oh shit! i bought an adat! Now what?

[d.olivier]

i had this vague "plan" that i could use the M20s xlr ins and 24bit converters and then adat light pipe to some kinda computer card (cheap one), thereby using the adat as an 24bit a to d converter that is huge and can make back up copies. was i totally wrong? any ideas?

[joel hamilton]

ADAT EDIT card by alesis. Comes with a multitrack editing program, and accepts ADAT sync straight from the sync cable.

Works well for ADAT transfers. It will create files compatible with every major DAW.

It is probably like 100 bucks on ebay these days, IF that.

[Electricide]

I thought ADAT's were 20 bit machines.

Right? Wrong?

[d.olivier]

they are in terms of what the put to tape. The type II is 20 bit, but i think the a to d conversion is 24bit and then reduced to 20 when it prints. I have heard about the adat card. I was just wondering if, now that the adat light pipe or whatever is a standard that is used on products that don't or never had anything to do with adat the tape recording. If there is a way to have sound go into the adat through the adat connection to a card, bypassing the tape transport. You know, like running sound through a tape deck for compression butin this case for 8 tracks of a to d.

[Electricide]

does the adat have an input monitor toggle? I would think the record ready mode would work. Tracks armed but the transport stopped.

[logancircle]

Hate to ask such a basic question, but I'm curious: when you take an ADAT recorder to a gig and you're recording, say, a drum kit and bass guit, do you need 8 preamps or what? Thanks.

[mrc]

Hi,
The adat edit card only has drivers for win 98, and thats a bummer if you have a windows computer. Also, you need a way to monitor. The adats only alow 1 way conversion when you are using them as a front end. E-mu has a 1212m card that just came out, with adat I/O, and it's own 24 bit 2 channel I/O...supposed to be the same as the digi converters. I think it streets for 200 US. I use an RME Hammerfall, AI3 and Adat Blackface for digital, with Cubase.
mrc

[drummerdan]

I dump my 20 bit adat data into Win98 via a Lexicon Core 2 (in 98 only). It has adat litepipe in and out, and a breakout box with 4 analog ins and 8 analog outs. I used take the litepipe in to the computer, then send it out via the 8 analog outs into my mixer. On a side note, the 4 analog ins on the core 2 are nice when you have a small project. you dont have to fire up the adat(s). I recomend the Lexicon core 2, if you can live with 98 ( I love it). And I too like having a VHS backup.

[mrc]

Just be aware that the lexicon's don't do win 2000 or xp, to the best of my recollection, so you are stuck to a second rate (at best) os, win 98, and they don't do asio very well, if at all, so you will be pushed out of the world of vst plugins. People tried these with cubase when they first came out, and gave up. Asio and the right soundcard, gives you sample accurate lock to your adat. This will also affect Logic and any other asio daw program.
Good Luck,
mrc

[Current Resistance]

Hate to ask such a basic question, but I'm curious: when you take an ADAT recorder to a gig and you're recording, say, a drum kit and bass guit, do you need 8 preamps or what? Thanks.

Yes. I usually just use my 16 channel mackie board.