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Alesis AI-1 Specifications

1. e Never unplug a cable by pulling on the wire itself Always unplug by firmly grasping the body of the plug and pulling directly outward If you experience difficulty in removing the plug sometimes a slight rotating motion while unplugging will solve the problem e Keep the cable contacts clean at all time Oxidation may lead to intermittent contacts degraded sound quality or even distortion DO NOT USE AN ABRASIVE TO CLEAN A DIRTY PLUG This may remove some of the plug s conductive plating Instead spray contact cleaner on a clean lint free cloth and vigorously rub the plug until the oxidation is gone AUDIO UNBALANCED INPUTS 2 2 2 2A Input Jack Characteristics 2 2B ADAT includes eight unbalanced 1 4 phone jack inputs These are compatible with the low impedance unbalanced 10 dBV outputs typically emanating from equipment such as mixers synthesizers samplers direct boxes etc Guitars microphones and other low level high impedance output devices require a preamp or should be routed through a mixer with mic preamps The unbalanced input jack wiring convention is e Tip signal hot e Sleeve shield and ground Typical Input Jack Hookups The input jacks are typically hooked up in one of three ways e To the console s direct tape outs these patch a single channel directly to tape bypassing most mixer circuitry This is preferred when the signals going to tape require none of the mixer s features effects
2. 2 0 2 0A The AC Cord ADAT works with any AC voltage from 90 to 250 volts 50 or 60 Hz ADAT comes with a line cord suitable for the destination to which ADAT is shipped Your ADAT was supplied with the correct power cord for your country or local area however only the following alternative power cords are approved for use with ADAT e For 90 120 VAC 50 60 Hz operation in the US Canada and or Japan use Alesis UL CSA power cord 7 41 0001 e For 240 VAC 50 Hz operation in England use Alesis Power cord 7 41 0004 e For 220 VAC 50 Hz operation in Europe and Scandinavia use Alesis EU power cord 7 41 0002 e For 240 VAC 50 Hz operation in Australia use Alesis AS power cord 7 41 0003 ADAT s IEC spec AC cord do not substitute any other AC cord is designed to feed an outlet that includes three pins with the third round pin connected to ground The ground connection is an important safety feature designed to keep the chassis of electronic devices such as ADAT at ground potential Unfortunately the presence of a third pin does not always indicate that an outlet is properly grounded Use an AC line tester to determine this If the outlet is not grounded consult with a licensed electrician When AC power is suspected of being unstable a professional power conditioner should be used DO NOT OPERATE ANY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WITH UNGROUNDED OUTLETS PLUGGING ADAT INTO AN UNGROUNDED OUTLET OR LIFTING THE UNIT OFF GROUND WITH
3. 6 Try a different ADAT If you are using a single ADAT system see if you can visit your dealer It does not make sense to send your ADAT to service when there may be only a problem with for example some tapes you are using If the same problems occur in another ADAT then either the tape is faulty or it was formatted on an out of alignment ADAT Call Alesis Product Support If the problem does not occur and the tape works fine then we need to look at your ADAT You need to call Alesis Product Support Whatever happens the answers to all these questions are useful information for our Product Support representatives The more we know the faster we can discover the cause of your problems You will help us isolate whether the problem lies in the ADAT the tape or somewhere else CHAPTER 10 APPENDICES 10 0 APPENDIX 1 DIGITAL RECORDING A QUICK TOUR 10 0A Analog Tape Recording Basics Digital recording works very differently from analog recording With analog recording tape containing millions of tiny magnetizable particles move past a record head The magnetic field around this head fluctuates according to the audio signal present at the tape recorder s input These fluctuations permanently rearrange the particles on the tape to form a pattern that is analogous to the original audio signal On playback the patterns on tape are read by a separate playback head or from the record head set up to read instead of record signals tha
4. When you first insert an S VHS tape cassette into ADAT a portion of the tape is pulled out of the tape cartridge and threaded against a rotating head drum where the digital information is actually read and recorded in diagonal scans across the tape This is called engaged mode Even when the tape itself is stopped it is still in contact with the head drum If the STOP LED is lit solid the tape is engaged This allows for going into play or record faster as well as cue and review functions that let you monitor the tape audio during fast forward and rewind When the machine is paused the head remains spinning and the tape is not disengaged from the head If you press the Stop button twice the ADAT mechanism will unthread the tape and pull it back into the S VHS cassette The STOP LED will blink to indicate that the tape is disengaged When the tape is disengaged the head is not spinning and it takes slightly longer to go into play or record Cue and review are no longer possible but rewind and fast forward speeds are much faster As a general rule if you need to fast forward or rewind over a long length disengage the tape first if you only need to fast forward or rewind a short distance leave the tape engaged If the tape is engaged and no transport activity play record rewind etc occurs within about 4 minutes the tape will automatically disengage itself to minimize tape wear A WORD ON ADAT s S VHS C
5. Fast Forward Press to fast forward the tape as confirmed by the FFW LED Upon reaching the end the FFW LED turns off and the STOP LED lights Pressing Fast Forward while recording punches out before fast forwarding Engaged tapes fast forward at about ten times normal speed Disengaged tapes fast forward much faster For the fastest rewind press the Stop button twice or until the Stop LED flashes before pressing REW Pressing Fast Forward while holding the Play button initiates cue mode The tape fast forwards at about three times normal speed and you can hear chunks of attenuated audio so you know where you are in the tape The PLAY LED will be lit and the FFW LED will flash Releasing the Fast Forward button returns to normal Play mode Stop This button performs three functions Stop the transport Push to stop any function involving tape motion A lit STOP LED indicates that the tape is not moving and is engaged A flashing STOP LED indicates that the tape is not moving and is disengaged Disengage engage the tape While the STOP LED is lit press STOP again to disengage the tape STOP LED flashes While the STOP LED is flashing press STOP again to engage the tape STOP LED is lit Entering Play or Record will also engage the tape Punch out While recording if you press and hold PLAY then press STOP the tape continues to play but any tracks that were recording exit record mode 3 4E Play Press to play th
6. ccescceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseenenseenenaees 38 4 1E Record Then Audition Your bart 38 4 2 FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED AUTOLOCATION s ccsseees 38 4 3 USING THE LRC REMOTE CONTROL csssecsseeceeeeeeeeeseeesseees 39 CHAPTER 5 MULTIPLE ADAT OPERATION 5 0 MULTIPLE ADAT BASICS41 5 1 SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE ADATS csceccsseeeeeeeeeeeeeeesseees 42 5 1A Hooking Up Multiple ADATs AA 42 5 1B ADAT ID Identification Numbers AAA 42 5 1C How the Master and Slave Decks Interact 43 5 TD Achieving Lol cis tieisontebts ieasentiduiioben dans Edge 44 5 1E Independent Slave Mode AAA 44 5 2 FORMATTING WITH MULTIPLE ADAT SYSTEMG 00 0000 44 5 2A Master Format Enabled and Performing a Complete Start to Finish Format 44 5 2B Master Format Enabled and Extending the Formats wacmannedueatanAimerannenes 45 5 2C Master Format Disabled ae 45 5 3 AUTO LOCATION LOOPING WITH MULTIPLE ADATS c cccsssscssssessseeeesseeeesseeeeeseseesseeesssesenees 47 CHAPTER 6 BACKUP 6 0 BACKUP E Eeer 49 6 1 BACKING UP VIA DIGITAL W O ccssecceteeeeesseeesseeeeeeneeeneeennseees 49 6 1A Normal Method BEE 50 6 1B Optical Only Metleag eu ue euegE re Zeg Zuggg Zeta DEES SO 52 6 2 BACKING UP VIA ANALOG I 0 ccssecceeeeeeeeseeesseeeeeeeneeeeseeennnees 53 CHAPTER 7 APPLICATIONS 7 0 COMBINED MULTITRACK MASTERING DECK scsesseees 55 Tl ARCHIVING its cheered Sateen een ied anaes 55 T2 BOUNCING EE 56 T LIV
7. 4 0 software This document describes the changes additions to ADAT version 4 0 software Write Protect Tab Check Override If you want to record on a tape which has had its write protect tab removed or damaged you can now override it from the ADAT s front panel and allow recording to take place Normally the write protect tab is an essential component to remove when you want to retain the information on an important tape ADAT scans for the presence of a write protect tab when a tape is inserted If no tab exists recording is prevented However once the tab is gone it s gone Now you can tell ADAT to ignore the absence of a write protect tab and permit recording to take place anyway Here s how you do it 1 Hold the SET LOCATE button and press RECORD ENABLE 2 The display will momentarily read PrOf indicating that the Write Protect tab is not being checked 2 Repeat step 1 to switch Write Protect Tab Check back on The display will momentarily read PrOn Note This override will automatically be deactivated whenever you eject a tape or turn the power off You must re enter the override each time you use a new tape or start a new session Setting Tape Length and ST 180 Compatibility The ADAT has been optimized to take advantage of the extra recording time on tapes longer than the standard ST 120 You can now use ST 180 tapes for over one full hour of recording time ST 60 tapes can also be used for shorter projects A
8. A THREE TO TWO WIRE ADAPTER CAN CREATE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION ALESIS CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY USING ADAT OR ANY ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT WITH IMPROPER AC WIRING 2 0B Avoiding Ground Loops In today s studio where it seems every piece of gear has a computer in it there are many opportunities for ground loop problems to occur These show up as hums buzzes or sometimes radio reception and can occur if a piece of equipment sees two or more different paths to ground as shown below 2 1 One path goes from device A to ground via the ground terminal of the three conductor AC power cord but A also sees a path to ground through the shielded cable and AC ground of device B Because ground wires have a small amount of resistance small amounts of current can flow through ground and generate a voltage along the cable shield This signal may end up getting induced into the hot conductor The loop can also act like an antenna into which hum is induced or can even pick up radio frequencies Furthermore many components in a circuit connect to ground If that ground is dirty and contains noise it might get picked up by the circuit Ground loops cause the most problems with high gain circuits since massive amplification of even a couple millivolts of noise can give an audible signal Most ground loop problems can be solved by plugging all equipment into the same grounded AC source However it is important to make sure
9. all connected ADATs and eject all the tapes simultaneously Each slave ADAT has its own independent control so their tapes can be removed at any time 8 1B 8 1C 8 1D Device Id Hold SET LOCATE and press PLAY This displays the ID number of each ADAT in a system and is supplied in case you need to quickly know which ADAT is where in the chain Auto Input Monitor Option Select Hold SET LOCATE and press AUTO INPUT When Auto Input is disabled record enabled channels are always monitored from the inputs on the back panel This function is only used when Auto Input is enabled the LED is on although Auto Input can be turned on or off regardless of Auto Input status It toggles between In monitors input when not playing or recording and tAPE monitors tape when not playing recording therefore what is at the inputs will not be heard Software Version Hold SET LOCATE and press FAST FORWARD This function temporarily displays the software version of each ADAT 8 1E Tape Write Protect Status Hold SET LOCATE and press RECORD CHANNEL 1 This temporarily displays the record tab status of whatever tape is inserted in the ADAT rEcd means that the tape is not write protected and you can record Prot means the tape has had its protect tab removed and is write protected 8 1F Monitor Audio Path Select Hold SET LOCATE and press ALL INPUT Toggles between two options In and dAC 1 In input channel audio comes directly
10. connection while the copy is made the timing will still be sample accurate Similarly you can use ADAT s analog outputs to back up the tape to a high quality analog deck such as an eight track recorder with Dolby SR or to bounce to eight tracks of a multitrack analog recorder digital recorder or hard disk recording system CHAPTER 7 APPLICATIONS 7 0 _ COMBINED MULTITRACK MASTERING DECK ADAT can serve as a combination 6 track multitrack recorder and 2 track mastering deck Record your audio into tracks 1 6 then run them through a mixer into tracks 7 and 8 Tracks 7 and 8 then contain the stereo master recording An alternative is to record 5 tracks of audio and dedicate one track to SMPTE time code or some other synchronization protocol MIDI sequencers can be synched to the tape and used to drive virtual instruments that also feed the mixer 7 1 ARCHIVING ADAT is superb for archiving applications e Archive speeches and broadcasts ADAT can record over five hours of mono material by recording 40 minutes on each track e Record over 2 1 2 hours of stereo mixes Archive them by mixing down to four sets of stereo pairs e Record libraries of stereo samples into ADAT Again this gives over 2 1 2 hours of recording time 7 2 _ BOUNCING Although ADAT requires the BRC to do digital bouncing standard bouncing using the analog outputs results in virtually imperceptible loss of fidelity Tracks can be bounced withi
11. from input while non input channel audio what is already on tape goes through the DAC 2 dAC ALL audio goes through the DACs The DAC is the Digital to Audio Converter and is the process where the digital data gets returned to audio In normal circumstances you only need to hear the audio at the input stage and the ADAT will always power up this way However it may be critical for you to hear audio results AFTER the A to D analog to digital conversion process which is why the DAC option is provided This is not quite the same as monitoring off the record head There are things that could occur that you may find disturbing For instance during punch in out you will hear very obvious clicks However these clicks will not be on tape it is purely a byproduct of this type of monitoring If you are concerned to make sure things are going down on tape the way you want nothing beats listening back once you have done a take 8 1G Crossfade Select Hold SET LOCATE and press RECORD When the ADAT punches in or out there is actually a crossfade where the old signal fades out as the new signal fades in This process takes 10 67 milliseconds and is therefore not only imperceptible but smooth However there may be circumstances where you want a longer crossfade time and the ADAT has 4 crossfade times to select from FAd1 10 67ms FAd2 21 33ms FAd3 32 00ms FAd4 42 67ms The ADAT always powers up with the fastest crossfa
12. grouping routing etc e To eight mixer bus outputs You can use the mixer for grouping premixing effects etc This puts more circuitry between the input signals and ADAT although since most routing can be done at the mixer you ll seldom need to do any repatching e To a combination of direct outputs and bus outputs Some situations require a combination of the two approaches Example Consider a live gig you want to record with two vocal mics four mics on drums two direct feeds from guitar and bass amps and one direct feed from keyboards The vocals bass guitar and keyboards could be taken direct and go to five ADAT tracks The four drum mics can be mixed to stereo within your mixer sent to the submix outs then go to two ADAT tracks The remaining ADAT track could be used to record audience sounds or capture one of the instruments in stereo if applicable 2 2C Special Unbalanced Input Jack Wiring ADAT has a switched jack wiring scheme that makes it possible to use an ADAT even with a 2 output mixer Jacks 1 3 5 and 7 are normalled together as are jacks 2 4 6 and 8 Anything plugged into input 1 also feeds inputs 3 5 and 7 anything plugged into input 2 feeds inputs 4 6 and 8 However plugging into any input interrupts the normalization letting you use that jack by itself Example With plugs inserted into inputs 1 and 5 the signal at input 1 also appears at inputs 3 and 7 Input 5 s signal appears only at in
13. may cause damage e noFO Indicates the tape is unformatted or possibly that the tape has not threaded from the beginning SOLUTION Format the tape as instructed in Chapter 3 If you know the tape to have been previously formatted then either the tape was not fully rewound during previous use or there has been tape damage caused Try rewinding the tape If that doesn t work Fast Forward the tape to where you know there is data and press play If the display still says noFO then it is possible that your tape has sustained serious damage since last use See Tape Maintenance Chapter 9 for an idea of what could have gone wrong All is not lost however Play your tape in another ADAT If it works then you need to call Product Support to discuss what to do next If your tape does NOT 9 4B work in multiple machines then be very glad that you made a backup of your valuable data You DID do a backup didn t you e Prot Indicates that the tape you are trying to record on is write protected SOLUTION Remove the tape and place some adhesive tape over the write protect socket in the back corner Make sure the adhesive tape is firm and also firmly applied You do not need adhesive tape moving about inside your ADAT e FULL is displayed when a slave ADAT is slow to sync to the master ADAT and its serial buffer becomes full of data Make sure the software versions of all ADATs are the same by pressing SET LOCATE and FAST FORWARD Check the s
14. shielded sync cable Look at the tape itself and examine it for damage Finally the linear head may need to be cleaned or other service or adjustments may be necessary Er 9 indicates that the take up reel didn t move after PLAY or RECORD was engaged This can spool tape out of the cassette so the ADAT stops the tape immediately It s possible that the take up reel of the tape is jammed try a blank or unimportant tape to see if the error recurs The idler wheel that turns the take up reel may need cleaning or replacement 9 4C General note If these errors occur only with a certain tape or display once ina while it s probably not cause for concern Errors 1 3 and 9 can indicate conditions that may damage a tape the other errors won t damage the tape or the machine Steps To Take Before Calling For Help If an error message is displayed or if an ADAT starts behaving strangely then please follow the suggested steps below 1 Stop the tape playing or recording Does the error go away 2 Rewind the tape a minute or two Press play Does the error recur 3 Eject the tape Place it back in the ADAT and press play Does the error recur 4 Turn down the volume of any mixer or amplifier you have connected to the outputs of the ADAT Turn the power of the ADAT off wait a minute and then re power the ADAT Repeat steps 1 to 3 Does the error come back 5 If it does then try a different tape Repeat steps 1 to 3 Does the problem recur
15. so that machine 1 is the master and machines 2 and 3 are the slaves If you turn on machines 2 and 3 machine 1 will not be active so machine 2 will decide it s the master Id 1 and machine 3 will be the slave Id 2 If you turn on machine 1 the ADATs will renumber themselves so that machine 1 becomes the master Id 1 and machines 2 and 3 become the slaves Id 2 and Id 3 respectively Note that in the above hookup if machines 1 and 3 are turned on but machine 2 is turned off machine 3 will not slave to 1 because 2 is turned off so the sync signal cannot pass from 1 to 3 How the Master and Slave Decks Interact Pressing any of the buttons on the master machine except for the Record Enable Buttons Format and Digital In will automatically trigger the same functions on the slave machine s as well Alesis recommends that you always initiate operations from the master including all transport control functions to minimize confusion When you press Play on the master the slave s will locate to the same time code point if needed then begin playing as soon as sync is achieved When recording or punching in on the slaves initiate recording on the master but do not have any master tracks record enabled unless of course you need to record tracks on the master Any tracks that are enabled on the slaves will go into record This is why record enable is an independent function for each slave 5 1D There are two cases where you want
16. the digital domain ADAT has a digital I O connector that carries digital data for all eight tracks Digital to Analog Converter The device responsible for converting digital signals back into an analog format so that humans can hear them Fiber Optic Connector A device that transmits signals through light instead of conventional wires Advantages include higher speed and the ability to carry multiple channels of information over a single thin cable Hard Disk Recording A method of recording audio onto a hard disk The advantages include fast access to any point on the disk and the option to use a computer s graphic capabilities for very detailed editing Disadvantages include the difficulty of doing multitrack recording relatively high cost and the need to back up data to a separate non volatile storage medium Since one minute of CD quality stereo sound requires approximately 10 megabytes of memory high capacity hard disks are necessary for digital recording applications MADI Multi Channel Audio Digital Interface This digital data transfer specification allows for transfer of up to 56 channels worth of digitized audio between professional digital devices such as digital audio tape recorders mixing consoles etc Alesis s multi channel interface is proprietary and does not work directly with MADI devices Oversampling The process of taking more samples than is required in order to more accurately reconstruct a dig
17. with the BRC Remote Control the Digital I O is a very powerful feature that allows you to perform complex assembly editing fly parts from one ADAT to another etc all in the digital domain and without any signal degradation Also the optional Al 1 ADAT AES EBU Interface can use this signal to provide AES EBU and S PDIF standard digital inputs and outputs Refer to the Al 1 manual for more information Since the fiber optic connector carries the digital information for all 8 tracks of the ADAT it is also useful for backing up all tracks in one pass section 6 1 You may increase the pitch control to maximum section 4 0 to speed up this process somewhat SYNC 2 6 To sync together two or more ADATs connect the Sync Out from the master to the next ADAT s Sync In Its Sync Out can in turn feed a third ADAT s Sync In etc This requires a shielded dual male 9 pin D connector cable available at your Alesis dealer For more information on syncing ADATs together see Chapter 5 METER BRIDGE 2 2 8 To connect ADAT to the Alesis RMB Remote Meter Bridge run a dual male 9 pin D connector cable from the ADAT Meter Bridge out connector to the RMB input connector FOOTSWITCHES Any momentary single pole single throw footswitch normally open or normally closed will work for the two footswitch functions These should be plugged in prior to power up so that ADAT can configure itself for the type of footswitch being used CHAPT
18. ACKUP i BACKUP BASICS 6 0 With analog recording backing up from one multitrack to another loses one generation which adds hiss and distortion With digital recording backing up produces an exact copy or clone of the original tape being backed up This makes it easy to create safety copies of important tapes or make multiple copies for distribution Because of ADAT s careful transport and format design a good quality S VHS tape handled properly can be capable of over 1 000 play or record passes across the head drum without any change to the audio However all tapes and environments are not equal and no tape of any format analog or digital video or reel to reel lasts forever When tapes begin to wear out or have dropouts the ADAT will give you advance notice via the Advanced Information Indicator see Section 9 4A Since one of the advantages of ADAT is its ability to make digital backups and another is the relatively low cost of S VHS tape you should make backup safety copies of all tapes whenever you have invested a great deal of work into that tape If you have only one ADAT your dealer or a local studio may offer an ADAT backup service BACKING UP VIA DIGITAL I O 6 1 Alesis recognizes the importance of backup so ADAT includes a fiber optic digital connection that carries all eight ADAT tracks There are two ways to make digital copies of an entire ADAT tape In the normal method you make an exact clone of t
19. AL O Jee Reem ene perme ea a ne Opa ra Eeer a ne EOS a aaa e a 21 20 SYN Le 21 2 7 METER BRIDELER deele 22 2 8 FOOTS WITCHES eegene Ee anaa namaia 22 CHAPTER 3 GETTING READY TO RECORD 3 0 POWER UP AND TAPE INSERTION cccsccssecesseesseeenseeeseeesseees 23 3 1 FORMATTING A TAPE _eiscesssssesssseesseeeeeeeeeeeseeesneeeeaeenseenseaeseees 23 3 1A To Format A New Tape or Reformat Erase an Old Tape 24 3 1B To Extend a et E 25 3 1A Additional Format Consideratons 26 3 1B Record A Benchmark Tape sssssssessseesseesrnerrrssrresreere 27 3 2 TRACK RECORD MONITOR CONTROLG ccsecceseeeeseeeesseees 27 3 2A Record Enable Buttons ccccccescceceeeceeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeenennenes 27 3 2B Auto legen e 27 3 26 lt All Input MORNOl EE 29 SAD Digital Tele EE 29 3 3 SETTING LEV BUS ois cco cases cases euer geess ANa aR EE Eaei a aaeain 29 3 4 TRANSPORT CONTROL OPERATION csecsseeeeeseeeeeeeeeesseees 31 34A EE 31 PAB ROWING BEE 31 34D SOD EE 32 SET RE 32 3 4F Record Punch In or Out 33 3 5 FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED PUNCHING cccccccscsesssesseessees 34 CHAPTER 4 PITCH AUTOLOCATION AND REMOTE CONTROLS 4 0 PITCH CONTROUS green asra ee See EEN 35 4 1 AUTOLOCATION CONTROLG 2 ccccsecssseeseeseeeeseeeeseeeeeeenseeeseees 36 4 1A Elle 36 4 1B Autolocating to One of the Three Location Points 37 4 1C Shuttling Between Locate 1 and 3 37 4 1D The Auto Play FUNCtiON
20. ASSETTE TAPE 1 5 Use only premium quality name brand S VHS cassette tape in the ST 120 length Alesis cannot overstress the importance of this We recommend using AMPEX 489 DM Digital Mastering Audio Tape or Alesis ADAT Mastering Audio Cassettes Other acceptable brands include Maxell XR S Black JVC XZ 3M Master Broadcast and ASD 40 and TDK SP Super Pro We do not recommend that you use inexpensive budget VHS cassettes While they may work technically their unpredictable quality and less than premium formulation could decrease the reliability of your recording Don t trust your music with anything less than premium S VHS tape Inferior tapes not only jeopardize the recordings made on them they may shed oxide and leave behind a coating of dirt that will interfere with future recordings even if you switch back to premium quality tape Defective tape may even clog the head requiring service Accidents can happen so digital audio like floppy disks and hard disks should be backed up to prevent loss Back up your tapes to another ADAT using the fiber optic digital connector section 6 1 Treat your tapes as the precision fragile components that they are Do not expose them to extremes of heat cold or humidity Never place tapes near magnetic fields power amps TVs monitors magnets etc and handle tapes gently OPERATING ENVIRONMENT 1 6 1 6A Thermal Considerations in Rack Mounting ADAT can be mounted in an equip
21. CATIONS Transport Recording Format ADAT Alesis Digital Audio Tape Rotary head digital recording using S VHS cartridge Recording Time 40 minutes typical per S 120 cartridge Fast Forward Rewind Rate Approximately 20 times play speed unwrapped 10 times play speed wrapped Fast Audio Scan Rate Approximately 3 times play speed Audio Number of Audio Channels Eight Audio Conversion Record A D 16 bit linear audio Delta Sigma 64 times oversampling single converter per channel Play D A 18 bit linear single converter per channel Sample Rate 48 kHz nominal User variable from 50 8 to 40 4 kHz 1 3 semitones Frequency Response 20 Hz to 20 kHz 0 5 dB Dynamic Range Greater than 92 dB from 20 Hz 20 kHz A weighted Distortion 009 THD Noise 1 kHz 0 5 dB below maxium output A weighted Channel Crosstalk Better than 90 dB 1 kHz Wow and Flutter Unmeasurable Analog Inputs Outputs Connectors Balanced Single 56 Pin ELCO connector block Unbalanced Sixteen 1 4 phone jacks 8 input 8 output Input Impedance Balanced 10 k ohms Unbalanced 11 k ohms Output Impedance Balanced 510 ohms Unbalanced 510 ohms Nominal Input Levels Balanced 4 dBu Unbalanced 10 dBV Maximum Input Levels Balanced 19 dBu Unbalanced 5 dBV Digital Inputs Outputs Connectors Two EIAd fiber optic jacks 1 input 1 output Communications Protocol Alesis Fiberoptic Multichannel 8 tracks Remote Sync Remote Control Con
22. DAT automatically recognizes the shorter length of the ST 60 because the hubs are large However there is no way for ADAT to tell apart a ST 120 ST 160 or ST 180 tape since these all use the same smaller size hubs Therefore you must set the tape length on the ADAT To do this 1 Hold the SET LOCATE button and press the FORMAT button This display will read t60 2 Repeat step 1 to advance through the available tape length choices The display will briefly read either t720 t60 t160 or t180 e The tape length setting is not reset when a tape is ejected However if you power down and up again the tape length setting will revert to T 120 e f connected to a BRC and you set the tape length from the BRC the individual ADATs will retain their tape length setting after power down e If you insert a tape while the Tape Length setting is set to something other than t120 the display will briefly flash the selected Tape Length setting This is to remind you that you are using a non standard setting e f using more than one ADAT you must make sure all connected ADATs are loaded with tapes of the same length Warning It is very important that the Tape Length setting and the actual tape s length are the same Never use a Shorter tape length than what you have indicated on the ADAT Below is a list of the S VHS tapes which can be used with ADAT with their European equivalents and approximate recor
23. E RECORDING bisiisccacccnscecicepeeccetslecderseccseceeeratienpenenealenianenieds 56 7 4 USING ADAT WITH MIDI SEQUENCERS VIRTUAL TRACKING ssssssnsennenenrennennunennennunnunnnnunnennunnnnennnnnnnnnnnnn enna 56 7 6 VIDEO LOCATION RECORDING cessccescensseseenseeseneseneenenses 57 7 7 MODULAR RECORDING 57 CHAPTER 8 ADAT ADVANCED FEATURES 8 0 ABOUT THE ADVANCED FEATURE G cccecsseeeeeeeeeeeeseenssees 59 8 1 ADVANCED FEATURES 59 8 1A Eject the tape in the Master ADAT of a Multi ADAT SySt M E 60 SAB Device ld reee A His anedieanecdaanies 60 8 1C Auto Input Monitor Option Geert 60 8 1D Software V CISION EE 60 8 1E Tape Write Protect Status cccecceeseeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaeeees 60 8 1F Monitor Audio Path Geet 61 8 1G Crossfade Select ccceccsececeseeeeeceeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeneeeenneetas 61 8 1H Digital 48k Master Clock Enableisable 62 8 11 Total Running Time of Drum Motor 62 CHAPTER 9 MAINTENANCE SERVICE 9 0 GENERAL INFORMATION63 GOA CISAMING errre at a a aa E E telus Ge 63 9 0B Maintenance ooseooeneeeneeeeneeeenoenueertesenrrrennrrnnrrrneennesrnnnren e 63 9 0C Refer All Servicing to Alesie 63 9 1 ADATHEAD LIFE ees EE 64 9 2 ADAT HEAD MAINTENANCE 0 ccsseceseceeeeeseeesseeeeneeneeeeseeesseees 64 9 3 TAPE MAINTENANCE SAFE TAPE ccccccecsseeeeeeeeeeeseeenseees 66 9 4 ERROR MESSAGES eege Ee dee Seege tees 67 9 4A ADAT Messages and Explanation ccceeeeeeteeeeee
24. ER 3 GETTING READY TO RECORD 3 0 _POWER UP AND TAPE INSERTION After all connections are made turn on power ADAT first checks whether a tape has been inserted e f a formatted tape is present the counter shows the elapsed time since the beginning of the tape e f an unformatted tape is present the counter will show noFO and the FORMAT LED will flash to indicate that the tape needs formatting At this point you should format the tape see next section e If there is no tape the counter shows to indicate no tape is present Insert the end with the hinged door first label side up until you encounter a slight bit of resistance Push gently on the center of the cassette until ADAT draws the tape inward Once ADAT has started to pull in the tape do not keep pushing the tape in Note to record on a S VHS cassette the write protect tab located on the spine of the cassette must be intact If you try to record on a tape that has had the write protect tab broken off the display will read Prot and the ADAT will not record on the tape This allows you to prevent accidental erasure of valuable recordings To record on a tape that has had the tab broken off simply use a piece of scotch tape label etc in place of the write protect tab to completely cover the hole in the cassette s spine 3 1 FORMATTING A TAPE Just as formatting a floppy disk lets a computer know where to place data formatting an ADAT tape time sta
25. Easy creation of safeties and archives of parts Example Suppose your rhythm section is in four tracks of one ADAT You can then do eight tracks worth of guitar vocal brass or other overdubs in the other ADAT and bounce the keeper parts over to empty tracks in the original tape Once these tracks are filled up you can then do a premix to the second ADAT and continue recording on empty tracks in the second ADAT It is also possible to synchronize up to 16 ADATs for 128 tracks One ADAT serves as the master and all the others as slaves Therefore operating procedures are similar to using two ADATs just that there are more slaves Important In a multi ADAT system all ADATs should be of the same software version for best performance To check the software version hold Set Locate and press Fast Forward on each machine The software version of the ADAT will show in its display fora moment If you must mix software versions temporarily the latest software version should be the master machine Software upgrades are available through Alesis to make sure all machines are compatible Contact Alesis Product Support for assistance SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE ADATS 5 1 5 1A Hooking Up Multiple ADATs Synchronization requires a dual male 9 pin D cable for each pair of ADATs to be synchronized This connection can be made while power is on or off and ADATs do not need to be turned on in any particular order in a multiple ADAT system Us
26. ITAL IN mode and the clock that is being received is out of range or not being received well Check the sync cable it should be shielded and routed away from interference sources If it s in DIGITAL IN mode make sure the optical cables are OK and that the ultimate source of the digital clock is in range If something in the tape path is too tight or there are foreign materials blocking the path it may cause this problem If the error occurs in a stand alone unit with a known good tape the machine should be checked by a technician Er 6 occurs when an external unit euch as the BRC has commanded the ADAT to read the setup from the data section of the tape but the data couldn t be read correctly Er 7 means that the error correction during playback exceeded a certain threshold In almost every situation Er 7 is preceded by the Advanced Information Indicator see previous page If the errors are not caused by a bad tape the heads may need to be cleaned See Section 9 2 Er8 means that the ADAT lost sync during recording and therefore fell out of RECORD mode This error is most likely to appear when the ADAT is under BRC or Al 2 control but the incoming timecode it was trying to synchronize to has too much jitter or dropout It may also occur if the ADAT was not able to read timing information from the tape It is normal to see Er 8 if the tape has reached the end Check the Sync cable if it is a multi ADAT system try another known good
27. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION T0 ABOUT ADAT e r Nana Aart anette 5 1 2 IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS MANUAL c csseceetteeeeseees 9 1 3 OVERVIEW OF MAIN FUNCTIONS ccccssseeesteeeseeseeeseeeeeeeeees 10 TSA Transpor EE 10 1 3B Record Monitor functions cecccceeeceeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeneeaees 10 MSE PMC IAA EE 10 SE AUTOlOCATION WEE 11 13E KEE n i eseu 11 1 4 ENGAGED VS DISENGAGED TAPEG csscseesseeeeeees 11 1 5 A WORD ON ADAT s S VHS CASSETTE TAPE 2 cceseceeseeees 12 1 6 OPERATING ENVIRONMENT ccccssecesseeceeseeseesseeesseeseeeeeseenenes 13 1 6A Thermal Considerations in Rack Mounting eee 13 1 6B Mounting on a Shelf or Non Rack Enclosure 13 1 6C Avoiding Electromagnetic Interference sesseseeeese eneee 13 CHAPTER 2 HOOKUP 20 BCEE ee dteel ace acted 15 20A TG AG NC ON EH 15 2 0B Avoiding Ground Loops s sssesssssssesneeesrrsrrrrnesrrerrnrnnsrree 16 2 1 AUDIO CABLE SIPS oice imana iaaeaie ana aaiae aaas 17 2 2 AUDIO UNBALANCED INPUTS cccstcsseeseeeesseeeeeeeneeeneeeenseees 18 2 2A Input Jack Characteristics cccccecceeseeeeeeceeeeeeeesseeeeeeees 18 2 2B Typical Input Jack Hookups 19 2 2C Special Unbalanced Input Jack Wiring ceeceeeeeeeeee 19 2 3 AUDIO UNBALANCED OUTPUTS 0 ccseesseeesseeeeeeeeeeeseeesseees 20 2 4 AUDIO BALANCED INPUTS AND OUTPUTS csecseesseees 21 25 DIGIT
28. ability the rightmost decimal point of the LED display will flash during play If this should occur make a digital back up of the tape If the problem persists contact Alesis Refer All Servicing to Alesis Alesis has spent a great deal of effort researching recorder reliability We believe that ADAT is one of the most reliable recorders that can be made using current technology and should provide years of trouble free use However if problems occur do not attempt repairs yourself The full AC line voltage as well as high voltage high current DC voltages are present at several points within the chassis Service on this product should be performed only by qualified technicians THERE ARE NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE ADAT HEAD LIFE The expected headlife for each ADAT varies according to a number of factors Given optimum conditions tape quality tape care and operating environment head life for the average ADAT will always be better than if your ADAT is abused placed in bad environmental conditions and used with badly maintained tapes Properly cared for your heads should last for thousands of hours You should not subject your ADAT to environmental extremes humidity or moisture of any kind dust dirt extreme temperatures extreme temperature fluctuations or any kind of physical abuse drops shocks Under no circumstances should you remove the top or bottom cover of the ADAT You already know that there are NO user service
29. able parts inside However you should also be aware that it is extremely easy to damage your heads and other sensitive parts of your ADAT Do not open up your ADAT to clean the heads What it comes to is this ADAT is a very sophisticated piece of digital technology It is going to be used for your important projects so take the best care of your ADAT and your ADAT heads possible ADAT HEAD MAINTENANCE 9 2 The heads of each ADAT are pre aligned at Alesis No user adjustment is necessary Over the course of time depending on the quality of the tapes used and the environmental conditions where the ADAT and its tapes are stored head cleaning may become necessary Unlike analog or even video tape recorders the actual sound quality of an ADAT recording will not be affected until there is quite a bit of dirt on the drum and heads When the Advanced Information Indicator dot on the bottom right hand corner of the display starts appearing frequently even on brand new tapes we recommend that you bring your ADAT to an authorized Alesis Service Center for cleaning If the indicator is not appearing and the unit is performing normally there is no reason to clean the heads Periodic or preventative maintenance is not recommended If head cleaning is necessary and you are unable to bring your ADAT to a service center you may try using a DRY VHS head cleaning cassette We recommend 3M VHSHC Black Watch Head Cleaner Video Cassette e Do NOT
30. alone 8 track recorder and performs this function without equal But its design goes much further to include a built in synchronization system that allows multiple ADATs to lock together in perfect synchronization so you can expand the number of recording tracks and buy more ADATs as your budget allows and your needs expand Nothing in the system will become obsolete and ADAT s modular standard is the key to compatability between your studio and everyone else s be it a home studio or fully professional commercial studio You might have purchased 3 or four ADATS and the optional BRC Remote Control for a 24 or 32 track system or you might even plan to build a large ADAT system of up to 16 ADATS and the BRC that s 128 tracks of digital audio Multiple ADATs the BRC and other accessories like the RMB Remote Meter Bridge form what we Call the ADAT System Each ADAT tape is formatted a simple operation that can be done before or during recording with a proprietary Alesis time code that is much more accurate than SMPTE or other time code systems and time stamps the tape to an incredible single sample accuracy that is 1 48 000th of a second Why is this important Because of such incredibly tight sync performance multiple ADATs are virtually free of the evils of incoherent phase between tracks playing on different machines This means that when you lock 2 or more ADATs together you re really creating the equivalent of one large digital tape rec
31. at record Master Format Disabled This assumes that the master initiates the record play function If no master channels are in record mode the master will play but send record commands to the slaves if the master tape is rewound to the very beginning or in the audio portion of the tape i e past time 00 00 If the master initiates recording from anywhere in the tape and the slave format function is off e If the slave tape is unformatted the slave plays but displays noFO no format while flashing the format LED e If the slave tape is formatted the slave autolocates to the same time as the master and plays or records in sync To properly punch in the master and slave should be in sync before punching Otherwise the master will punch in immediately but the slaves won t punch in until sync is achieved If the master initiates recording from the audio portion of the tape and the slave format function is on 5 3 e If the slave tape is formatted the slave autolocates to the same time as the master and then format extension begins If the master initiates recording from the start of the tape and the slave format function is on start to finish formatting begins regardless of whether the slave tape is formatted or not Caution If the slave tape was previously formatted and is being reformatted or having its format extended do not stop formatting at a point where the old format still exists or timing discontinuiti
32. ck 15 will be an exact digital duplicate of the one on track 2 Feel particularly inspired one day but can t make up your mind about which lead solo to go with Fill five or six tracks of a single S VHS cassette tape with your hottest playing Take the best performance or the best parts of each one and recompose the entire solo on a new track All in perfect sync all sample accurate all in the digital domain The popular recording practice of composite vocals is just as easy and more effective than ever with ADAT to support your efforts Al 1 AES EBU and S PDIF Digital Interface with Sample Rate Converter If you need to integrate your ADAT recordings with digital recording equipment from other manufacturers an optional accessory box the Alesis Al 1 can isolate the digital audio signal 2 tracks at a time from the optical interface s 8 track data stream and assign that pair to the industry standard AES EBU and S PDIF interfaces This allows for direct digital connection with sample rate conversion to and from other digital audio recorders DAT recorders CDs hard disk recorders synthesizers and more LRC Remote Control Each ADAT is supplied with the LRC Remote This handy device duplicates ADAT s front panel play record fast forward rewind stop and 3 point autolocate system You can also control the monitor select functions Highly sophisticated and comprehensive optional BRC Master Remote Control The BRC is the brains of the ADAT S
33. d deck and your partner s parts will be in sync with what you laid down originally CHAPTER 8 ADAT ADVANCED FEATURES 8 0 ABOUT THE ADVANCED FEATURES There are some extra functions built into each ADAT that are not listed in the main text of your ADAT manual which we will discuss here While holding the SET LOCATE switch and pressing certain specified switches these extra functions can be accessed These extra functions are divided into two sections 1 Those that you may need one day Accessing these functions is safe and easy to do We have listed these below 2 Those that are purely for diagnostic and service purposes which should NOT be accessed They could put your ADAT out of alignment and even possibly damage your tapes We have not listed those used for diagnostic and service purposes but it is conceivable that you may accidentally access them We strongly caution you not to experiment with anything other than the functions listed below or you could ruin an important session damage tapes irreparably and maybe even necessitate service work for your ADAT ADVANCED FEATURES 8 1 8 1A While holding the SET LOCATE switch pressing the specified switches will do the following Eject the tape in the Master ADAT of a Mutli ADAT System Hold SET LOCATE and press EJECT This ejects only the tape in the Master Machine and sends MMC Midi Machine Control Stop messages to slave units Normally pressing EJECT would stop
34. de time of 10 67 ms FAd1 8 1H Digital 48k Master Clock Enable Disable Hold SET LOCATE and press DIGITAL INPUT This applies to the master ADAT in your system which must always have digital clock source This function enables disables the internal digital 48k master clock When set to diG the ADAT will use an external digital 48K clock if one is present If an external clock is NOT present the ADAT will automatically use its own built in 48K clock When set to int the internal clock will always be used regardless of whether an external digital 48K clock is present or not The ADAT powers up in normal diG mode The master ADAT must disable the external clock i e must be set to int when it is receiving digital input from any of its slave units See Chapter 6 8 11 Total Running Time of Drum Motor Hold SET LOCATE and press STOP This function temporarily displays the number of hours the drum motor has been on CHAPTER 9 MAINTENANCE SERVICE GENERAL INFORMATION 9 0 9 0A 9 0B 9 0C 9 1 Cleaning Disconnect the AC cord then use a damp cloth to clean ADAT s metal and plastic surfaces Maintenance Here are some tips for preventive maintenance e Periodically check the AC cord for signs of fraying or damage e Unplug ADAT when not in use for extended periods of time e Place a dust cover over ADAT when it is not in use e Should the ADAT s error correction system be near the limits of its cap
35. ding times The t120 setting should be used for ST 120 and ST 126 tapes Note European tapes are actually slightly longer than their US equivalents Therefore you may get a few more minutes if using European tape Local Play Mode with the Al 2 It is now possible to use the ADAT s front panel transport controls to generate timecode both SMPTE LTC and MTC from a connected Al 2 Multi Purpose Audio Video Synchronization interface Note this requires Al 2 software version 1 06 This includes all transport commands Play FFwd Rew Stop Rec even when initiated from the LRC The timecode will be relative to the ID 1 ADAT s time position This makes it possible to synchronize other devices together using the ADAT as the master Refer to the Al 2 Revision 1 06 Operational Addendum 8 17 94 for more information Compatibility with Digidesign s SMPTE Slave Driver ADAT has been optimized to be fully compatible with Digidesign s SMPTE Slave Driver This is an important element when transferring digital audio between a computer and ADAT using Digidesign s ADAT Interface Refer to the Digidesign equipment s respective reference manuals for more information on using them with the ADAT 1994 Alesis Corporation Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice Printed In USA 7 51 1121 2 95
36. e APPENDIX 2 GLOSSARY 10 1 AES EBU Interface A two channel digital audio hardware software standard The AES EBU interface allows for data communication between professionally oriented digital devices such as CD players digital signal processors hard disk recording systems synthesizers with AES EBU outputs digital audio workstations etc Analog to Digital Converter The device responsible for converting analog signals into a digital format Once encoded all audio is stored or processed as a series of numbers rather than as the audio itself Autolocation The process of automatically rewinding or fast forwarding as necessary to find a specific point on tape Autolocation is usually initiated by pressing a button that tells the machine the point to which you want it to autolocate Balanced Audio Signals Signals that are carried on three conductor cables with two of the conductors carrying the same signal 180 out of phase and the third as ground Balanced connections usually cost more than unbalanced connections but are less susceptible to picking up hum and interference with low level signals DAT Digital Audio Tape This term has come to mean specific digital audio tape recorders that use cartridges smaller than those of a standard cassette and which record two tracks of digital audio and sometimes time code Digital UO Input and output connections where signals passed from one stage to another remain in
37. e Auto 2 gt 1 and Auto Play then start recording recording will occur and continue until ADAT passes through the Locate 2 point ADAT will then punch out rewind back to Locate 1 and play back what you just recorded so you can audition your part Upon reaching Locate 2 ADAT will again return to Locate 1 If you want to redo the part press Stop go into record mode and start the process all over again or use the punch in footswitch after it has located back to Locate 1 FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED AUTOLOCATION 4 2 The rear panel Locate Play LRC jack can be used with any momentary single pole single throw footswitch During power up ADAT checks the footswitch to determine whether it is a normally open or normally closed type and calibrates itself accordingly If you use a footswitch and its operation seems reversed make sure it is firmly plugged into the jack then turn ADAT off wait a few seconds and turn it on again It will recalibrate itself to work with the footswitch The Locate Play footswitch has three functions e If the transport is currently stopped pressing the Locate Play footswitch is equivalent to pressing the Play button e If the transport is currently playing or recording pressing the Locate Play footswitch causes the transport to autolocate to the Locate 1 position and then either Stop or Play depending on the Auto Play switch setting e f ADAT is in the process of locating pressing the Locate Play footswi
38. e tape PLAY LED is lit The Play button by itself has no effect while playing recording or formatting While locating pressing Play will cause ADAT to start playing after finding the location PLAY LED will flash pressing Play twice stops the locate procedure and ADAT immediately goes into play mode Pressing Play in any mode other than locating causes the transport to enter play mode and the PLAY LED lights Note What happens when you press Play after inserting a tape into ADAT depends on whether the tape being played is formatted or not Formatted The tape plays normally and the counter shows the elapsed time since the beginning of the tape Unformatted tape ADAT will detect the lack of a format and flash the Format LED while displaying noFO Tape transitions from a formatted to unformatted section while playing back ADAT will detect the lack of a format and flash the Format LED while displaying noFO Tape transitions from a formatted to unformatted section while recording ADAT will detect the lack of a format and stop 3 4F Record Punch In or Out Use Record to enter or exit record mode and to format a tape To start recording Press and hold Play then press Record to cause any record enabled track to enter record mode This is recommended for punching on the fly Press and hold Record then press Play to cause any record enabled track to enter record mode This is recommended for initiating reco
39. e the correct cables Most problems in multi ADAT systems are the result of using the wrong cables The 9 pin cable must be shielded and wired pin to pin Alesis Sync Cables that meet this specification are available from your ADAT dealer Use the shortest length practical for your arrangement 5 1B 5 1C 1 Connect one end of the cable to the master ADAT s Sync Out jack Push the connection in firmly then tighten the screws at each side of the connector 2 Connect the other end of the cable to the slave ADAT s Sync In jack and tighten it as above 3 If there are additional slaves connect one end of an Alesis Sync Cable to the first slave s Sync Out jack and the other end to the second slave s Sync In jack Its Sync Out jack then connects to the third slave s Sync In jack and so on ADAT ID Identification Numbers After you ve connected multiple ADATs and turned the machines on they can be turned on in any order the master s display will show Id 1 which stands for ID 1 The second machine will show ld 2 the third Id 3 and so on This order is automatically assigned according to how the cables are hooked up If a slave does not show an ID number on power up then it does not see anything connected to the Sync In or Out Check the cables and connections to determine the source of the problem If needed ADATs will renumber their IDs if more ADATs are connected later Example Suppose you have three ADATS hooked up
40. ead cleaning and authorized Alesis Service Centers TAPE MAINTENANCE SAFE TAPE 9 3 ADAT tapes are no different than any standard tape they must be treated with care Never expose ADAT tapes to temperature extremes strong magnetic fields such as speakers high humidity dust and so on You should always practice SAFE TAPE e Don t leave your tapes near speakers power amps or other potential magnetic fields such as televisions or electrical devices e Don t subject your tapes to extreme temperatures or wild temperature fluctuations e Don t expose your tapes to high humidity moisture or high dust levels e Don t leave your tapes on the dashboard of your car In fact never leave ADAT tapes in a car EVER Keep them with you at all times e Certainly no matter how tempted you are to open the shutter to see what is inside NEVER TOUCH THE TAPE The magnetic particles on your ADAT tape need to be preserved in the condition in which they were recorded The oils from your fingers WILL damage your tapes as well as get on the heads and damage them e Never turn off the ADAT power while the tape is threaded This leaves the tape bent around the rollers and head Press STOP until the tape is disengaged before turning off power 9 4 e Atthe end of every session you should rewind the tape all the way to the leader stop eject the tape remove it from the ADAT and place it in its protective case This cuts down on the amount of d
41. ecord Here are some fine points regarding this function If Auto 2 gt 1 is enabled while ADAT is playing and past the Locate 2 point autolocation will not occur since ADAT has to pass through the Locate 2 point before it will look for Locate 1 If Locate 2 is reached while ADAT is in record mode ADAT will punch out before autolocating to the Locate 1 point e If Locate 2 is located before Locate 1 on the tape and Auto 2 gt 1 is enabled the Auto 2 gt 1 LED will flash to indicate that Locate 1 must precede Locate 2 e f Auto 2 gt 1 is on and you set Locate 2 while the tape is playing the transport will store the new Locate 2 point and return immediately to the Locate 1 point e f Auto 2 gt 1 is turned off while ADAT is returning to the Locate 1 point the transport will still find the Locate 1 point 4 1D The Auto Play Function Note 4 1E Enabling Auto Play its LED will be lit causes ADAT to automatically enter Play mode whenever any autolocation function is complete although this can be overridden by the transport controls This button can be pressed at any time A one time auto play function can be initiated by pressing PLAY once after initiating a locate search and before the locate point is reached The PLAY LED will flash until the locate point is reached then enter play mode Pressing PLAY twice will cancel the locate search and initiate play mode Record Then Audition Your Part If you locate to Locate 1 enabl
42. ecording a special mode lets you monitor all eight inputs regardless of record status The input jacks are wired using innovative switching techniques to allow for fast track selection patching and track switching Section 2 2C explains this in more detail Punching Punch in and punch out are gapless and glitchless Digital crossfades can be set to any of four different crossfade times A user supplied momentary footswitch allows for no hands punch in and out The BRC can do auto punch in and out referenced to sample accurate loca tion points 1 3E 1 4 1 3D Autolocation You can set three autolocate points on the front panel or on the LRC Remote simply pressing a button will cause ADAT to seek and find the desired point Looping is also possible by shuttling between two locate points An auto play feature can automatically put ADAT into play mode when the autolocation operation is complete LED Indicators In addition to specific LED indicators such as those that indicate if a track is record enabled several switches have built in LEDs Sometimes these flash to indicate that a function is ready to be initiated then turn solid to indicate that the function is being implemented Most switches toggle meaning that pressing once will turn a function on and pressing again will turn it off In this manual LEDs are spelled with all capital letters such as RECORD LED or FORMAT LED ENGAGED VS DISENGAGED TAPES
43. ernal synchronizer such as the BRC Master Remote Control or the Al 2 Audio Video Synchronization Interface Also when the DIGITAL IN LED is lit the ADAT s speed and pitch are controlled by the sample rate of the incoming digital signal 4 1 _AUTOLOCATION CONTROLS ADAT can automate the process of finding specific points on the tape This is called autolocation ADAT autolocation works by specifying three points on the tape 0 1 and 2 to which you want to autolocate as referenced to the time code embedded in the tape s format You can tell ADAT to find one of these three points at any time ADAT will either rewind or fast forward as indicated by the REW or FFW LED flashing to find the specified point If you initiate autolocation while ADAT is in record mode it will punch out before autolocating ADAT will stop after autolocating unless Auto Play section 4 1D is enabled or the Play button is pressed during the autolocate process in which case ADAT will start playing after completing autolocation 4 1A Setting Locations To set a location press and hold the Set Locate button While holding it press one of the Locate number buttons The following occurs Set Locate 0 This resets the tape counter to 00 00 even if the absolute tape time location is different Regardless of where the 00 00 point is set the counter will indicate LEAd during the first 15 seconds of setup data and dAtA during the next two minutes of set
44. es 68 9 4B EGOS T 109 WEE 69 9 4C Steps to Take Before Calling for Help 71 TEE Ee 10 0 APPENDIX 1 DIGITAL RECORDING A QUICK TOUR 73 10 0A Analog Tape Recording DBaeice AA 73 10 0B Digital Tape Recording Basics 74 10 0C Why Does ADAT Use S VHS Cassettes 74 10 1 APPENDIX 2 GLOSSARY EE 76 10 2 APPENDIX 3 e E ETC 80 10 3 APPENDIX 4 Kee E at Le 83 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 0 ABOUT ADAT Congratulations You ve just purchased an incredible piece of recording equipment Here are a few of the features that make the ADAT Digital Recorder perhaps one of the most important advances in recording technology since the invention of multi track These features are of equal significance to the professional commercial studio and the personal home or project studio Low tape cost ADAT records approximately 40 minutes of audio on a standard S VHS tape cassette This is the same tape that is used with S VHS video tape recorders It s readily available and relatively low in cost for the purpose of multi track recording We chose S VHS because the cassette shell tape hubs and guides are precision crafted in the S VHS format to treat the tape gently and interface in a precisely controlled manner with the ADAT transport over long periods of recording We recommend you always use S VHS tape to protect your valuable recordings Your ADAT was packed with a complimentary Alesis S VHS Mastering Audio Cassette It should perform to your highe
45. es may result See section 3 1A for more information AUTO LOCATION LOOPING WITH MULTIPLE ADATS There are several fine points concerning auto location and auto looping in multiple ADAT systems e Once the master ADAT recognizes the slave ADAT s it transmits the master locate points Auto Play and Auto 2 gt 1 settings to the slave s Any attempt to store any locate points on the slave machines will be ignored e Enabling or disabling the master Auto Play and or Auto 2 gt 1 settings will enable or disable those settings on the slave s e When the master and slave play in sync and you initiate a locate command on the master the slave will follow the master You cannot initiate a locate command on a synced slave in play mode e When the master and slave play in sync if the master enters play after locating Auto Play the slave will follow the master If the master Auto Play function is disabled but enabled on the slave the slave will ignore the Auto Play command e When the master and slave play in sync and the master locates to 1 after reaching Locate 2 the Auto 2 gt 1 function the slave will follow the master If the master Auto 2 gt 1 function is disabled but enabled on the slave the slave will ignore the Auto 2 gt 1 command e If the slave is running independently e not synched to the master then it will use its own Auto Play and Auto 2 gt 1 settings e The pitch can only be controlled from the master CHAPTER 6 B
46. g a complete start to finish format and the slave tape s not formatted e If the slave format function is on the slave rewinds to the start of the tape and does a complete format e If the slave format function is off the slave rewinds to the start of the tape and plays but displays noFO no format while flashing the format LED If the master format is enabled performing a complete start to finish format and the slave tape s formatted e If the slave format function is off the slave rewinds to the start of the tape and plays in sync with the master 5 2B 5 2C e If the slave format function is on the slave rewinds to the start of the tape and does a complete format Note that if any channels are record enabled they will start recording at time 00 00 Master Format Enabled and Extending the Format If the master format is enabled extending the format and the slave tape is not formatted e The slave plays but displays noFO no format while flashing the format LED If the master format is enabled extending the format and the slave tape is formatted e If the slave format function is off the slave autolocates to the same time as the master and plays or records in sync e If the slave format function is on the slave autolocates to the same time as the master then format extension begins Note that to properly extend the format the master and slaves should be playing in sync before punching into form
47. he musicians live through the deck unless it is actually in record mode To select Mode 2 press and hold SET LOCATE and press AUTO INPUT MONITOR The counter will briefly display tAPE indicating Mode 2 To switch back to Mode 1 press and hold SET LOCATE and press AUTO INPUT MONITOR The counter will briefly display In indicating Mode 1 The reason for having these two options is to accommodate different stages of the recording process Auto Input Off is the normal option and is what you would use when first recording tracks As you record you want to monitor the input signal being recorded as well as any signals from tracks you ve already recorded on tape However when doing punch ins and overdubs Auto Input will probably be On so that you can hear what was recorded on tape for a given track right up to the point you want to punch in As soon as ADAT punches into Record mode the taped signal drops out as the monitor switches over to the input signal so you can hear what s being recorded to tape After punch out the track reverts to monitoring what s on tape All Input Monitor With this function on ALL INPUT MONITOR LED lit the auto input monitor setting is overridden so that all tracks monitor their input signals regardless of their record enable status All eight track INPUT LEDs will be lit With All Input Monitor off the Auto Input Monitor setting determines track monitoring Digital Input This switch de
48. he numbers from tape and outputs a corresponding level This creates a stairstep reconstruction of the original signal which is close to but not exactly the same as the original signal To complete the process this stairstep signal is smoothed by a low pass filter The result is natural sounding audio that sounds virtually unchanged from what was originally recorded 10 0C Why Does ADAT Use S VHS Cassettes Alesis has built its reputation on providing professional levels of quality and innovation at prices associated with consumer gear When it was time to produce a digital tape recorder that would be suitable for any application from home project studios to pro level audio studios and video dubbing suites our design team decided to use existing mass production technology wherever possible to cut costs without sacrificing performance and the wide tape width of S VHS tape allows ADAT to use wider track width for more reliable digital recording It s especially well suited to ADAT s 8 track format S VHS recording technology offers more than enough bandwidth to record eight tracks of audio low cost and field proven engineering S VHS tapes are built to higher standards than standard VHS tapes and can take the tape shuttling required by professional audio applications There s also a matter of convenience S VHS tape cassettes are inexpensive compared to reel to reel tape readily available compact and easy to transport and stor
49. he original with the copy synchronized to the ADAT s internal time code numbering Use this method if you have a multi ADAT setup or if you re using a BRC Al 2 or other ADAT time code based product The original and the copy will be interchangable with no change in the time code offset It is also possible to make a digital copy using the optical I O only without sync connections The only thing that will be different between the copy and the original will be the ADAT time code Such copies won t play back the same time code at the same point in the song as the original Even so such non corresponding time code copies can still be synchronized to the original with sample accuracy by using the BRC and finding the proper offset 6 1A Normal Method Time Code Accurate 1 The two ADATs should be connected in the normal manner e Connect the SYNC OUT of the master to the SYNC IN of the slave using an Alesis 9 pin sync cable e Connect the DIGITAL OUT of the slave to the DIGITAL IN of the master using the fiber optic cable that came with your ADAT 2 Put the original tape to be copied into the slave id 2 ADAT which will be the source 3 Puta blank or preformatted new tape into the master id 1 ADAT which will be the target If the tape is blank press Record Enable on all tracks of the master and then press FORMAT on the master 4 Set the master ADAT s clock source to internal by holding SET LOCATE and pressing DIGITAL IN
50. hieve proper speed and check if the tape is formatted 3 If the tape is at the very beginning ADAT performs a complete format by recording 15 seconds of leader display shows LEAd two minutes of data display shows dAtA then time code starting at 00 05 and continuing to the end of the tape If an unformatted tape is not at the very beginning then format is disabled and no recording will take place Be sure to rewind to the beginning of the tape before formatting it for the first time To Extend A Format Sometimes you may not have time to format an entire 40 minute tape before using it although this is the best practice This results in a tape that is only partially formatted For example you may record only one song which ends four minutes into the ADAT tape If you want to use the rest of the tape you must perform a format extension Play or fast forward the tape to just before the end of the previously formatted section and enter Format mode Everything on the tape will be erased from that point on ADAT reads the sample accurate time code of the original format and begins formatting starting from that time onward thus ensuring continuous time stamping when a tape plays from beginning to end For this reason if you plan to extend a format don t press Stop immediately at the end of the song when formatting Leave a buffer of 15 seconds so you won t erase the last note of the previous song when you extend the format f
51. iberoptic connectors for digital input and output three 9 pin D Sub connectors for external Sync In Sync Out and Meter Bridge two 1 4 phone jacks for LRC Remote Controller and for Punch In Out and Locate Play footswitches 90 250 VAC 50 60 Hz 50 W maximum 10 40_ C for specified performance 80 maximum with no dew condensation for specified performance 5 1 4 x 19 x 14 127mm x 483mm x 56mm 3U IEC rack mounting 15 Ibs 6 8 kg 30 Ibs 13 6 kg LRC detachable 1 4 phone plug Remote Controller ADAT Digital Multitrack Recording System Video Alesis S 120 Master Recording Cassette Fiber Optic Cable IEC style AC power cord BRC Master Remote Controller RMB Remote Meter Bridge Al 1 AES EBU SPDIF and Sample Rate Converter Interface Al 2 Multipurpose Audio Video Synchronization Interface Alesis Sync Cables 10 3 APPENDIX 4 SCHEMATICS Wiring Diagram for ELCO Connector Pin out letters are referenced to the alphabetical designation on a standard 56 pin ELCO connector Channel GND NEG POS ir eee i oe ee eE ER ae Fe fing EE Iw u ng KK EE DD DEER E EES SR Eea e Owi z e e Ota IP JI IN LOu3 D y Jk Out4 IT IN IN pours H fB fec Ouwe w Ia fb LOu7 L Ip Is Additional GNDs r s h j e f X Y Note The larger of the two key notches is on the bottom ELCO is a registered trademark of Elco Corporation a Kyocera Group Company Addendum to the ADAT reference manual Version
52. ition the tape will be non functional and you will not be able to record anything over it When in doubt either re format the tape all the way to the end or back up a bit and do a format extension see previous section and next section when you need to re format over the transition zone e For safety label your tape You don t want your ADAT tape confused with a standard video tape e The only way to stop formatting is to press Stopo punching out is not sufficient e Tapes can be bulk erased with a bulk tape eraser e Inamultiple ADAT setup where one is the master and other ADATs are slaves there are several other considerations See Chapter 5 3 1D Record a Benchmark Tape We recommend that you format and record a new tape with any signal such as a test tone in a single pass with no overdubs during the first week of operation Store this tape in a safe dry location and don t use it for any other purpose Such a benchmark tape is useful to determine if the error correction rate is increasing over time because the heads need to be cleaned or if a tape is defective See Section 9 2 TRACK REGORD MONITOR CONTROLS 3 2 3 2A 3 2B These controls determine which tracks will be recorded on in record mode and whether tracks will monitor the input or taped signal Record Enable Buttons To record enable a track press the track s associated record enable button The track RECORD LED will flash to indicate the trac
53. itized signal back into analog Punching The process of entering and or exiting the record function while the tape is playing This allows recording over specific pieces of tape such as recording over a section with bad notes as opposed to recording over the entire length of a track Rotary Head A type of tape head as used in ADAT that spins at a high rate of speed in order to create the same effect as having the tape moving by at rates not physically possible with today s tapes and transports Sampling Rate The rate at which an analog real world signal is converted into digital numeric values ADAT samples its input signals 48 000 times a second for extremely accurate encoding S PDIF Interface Similar to the AES EBU interface but created by Sony and Philips with consumer applications in mind The optional ADAT Al 1 AES EBU Interface offers both the consumer S PDIF interface and professional AES EBU format S VHS Acronym for Super Video Home System an improved version of VHS with greater resolution and dubbing capabilities as well as improved sound Unbalanced Audio Signals Signals that are carried on two conductor cables one hot and one ground Unbalanced connections save costs but are more prone to picking up hum and interference with low level signals VHS Acronym for Video Home System a video recording system introduced for consumer use and using standardized cartridges 10 2 APPENDIX 3 SPECIFI
54. k is record ready Recording will begin as indicated by the RECORD LED being lit steadily if the transport is put into record mode section 3 4F To turn off record enable press the track s associated record enable button again Its RECORD LED will turn off Record enable buttons cannot be turned on or off while you re in record Auto Input Monitor This switch toggles between two tape input monitoring options It determines what signal will appear at the ADAT s Output jacks when a track is record enabled red LED flashing When a track monitors the input signal its associated INPUT LED is lit e With Auto Input OFF AUTO INPUT LED off all record enabled tracks monitor the input signal and all other tracks monitor the taped signal e With Auto Input ON AUTO INPUT LED lit there are two selectable modes to choose from Mode 1 This is the default mode and allows input monitoring of record enabled tracks in Record Stop Rewind or Fast Forward but not in Play In Mode 1 you are always monitoring the input of record enabled tracks except in Play This allows the engineer to hear musicians even when the deck is stopped without changing any console settings Mode 2 This mode monitors the input of record enabled tracks ONLY in Record mode In Mode 2 all tracks monitor the taped signal until ADAT enters Record at which point the record enabled tracks monitor the input signal This means the 3 2C 3 2D engineer will not hear t
55. lanced outputs connected to ADAT s 1 4 phone jacks when your mixer s meter reads 0 VU the ADAT meter will read 15 dB Therefore you can run your mixer levels into the red over 0 VU and still not distort the ADAT until the mixer s meter reads 15 Just remember that no matter what if ADAT s meters indicate 0 dB highest red LED lit distortion is on the verge of occurring Theoretically the lowest noise and distortion in an ADAT recording occurs just as the highest input peaks barely reach 0 dB full scale Unlike analog recorders which get more and more distorted with higher levels an ADAT tape that is recorded in the yellow will sound great However in setting levels you must strike a balance between what you gain by recording at high levels and what you might lose if the incoming signal hits the digital brick wall above 0 dB and distorts on a peak This is especially true in live recording where peak levels are hard to predict You must also be careful when setting levels to make sure that the mixer isn t distorting In critical situations consider limiting the input signal using the Alesis 3630 Compressor Limiter to ensure against overload and get a maximum level without distortion The ADAT meters are the instantaneous peak reading type any voltage no matter how short will be registered because the peak level is all that matters to ADAT Other meters as on most mixing consoles may have different ballistic characteristics
56. ly and call Product Support Errors 1 to 9 Errors 1 to 9 are a little more complex They are displayed Er 1 Er 2 etc Note that these are error messages that appear in the ADAT display not in the BRC s display Many error messages are the result of temporary problems and you should only take action if they recur several times The important thing to know is that the ADAT may not necessarily be at fault It may be a particular tape you are using for example The error codes to be understood fully must be combined with other technical information and tests However here s a list of their meanings Er 0 has to do with the switches that detect the loading and unloading of the tape Make sure you weren t too aggressive while inserting a cassette Er 1 through Er 3 involve tape threading If it only happens once it was a temporary problem with a piece of dust on the switch Sometimes it can be a result of a tape that s binding eject the tape and check operation threading and unthreading with a blank or unrecorded tape If these errors recur frequently or will not go away there is a problem with the transport involving the sliding of the loading arms capstan motor or pinch roller adjustment or the switches that detect how the tape is threaded Er 4 means the drum isn t spinning when threading a tape Er 5 is that the head drum speed is too slow or too fast relative to tape speed Most often it occurs when the ADAT is a slave or in DIG
57. ment rack taking up 3 rack spaces or placed on a table or shelf When you install it keep in mind that heat is the major enemy of electronic equipment Please observe the following 1 6B ADAT is designed to perform properly over a range of ambient temperatures from 10 C to 40 C 50 F to 104 F in up to 80 non condensing humidity These are not absolute limits but Alesis cannot guarantee that ADAT will meet its published specs or remain reliable if operated outside of these ranges Always allow adequate ventilation behind ADAT Do not seal any enclosure that holds ADAT It is not necessary to leave an empty rack space above or below ADAT unless it runs hot enough to affect equipment above or below it Mounting on a Shelf or Non Rack Enclosure To mount ADAT on a shelf or other flat surface Alesis recommends using the enclosed stick on feet to avoid scratching the shelf s surface with the deck s bottom Please observe the general comments on thermal considerations given under Thermal Considerations in Rack Mounting no matter where or how the deck is mounted 1 6C Avoiding Electromagnetic Interference Like all tape machines ADAT uses magnetic tape that can be sensitive to electromagnetic interference Generally this is not a problem but avoid mounting ADAT next to devices that generate strong magnetic fields such as power amplifiers monitors and video display devices speakers etc CHAPTER 2 HOOKUP 2 0___POWER
58. mps the tape to single sample accuracy so that audio is referenced to an accurate time base This allows for simplified synchronization accurate tape counter readings and intelligent autolocation with the BRC Remote Control When formatting begins ADAT writes some setup data during the first two minutes and 15 seconds of tape then at time 00 05 writes the time in minutes and seconds onto a special sync track This does not use up any of the eight audio tracks Please note The display shows timings with a period separating the hours and minutes 00 00 but this manual shows a colon instead of a period for clarity 00 00 3 1A 3 1B To Format A New Tape or Reformat Erase an Old Tape e tis a good practice to exercise the tape before formatting it by fast forwarding it to the end then rewinding it back to the lead This evens out the tape pack and relieves any stresses and strains that may have occurred during tape manufacture and storage 1 Press the Format button if the tape was unformatted the FORMAT LED will have been flashing prior to pressing it Once pressed the FORMAT LED glows steadily to indicate that formatting will begin if ADAT enters record mode Also all eight track RECORD LEDs will flash to indicate all eight tracks will be recorded Pressing the eight record buttons has no effect while the FORMAT LED is lit steadily 2 Press Record and while holding it down press Play ADAT briefly enters play mode to ac
59. n ADAT as well as to other machines 7 3 LIVE RECORDING ADAT is excellent for live recording because of its compact size and easy operation Eight tracks allow for recording audience sounds ambience and individual soloists as well as a stereo mix off the PA 7 4 USING ADAT WITH MIDI SEQUENCERS VIRTUAL TRACKING There is a trend for hard disk recording and playback to occur within a software MIDI sequencer environment however ADAT can offer much of the same flexibility without the added expense of a new program or hard disk recording system Stripe one ADAT track with SMPTE and sync your sequencer to this SMPTE signal by whatever means you normally use As you control ADAT s tape motion with the transport controls the sequencer will automatically follow along letting you mix digital recording with any sequencer VIDEO LOCATION RECORDING 7 6 With ADAT there are enough tracks to stripe SMPTE and record seven tracks of dialog sound effects on location ADAT also makes an excellent mixdown deck for new multichannel formats such as surround sound that require more than two tracks MODULAR RECORDING 71 Collaborations work particularly well with dual ADAT systems You can record your tracks into one machine then do a premix into two tracks of the second machine which is of course synchronized to the first Send this tape to your partner who adds parts in the other tracks When the tape comes back just pop it in the secon
60. nectors User Remote Functions Accessible and available on LRC Sync Connectors Sync Capability General Front Panel Controls and Indicators Rear Panel Controls and Connectors Power Requirements Operating Temperature Operating Humidity Dimensions H x W x D Weight Shipping Weight Accessories Included Optional Accessories Two 1 4 phone jacks transport Remote Control and or Locate Play footswitch jack and Punch In Out footswitch jack Play Stop Fast Forward Rewind Record Locate 0 Locate 1 Locate 2 Set Locate Auto 2 1 Auto Play Auto Input Monitor and All Input Monitor Two 9 pin D Sub connectors Sync In and Sync Out Automatic Master Slave Syncing between up to 16 ADATs 128 audio tracks Transport controls and LED indicators for Play Stop Fast Forward Rewind Record and Eject Record Enable pushbuttons and LED indicators for channels 1 thru 8 Pushbuttons for Set Locate Locate 0 Locate 1 Locate 2 Pushbuttons and LED indicators for Auto 2 1 Auto Play Pitch Up 100 cents Pitch Down 300 cents Format Tape Digital Analog Input Auto Input Monitor and All Input Monitor 15 segment LED level display for channels 1 thru 8 0 to 60 dB range 7 segment LED display indicates tape position time or pitch change AC Power pushbutton Sixteen 1 4 phone jacks for unbalanced inputs and outputs 8 in 8 out One 56 Pin ELCO connector block for all balanced inputs and outputs Two f
61. or show average level instead of peak It is normal for them not to match the ADAT meters exactly The RMB Remote Meter Bridge provides peak metering for four ADATs in a rack mountable package and can be mounted above the console or the BRC Master Remote Control The RMB also features peak hold features that make it easier to avoid distortion TRANSPORT CONTROL OPERATION 3 4 3 4A The transport controls resemble those of a conventional tape recorder although there are several extra features Eject Press to eject the tape from ADAT If the tape is moving it will stop before ejecting Note This control does not operate while recording or formatting to avoid interrupting these processes 3 4B Rewind 3 4C 3 4D Press to rewind the tape as confirmed by the REW LED When fully rewound the REW LED turns off and the STOP LED lights Pressing Rewind while recording punches out before rewinding Engaged tapes rewind at about ten times normal speed Disengaged tapes rewind at about twenty times normal speed For the fastest rewind press the Stop button twice or until the Stop LED flashes before pressing REW Pressing Rewind while holding the Play button initiates review mode The tape rewinds at about three times normal speed and you can hear chunks of attenuated audio so you know where you are in the tape The PLAY LED will be lit and the REW LED will flash Releasing the Rewind button returns to normal Play mode
62. or the next one Note 3 1C Format extension is not possible from the LEAD or DATA sections of the tape If the tape is formatted but is in the leader or data sections of the tape i e prior to time 00 00 entering format mode will automatically rewind the tape to the beginning and start reformatting While rewinding the display shows FO and the rewind LED flashes This indication is telling you that ADAT must FORMAT OVER from the LEAD or beginning portion of the tape Additional Format Considerations e Audio can be recorded while formatting just in case you have a hot musical idea but no formatted tapes Simply press record enable for the tracks to be recorded before pressing the Format button Tracks not enabled prior to pressing Format will be recorded with silence and cannot be enabled once formatting begins e tis a good practice to exercise the tape before formatting it by fast forwarding it to the end then rewinding it back to the lead This evens out the tape pack and relieves any stresses and strains that may have occurred during tape manufacture and storage e Blank tapes must be rewound to the very beginning in order to be formatted e Caution Do not re format over a previously formatted tape then stop re formatting When the tape transitions from the newly formatted part to the previously formatted part there will be timing discontinuities and the audio will do unpleasant things Also during that trans
63. order and one very wide seamless piece of tape And because ADAT s sync system is internalized and so accurate you get machine synchronization without giving up an audio track accurate tape counter readings without annoying slippage and intelligent sample accurate autolocation functions with the BRC Modular recording This is the feature that makes ADAT and the ADAT System perhaps the most flexible multitrack recorder ever designed Because ADAT s S VHS tape format is so inexpensive you can easily record alternate versions of vocals solos background accompaniments whatever your creative urge dictates Modular recording means you can build as many tracks as you desire while you re recording and do composite editing with the BRC and ADAT s Optical Digital Interface see next section before the final mixdown Optical digital interface In addition to conventional analog inputs and outputs a master digital I O carries all eight tracks simultaneously via optical cable allowing for perfect degradation free digital dubbing between ADATs And with the addition of the optional BRC Remote Control you can assign any part of any track to any other track in a multiple ADAT system This means you can do complex composite editing Like the chorus on track 2 Want to replace the cho rus on track 15 Easy to do with the BRC carrying the timing and Sync Information while the optical cable carries all the digital audio The new chorus on tra
64. ou have two ADATs and want to back up the slave ADAT s tape to the master ADAT So you connect the 6 1B master s Sync Out to the slave s Sync In connect the slave ADAT s digital out to the master ADAT s digital in You now have the hookup shown below If you press Digital In on the master without setting the master clock to Int this sets up a type of feedback loop where the master is trying to synchronize to the slave s digital signal which is in turn trying to synchronize to the master etc This results in unstable operation if the room is quiet you ll hear the servos of the ADATs changing pitch and an error message may appear in the display To repair this situation press and hold the Set Locate button and press Digital In The display will read INT to indicate that the master will use its internal clock instead of the clock derived from the optical in Repeating this process will cause the display to read dIG to indicate that the master will follow the clock derived from its digital in which is necessary when the master is receiving digital input from devices such as the Al 1 QuadraSynth or QuadraVerb 2 Note that a slave ADAT id2 or higher cannot switch from dIG to int because a slave machine always follows the clock from the master ADAT s Sync Out port not the clock from the optical input or its internal clock Optical Only Method Under this method the time code locations of the original and the cop
65. punch again later on and the tape will continue to play CHAPTER 4 PITCH AUTOLOCATION AND REMOTE CONTROLS 4 0 PITCH CONTROLS ADAT has the capability of changing speed and pitch It displays speed in cents or 1 100th of a semitone For example if a song is recorded at the standard pitch in the key of C and played back with the pitch up 100 cents it will be in the key of C Press Pitch Up to gradually move the pitch higher 100 cents maximum and Pitch Down to gradually move the pitch lower 300 cents maximum After a brief delay during which the display shows the current pitch the pitch changes and the display shows the amount of pitch change in cents One of the PITCH LEDs will remain on to remind you that the pitch has been changed from standard pitch Keep in mind that the counter will not elapse in real time when the pitch is set to a value other than zero To return to standard pitch press both the Pitch Up and Pitch Down buttons simultaneously The PITCH LEDs will be off when ADAT is at standard pitch When you change the pitch on ADAT the sampling rate also changes At standard pitch the sampling rate is 48 kHz At 147 cents the display will read 44 1 to show that this speed corresponds to the consumer sampling rate of 44 1 kHz At 200 cents the sampling rate is 40 4 kHz at 100 cents the sampling rate is 50 8 kHz Note that the internal pitch controls are overridden when the ADAT is being controlled by an ext
66. put 5 This means that the buss outputs of a two buss board could be plugged into inputs 1 and 2 and routed to track pairs 1 2 3 4 and 5 6 on multiple passes without repatching cables by engaging the record enable switches for the desired tracks On the first pass enable record on tracks 1 2 on the second 3 4 and so on The same applies for a four buss board The first pass could be routed to tracks 1 4 and the second to tracks 5 8 Using this technique will allow you to selectively route signal to ADAT tracks using only ADAT s record enable buttons and your mixing board s buss assigns Note that the unbalanced inputs and balanced inputs can be used simultaneously but the jack normalling feature is available only on the unbalanced 1 4 phone jack inputs l AUDIO UNBALANCED OUTPUTS 2 3 The 10 dBV outputs use mono 1 4 phone jacks and carry signals at a nominal 10 dBV level These usually drive mixer channel inputs or tape returns They can be used at the same time as the balanced outputs AUDIO BALANCED INPUTS AND OUTPUTS 2 4 For convenience ADAT includes 4 dBu balanced line inputs and outputs on a rear panel multipin connector Remember the unbalanced and balanced inputs outputs are available simultaneously For diagram see Section 9 3 Appendix 4 DIGITAL I O 2 9 The digital I O connector follows a proprietary Alesis format that carries all eight outputs on a single fiber optic cable In conjunction
67. rding when the tape is stopped or for punching on the fly To punch out and stop the transport simply press Stop There are three ways to exit record mode punch out yet have the transport continue to play use whichever one is most natural to you e Press and hold Play then press Record e Press and hold Record then press Play e Press and hold Play then press Stop Caution If the FORMAT LED is lit entering record will format the tape see sections 3 1 and 5 2 This will ERASE any audio previously recorded FOOTSWITCH CONTROLLED PUNCHING 3 5 The rear panel Punch In Out jack accepts any momentary single pole single throw footswitch During power up ADAT checks the footswitch to determine whether it is a normally open or normally closed type and calibrates itself accordingly If you use a footswitch and its operation seems reversed make sure it is firmly plugged into the jack then turn off ADAT wait a few seconds and turn ADAT on again It will recalibrate itself to work with the footswitch Here s how the Punch In Out footswitch works e If a track or tracks is record enabled and the tape is playing pressing the punch footswitch puts the track s into record mode at the instant you punch This is equivalent to pressing Play and Record to enter Record mode e f ADAT is already in record mode pressing the footswitch punches out of record the tracks will remain record enabled should you need to
68. rding related terms that may be helpful as you read this manual IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS MANUAL 1 2 ADAT s transparent user interface may tempt you to just plug in and start recording We can certainly understand your excitement but please at least do the following e Read section 1 4 on the difference between engaged and disengaged tapes and section 3 1 on formatting tapes with multiple ADAT systems also refer to section 5 2 These important sections describe recording concepts that have no counterpart with analog recorders and which must be understood before you start using ADAT e Please read the entire manual at some point to acquaint yourself with the many ADAT features that you ll know about only if you read the manual OVERVIEW OF MAIN FUNCTIONS 1 3 1 3A 1 3B 1 3C Here is a brief rundown of ADAT s main functions Transport The transport is like most standard multitrack recorder transports Tape motion controls include play fast forward rewind stop record and pause The counter shows elapsed time from the beginning of the tape or the time from where you last reset the zero counter Record Monitor functions ADAT does much of the recording monitoring switching work for you Generally tracks monitor what s on tape until you initiate recording typically by punching at which point any tracks set to record monitor the inputs so you can hear what s being recorded For live multitrack r
69. st expectations You can order more through your Alesis dealer or directly from Alesis See the accompanying flyer for information on how to order Superb fidelity ADAT uses 16 bit linear analog to digital conversion the professional standard 48 kHz sampling rate variable from 40 4kHz to 50 85kHz and 64 times oversampling for better than CD quality sound Ultra high fidelity digital converters The digital converters in ADAT are the latest generation in converter technology VHS is a registered trademark of JVC Because of the tremendous economies of scale realized in manufacturing ADAT these high quality and more expensive converters are included in the ADAT design rather than having to be purchased as a separate accessory box as with some recorders in spite of ADATs low overall cost This converter technology allows recording and reproduction of the very highest quality Plus ADAT s design dedicates separate converters to the inputs and outputs of each individual track That s 16 converters in all no multiplexing Easy and familiar front panel controls If you ve ever used a multitrack tape recorder then you probably already know how to use ADAT Familiar controls like play record fast forward rewind and track select buttons perform the major ity of functions you ll need There are no difficult engineering routines for you to learn Sample accurate syncing capabilities ADAT was designed to work perfectly as a stand
70. t converts the magnetic fluctuations back into an audio signal The biggest problem with analog recording is that the tape itself alters the sound originally recorded on tape Tape hiss is one problem it superimposes a low level rushing noise onto the audio signal Although there are ways to minimize noise such as noise reduction circuitry this colors the sound in the process of masking the noise Tape s frequency response is also an issue Tape has a hard time absorbing higher frequencies which can dullen the sound Moving tape faster allows the heads to magnetize more particles and extends the high frequency response but the tradeoff is increased tape costs and heftier transports to move bigger reels of tape 10 0B Digital Tape Recording Basics With digital tape recording the technology is very similar tape moves past a record head and plays back through a playback head However the signal recorded on tape is very different Audio signals entering each channel of ADAT first pass through an analog to digital converter ADC a device that takes 48 000 snapshots of the signal level every second Each snapshot is assigned a specific numeric value that corresponds to its level These numbers which represent coded audio are then converted into an audio signal that can be recorded on tape Fortunately recording a number on tape doesn t degrade the signal During playback a digital to analog converter DAC reads t
71. tch will stop the transport The footswitch can also be used simultaneously with the LRC remote control if you observe certain precautions See the next section USING THE LRC REMOTE CONTROL 4 3 Note To use the LRC plug it into the Locate Play LRC jack It can control a single ADAT or the master unit in a chain of ADATs The LRC offers the following functions e Transport functions Rewind Fast Forward Stop Play Record e Autolocation functions Locate 0 Locate 1 Locate 2 Set Locate Locate 2 gt 1 and Auto Play e Track functions Auto Input and All Input If the Locate Play footswitch is a normally open type the footswitch and remote control can be interchanged at any time or used simultaneously with a Y cord If the Locate Play footswitch is a normally closed type ADAT will have to be reset when switching between the footswitch and remote and they will not work simultaneously with a Y cord To do this 1 Unplug the device you don t want to use footswitch or remote 2 Turn off ADAT 3 Plug in the device you want to use footswitch or remote 4 Turn on ADAT CHAPTER 5 MULTIPLE ADAT OPERATION MULTIPLE ADAT BASICS 5 0 Two ADATs with one serving as the master recorder and the other serving as the slave provide additional possibilities e 16 tracks of synchronized digital audio storage e Simplified backup see Chapter 6 e Easy musical collaboration with other ADAT equipped musicians e
72. termines whether ADAT will record from its analog inputs balanced or unbalanced or digital input To record from the digital input press the switch its LED will light All eight channels will be received via the fiber optic connection section 6 1 and the analog inputs will be ignored DIGITAL IN can be turned on or off only when the ADAT is in STOP mode When recording while DIGITAL IN is on the ADAT s speed is slaved to the clock of the incoming digital signal The PITCH controls will have no effect when recording from the digital inputs although they will remain lit Do not turn on DIGITAL IN if nothing is connected to the digital input since the ADAT will hunt for a clock that isn t there causing long sync times For the one exception to this rule see Section 6 1A SETTING LEVELS 3 3 Unlike analog tape recorders whose meters indicate O VU at the ideal nominal recording level with 10 to 15dB headroom above the point OdB on ADAT represents the maximum possible signal level Signals above 0dB will be clipped and lead to digital distortion an ugly splattering sort of sound As on most digital recorders O dB on the ADAT meter is referenced to full scale the maximum signal that can be recorded in 16 bits Reference level signals plugged into ADAT are recorded 15 dB below full scale For example if your mixer has 4 dBu balanced outputs that are connected to ADAT s 4 dBu multipin ELCO connector or it has 10 dBV unba
73. that the AC source is not overloaded and is properly rated to handle the gear plugged into it For really tough cases you may need to break the connection that causes the loop condition One way to do this is to simply break the shield of the shielded audio cable at some point usually by disconnecting it from ground at one jack The other end should remain connected so that the shielding properties are retained even if there is no direct path for ground Please note that not all hums and buzzes are caused by ground loops your cables must be of very high quality particularly with 10 dBV setups Refer to section 2 1 for more information AUDIO CABLE TIPS The connections between ADAT and your studio are your music s lifeline so use only high quality cables These should be low capacitance shielded cables with a stranded not solid internal conductor and low resistance shield Although quality cables cost more they do make a difference Route cables to ADAT correctly by observing the following precautions e Do not bundle audio cables with AC power cords e Avoid running audio cables near sources of electromagnetic interference e Do not place cables where they can be stepped on Although stepping on a cable may not cause immediate damage it can compress the insulation between the center conductor and shield thus degrading performance or reduce the cable s reliability e Avoid twisting the cable or having it make sharp turns
74. the slave s to act independently Formatting is initiated independently on the slave for a number of reasons as detailed in section 3 1 Digital in can also be set independently for the slave s since you may want to record via the analog ins on some machines and via the digital ins on others Achieving Lock In a multi ADAT system the ADATs will chase the master and can only enter record once they are in perfect sample lock Audio will not appear at the outputs of an ADAT until sample lock sync is achieved When an ADAT is in lock the PLAY LED will light solid and the center decimal point in the display will appear To achieve the fastest chase lock performance from a multi ADAT system use the Locate points whenever possible 5 1E Independent Slave Mode If the master ADAT is stopped then each of the slaves will function independently For example you can press Play on one of the slaves or change the auto input monitor etc and it will go into play the other slaves will not respond However any time you press Play on the master or initiate any transport function it will take over and control the slaves FORMATTING WITH MULTIPLE ADAT SYSTEMS 5 2 Formatting works similarly to formatting on a single ADAT However it is necessary to consider what the slave does when formatting is initiated on the master 5 2A Master Format Enabled and Performing a Complete Start to Finish Format If the master format is enabled performin
75. until the display says Int 5 Press the DIGITAL IN switch on the master and slave machine Both DIGITAL IN LEDs should be lit 6 Record enable all tracks on the master target ADAT Make sure all tracks on the slave are in SAFE mode red LEDs not on or blinking 7 Press PLAY and RECORD on the master ADAT 8 Press STOP on the master after backing up is complete The result is a new clone of the original master that will synchronize sample accurately as if it were the original It is also possible to make a clone from the master machine to the slave machine although this isn t the preferred method if the source tape has shown any signs of deterioration Simply connect the DIGITAL OUT of the master to the DIGITAL IN of the slave and press the Record Enable switches on the slave machine instead of the master Note Even though the master machine is the source and may not have anything plugged into its optical digital input you still need to press Digital In on the master and set its clock to internal hold Set Locate and press Digital In so the display reads int The reason that the master s DIGITAL IN LED must be lit during backup is so the master knows that it is making a digital transfer and uses the proper time settings for a digital transfer This assures sample accurate timing precision If some of this is hard to remember an explanation of how Digital In affects synchronization may help Consider a situation where y
76. up data at the beginning of the tape Pressing Set Locate and Locate 0 while the counter shows 00 00 sets the display to read the absolute tape time location Ejecting a tape with a user set 00 00 will reset the counter to display absolute tape time of the next tape inserted Locations 1 and 2 if set will always reference the same point on the tape regardless of whether the counter is reset to 00 00 In other words once Locations 1 and 2 are set they reference the embedded time value in the tape format rather than the counter setting Set Locate 1 Holding Set Locate then pressing Locate 1 stores the tape location into a memory buffer for later recall Set Locate 2 Holding Set Locate then pressing Locate 2 stores the tape location into a second memory buffer for later recall 4 1B Autolocating to One of the Three Location Points Locate 0 Press this button to have ADAT autolocate to the 00 00 location Remember this can be anywhere on the tape since setting the Locate 0 point resets the tape counter to 00 00 Locate 1 Press this button to have ADAT autolocate to the location currently stored in the Set Locate 1 memory buffer Locate 2 Press this button to have ADAT autolocate to the location currently stored in the Set Locate 2 memory buffer 4 1C Shuttling Between Locate 1 and 2 Enabling the Auto 2 gt 1 button causes ADAT to automatically return to the Locate 1 point after reaching the Locate 2 point This works during playback or r
77. use any other type of head cleaning cassette They are abrasive and will damage or wear out your heads e Do NOT use head cleaning cassettes that require any kind of liquid e Do not use the Black Watch cassette any more often than necessary Over cleaning the heads wears them down reducing their life span e Do NOT attempt to clean the heads yourself unless you are a skilled technician experienced in the maintenance of video cassette recorders Information for such technicians is available from Alesis Product Support ADAT head cleaning requires different materials and procedures from analog head cleaning similar to VCR maintenance Cleaning the heads with a cotton swab or rubbing in the wrong direction will destroy them Opening the case of your ADAT will void the warranty Maintenance of the ADAT should be based on the Advanced Information Indicator or if the unit begins to behave erratically To determine if these symptoms are caused by dirty heads not a defective or worn tape keep a benchmark tape from the first weeks of operation set aside in a safe place See Section 3 1B If the ADAT Advanced Information Indicator lights frequently when playing back this tape it is likely that head cleaning is needed particularly if several hundred drum on hours have elapsed since the last cleaning To display the number of hours the heads have been in use press SET LOCATE and STOP Call Alesis Product Support for more information about h
78. ust that can enter the transport and keeps wear on the tape at a minimum Practice safe tape at all times because you can never retrieve lost data If you are archiving your tapes make sure they are stored in environmentally stable conditions i e a cool dry place If you do archive your tapes you need to check them once a year Run each tape through your ADAT from end to end This will prevent buildup that can occur when a tape is left simply sitting Of course for your Super sensitive or important material nothing beats making multiple digital backups Every year or so simply do another digital backup onto a brand new tape ERROR MESSAGES Alesis has designed a number of information messages that your ADAT may display from time to time In most cases these messages could indicate a fault as listed below They exist for quick diagnosis and problem solving if problems exist These Error Messages do not always mean there is a fault with the ADAT Sometimes it could be the video cassette casing for example We have listed these messages below along with our advice for what to do if and when they occur 9 4A ADAT Messages and Explanation e du Indicates Environment is too humid detected by dew sensor The tape will not be allowed to be threaded while this condition is present SOLUTION Leave ADAT on and wait Do not try to heat or cool the ADAT and under no circumstances use an air blower for example a hair dryer as you
79. y will not match 1 Connect one end of the fiber optic cable into the source ADAT optical output The cable is non polarized so either end can be inserted into the optical output Note that if the other end of the cable is disconnected and a signal is being sent through the cable you will be able to see a red light at the output This is not a laser light so you don t have to worry about damage to your eyes 2 Connect the other end of the fiber optic cable to the target ADAT s optical input 3 Insert the tape to be backed up in the source ADAT 4 Insert a tape in the target ADAT if it s not formatted see section 3 1 or section 5 2 for dual ADAT systems 5 Select Digital Inout on the target ADAT 6 Record enable all tracks on the target ADAT 7 Place the target ADAT in Record mode and the source ADAT in Play mode 8 Press Stop on both machines after backing up is complete BACKING UP VIA ANALOG I O 6 2 If you need to back up a tape and have misplaced the fiber optic cable don t panic Hook up the eight analog outputs from the source ADAT to the eight analog inputs on the target ADAT put the target ADAT into Record mode and the source ADAT into Play mode Although there may be an almost imperceptible loss of quality compared to a digital transfer ADAT s exceptional audio quality is such that you may not even notice the difference between the two tapes If the two ADATs are synchronized via the Sync In Out 9 pin
80. ync cable it should be of the proper type shielded and connected firmly It may also be caused by a damaged or defective tape If this problem persists after performing the steps below the machine may need service The Advanced Information Indicator is a dot that is displayed in the bottom right hand corner of the ADAT display This light looking like a period at the end of the current tape time indicates that the error correction circuitry of the ADAT is operating There is nothing to worry about if this light occasionally flickers However if it is flashing frequently or stays lit something is beginning to interfere with the playback of digital information from the tape Insert a different tape such as the benchmark tape referred to in section 3 1B into the transport If the Advanced Information Indicator does NOT flash with this other tape it indicates that the tape itself is at fault You should make a backup copy of the tape as soon as possible following the procedures in Chapter 6 and work with the backup copy instead of the original If the Advanced Information Indicator flashes frequently with all tapes try entering Cue Review mode by holding PLAY and FAST FORWARD for 20 seconds of tape travel then holding PLAY and REWIND for another 20 seconds This may remove any particles adhering to the heads If the indicator still flashes see section 9 2 ADAT Head Maintenance If none of these steps work back your tape up immediate
81. ystem It supplies sophisticated synchronization and overdubbing functions for multiple ADAT machines remote control of virtually all recorder functions reads and generates SMPTE time code and generates MIDI Time Code MTC and MIDI clocks The BRC can control up to 16 ADATs for a total of 128 tracks of digital audio RMB Remote Meter bridge option When using the BRC in a multi ADAT system the RMB Remote Meter Bridge provides localized viewing of 32 channels of LED meters It s designed to mount on top of the BRC or be rack mounted so that you can install your ADATs in a remote rack and control functions and view critical metering of the recorders directly from one location Easy interfacing with professional project and home studios ADAT includes a balanced 56 pin ELCO connector for 4dBu interfacing typical in professional studios For the home and project studio using 10 signals ADAT includes unbalanced 10dBV inputs and outputs on 1 4 jacks For convenience the balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs work simultaneously Voltage tolerant power supply ADAT accepts any AC voltage between 90 and 250 volts without the need for external converters Compatibility with multi channel mixdown formats ADAT is ideal for quadraphonic surround and theatrical sound applications that require more than two channels for the final master For more information on digital recording see Appendix 1 Appendix 2 is a glossary of digital reco

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