So $%@!ing sick of digital recording-help!

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Kasey

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I've been recording to an ADAT XT20 for the past year or two because i hate recording with computers and an adat was the best i could afford. well... i'm fucking sick of it. I listen to my favorite records, most of which were recorded with reel to reel machines, and i would give anything for that sound. the adat just sounds so cold and sterile, and the idea of not having to worry about digital distortion from clipping anymore sounds like heaven at this point.
I've decided I want no less than a 1/2" 8 track. Ive been looking at the Otari MX-5050 MkIII-8, but have yet to find one in a condition that i would be comfortable with. I've heard so many people say that you have to be so careful with what you get so im terribly afraid to buy one off ebay, since i cant see it or have it inspected by a professional (if i could ever find one). I'm not sure if i could find the MX-5050 MkIII-8 anywhere besides ebay though. I live in Saint Louis, does anyone know of any place i could go to in stl where i could find a pro with this stuff? Does anyone know where i could buy that exact deck, or recommend a different kind (of a similar quality and price) that i could find somewhere?
I really really really really want to go analog but i admit im afraid. ebay seems like the only place i could find one but obviously i couldnt get it checked before buying it.
 
oh yea, if anyone knows of any MX-5050 MkIII-8's for sale anywhere in chicago i can make it there pretty easy too. so.

Otari MX-5050 MkIII-8, chicago or saint louis. i must find one and be able to be certain its in good condition. no ebay.
 
Kasey said:
I've been recording to an ADAT XT20 for the past year or two because i hate recording with computers and an adat was the best i could afford. well... i'm fucking sick of it. I listen to my favorite records, most of which were recorded with reel to reel machines, and i would give anything for that sound. the adat just sounds so cold and sterile, and the idea of not having to worry about digital distortion from clipping anymore sounds like heaven at this point.
I've decided I want no less than a 1/2" 8 track. Ive been looking at the Otari MX-5050 MkIII-8, but have yet to find one in a condition that i would be comfortable with. I've heard so many people say that you have to be so careful with what you get so im terribly afraid to buy one off ebay, since i cant see it or have it inspected by a professional (if i could ever find one). I'm not sure if i could find the MX-5050 MkIII-8 anywhere besides ebay though. I live in Saint Louis, does anyone know of any place i could go to in stl where i could find a pro with this stuff? Does anyone know where i could buy that exact deck, or recommend a different kind (of a similar quality and price) that i could find somewhere?
I really really really really want to go analog but i admit im afraid. ebay seems like the only place i could find one but obviously i couldnt get it checked before buying it.
Click to expand...
Oh My My. We are having a bad night aren't we, Kasey?

Whoa! This is my first post ever here after having hung around for a week or so.

Kasey, learn how to combine the best that digital and tape formats afford. It isn't all that difficult.

Ebay? I agree with your fear of purchasing anything from an Ebay seller. Go with someone you know who is at a local level.
 
well i am going buy an analog 8 track and mix down to my computer, so at the moment im not planning on abondoning digital completely. about finding a local seller - well that seems to be the hard part. I'm not finding anything. if i do find something locally accessible it would probably mean a trip to chicago (which i can do, but i'd rather not).
 
Kasey said:
I've been recording to an ADAT XT20 for the past year or two because i hate recording with computers and an adat was the best i could afford. well... i'm fucking sick of it. I listen to my favorite records, most of which were recorded with reel to reel machines, and i would give anything for that sound. the adat just sounds so cold and sterile, and the idea of not having to worry about digital distortion from clipping anymore sounds like heaven at this point.
I've decided I want no less than a 1/2" 8 track. Ive been looking at the Otari MX-5050 MkIII-8, but have yet to find one in a condition that i would be comfortable with. I've heard so many people say that you have to be so careful with what you get so im terribly afraid to buy one off ebay, since i cant see it or have it inspected by a professional (if i could ever find one). I'm not sure if i could find the MX-5050 MkIII-8 anywhere besides ebay though. I live in Saint Louis, does anyone know of any place i could go to in stl where i could find a pro with this stuff? Does anyone know where i could buy that exact deck, or recommend a different kind (of a similar quality and price) that i could find somewhere?
I really really really really want to go analog but i admit im afraid. ebay seems like the only place i could find one but obviously i couldnt get it checked before buying it.
Click to expand...

I'd certainly not discourage "going analog", as I did just that years ago from simply hating working with digital, but you must remember that simply getting the best analog has to offer will not give you the sound of your favorite records. There's a whole process of recording that takes precedence to any medium that you wish to record to, that mostly determines the sound.

I'd give up my left nut rather than work with pro tools but I also know that an Otari or any of the "pro" recorders outthere, including Ampex, Studer, MCI etc .. will not magically give me "the sound" of my fav 60's or 70's bands if my talents as an audio engineer and musician are not up to par, if my room and mics selection/placement suck and a host of other variables needed to get to "that sound".

If I were you, I'd post a free classified ad (if possible) for your area that you are looking for a pro analog recorder like the Otari. You also should look at daily classifieds and see if anything comes up. In addition, contact some of the local studios. I'd bet my other nut that you will find something soon. ;)

~Daniel
 
Hey there,
Welcome aboard, once you start with analog (and get everything set up and working properly) you won't be disappointed.

Check out Craigslist.org for your local areas. Unfortunately, there aren't ANY reel machines being listed right now in St. Louis or Chicago, but I would check at least once a week. Some really great deals can be had off of that site, and you get to check out the machine before you buy it since they're local listings.

I know you're set on a 1/2" Otari 8 track, but there are several other excellent machines out there. In the 1/2" 8 track format, Tascam's TSR-8, and 38, 48, and 58 are all excellent machines. Also, don't rule out the 1/2" 16 track MSR-16. I own both a TSR-8 and MSR-16 and to be honest, can't hear any difference unless I'm recording without DBX.

Also, a lot of the 1/4" 8 track machines can be had for cheap, since it sounds like you already own a mixer if you were working with ADAT. What were you using for a board?

Good luck,
-MD
 
themaddog said:
Hey there,
Welcome aboard, once you start with analog (and get everything set up and working properly) you won't be disappointed.

Check out Craigslist.org for your local areas. Unfortunately, there aren't ANY reel machines being listed right now in St. Louis or Chicago, but I would check at least once a week. Some really great deals can be had off of that site, and you get to check out the machine before you buy it since they're local listings.

I know you're set on a 1/2" Otari 8 track, but there are several other excellent machines out there. In the 1/2" 8 track format, Tascam's TSR-8, and 38, 48, and 58 are all excellent machines. Also, don't rule out the 1/2" 16 track MSR-16. I own both a TSR-8 and MSR-16 and to be honest, can't hear any difference unless I'm recording without DBX.

Also, a lot of the 1/4" 8 track machines can be had for cheap, since it sounds like you already own a mixer if you were working with ADAT. What were you using for a board?

Good luck,
-MD
Click to expand...

I've been using a yamaha mg16/4, and i'll certainly be keeping it, i love it.
I'll check out the other reel to reel's you mentioned, how do they compare to each other? spec wise and generally how much difference there is. I'd love a 1/2" 16 track MSR-16, but i don't think i could ever find one i could afford.
 
I agree with you on getting a tape recorder.

Do you have an MP3 that you can post of the ADAT stuff?

There could be something else that is the issue that if resolved, you may get even better results when you do come to analog.

Or maybe you need more ADAT's to get more tracks.

There are many possibilties so it may not be just the recording unit that is dissappointing you.

I'm pretty sure I have achieve good results with the band when we recorded to ADAT original version recorders that were 16 bit. If you like I'll post it and tell you all the details on how it was done.
 
reel buzzer said:
I agree with you on getting a tape recorder.

Do you have an MP3 that you can post of the ADAT stuff?

There could be something else that is the issue that if resolved, you may get even better results when you do come to analog.

Or maybe you need more ADAT's to get more tracks.

There are many possibilties so it may not be just the recording unit that is dissappointing you.

I'm pretty sure I have achieve good results with the band when we recorded to ADAT original version recorders that were 16 bit. If you like I'll post it and tell you all the details on how it was done.
Click to expand...

unfortunately no, i have no mp3's. I pretty much know for certain that the sound im being annoyed with is the result of the digital format. (the issue is that it just sounds so....digital, and cold). On my favorite artist's records, whenever he sings a little louder it has just a touch of tape distortion and as simple as that sounds its the most amazing thing ever. And i know for a fact that he uses (or at least has used) the otari 1/2" 8 track.
it has nothing to do with needing more tracks. i embrace the lost art of bouncing tracks - who really needs more than 8 tracks anyways when you can bounce? I've created choirs of 60 people by layering 2 people's voices 30 times using my 8 track adat. I certainly dont need more tracks.
 
Kasey You mentioned chicago. Are you in Illinois? and what town?
 
Just remember when you bounce you're going to lose quality. I've seen TSR-8's go for as little as $300 in local listings.

If you don't mind my asking, how much are you looking to spend on a tape machine? Knowing this, I can help you better in giving you some advice on a good recorder.

-MD
 
anywhere between $300 and $500. i dont think i could afford much more than that.

I'm in saint louis, actually. I say i could make it to chicago easy because my dad's a commercial airline pilot (i'm 16) and thus i can fly for free. and it's only a 30 minute flight. I could pick up something there pretty easy. However, i live in saint louis.
 
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