Pre-formated ADAT tape. More or less relaible?

[mixsit]

I have a gig coming up where I'll be renting some adats. I would love to skip formating 16 rolls, but not at the expense of reliability. (Not to mention a time-cram factor it would create)
Also, they're xt20's. Any chance 20 bit is a bit more finicky than 16.
Thanks in advance.
Wayne

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

I prefer the preforms -- particularly if you are using the tapes across different machines.... the preform tapes are formatted using much tighter tolerances than installed ADATs that may have minor misalignments between different slaves.... so if you format your own, you basically have to play the same tape back in the same machine it was formatted on (which can be an issue)

With the preform ones, this is far less of a problem........... so I would recommend you go for them!

(And no, there's no difference between the 20-bit/16-bit in terms of tape format reliablity -- well - several years back, BASF did have a tape formulation issue that wouldn't allow them to be formatted to 20-bit properly, but that was a one-time bug...)

 

[mixsit]

Well, that is actually great news. I thought if anything it might go just the opposite. It will save me a big chore right befor the gig, and I have not even considered this when I realized I'd be calling the owner and asking how he felt about me popping the hood on his machines to do a clean-up.
Saw BASF @ Sweetdrink for about $16. Not a bad trade for the time saved.

Live-nerves.

 

[MISTERQCUE]

Never, ever ahd any probs with pre-forms!
Always used BASF 60 min preforms, along with reg Quantegy's and Maxells.

 

[mixsit]

Hi. Me again...

Interesting. I sort of wrote off the long play option as asking for another possible slip up. I've used them befor but not often.
I should of named this thread Fear of F7

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Dunno... I've only ever used the 40 minute tapes........

(I have a fear of using thinner tape on all tape-based gear -- too fragile for my tastes!)