I am not only considering Radar, I have made the comitment to get a system, but which one? I am a little confused.

I have a Trident -65 24x16 console w/Mackie automation. I am not computer involved at this time.

I am looking for the "Balls out" package leaveing no meter bridge or truly needed piece at the way side for another time.

I understand that the new cost effective model has a permenant drive! How much time are those drives?

I think it is truly delightful that all models can expand to the top quality that IZ offers.

I also was not aware that the Radars are similar to 2" analog tape! Is that accurate?

Also, how easy are these "payment plans?"

Looks innocent enough.

The project comes with 2, 80 gig drives..... one for audio and the other for the system. You can only record to the audio drive but you can back your stuff up on the system drive, but have to move it back over to the audio drive to work with it. 160 gigs is a fair amount of space... probably enough for most people that arent running a commercial place.

As for what you need, the project comes with everything you HAVE to have to run it. You can see the meters on the computer screen and use the transport controls on the basic keyboard they give you. But if you have the extra money I'd go for the session controller with meterbridge and the dvd backup drive.

I've had a Radar24 for almost 2 years. Don't bother getting the meter bridge unless you won't be using a monitor. Mine's been in a drawer for over a year. Do get the Session Controller if at all possible. You can see on my website how I've got an LCD near the SC allowing me to see the meters onscreen with the waveforms. The meter bridge actually got in the way of the patch bay. Of course this all depends on you're setup, but I wish someone would have told me and saved me $495. Otherwise the project deals are all upgradable.
drew

Gentalmen, It sounds incredible and I apreciate the tips on the extras! That meter bridge does seem a little bulky.

I will have to do the math and figure out a budget.

Did you both pay for everything up front, or were you on some plan?

Cheers fellas!

I paid cash and the comparisons to 2"?? Marketing mostly, they're merely trying to say it is smooth and not like other digital systems you may be familiar with. (which it is BTW)
drew

Do you need to get a monitor? What exactly comes with the Project? On the brosures they show many things that are not included.

Any VGA monitor will do. I'm not familiar with the project packages, call iZ.
drew

Thanks Drew, I will! yuktyy

FWIW... I rarely use the computer monitor with my RADAR, except when editing, which I still do mainly by ear (the 'scrub wheel' on the 'session controller' is the balls!!).

I have found the 'session controller' to be pretty much mandatory for the way I work... it has nice little buttons just like an analog deck!! There is a menu where you can actually set the 'wind times' for FF and Rewind, as well as the 'ramp time' for doing punches.

I have my controller set up so it winds pretty similarly to a Studer A-827, but punches more like an MCI JH-24. This comes in especially handy when I'm cutting vocals as I can hit 'stop', 'rewind', 'play', then "punch" pretty much without having to look at the controller [I have the 'time display' set up for SMPTE code].

I have the meter bridge as well... but I have a 48 track meter bridge with a 24 track machine... I'm thinking of getting the 24 track bridge instead as the 48 track bridge is bit cramped... but it hasn't really become enough of a pain in the ass to do anything about it yet.

The last thing I mixed from the RADAR was mixed on an SSL... there is an interface box so you can use the 'transport controls' on the console and not **** around with the session controller when mixing... put the 'cue list' into the desk, used the transport controls and commands from the desk... it was like working with a real machine [remarkably pleasant to not have to **** with a mouse when working with a 'hard disk recorder!!!!].

Hi Fletcher,

Yes, The Radar really has me mouth water falling! I am pleased to hear your discription of the controller (I was not certain it was imediatly nessasary) and the viewing screen. If I could avoid a screen at this time I would feel most delighted about that (the less visuwal the better for me!)

The qestion is which package to get? I know I want the session controller right off and I am fairly certain I do not require a screen, if for all that it is used for is editing. I best stick with me Dummbos!

I am useing a Trident -65 now and The Radar is this weeks greatest news.

I just have to get myself organized so that I may give Radar my full attention!

Thank you for your comments and have a great day!

You can also put your 'track list' and 'cue list' on the screen [along with the wave form display]... but frankly I never had that capability in the 'analog domain', and still work off paper track sheets with the 'information' in RADAR there as a backup...

As far as system configuration... I'm not too slick with that stuff... but Samara Krugman at our office is pretty much a wizard with getting you the stuff you need, and [equally importantly] not loading you up with crap you don't need... feel free to give her a call [+1] 508 543-0069

Thank you Fletcher,

It may take a couple of weeks for me to contact her, but I will get in touch as soon as I can really give the Radar my full attention.

Thanks for your kind responce, I certainly apreciate the help!

Yeah, I got the Otari model Radar II, and I'm wondering if the software upgrades that IZ offer are worth downloading or not...

The *only* problem I have with the machine is that after doing a bunch of tricky autopunches, sometimes if I do a regular recording, it burns an "invisible" track... Audio is fine, just can't see it.

I understand that it replaces all instances of "Otari" with "IZ."

I know the visual editing has been improved as well, but I don't go by what I see, just what I hear...


BTW my session controller is *absolutely vital* to the way I work. The construction is solid, the jog wheel especially. And the less I have to look at the computer screen, the happier I am.

Don't know if it's in the DOS (Otari) version but in the BeOS (Radar24) version there is a rebuild waveforms command.
drew

These days? Psh. Who knows??

Wow. 11 year bump. Is this a record?

Damn......... What an aged 11 Year Mouldy old thread!
Great work.
Anyone tried the new IZ Convertors?

ahh... those were the days.

New question for old thread-

How are the old radar setups compared to a comp/daw setup with something new like a Symphony or Apollo, etc.
I'm wondering about power, performance, sound quality, etc.

I did an album on the original Radar (pretty sure it was the first one) back in 1996 and remember how much the engineers loved it. We dumped our tracks off 24-track and mixed on an SSL. I would be working similar to this, tracking analog and dumping to digital for mixing.
Now those old Radars pop up on eBay for less than you'd spend on a Symphony OR a computer. I love the idea of losing the mouse and ignoring the monitor.

Fletcher do you still use a radar, or have you moved on? Anyone else using them currently? What are the pros and cons? The new ones look amazing but are too spendy for my budget. Would an old one cut it?
Thx slutz.

Sounds Like you were using an Original Otari 16 Bit Radar, the Otari Radar 24 bit was still a lovely machine in 2001 and it was as quick to use as an analog 24 trk unit. When IZ Started to re-brand with their own technology, it all started to get a touch hairy in my books, plenty of options, almost too many, AES/Adat/Analog/Tdif and Nyquist, Radar 24, etc et all. Not sure about the Radar Support from Otari to IZ - from memory it was an upgrade path. Then of course you had the Remote/M-Bridge (Though later a VGA monitor could do that.) To my ears the IZ Radar Nyquist was the best sounding Digital 24 Track ever made! I'd contact IZ, ask re: Support for older models and then see what's around!

Good Luck!

-TLB-

My Radar 24 just got repaired by iZ and is being sent back to me as I write this!

I plan on buying a brand new Radar 6 system withen a years time.

Love my Radar...I would not want to use anything else!

Better customer service and some small glint of human emotion would be most welcome improvments from the iZ Corporation!

I spoke to Mixmasters here in Australia and he said he could do me a package between 12-15 g's which included the radar 6, ada 24, session controller and ultra nyquist card.

I've been thinking of a turn key solution lately with the obvious benefits of top notch convertors and tape style recording system.

The individual pieces and whole package sound pretty good dollar wise.

Cheers

Well.........as the Australian Distributer.....Hmmm Interesting, I'd still check USD pricing, and ....Look at these scenarios seriously. DAW's suck HUGE BIG HAIRY B*LLS in my book....I bloody loathe them from Audio Recording to Midi.
Give me an MCP60 MKII any day over a DAW for sequencing!
Good Luck Dude!

Hi mate
You can PM here for any Radar question.
I use the Radar 6, but still have a classic 24 machine too.
Cons....get out of the scsi drives, older drives with moving parts.
Pros...
The converters sound great.
There is a lot of head room.
Dumping from tape, even saturated tracks bounce in great.
If you are getting an older used machine.
Try to budget in having IZ technologies updating the unit for you.
Get the newer software, get into a solid state hard drive and the same for its internal "back up" drive.
The A/D sounds great in the modern world.
If you fancy going to higher than 48k/24 bit sampling rates, you'll be moving into some new cards...which may make the used unit start going up in price.
I'm digging their newest system....
I'd much rather suggest going into the radar 6 vs. fortifying an older machine.
You can read more about the newest perks on Radar 6 on the IZ website.
A few outstanding perks are the LCD screen on the face plate, face plate has transport controls, the unit is much lighter, smaller, quieter....
I'm digging quick bounces to and from daw via USB 3...
I've taken the radar with me to 2 different countries for productions and other US studios when not tracking at my co-owned studio.
I believe in it.,,,
Tracking feels way more performance oriented vs using great mix/editing features as a substitute for quality production on the front end.
Hope this helps