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Author Topic: DAT Tape sound quality.............  (Read 7166 times)

Offline Red Grant

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DAT Tape sound quality.............
« on: November 18, 2011, 12:50:09 AM »
How is it?  Does it sound 'analog' 'enough'?

Does it approach 7 1/2 ips, at least 4 track?
Hyok (Tony) Kim,  yes, this is my real name.

Btw.  How do you know it's my real name?  Just because I say so?

2 Pioneer RT-2022, 4 Beocord 2000 deluxe, Beomaster 8000, 6000, 5000 (80's version), 4000,    Nikko Alpha III, Grundig RTV Receivers, Beovox  RL140 Speakers.

Offline Tim Leggett

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2011, 12:17:13 PM »
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) is the recordable version of the CD standard (44.1 KHz/16 bit or 48 KHz/16 bit) that recorded the data onto magnetic tape.

I had two different Sony DAT machines and the quality was very good. As implied by the sampling rates it was CD quality and better. Contrary to popular belief, if you put a warm sounding signal into it, that is what you got back out, but with the limitation of the resolution of the analog to digital converters and the sampling rate.

I mastered a few recording from mutlitrack analog to 48/16 with it in the early 90's.

The main issue I had was the machines were very finicky about being able to play back accurately, the archivability of the medium was very poor for me. I had trouble playing tapes recorded 6 months earlier. Fortunately I was able to direct digital transfers to wave files before I was unable to play the tapes any longer. I even had one machine serviced by Sony and it really still performed the same after.

These were basically miniature rotating head type video playback mechanisms that just stored digital instead of analog signals.
Tim Leggett
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Offline astrotoy

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2011, 02:13:24 PM »
I agree with Tim.  My experience is that the reliability of the DAT tapes has not been good over time. I bought a portable Sony DAT to do some field recordings and compared with the Marantz cassette machine, it was much better. I also bought a few prerecorded DATs which were similar in sound quality to CD's. They were cheap because Tower records was discontinuing carrying them.  Anyway, I still have the DAT in my system but don't play it.   Larry
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Offline ironbut

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2011, 03:11:11 PM »
My experience with DAT has been with the tapes for the most part.
Unfortunately, none has been very good.
All the problems associated with magnetic tape seem to be amplified in both the tiny DAT tapes or the Beta cassettes.
I've seen mold, sticky shed, tape speed issues and just about anything else you can think of. And if you think that curing these problems is bad with reel to reel, imagine having to get the things open before you even start to evaluate whether the tape can be saved.

I kind of skipped over this format when doing live recordings. I went straight from analog cassette to mini disc. I think that DAT was capable of better sound than both but I just never used one myself.
steve koto
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Offline Red Grant

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2011, 07:03:35 PM »
Many thanks to you all.    I thought about getting a TOTL DAT deck (they come mostly very cheap), and using it for making my own mix tape from digital source, and maybe archieval purpose.

I'll just stick to open reels and cassettes.
Hyok (Tony) Kim,  yes, this is my real name.

Btw.  How do you know it's my real name?  Just because I say so?

2 Pioneer RT-2022, 4 Beocord 2000 deluxe, Beomaster 8000, 6000, 5000 (80's version), 4000,    Nikko Alpha III, Grundig RTV Receivers, Beovox  RL140 Speakers.

Offline ironbut

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2011, 10:03:36 PM »
Hey Red,

If you're starting with a digital source and wish to make a compilation of songs, why not just use iTunes and make playlists?
If you want to use some analog sources, you can get a good USB interface from someone like E-Mu or M-Audio for just a bit over $100.
Once the music is stored on your computer, you can manipulate it to your hearts content with free editors such as Audacity.
steve koto
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Offline Red Grant

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Re: DAT Tape sound quality.............
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2011, 12:41:08 AM »
Well, I had thought (wrongly) DAT would be more 'robust' and reliable.
Hyok (Tony) Kim,  yes, this is my real name.

Btw.  How do you know it's my real name?  Just because I say so?

2 Pioneer RT-2022, 4 Beocord 2000 deluxe, Beomaster 8000, 6000, 5000 (80's version), 4000,    Nikko Alpha III, Grundig RTV Receivers, Beovox  RL140 Speakers.