there is no battery to charge or replace. It does not carry voice communication; it is a control and data link for the recorder.

Key features

• Adds Bluetooth remote control to compatible Tascam recorders
• Works with the free Portacapture Control app on iOS and Android
• Compatible with Portacapture X8, Portacapture X6 and DR-10L Pro
• Bluetooth 5.0 dual mode, approximately 10m line-of-sight range
• Supports wireless timecode synchronisation with Atomos UltraSync BLUE
• Ultra-compact 22.3 x 14.9 x 5.7mm body weighing about 1.5g
• Powered by the host recorder, no separate charging

Remote control from the app

With the AK-BT1 fitted, the Portacapture Control app gives access to the recorder’s basic operations, including starting and stopping recording, calling up app screens and dynamics presets, and adjusting gain, mix and effect parameters on the Portacapture models. That changes how the recorder can be placed: it can sit close to the subject, on a stand, on a table across the room or attached to a rig, while the operator monitors and controls it from a phone. For solo video creators, interviewers and field recordists, it removes the walk back and forth to the recorder between takes.

Timecode over Bluetooth

Beyond control, the AK-BT1 enables wireless timecode synchronisation between a compatible recorder and external timecode equipment such as the Atomos UltraSync BLUE. Timecode-stamped audio can then be aligned with camera footage in editing without relying on a scratch audio track or manual waveform matching, which is a significant saving on multicamera shoots, weddings and event coverage where the recorder runs unattended.

Compatibility, stated precisely

The AK-BT1 is made for Tascam’s dedicated Bluetooth connector and is not a general-purpose Bluetooth dongle for computers or other brands. Tascam lists compatibility with the Portacapture X8, the Portacapture X6 and the DR-10L Pro. Other DR-series recorders, including models without the dedicated connector, cannot use it, so check your recorder against that list before ordering. Installation is simply plugging the adapter into the connector; pairing is then handled through the recorder and the app.

If you own a Portacapture X8, Portacapture X6 or DR-10L Pro and record away from the machine, the AK-BT1 is the small accessory that turns the recorder into a remotely controlled, timecode-ready part of the kit.