ADAT vs Hard Disk Recorders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fmmahoganyrush
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Fmmahoganyrush

Fmmahoganyrush

Pleads the 5th...
OK, I tried to do a search for this and my computer wacked out, so I'm just posting the question. I've been conemplating picking up a Hard Disk Recorder. I do most of my recording with my computer/Cakewalk at this point, but I'm really getting tires of the damn fan noise from my computers coming though in the mix. First off, I haven't really looked into these much (like, they probably have annoying cooling fans as well), so pros and cons of ADAT vs a HD machine. I'm looking for at least 16 tracks, 24 - 36 would be better. Also, I'm not too concerned about price at this point, just what's out there and the differences between the two types of gear. Thanx, Tom.
 
At this time, I'm running two 20 bit ADATs and putting them into the computer for editing and some additional tracking. The ADATs are just as noisey as a computer when they tape is engaged. Now I haven't personally done any tracking with the Alesis HD24 system but I'll be picking up a unit in less than two weeks. Twenty-four tracks of 24 bit recording with very decent A/D/A converters and word clock input sounds pretty sexy to me.
New ADATs can be had for about a grand, used ones for half that and less, which makes them a VERY good buy. But at $2000 US street price for the HD24, that's hard to beat, IMHO.
 
Now. But soon I'll be breakin' wind and laughin'.:D :D :D
 
Ohhhh.

I thought it looked like the guy was holding his breath until he got red and lightheaded (bubbles over his head). I always wondered why that made the other guy green and pass out.

:rolleyes: :D
 
I have a pair of ADAT XT 20s and they are MUCH quieter then my computer. Actually they are VERY quiet. Im guessing since the ADAT HD system is a glorified Celeron 700 PC, that it will either have regular computer noises, or hopefully Alesis in the price tag included the $50 super quiet fans that are on the market.
 
Here are some of the major reasons I choose the Alesis HD24 over The Mackie MDR24/96:

My previous set up was two ADATs and a MOTU 2408, the HD24 fits right in . Now I can use the full 24 I/O on the 2408.

The HD24 comes with 24 I/O of TRS analog and lightpipe. The lightpipe is an add on to the Mackie MDR24/96 which you have to buy (more money). Plus, with the MDR24/96, you can only have one set of I/O cards installed at one time. My setup requires both; Analog to my mixer and Digital to the 2408.

Other minor comparisons:

The Alesis Machine is 3 Rack Units.
The Mackie Machine is 4 Rack Units.

The HD24 has Dual Removable Hard Drive Bay.
The Mackie Has a fix internal drive and one removal drive bay.

They both have ethernet connections: The HD24 uses a 10T, whereas, the MDR24/96 has 100T. This is the only area I feel Alesis fell short on their design.

I have not opened the case of the HD24 to see what is in it, but I am sure it is close to what the MDR24/96 has which is:
433MHz Celeron w/128MB PC66 SDRAM.

Since these Machines DO NOT use Windows as an operating system, they really don't require a beast of a CPU to run things well. (Work smart, not hard)
 
Fishmed - Since you've got your HD24, how's it been working?

Also, about the fan noise question, anything to relate on that?

Do you know if the HD24 has SMPTE sync capability, also? I can't find this in any of the literature, and for my application it will eventually be needed. In the next couple of weeks I'll be ordering either the HD24 or the Mackie MDR (although the new Mackie SDR looks just like the ADAT with 24 analog I/O's and 24 ADAT lightpipe I/O's plus SMPTE; but its not yet available).

Any issues with file size on the HD24? I know the Mackie has a 15 minute timer that cuts in to cut down file size. Most of my recording is going to be live, without the ability to stop and start recording until the end of a 15-20 minute set. I want to have the option to dump it to my PC to edit with Sonar as well as doing analog mixes, so this limitation in the Mackie is important. I wish either one would let you insert marker points to split the file and create a new one with.

Thanks.

DDev.....
 
I forgot the other question I had.

Darrin - where have you seen the Mackie for $1800?

DDev.....
 
Looking at the manual, there is a time limitation for each song on the HD24. It seems that a song cannot be longer than 23 hours, of course that depends on your drive space.

Fan Noise: I have my HD24 mounted in a rack (the rack is open on the back side.) I have a little hum, but nothing like the PC was. I have a seperate recording booth, so the noise is not as critical as if you were recording in the same room, but it should help during mix downs.

I have not used SMPTE on the machine yet. I do plan to use the MIDI I/O to go to my PC for sequencing. I am sure I will be using MTC or MMC and not SMPTE, but it does basically the same thing. MANY years ago I linked a black face ADAT to a 486-66DX w/Cakewalk 3.0 using a JL Cooper Data Snyc, and it worked. I don't anticipate any big problems with the HD24 and a PIII w/Sonar.

One thing I just about fell out of my chair with the HD24 was how fast it retrieved and loaded a song. PC/Mac/Tape cannot even come close. I found it to be user friendly too. IF I come across any problems, I will be sure to post them.
 
Are you shopping on price, or how the unit actually sounds?
 
As for me, I'm shopping on how the unit sounds. I am also trying to get an externally quieter unit than going through my computer with the cooling fan noise. I do not have the facility (yet) to isolate the mic, so I'm trying to get quieter equipment as a start.
 
MisterQ says................

......ADAT's RUUUUUUULLLEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Yo' FishMed-ical center, 2 more weeks baby, 2 MORE WEEKS!!!
 
I treated myself to a HD24 for xmas and I lug it round with a Behringer digital desk to do 16 Track recordings of rock and jazz bands. So far it does what it says on the box, I downfeed at home into my comp using Vegas Audio do some eq. etc and the sound is simply Bewt. I just love its simplicity.
 
Fishmed said:
Looking at the manual, there is a time limitation for each song on the HD24. It seems that a song cannot be longer than 23 hours, of course that depends on your drive space.
Click to expand...

Damn it, I will have to chop the outro on my newest song. It is well over a day long. Oh well.

Fangar
 
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