Should I buy an ADAT for PTLE?

[Laro]

When I originally bought the Pro tools/Digi 001 I had heard that you could connect the 001 box to an 8-channel Alesis ADAT via the optic cable. I liked this idea alot because my project studio is set-up in a one-room configuration at home.

I was thinking about taking the band to a local recording studio and having them record onto ADAT tape,then bring the tape home, dumping onto PTLE and doing my mix there.
The reason being, I like to record "live" since I do alot of Jazz, etc...

I'm wondering if there is anyone doing this out there and if so, how well you think this works.

Also, I would obviously need an ADAT but the price for a new one is pretty steep for me.

The local university is selling a couple of ADATS with high hours for about $200.00 each (800 and 1100 hours).

Is this process worth it? Are the ADATS worth it?

Your help has always been great! I'm becoming a junkie on the DUC!!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Alfred

[Trash Man]

Or you could just but an Alesis AI3. Basicly it gives you 8 channels via ADAT lightpipe w/ out the ADAT tape itself.

As for the studio sessions...Just go to a studio that uses PT and import the files into your rig instead of using the whole ADAT format.

Anyhow just my 2 cent..

[Laro]

Cool,

Thanks for the quick reply. Just one question:

If the studio uses PT TDM, will this later be a problem with LE? I know the files and audio are supposed to be compatible, I'm just wondering if there is a bit of impportant information I don't know about.

And what would be the best way to do this? I suppose an external firewire drive?

Thanks!

Alfred

[pete011]

Hey Laro, that's a great idea. You're not going to find any cheaper way to utilize those extra 8 channels of lightpipe the 001 provides. The ADAT will double not only as a great low-budget 8-track "field" recorder (transferring is a breeze, just hook up the cable, set the 001's hardware prefs to 48k and optical, and go to town), but as mentioned above, you can use it in-studio as a "lightpipe patchbay" and get 16 channels of simultaneous I/O going, too!

Pete

[Bastiaan]

Laro,
Make sure you dont exceed the 24 track limit (32 in the works btw....) and do not use any plugins while tracking, because you will loose them(the plugins, not the tracks...)...That's about it i think....

[Doc]

Laro,

If you only buy 1 ADAT, I'll buy the other one. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ckerian]

ADATS rule!!!!!! That is the only way to track a band is via an adat, with or with out a digi001. I need the robustness of tape. 0 latency, no errors, and the converters sound better to me.

[Laro]

Hey Doc,

When my buddy comes back from vacation, I'll ask him about the ADAT. I'll let you know.

By the way, no one has complained about the high hours on these units. Should I assume that the hours is no big deal??

Later.

Alfred

[Laro]

Oh, by the way,

Please indulge me here as I ask a few seemingly stupid questions. Remember , still kinda newbie here:

PETE WROTE:
but as mentioned above, you can use it in-studio as a "lightpipe patchbay" and get 16 channels of simultaneous I/O going, too!
Pete

Can you explain this a little more. I know what a patchbay is but I don't understand what you are trying to say here. You mean to add more channels to PTLE?

Ckerian WROTE:

ADATS rule!!!!!! That is the only way to track a band is via an adat, with or with out a digi001.


Tracking, does this mean just laying down tracks when recording? And are you saying that you like the result better when the audio tracks are entered into PT by way of the ADAT tape rather than the direct audio inputs on the 001 box?

Sorry these are such simple questions. I just want to make sure that I understand the lingo being used here.


Ever the grateful study,

Alfred

[Freeheel]

Quote
Can you explain this a little more. I know what a patchbay is but I don't understand what you are trying to say here. You mean to add more channels to PTLE?

- This means that you can access the eight lightpipe input channels- which you cannot do without a lightpipe interface.

Your question about the running hours on the head is a hard one to answer. I have 3 early 90's blackfaces - the one that runs best has 3000 hours on it and the one that has 1400 hours has the highest error rate. To test them, get a good adat tape ( My old school fave is the Maxell st-126 BQ) and format it. Then play back. If you see the blinking error light (subtle beast, its the decimal period on the lower right of the numbers display) a lot, the head is might be shot. A perfect adatand tape will rarely show the light, a bad one will be blinking on like a christmas tree. Unfortunately, other, cheaper problems to fix, can also show up in this way, so it's hard to know until it's in the shop whether you have a cheap or expensive problem. At those prices though, you can use them as front ends for the 001 even if the heads are totally shot, because yes, a lot of people like the adat sound better than the 001, even if it is 16 bit. (another trick with the adat is to varispeed it down 147 cents, which will make it sample at 44.1 khz, if you don't want to convert later.)