Need ADAT 101 Education

[bilco]

I am recording with PT LE into a Digi001 PCI card in a Mac G4. I have been wanting to record my band live, but after dragging the computer, monitor, etc. to one gig, I am trying to find a better solution. For some reason I was thinking that ADATs were still really expensive, but I discovered today that a used one can be had for ~ $150 or even less.

Someone please tell me if this will work:

8 tracks is really enough to record our band if I work this right.

I already have a Behringer ADA8000 that has 8 mic preamps and a Lightpipe out and can either be the master clock or the slave.

So I am thinking that I could rack mount the Behringer preamp and an ADAT and take that to record a gig. Then I could transfer from the ADAT to PT LE through the Lightpipe cable and edit and mix in Pro Tools.

Is this a workable way to get 8 tracks into my DAW?

How hard is it to get tapes for the ADAT anymore?

What are some things to beware of if I check out one locally before buying? I have never used an ADAT.

How hard is it to find someone who still services ADATs and are the parts for the older ones still available if I get a Blackface?

Can anyone recommend any other resources to bring myself up to speed quickly on recording with an ADAT? Are there any other user forums are FAQs out there that you know of?

Thanks,
bilco

[phaqu]

Is this a workable way to get 8 tracks into my DAW?

I used to track on adats, unload into the computer and edit in vegas, so you can do it.

How hard is it to get tapes for the ADAT anymore?

SVHS tape will work fine. Get a tape rewinder with fast foward, ( I got one for $10) and FF RR the new tape a few times to knock any loose particles off before you format.

What are some things to beware of if I check out one locally before buying?

Check the hours of use on it , set locate and stop buttons on XTs. If its got a shitload of hours, it may be ready to crash. But, like anything else, it also depends on how it was maintained.
Also, look for any error codes when you put a tape in.

How hard is it to find someone who still services ADATs and are the parts for the older ones still available if I get a Blackface?

Call a pro audio repair shop around you to see if they service alesis.
I would stick with the XTs if I were you. But,I have 2 down right now,so......

Can anyone recommend any other resources to bring myself up to speed quickly on recording with an ADAT

Just use it like a tape machine. Keep the peaks below the red,( digital distortion is awful), and clean the heads periodically (that can be a challenge the first time), keep it away from dust. As cheap as they are now,Get a 9 pin d-sub connecter per machine and 2 light pipes( one to and one from) per machine and you can link them together, (and send to the computer). Just set one as master and the other(s) as slaves.

[bilco]

Thank Phaqu!

[stetto]

Originally Posted by bilco

How hard is it to get tapes for the ADAT anymore?

I get mine from www.TotalMedia.com. They carry virtually every type of recordable media, have huge contracts with the gub'mint and other outfits, so their prices are really reasonable. Their service has, so far, been impeccable...

Eric

[bilco]

Originally Posted by stetto

I get mine from www.TotalMedia.com. They carry virtually every type of recordable media, have huge contracts with the gub'mint and other outfits, so their prices are really reasonable. Their service has, so far, been impeccable...

Eric

I am looking at their site right now. I seem to remember reading somewhere that Maxell had the least problems of all the brands. Has that been the experience of folks here or are they all about the same?

If I am correct, it looks like the ADAT Blackface with original firmware was limited to 40 minutes, hence the 42 minute tapes. Later models and firmware updates allowed 60 minute tapes to be used. Is this correct? Is it still a good idea to stick with the 40 minute tapes to reduce wear and tear on the transport? Is the tape thinner and more fragile in a 60 minute tape the way it is in a C120 audio cassette?

How many rack spaces does an ADAT take up? I have a portable 4 rack unit I got from GC that has handles and velcro sealable front and back covers. That is what the Behringer ADA8000 preamp is in and I have 3 rack spaces left open.

I am REALLY excited about the ADAT thing. I had totally overlooked it before, but it looks like it will work fine with the Behringer ADA8000 preamp and let me have a low cost, field worthy 8 Track recording unit in a portable configuration that I can transfer right into Pro Tools to edit and do overdubs if needed.

I am thinking if I get a Blackface, I will be limited to 16 bit 48000 khz sessions and that is how I would transfer them into PT. If I get a later model, I will record at 20 bits and transfer into a 24 bit PT session. Does that make sense?

Thanks,
bilco

Thanks,
bilco

[stetto]

I have an XT. The engineer who sold it to me recomended TDK XP Pro 120, and that's all I've used. I'm sure the Maxell, Fuji, etc. are all comparable.

I've never seen any reason to use anything beyond a 120. 42 minutes per tape is good for catalogueing. The main issue with ADAT that I'm aware of is to watch the time on the transport components. My XT came out of a studio that used it only as a digital bridge. It had a total of 14 minutes on the drum when I received it. That reads in my book as "good as new"...

Eric

Oh, and yeah, the XT takes up two spaces in my rack, but they're FAT spaces and it doesn't fit loosely...Besides, you'll want to give 'er a space above for heat dispersion...

[orksnork]

i have a blackface im using for converters...

3 spaces plus fat, so you can't use the others around it

[stetto]

Yep, my mistake...3 fat spaces. Holes don't line up easily either...Wonder if Alesis had an oddballed rack in mind...

Eric

[orksnork]

well...from glancing, it seems that if you were to have another one above or below it, they'd line up perfectly...just not other gear..and hey...never hurts to have a little room for it to breath

[someguy]

I don't own adats anymore but had 3 in my studio years back. I definitely recommend that you have the capability to back up your recordings. Either a computer or a second adat where you can transfer your recorded tracks to. Adat's tend to break down quite often (leaving you lots of down time while they are being repaired) and they can chew tape destroying all your hard work. I've heard miracle stories where people's have never failed but I can tell you from my experience each of my machines would fail once a year almost like clockwork! Sometimes the issue (issue is a nice tech word for failure due to bad design and insuffcient money spent on quality control) the transport either.

[stetto]

Originally Posted by someguy

Adat's tend to break down quite often (leaving you lots of down time while they are being repaired) and they can chew tape destroying all your hard work. I've heard miracle stories where people's have never failed but I can tell you from my experience each of my machines would fail once a year almost like clockwork!

OK, you can log and note another "miracle" story right here; I've had mine for almost three years, second-hand, NOT EVEN THE ODD ERROR MESSAGE, much less any breakdowns...

...Of course mine came out of a permanent mount and once delivered was installed into a permanent mount. Throwing them around and hauling them to gigs is no way to insure longevity and nominal operation...

Eric