Alesis' ADAT digital recorder format takes another step forward with the launch of a truly professional high‑end machine, the Meridian. Fast Forward's Marcus Ryle is responsible for much of Alesis' software design, making him the ideal person to give Paul White a guided tour.
There have been rumours of a forthcoming professional ADAT for a couple of years now, but, even as recently as last month's Frankfurt music show, we didn't really know whether the new machine was fact or fiction. Then, without prior warning, the Alesis Meridian turned up at the Munich AES show, calling a halt to any further speculation.
Unlike the ADAT XT, which was a direct replacement for the original black ADAT, the Meridian is a more expensive pro machine, and doesn't supersede the XT. While it's envisioned that some serious private studio owners will buy the Meridian, the XT is expected to remain the machine of choice for the majority of private studio owners. The Meridian looks quite unlike its predecessors — in fact, to me, it has a rather dated, but solid, broadcast look to it. Perhaps this was deliberate, as the machine is designed not only for music recording, but also to appeal to high‑end video and post‑pro users.
Analogue connection is via a multi‑way EDAC connector or balanced XLRs, and internal trim pots allow the operating level to be set up to suit the user, from ‑20dB full scale to ‑10dB full scale when used with +4dBu signals. Digital machines are normally set up to read around ‑12dB for a +4dBu input signal. Though no exact price for the Meridian has been announced, it's expected to be roughly twice the RRP of an XT, but what's so different between this machine and previous ADATs? Apparently, everything apart from the type of tape used!
"The Meridian uses a different tape format — ADAT Type II," Marcus Ryle explains, "which enables it to record eight tracks at up to 20‑bit resolution at either 48kHz, 44.1kHz or varispeed, with no data compression. This gives a recording dynamic range of around 115dB (A‑weighted) with a D‑to‑A dynamic range of 105dB. For applications where a 16‑bit result is required, the signal can also be output as a dithered, noise‑shaped 16‑bit signal; because the optical interface can carry either 20 or 16‑bit data, noise‑shaping can be used to make the best possible digital copy to an ADAT XT."
Compatibility
Is the machine compatible with older ADATs?
"The Meridian can play back a Type I tape made on an original ADAT or XT, but you can't play back a Type II Meridian tape on either of the other machines — the compatibility in this respect is one way only. However, a Type I tape played in a Meridian machine will sound better, because the converters in this machine are better. The optical and sync connections on the back of the machine are exactly the same as on the other ADATs, so you can sync both existing and Meridian machines in the same system. As you'd expect, though, the new machine has a faster transport — around twice the speed of the XT — plus there are some new jog/shuttle facilities so, to get the fastest performance, you'd need to run an all‑Meridian system."
Quantum Leap Mechanics
At a full 4U, the Meridian is quite obviously larger than the original ADAT or XT but, apart from the increased number of panel controls, what's new mechanically?
"The Meridian uses a professional Matsushita video transport, further modified by Alesis, with a direct‑drive capstan — the same as is used in high‑end professional VHS VTRs. This transport has a cast, rather than a pressed, chassis — there are no idler wheels, and the capstan is solenoid‑controlled for very fast operation, so the feel of the transport is much more immediate. The reel motors are also direct drive, servo‑controlled, with independent tac sensors, so there are no belts and no mechanical brake adjustments to make. Tape tension is constantly monitored via the software and there's an internal head‑cleaning wand to reduce the need for manual cleaning."
The transport certainly seems to slip smoothly from fast wind to play, much like a Tascam DA88 or analogue machine.
"It's good to be able to have a machine that feels like a tape recorder again, with nice ramp times — and from Fast Wind you can go right back into Play. The jog/shuttle wheel has two modes, selectable by pressing the wheel. Jogging is very fast, and is pretty much like rocking the reels on an analogue deck, while scrub lets you move backward or forward at up to 10 times play speed.
Unlike the ADAT XT, which was a direct replacement for the original black ADAT, the Meridian doesn't supersede the XT.
"The linear analogue Aux track has its own input and output, so you can record any external signal you like on it, or any combination of the digital tracks, via an internal mixer. You can also have Meridian automatically record onto it whatever you've most recently recorded on the digital tracks. Let's say you're recording a vocal on track 5: you can have the Meridian automatically route track 5 to the Aux track, then, whenever you record onto track 5, it's also recording onto the Aux track. It also automatically routes the Aux track out of channel 5's output when you do shuttle and jog.
"You're hearing 20‑bit digital audio in play, but when you want to set up that next punch‑in point, you just grab the wheel and you're hearing an analogue scrub. You can use the jog/shuttle wheel while monitoring the Aux track to locate points just like rocking the reels on an analogue machine, though you could use the Aux track for anything, including slate notes.
"Notice that the machine is very fast and responsive when it's changing direction. You can do fractional play speeds — as you could on a Panasonic pro video‑editing deck, and it just so happens that the knob assembly comes from Panasonic! You can use this to set your edit points, to find your punch‑in and punch‑out points, and to locate downbeats for editing; and it's all synchronised exactly with where the digital information is."
Control Features
What facilities have you included to make the Meridian more attractive to video and post users, apart from speeding up the transport and improving the tape handling?
"A lot of the facilities that you associate with the Alesis BRC are built into this machine: timecode, MIDI, word clock and video reference in/out connectors are right there on the back panel as standard. Digital routing and the setting of crossfade times are done directly from the front panel. It's also possible to record any kind of SMPTE/EBU timecode on a kind of virtual tenth track, which is important for film work where it may be necessary to work with discontinuous, asynchronous sections of timecode. This enables any section of the recording to be identified without your having to set up offsets, and you can re‑sync to it at any time. The machine can also read timecode at any speed for locking, even if it's discontinuous. And when I say at any speed, I mean fast, because this transport can rewind a tape in 30 seconds! Even more importantly, because of the transport, it's possible to move the tape with complete control over tape tension at all times.
"The Meridian has a built‑in timecode generator selectable for all the standard rates, including drop frame, and all the industry‑standard sample rates are supported. It will chase‑lock directly to external timecode; MMC can be used to control the transport where required; and there are 100 locate points, each of which can be named. Offsets between Meridian machines can be set up with single‑sample accuracy, and familiar ADAT features such as track delay and auto punch‑in out facilities have been retained.
"Other features include an On‑Line button, which allows any ADAT Meridian in a system to be isolated (for tape formatting, copying or whatever); digital track copying, either within the machine or from machine to machine; and separate input‑selector switches for each track. As you can see from the front panel, there are a lot of facilities, and you don't need a BRC‑type device to sync to external timecode. The machine will also generate MTC directly and, because the operating software is held in flash ROM, it can be updated by playing a standard MIDI file, which can be downloaded from the Alesis web site."
Finally, when can we expect to be able to go into the shops and buy an ADAT Meridian?
"Alesis are planning to ship in late summer."
Options
To go with the Meridian, there's a new remote controller/autolocator capable of handling up to eight machines (CADI), and a remote meter bridge, which will enable people to put their Meridians in a machine room if required. I wondered whether the Meridian would work with the existing BRC.
"It will, but the BRC becomes rather redundant, as it's acting as the master: you have to do all your synchronisation via the BRC rather than through the Meridian. That's why we came up with the new CADI remote/autolocator — which can also control other ADAT products, providing that a Meridian machine is first in the chain. CADI interfaces via a simple RJ45 connector, just like an Ethernet 10 Base T connection, and you can use a 100‑metre`z cable without any problems. The meter bridge connects in the same way, with a separate cable to each ADAT Meridian. Both the jog/shuttle wheel and the Meridian front panel display are duplicated on the CADI."
Does the Meridian have Sony 9‑pin support?
"No: there are so many inexpensive third‑party boxes capable of doing that that we didn't think including it was necessary."
How about an internal monitoring mixer for verifying live recordings on location?
"No, we don't have that, though Studer are also producing a version of this machine which will cost around 15% extra, and that does include an integral monitor mixer. One piece that's optional is an AES/EBU interface card, which provides digital I/O as four stereo pairs on XLRs."