Recording set-up idea & inquiry

Hello all,

I work on a MPC 2000XL and have been recording all of my compositions in 1 track stereo directly into my mac's 1/8 stereo input (I know, the horror!). Obviously this has affected my mixes in a very detrimental way.

So here's what I'm thinking:

MPC 8 OUTS > ADAT : This is where I record my performance/song

ADAT 8 OUTS > FIREWIRE AI : I'd track out individually. Then I would sync them up in my DAW based on the count in at the beginning of each track.

A couple of things:

1. My recordings are me performing live. I understand I could solo each track/sound from my MPC into my DAW and edit/"perform" from there but I feel like that takes a lot of the juice out of performing/beatmaking.

2. I don't have money for an 8i/2o AI right now. So as opposed to tracking out from my MPC directly into my DAW the ADAT would assist me in my multitrack fantasies.

3. I've heard nice things (amongst vitriolic statements) about ADAT, sounds like we'd work well together.

So does this make sense? Am I fkcuing up somewhere? Is there an easier option? Does this sound reasonable?

ghlabdl wrote:So does this make sense?

Not really...

Where does the ADAT connection come into play?

I'd be using the 1/4 outs of the MPC into the 1/4 ins of the ADAT to record a performance.

Use the 1/4 outs of the ADAT to the 1/4 ins of an Audio Interface into the DAW.

Mix multiple tracks that have been synced up in the DAW.

ghlabdl wrote:...
Use the 1/4 outs of the ADAT to the 1/4 ins of an Audio Interface into the DAW....

why this step?

why not 1/4 outs of the mpc into the 1/4 ins of the daw/interface?

ghlabdl wrote:Hello all,

I work on a MPC 2000XL and have been recording all of my compositions in 1 track stereo directly into my mac's 1/8 stereo input (I know, the horror!). Obviously this has affected my mixes in a very detrimental way.

So here's what I'm thinking:

MPC 8 OUTS > ADAT : This is where I record my performance/song

ADAT 8 OUTS > FIREWIRE AI : I'd track out individually. Then I would sync them up in my DAW based on the count in at the beginning of each track.

does this make sense? Am I fkcuing up somewhere? Is there an easier option? Does this sound reasonable?

tapedeck wrote:

ghlabdl wrote:...
Use the 1/4 outs of the ADAT to the 1/4 ins of an Audio Interface into the DAW....

why this step?

why not 1/4 outs of the mpc into the 1/4 ins of the daw/interface?

Won't work. He doesn't have 1/4" inputs to use. The easiest option to me would be to try another recording program in your daw, or invest in a decent multiport audio interface.

Sorry for the lack of clarity or confusion:

I think I made a mistake on the ADAT output info. Here's some pics that will hopefully explain what I want to do a little bit more clearly:

I perform a jam on my MPC and track out separate instruments/sounds/etc. from my 8 outs



to ADAT's 8 ins to record onto some SVHS tape


It is to my understand--please correct me if I'm wrong--that I can play back the recorded song I just made, and track out from the ADAT's 8 outs into my DAW via and audio interface.

Like this!


Does this still not make sense? I know I'd have to probably get some 1/4 > RCA cables for some connections but it still seems pretty clear what I'm going for.

tapedeck wrote:

ghlabdl wrote:...
Use the 1/4 outs of the ADAT to the 1/4 ins of an Audio Interface into the DAW....

why this step?

why not 1/4 outs of the mpc into the 1/4 ins of the daw/interface?

I'd spend a good $300 or so on an 8in AI. I figure I can borrow my homies AI while copping an ADAT recorder plus some tapes for around $150 while grabbing a output expansion for around the same price. So, yeah, I suppose I could go for the 8in AI first but I've been wanting to try out ADAT recording after I've heard some nice things about it.

EDIT: Img tag correction

Just to clarify:

I understand the 2000XL does not have an ADAT connection, but I believe I can still track out the lunacy that goes on in my MPC into an ADAT via cables and the outputs/inputs provided, no?

Well tbh, I'd leave the adat out of it. I'm an adat xt20 owner/user myself, but mine doesn't get any use as far as being in my recording chain (but that's just me).

It sounded good in its heyday while it was my main go to recorder. But now that I use audio interfaces that sound twice as good, its main purpose is to load archive material into my daw.

If you're looking for that optimum sound, you'll have to look more towards decent pre-amps, better ad/da converters, or a premium audio interface imo.

Do you mind telling me what qualities--sound wise--about ADAT recording make digital recording superior?

I've heard really bad things about it elsewhere but found some inspiring discussions on it from some people here (old threads) along with some musicians who had used it when they were starting out (RJD2 comes to mind firstly).

Please keep in mind that I would be inept of having any sort of 'sound quality' discussion without most likely sounding like an idiot. But I figured ADAT would give my recordings some sort of authentic, raw and unpolished component that wouldn't necessarily be difficult to replicate but would be interesting nonetheless.

ghlabdl wrote:Do you mind telling me what qualities--sound wise--about ADAT recording make digital recording superior?

All digital devices aren't created equal. You're going to have some that break the ice when it comes to basic recording needs, some that sit in the middle (prosumer), and your superior line (professional).

The thing with the adat is it was superior back in the nineties to early 2000's.

When the audio interface broke the barrier as far as sound quality, dynamic range, and affordability is concerned, and computers became more reliable, that spelled doom for the adat era. Plus with the adat, you have to deal with maintenance issues every so many head hrs because it has moving parts that wear out sooner than later.

Now when you compare equipment that's affordable and rivals gear twice or three times as much, you more than likely will try and get it. Same with the audio interfaces I use, they blew the sh!t outta the sound the adat had. And since they were no where near the price of the adat, I grabbed two.

Other pieces within my signal chain comprise of a mastering processor (better dynamic range than my audio interfaces) a master clock generator (to help keep every digital converter sync'd so the sound is clearer and more detailed), and a obsolite digital compressor/limiter w/ digi I/O.

dabmeister wrote:
...The thing with the adat is it was superior back in the nineties to early 2000's.

... when you compare equipment that's affordable and rivals gear twice or three times as much, you more than likely will try and get it.

I appreciate all the information you've given me. I understand you know a lot about high sound quality, but I think I can get work with the kind of quality that may not be the best, or even great, or even really good for the releases I want to do.

I'm interested in independent music. And by independent I'm not talking about College Dropout. I'm not meaning for this to sound bitter or scathing, but I get the feeling sometimes (from what I've read around threads) that people misunderstand many producers' actual needs or desires on forums. I have no intent on creating some sort of popular form of music, some hit, or some publicly pleasing hip-hop music that will throw me to small local stardom. I just want to be able to mix my tracks my way so that they don't have undesirable noise in them, so when I hand out releases on cheap cassette to like-minded peers around me they won't think their tape player is bugging out. Feel me?

I just wanted to know if this idea was possible. I don't have really any money for high-end equipment but I want to mix my compositions in a multitrack fashion that wouldn't, for the time being, require an expensive audio interface that is absolutely out of my financial reach right now.

Ok...forgive me for not seeing this from a different angle. If I had nothing but the adat to work with, then yes, it would have to fit in my plans.

But this is just me...if you have to go through numerous ad/da conversions to achieve some sort of color, and it sounds good to you, then by all means go for it. But on the other hand...if it doesn't, then move on to plan B.

But as you go along, don't forget to educate yourself on what it takes to get a better quality product. This is how I learned when I subscribed to recording, keyboard, home recording, & electronic musician mags back in the day in order to gain the knowledge that I have now.

Find out what the pros are doing and work that into your arsenal to get the best out of what you have.

ADAT 8 OUTS > FIREWIRE AI

dabmeister wrote:Ok...forgive me for not seeing this from a different angle. If I had nothing but the adat to work with, then yes, it would have to fit in my plans.

But this is just me...if you have to go through numerous ad/da conversions to achieve some sort of color, and it sounds good to you, then by all means go for it. But on the other hand...if it doesn't, then move on to plan B.

But as you go along, don't forget to educate yourself on what it takes to get a better quality product. This is how I learned when I subscribed to recording, keyboard, home recording, & electronic musician mags back in the day in order to gain the knowledge that I have now.

Find out what the pros are doing and work that into your arsenal to get the best out of what you have.

Yeah, I truly appreciate where you're coming from and I understand that you've probably gone through a lot more configurations than I have to definitely speak from an intelligent and experienced perspective. I want to build things one step at a time--or maybe "want" is the wrong word, since financially I don't really have choice but to build piece by piece!

Ideally, though, I'd like to advance my technical knowledge along with my actual beatmaking skills. Although I am fond of the work I'm producing right now I sincerely doubt it's even worth or requiring anything resembling a professional set-up. However, I do care about my work, so I will try a little harder to educate myself in sound technology so if there's something I want to achieve I can control it and master it as if it were Rick James' sex-slave.

Lampdog wrote:ADAT 8 OUTS > FIREWIRE AI

I was considering this! Thanks!

ghlabdl wrote:I'd be using the 1/4 outs of the MPC into the 1/4 ins of the ADAT to record a performance.

Use the 1/4 outs of the ADAT to the 1/4 ins of an Audio Interface into the DAW.

Mix multiple tracks that have been synced up in the DAW.

I think I know what you're saying now. I'm only aware of ADAT as a digital interface standard, but I'm guessing you're talking about an ADAT recorder, right?

In that case you're just wasting time taking extra steps that aren't needed.

There's some good advice in this thread already, but I'm coming wayyy out of leftfield here when I say this... Get yourself an MPC 4000 with the ADAT board!

You'll be amazed at how much further you can take your tunes with a 4K compared to the XL, plus the ADAT connection is standard on every interface from £100 and up, so you could add that later and get no perceptible loss of quality when you track out.