Blue Bear, help, another stupid adat question

[dragonworks]

I bought the XT20 from CJWalker. Since I dont have a manual anymore, duh?, how do I sync my XT16 to the XT20, any other tips and sugesstions, like, should I use one for the recording and the other for the monitoring while laying tracks, etc
Also, I need to pick up an outboard rack mount reverb, delay, for my tascam console. I will buy used cheap of course, cause I cant afford anything else.
Any recomendations for around a hundred used??

[Track Rat]

They sync together with the 9 pin sync cable. There is a difference between type II recordings and the old ADAT format besides the 16 bit/20 bit difference but the two machines will sync together.

[dragonworks]

Will I have any audio problems or any issues between the XT16 and the 20 that will prevent me from getting 16 tracks of material to burn to a cd?
In other words, what does your above statement mean to me in terms of recording, they are still completely compatable right?

[Track Rat]

How are you going to mix? Through an analog console or in a computer?

[dragonworks]

I want to drop the tracks into a computer and mix there.

OK, here comes the bad news.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally Posted by dragonworks

I want to drop the tracks into a computer and mix there.

OK, here comes the bad news.

If that's the case, then you'll need a soundcard that will sync with the ADATs (such as the RME Hammerfall) so that you'll be able to transfer the tracks over digitally..........

[dragonworks]

Originally Posted by Blue Bear Sound

If that's the case, then you'll need a soundcard that will sync with the ADATs (such as the RME Hammerfall) so that you'll be able to transfer the tracks over digitally..........

I have an adat pcr card that worked previously, will that suffice?

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally Posted by dragonworks

I have an adat pcr card that worked previously, will that suffice?

It should - if it's got Lightpipe I/O and ADAT sync, you'll be fine!

[dragonworks]

yes it does, will download 8 tracks at a shot. I would like to use cubase, it is intuitively (sp) compatable with me for some reason.

[Track Rat]

One thing you should watch for is type II ADATs invert the polarity of the signal as opposed to the 16 bit models. This could become and issue with things like drum overheads (say with the left track on one machine and the right on the other) or transfering all the tracks into a computer on the same machine.

[Blue Bear Sound]

I forgot about that little "gotcha"...!

But actually, it was the other way around, the Type I ADATs were mis-wired with inverted polarity. The problem was fixed in the Type II models....

Of course, Mike is still correct in that you need to be aware that the two type of units are inverted with respect to each other.........

[dragonworks]

If I record all six drum tracks on one machine and use the remaining two for vocals and record all the instruments on the other machine and download the machines to the computer there should be no problem correct?
I forget in what format and file extension the files are downloaded in on the adat pcr card, can anyone jump start me?
.wav .pcr??? I think they are wave files?? I forget, it has been almost five years, you must forgive me.

[Track Rat]

Wav files. And if you DO have any polarity problems, you can flip it with software.

[dragonworks]

how do i go about syncin the two of them up, what do i have to set on the decks and can i use the sync cable that came with my pcr card? do i need to sync cables and if so what are they called? does one have to be the master and the other the slave? etc etc
i guess i should go to alesis and download a manual eh? if they still have them.

[Blue Bear Sound]

The manuals are on-line....... but anyways - you do need an ADAT sync cable..... and you connect the sync cables by chaining them together - there's only one way you can connect them (it's not bi-directional)

First unit in the chain is the master and controls all other units down the line....

Incidently - the although the sync cable appears to be standard 9-pin computer cable... it's not... the ADAT version is shielded and grounded, and is male at both ends.......

[Strange Leaf]

The inverted thingy isn't between type I and II, it's between the blackface and all other models. The ADAT XT 16bit is type I and doesn't have this problem.