Should I buy ADAT LX studio pack or wait? Need Advice...

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ssseals

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I've just saved up enough money to buy alesis's ADAT studio pack w/ the LX-20, studio 24 board, nano compressor/verb, and all the cables to start for my home studio. My band used 3 ADATs in a "good" studio, and got great results, of course all his other equipment was top notch.

What I'm needing advice on is, should I go this route? I've read some drawbacks on the LX (like one of the forums above), and it sounds like the XT is better, but I like the price on the studio pack. What about these connections, and the track copy functions?

Another thing I've considerd is going digital (which I know is another forum, but I still want to focus on the pros/cons of ADAT), but I'm not a computer enthusiast, I just want good results for my time spent recording.

My other concern is Mixdown. I want to burn CD's, so I think I'll still end up with my signal in the computer (to burn), if not to mixdown into. What about those ADAT Edit soundcards where you can dump your ADAT signal into the computer, edit, and run it back (or mix I guess??). Any advice on how you mixdown from ADAT would be helpful.

Anyway, I know that's alot, but I'm just starting my home studio, and want to buy equipment that won't be outdated next year (many studios still use ADAT if I wanted to mix somewhere else), and I want something that I'll be able to add to.

My budget is about $2100, but I still have to buy monitors, monitor amp, mic preamp.

Thanks, this is kinda like therapy.
 
There is lots of debate about the adat becoming a dinosaur etc that you can search out here. I would just
say that if you are not that computer oriented and you state that you are not a computer enthusiast the adat
may be for you. I wouldnt by the package, the nanoverb is lacking and you could do better on the board. Is it the
lx that doesnt have the elco connector; I have a second
generation xt which does, I am not sure of the new ones. You could buy a used adat with little hours (there is a way to check through the digital readout on the adat ) for half the price, acutally I would go all used in good condition and upgrade everything and you will still probably spend less. You can always add the capability to drop down tracks to a computer and be able to use the adat as the digital converter later for ditigal editing. Long live adats, Adats rule, I love my adat.
 
Thanks for info.

Thanks for the info. I still don't understand the "elco" connectors and their use/advantage.

In ADAT terms, what is considered LOW hours?

What board would be good? Should I stay alesis? Studio 32 maybe?

Thanks again. Therapy is great.
 
The elco connector will give you balanced ins and outs
and will set you up at +4db as opposed to -10db. I cant give you the technical issues on this but it is better for recording. It also saves time and space. As for boards, you can research them here at the sight, Mackie
and Spiriit are held in regard and are good for the price. There is a ton of info here if you use the search engine you will find hours of reading material on the subject to
help you make your decision. I would think under 200 hrs would be considered low hrs, but cant say for sure.
Hang in there and someone with more knowledge on the subject will chime in eventually.
 
If you're looking to by this and upgrade later I don't recomend this, there are many pros and cons here is the Wally Cleaver approved list.
Pros: Right out of the box plug and play, great learning experience, can take adat to most major studios and mix there, lx is ok because I don't believe the studio 24 is a +4 board.
Cons: The alesis board is limited to 8 tape sends I believe, the nano comp sucks (my opinion) nano verb is ok.
Wally cleavers approved solution
Do, you live near Sam ash? Because misterQcue (the president of adat anonymous, a true adat-o-holic) Purchased some the for really cheap, they were demos, but with like 20 hours on them. Best bet is to keep an eye out for things like that where ever you may live
Next find a used mixer. I saw a Yamaha 24x8 go for like a grand on ebay. I dig soundcraft, spirit (made by soundcraft) The mic pres on most of 24 or more are useable, so that'll eliminate the need for a external mic pre to start with(you can add one later once you know what the mic pre's on you board can and can't do)
Monitoring system. The yorkville ysm-1, they rock the house, bang for buck they blow the snot out of lots of stuff. Power amp, hafler and crown seem to be popular.
Last cables, by the best you can afford and you'll be thankful, and I don't know what you have!
Totals
LXADAT:$600-800 used
Used Console: $1000
Monitors: $280 list price
Hafler Power amp: $200-300
Cables?????????
2380 for everything minus cables and mics and such. Wheew I'm tired now
 
got your e-mail homeboy!

I agree with WallyCleaver! Though I am an ADAT junkie,I would'nt reccommend the LX-package.The prob is if you want more tracks,you would be stuck with a 8-track board (S-24) and would have to upgrade to another board for more tracks. Not to mention that the Nano
efx that comes with it suck and again you ARE gonna'
spend more $$$ to upgrade the out-board portion of this particular package.
With all that said,I advise you to take a jump and go for
an XT. Man, right now they can be had for as low as $1300 (and even lower if you know how to negotiate)
The Studio32 board (I own both the S24 and S32;please don't ask me why! it has sumthin' to do with
being a gear addict :).
But,there's nuthin' wrong with owning an LX as a starter (though some peep's get turned off by the 16 UNBALANCED I's and O's and lack of ELCO) But damn, if they don't rock! I recently bought 1 with EXTREMELY
LOW,non-existant hours (18!!) for $6-hundred sumthin'
and anutha' XT for$11-hundred sumthin' from SamAsh.
(I'm 1,cheap,negotiatin' @ss).
Check out www.samash.com for most excellent bargains.
I apologize if I didn't answer any of your questions seein' I just polished off a 6-packof brewski's and feelin'
rite nice about now!!!! :)
I'll look at this thread 2-morrow to see if I missed anything!
Peace
Mr.Q
(The ADAT junkie!) :) :) :o
 
Q,
don't you have a xt as the master for the lx's?
ssseals, you could purchace a lx for now and when you want more tracks get a xt and use that as a master.
 
Yeah! Rite now I slave the LX to the XT. Since I just recently purchased another LX and XT,now I need to upgrade my board with at least 24-32 channels. I'm going to look at the Ghost,Allen and Heath or a Mackie 32x8.
 
Thanks for all the great info guys, I love this site.
I think I'll take your advice and go with used, better equipment.
Can I use an LX on the Alesis Studio 32 board? unbal in/outs?
What about quality difference between the LX/XT?
I'm leaning toward an XT, but the extra $ saved on an LX could be put toward fx.
Anyway, you guys have been a great help.
Keep posting if you run across anything you think I should know about ADAT.
 
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