Topic: What is the best DAT desk available?

[robertmode]

 
Hello, i would like to know what is the best DAT desk available on the market which can read old tapes (recorded for example with a TCD-D8) without having dignoises or errors ?
I own some 180 minute audio DATs to transfer.

Yours sincerely.
Robert

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

How many DATs???  You might be better off having someone transfer those DATs for you, instead of buying a new deck... 

Depending on the amount of DATs, I may be able to do it for you...

Terry

[robertmode]

How many DATs???  You might be better off having someone transfer those DATs for you, instead of buying a new deck... 

Depending on the amount of DATs, I may be able to do it for you...

Terry

Hello,

I own them on 16 bit/44 khz but now I would love them on 16 bit/48 khz!
I think buying a desk is easier for me. I own 15 tapes.
Yours sincerely.
Robert

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I have to recommend the Tascam DA-20mkII.  I just got one last month to do Transfers and it blows away my Sony DTC-59ES. 

Terry

[robertmode]

I have to recommend the Tascam DA-20mkII.  I just got one last month to do Transfers and it blows away my Sony DTC-59ES. 

Terry

Dear Terry,
Thanks for your help!
Yours sincerely.
Robert

[sparkey]

I'd suggest a DA-20...I think they had a bit of a better reputation than the mkII. 

I have to recommend the Tascam DA-20mkII.  I just got one last month to do Transfers and it blows away my Sony DTC-59ES. 

Terry

[SClassical]

What reputation do you mean?

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I'd suggest a DA-20...I think they had a bit of a better reputation than the mkII. 

I have a pair of DA-20s, still in regular use, and they are tanks but the mk II was reported to have better error handling and error correction than the original. 

[TNJazz]

I own them on 16 bit/44 khz but now I would love them on 16 bit/48 khz!

There is no good reason I can think of to do this.  Why does the sample rate matter?  They won't sound any better at 48 than they do at 44.

[H₂O]

I'd recommend the Sony PCM-7040, PCM-R500, or PCM-R700


All are 4 motor decks.   The 7040 has killer error correction that has recovered otherwise bad tapes for me, but it does not support LP or 32Khz playback.  The R500/R700 are pretty good (not as good at the error correction as the 7040) but support 32Khz playback.


7040 also is AES/EBU only.


on ebay:
R500's go for $100-200 (in used not mint condition)
R700's go for $150-300 (in used not mint condition)
7040's go for $100-300 (in used not mint condition)


Other good sony's:
PCM 2600, 2800
DTC A8, A9
PCM 7010 - This is a similar deck to the 7040 but a couple of versions back - supports 32Khz but more complex transport - with correct Digital IO modules installed these go for $400-500 on ebay

[sparkey]

I think in terms of general reliability and longevity...don't mistake my recollections for the final word on anything :-)

What reputation do you mean?

[ArchivalAudio]

Fostex D-5
I have found it plays DAT's when other units cannot run the tape w/o errors or digi noise
but that's my experience since owning one since 1997

--Ian

[John Willett]

Fostex D-5
I have found it plays DAT's when other units cannot run the tape w/o errors or digi noise
but that's my experience since owning one since 1997

--Ian

Nice machines - I have a couple of the D-10 myself.

[darby]

Fostex D-5
I have found it plays DAT's when other units cannot run the tape w/o errors or digi noise
but that's my experience since owning one since 1997

--Ian

I had one and it was JUNK... get a Sony R500

[sparkey]

Sometimes whether or not a tape can be played depends on the difference of alignment (or degree of mis-alignment) of the heads.  If the original deck is too far outta whack, that may be the only deck the tape can be played on.