analog newb

[Rock Star 87]

hey all. i am an analog newb, with no experience beyond playing tapes and VHS. i've worked a tad bit with a/d conversion to my CPU, succesfully i might add, but what are DATS, multi-track CD's, and why woud u mix down to VHS. can anybody fill me in please.

[The Ghost of FM]

DAT is short for Digital Audio Tape.

Multi-track CDs come in two flavors; SACD, which is Super Audio Compact Disc and can be anything from 2 channel stereo to 5,1 channel surround in high definition digital audio. And, DTS-Multi-channel, which is a competitor to SACD, which only comes in DVD format. Both are music surround sound formats, both with very limited catalogs of music.

VHS Hi-Fi can be used in place of a cassette deck to master onto because of its wide, flat frequency response and low noise capabilities with no noise reduction. Older VHS decks with manual recording level controls are the preferable units of choice because all other VHS decks employ AGC or Automatic Gain Control and ruin the dynamics of your recording by hard limiting them so as no to clip the tape and supportive circuitry. Not many people use it as a mastering format these days...10 years ago, maybe but, not today!

That help?

Cheers!