Adat Woohooo

[boomtap]

Sorry about the yelling, I am still a fan of the adat. It has served me well for many years. Now I have several in the basement and they look sad and lonely down there all by themselves in a almost graveyard like scene. I think I will fire them up and make one last album with them before technology forces me to use them as a doorstop.

[Kasey]

hey im still using one, theyre not dead yet. I use it because SIAB systems suck, i hate tracking with computers, and i cant afford an 8 track reel to reel. Theyre cheap now, its the perfect deal.

[boomtap]

I love the blessed things. I have 4 of them, but they are collecting dust now with my computer getting most of my time. I like to record demo stuff using some USB guitar stuff from Line 6, and I can't do that with an ADAT.

I think I might keep them around a while though. Can I still get tape for them?

[eh91311]

Hi. I'm guilty, I have way too many. Hard to turn them down because they're so inexpensive used now. Blackfaces, XT's, XT20's... they all sound different. I learned the hard way, don't skimp on SVHS tapes. If you have and use ADATs, buy in bulk and keep a supply on hand. Maxells & TDK's are reliable and you can get pro quality ones at reasonable prices. Fuji's are less expensive but good. Stay away from budget ones... they shed and leave crap all over the tape path and headstack.

[boomtap]

I will say this, I like to use them for live recordings, because I can get 24+ tracks in a rack, get a decent sound check and then just set some levels. When you get it to a place you can actually hear at you usually have something to work with. To me that is much easier than getting out a computer, and multiple soundcards. Live-decent-cheap=Adat.

[snatchman]

I still use them also... . Not really by choice but they help keep my chops up until I can do better!

[boomtap]

I love the meters. I think that is what I miss the most about that system is all the lights and meters and stuff.

[eh91311]

I like the fact that if you can operate an analog recorder, using an ADAT is a no-brainer. Low/no learning curve. Computers can be difficult.
A HD24 is a logical upgrade from a ADAT multiple-uinit system, but 3 used blackface units cost way less than one new HD24. Old BRC remotes are inexpensive as well.

The HD24 sounds much better though...

[Kasey]

Originally Posted by eh91311

I like the fact that if you can operate an analog recorder, using an ADAT is a no-brainer. Low/no learning curve. Computers can be difficult.

Is the reverse true as well, at leat to a certain extent? obviously you'd need to learn how to work with the tape, but operation-wise... I've really only used ADATs (and a few SIAB systems), and i'm really wanting to sell it and go analog... think I'll run into any difficulties?

and yea, ADAT's were pretty easy to learn, and I hadn't really used anything before them.

[eh91311]

No more or less than ADATs. The ADAT transport interface design mimics the analog tape decks of the time.

[boomtap]

If you can work a VCR, you can laydown tracks on an ADAT. The only thing that is a little bit harder is punch-in's and track bouncing. But that is not real difficult. I recomend the BRC remote to make things as simple as possible.