Which is better DAT or CD ?
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Posted on Jul 12, 2005 08:38 pm
bobbymacbean
Member Since: Jul 12, 2005
i'm looking into buying a portable DAT recorder but have come across the marantz portable CD recorder and i'm wondering which way to go.
on one hand i can get longer sessions on the DAT but recording right to a CD would save me having to burn the DAT to CD later on.
are there any quality distinctions between the two that might have me leaning more to one or the other ?
i should emphasize PORTABLE and also would appreciate recommendations for particular recorders and there pros/cons.
thanks for any input,
brian
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Jul 12, 2005 08:43 pm Well, first, welcome to HRC.
DAT is limited to 48khz samplerate, and while the CD standard is 16 bit as a red-book formatted CD for playback in standard CD players, it CAN hold data of any resolution...DAT's have kinda fallen by the wayside lately. I have one, used it a lot back in the day, I don't think it's been turned on in a couple years or better.
Which reminds me, I should get that sucker on eBay...
Jul 12, 2005 09:00 pm Depends what Bit rate your recording to DAT. Apparently most DAT recorders are 16 bit (96dB of dynamic range) 44.1/48Khz., but you can get less common 24 bit 96Khz. (144 dB of dynamic range) as well.
So I guess if you were planning on recording to 24 bit, CD burners would be easier to find. and maybe cheaper?
Im guessing that a CD can hold a lot more than your standard DAT tape as well.
Plus, as you said before, its much easier extracting the files off the HD of the CD recorder that burning from DAT.
But DAT is cooler than CD :-)
Jul 12, 2005 09:13 pm Interesting, I did not know there were 96kHz DAT's...and I am also unconvinced DAT is cooler, I used DAT for a long time, it's cumbersomem slow and old-school. Until the DAT gets dumped to a computer, you may as well be working on analog tape, cuz DAT is about as convenient as that...but digital inconvenience...
Jul 12, 2005 11:22 pm [I edited the original post...sorry about the rant :( ]
I dont know the first thing about 'actually' using it. I guess it is much harder to use. From that point of view, it doesnt sound very cool at all. :)
Say, how much are you thinking of selling your DAT recorder for?
Jul 13, 2005 11:09 am i was just reading somewhere, that mastering engineers prefer DAT to cd's (data or audio) because they have less errors or somethin'.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jul 13, 2005 11:41 am Also, what about MiniDisc? Not nearly the capacity, but about the most portable format next to recording straight to a memory device.
Heck, in that case, I wonder how something like an iPod or a Zen would hold up in such an environment as portable field recording?
Jul 13, 2005 05:25 pm I think Mini disc is quite lossy in regard to quality. But if your just looking for a rough recording, I would actually go for a Mini disc.
Can you get a line in for an iPod Tad?
BeerHunterwww.TheLondonProject.caMember
Since: Feb 07, 2005
Jul 13, 2005 07:39 pm "Can you get a line in for an iPod Tad?"
Apparently there is a way to do it. I found a link but out of respect for this forum I will not post it here. However, google for "iPod Line-in hack" and who knows, you may just find something.
Jul 13, 2005 09:50 pm Oh and apparently DAT's dont crash. So in that respect its better for live lol
iPod Line hack? haha, wicked. cheers beer hunter
Jul 14, 2005 10:25 am Quote:
Oh and apparently DAT's dont crash. So in that respect its better for live lol
Yeah, but it's still tape and subject to the various threats and wear that tapes are subject too...
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jul 14, 2005 10:49 am don't tapes stretch? I find that kinda funny, never had that problem with digital =) =) =)
< hold on, i gotta re-tension my hard drive >
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Jul 14, 2005 10:50 am oop, don't let bruce hear me say that =)
Jul 14, 2005 06:18 pm So dB...you probably can't wait to get rid of yours. What kind you got again? What age? What kind of tape?
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Jul 15, 2005 02:13 am ...actually I did have to have the heads in one of my hard drives rebalanced :) only cost $500 :P
I weould suggest a portable DAW via a laptop computer and a firewire audio interface like the Eridol FA-66 ...I am thinking about getting the FA-101 (or similar as my future interface.
Right now I use my Desktop and run it off of deep cycle batteries for field recording :)
The problem with digital tape is that (having never really used DAT) tape lik miniDV drops out an awful lot, isn't readily upgradable, susceptable to moisture and temperature and wear and tear, I'm not sure about DAT tape but MiniDV is _not_ brand interchangable ie if you use panasonic tape you must always use panasonic tape because one brand uses a wet lubricant and the other uses a dry lubericant and if you mix the two you get a sticky mud. Also all tape heads should be cleaned weekly... though not too many people do that with digital stuff.
Jul 15, 2005 03:13 am I hate to be the bringer of the bad news, but I have had DAT tapes crash on me.
I've also read/seen first hand when a DAT crashed as well. Like anything, it happens. All technology can fail.
My old outfit used to use it in conjunction with an old Fostex 4-track to buy a few extra tracks as needed. When DAT dies, it's dead.
The short version is thus: DAT reads like a VCR tape. Think of "fixing" a video that you really wanted to watch with tape and a splicing block.
Nope. Ain't happening.
My general rule of thumb is that the more moving parts something has, the more places there are for something to screw up. I apologise in advance to any drummers out there :).
Seriousally, DAT seems to have some middle-management issues. Going from a HD to CD (or wherever to CD for that matter), you may get a coaster or two, but in the long run, there is less oppertunity to loose what you have if you are carefull.
My two international bits o' currency any-ho.
Jul 15, 2005 07:06 am I second the mini-disc debate. I believe ye can run yer MD at CD quality with minimal compression if required.
That said, a portable DAW is a good idea too. Then, ye can truly have portable studio quality with a kick-*** laptop, correct interface and software you;d have it all.
NOT the cheapest but a darn good suggeestion methinks!
Cheers
Coco.
Jul 15, 2005 07:31 am C_S, Tascam DA20 MKII w/remote control. about 5 years old, only actually used a few hours, enough hours to pay for itself and that's about it.
