LX20...stupidity and me...

[bridon65]

okay...three or four years ago, I got one of those Alesis "Studio in a Box" things. LX20, Studio24 etc. Tried to record and got nothing, nada zip, zilch and squat. At the time, Alesis recommended a dat recorder hooked up to the works. I used a Sony cd recorder...and got zip, zilch, nada and squat.
Being the highly patient person I am, I cursed Alesis to the worst bits of hell and bullied on with my other bitchin' relic - a Yamaha MD-8.

So, how the hell did I go wrong with the Alesis? Should I have gotten a dat cassette recorder or something?
Bear in mind, my recording experience is limited pretty much to two Radio Shack casstte recorders, and a bunch of shit I can't even begin to figure out.
I'm MUCH older than twelve, but you should probably explain this to me like I was younger...
Does the Alesis system need a seperate (Tape?) recorder to work?
confused, drunk and probably damaged...
bri

[bridon65]

C'mon! 9 views and nobody has an answer? WTF?
I know I'm not that bright at communication, but at least one of you nine has had a freekin' Alesis and the experience to go with it! ( it IS the fucking Alesis part of the forum after all)
I know it's a stupid question.
But then, I'm fairly comfortable in being stupid.
C'mon people!

[Blue Bear Sound]

If I understand your question, the answer is YES - you definitely need another 2-ch (ie stereo) recorder to mix down to....

[eh91311]

Your description of your problems are very vague.
Is the problem the recorder or the mixer?
Did you plug the cables connecting the recorder to the mixer correctly?
Did you test each unit separately? Did you plug a cable and mic into an input channel on the mixer and monitor your voice with headphones plugged in?
Did you format a S-VHS tape successfully on the LX20 before recording? Did you record a signal directly into the LX20 (like from a cassette or CD player) and get signal in on record and signal level out on playback?
Is your problem concerning mixdown of recorded material, or getting signal in and out of the LX20 and/or mixer?

No question is stupid, but your statement of not getting "zip, zilch, nada and squat" is inconclusive. It is possible to get a recorder and a mixer where both are non-functional, but highly unlikely, even with Alesis' questionable quality control.

We need more detailed iinfo from you in order to help you out.

[bridon65]

Pardon my vaguery, thanks to you both, but Bear got it (I think?). Thanks. Both.
I really am embarrassed about this. I've had this damn thing forever, and it just occured to me to ask. Damn.
I feel pretty foolish for asking this one too, but does it matter what kind of 2 channel unit I have hooked up to the lx20? Does it have to be a dat? Can I go on a hard drive? or is it too old a machine to try hooking up to a computer?
Sorry for my absolute lack of knowledge guys.
These bloody Alesis manuals read like A Bomb schematics, and I am but a poor high school drop out.

[Blue Bear Sound]

The mixdown recorder can be anything - cassette, reel-to-reel, minidisc, CD recorder, DAT, or computer... the higher the quality of the recorder, the better the sound quality....

This Mixing article may also give you some tips --> Mixing 101

[bridon65]

Thanks Bear...and thanks for the link, believe it or not, I googled the hell outta this before I asked you guys, but did not get too many (useful) results.
You people and this forum are one of the best things on the web.

Also, I hit your link and visited your studio.
MY GOD.
I damn near chucked my idiotic rig right into the pond out back. Thank God I'm a guitarist first, and a "recording enthusiast" second. I hope to play in your awesome studio one day! I'll be the guy carrying Ozzy's jock.
bri

[snatchman]

Hi bridon65. This is not a stupid question. A friend of mine did basically the same thing when he first got his Adat LX-20. When you "arm" the recording tracks, are the lights blinking or solid red when you start to record? The reason I ask is, this was my friend's problem. He thought he was actually recording a track, but when he would play it back he got nothing, zilch, goose-egg, zilch, etc.. ! Because the Adat was not really in the record mode, only the monitor mode! Give it another shot and see! Hope this helps.