Why I'm still using a RADAR 24-track recorder | Opinion

In a time where computers are cheap and plentiful, and there are seemingly endless choices for DAW software, I still record my music using an iZ Technologies RADAR 24-track hard disc recording system from 2005. Why?
Well, the answer, of course, has to do with ease of use, reliability, sound quality, and a perfect fit with my artistic workflow. Have a listen to why I love this recorder so much.
If it intrigues you enough to check them out, iZ technology is still in business and selling new ones. And I see used RADARs show up on reverb.com with some regularity.
www.izcorp.com
Under the Big Tree is Nicolas Peck's KZbin channel, focused on esoteric electronic music, modular and vintage synthesizers, sound design equipment and techniques, and the composition, production and performance of music.
www.underthebigtree.com

[@soupforare]

general purpose computing was a trick we played on ourselves

[@whatspadethinks]

I'm an audio engineer who started recording in my home studio in the early '90's on a Tascam 424 PortaStudio. I upgraded to the Tascam 488mkII (the last of the great analog PortaStudio's) and had a DA-30mkII for mixing, etc. I am so glad I grew up with that as my introduction to recording. It made me use my ears first, just as you say in the video. While I went to a program for recording technology I interned at a two project studios in town that had moved to ADAT's and 32 channel analog boards. I have tons of nostalgia for Tascam PortaStudio's...Alesis ADAT's not so much. After I graduated and started getting work I had to embrace Pro Tools to survive; I mean I was fascinated with it when I first started learning it bit I could see the pitfalls DAW's carry with them. Around 2007 one of those project studios I'd interned in offered me some work; I'd remained friends with them and still knew they were resistant to DAW's but hadn't really seen them for awhile. When I started they showed me their pride and joy: the RADAR. I worked with them recording local band demos and EP's for a few months and the RADAR was perfect for straight ahead rock and pop. It never crashed, it sounded incredible and every act who recorded in that studio loved the results. I haven't seen the owner of the studio for a few years but last I saw him he still had the RADAR and used it for projects. He said he'd bought a second unit and a newer audio card that recorded 96k and was looking at getting a third because he worried if iZ went under getting parts or any help would be impossible. I mean Pete Townshend still uses his to record too, it's not unheard of. When something just works so well and sounds that good you just want to keep it as is. I think it's great you're getting maximum use out of it. Good luck brother...

[@alliheyns4551]

I own two RADAR24s... A Nyquist and a Classic. I bought the Nyquist on eBay in 2004. It was a 2000 model. I installed an ADAT card and relevant upgrades. In 2010 I bought the Classic and I needed to update the software on both machines to to the same version, in order to run RADARLink. I used this system to record an uncountable number of live concerts and the reason I never stressed myself to death, was their reliability. Things have changed and workflows and onterfacing has different demands now, but my Nyquist machine is my studio A-D front end and both of them still go out together to gigs. In 2021 RADAR24 was still the main recorder on My Kitchen Rules...!

[@cristouk]

I grew up on analogue (at Maison Rougue strudios - Studer A820's with Dolby SR) and used one of the Sony 3324s but hated it - very clinical sounding. But I did a session in the late nineties on a Radar and was impressed, it had a nice full sound, not the thin digital I was expecting, and of course looked and worked like a 24 track tape machine. I was doing brass session and of course, when they completed a take I could go straight into record again. The session players complained as they were out of breath for the next next take. They would usually use the time it would take for tape to spool to get their breath back! The owner of the studio loved it as it he would occaisionally smoke pot and if he dropped in by mistake, he could just undo it... I use Cubase on a PC now and it would be great if someone could come up with a hardware PC solution all in one to run a DAW. Their are good options out therebut all revolve aroundlatest WIndows OS or whatever, which has it's issues. A gap in the market perhaps?

[@bensharp4164]

I still use my PC from 2008 to run Reason 4, its like going to see an old friend, I know it like the back of my hand and the key commands come back in no time. The PC is to unstable to run Cubase but it runs Reaper like a champ, Im currently restoring a 70's analog desk so my old PC is going to become a fancy tape recorder. I've gotten lost and distracted by DAWs, hung up on updates and hard drive failures, so much so I gave up for a long time. I cant wait to start mixing in the moment.

[@duxgarnifex3678]

This is true. Here I am on KZbin instead of recording this morning. His point about ONLY doing audio is a valuable insight into the creative mind.

[@hooligancowboy]

I'am with you Nick. I have a Radar 24 I purchased brand new back in 2003. Since then I also purchased the ADA. In conjunction with Protools and a Mac mini the ADA works flawlessly. Now I'am working towards using the 24 for a mix/master down deck. Along with the help from Raymond Lam from IZ we are currently exploring options. Radar Love forever...j

[@rjmprod]

Great system. I work the same way as you because I’m an analog 24 tr guy from the past. But you have been lucky because there is no longer support with the hardware and that’s not any expense. I want to mess with. You have been lucky. Take care..

[@Wilmer778]

Very interesting! :D I'm not 100% sure, but I believe Richard Wright recorded his second solo album (Broken China) with one of these. I'm using a Pro Tools HD system, but luckily, I don't have internet connected to my Mac, I don't ever quantize, don't have autotune and if a note happens to be way out of tune, which almost never happens, I just use a pitch shifter to lift it up/pull it down a bit, but usually I'll just re-record the tiny bit and only use a pitch shifter when I can't play it better.

[@lanceweaver3371]

Still using radar 2 here in 2022...love it!!!

[@charlesrocks]

The IZ RADAR is phenomenal. I’m running Burl right now because it gives me the color I need for my music, but damn…RADAR is like the one to own if I could afford it.

[@duxgarnifex3678]

Nick this is a great perspective with current use case. Your review is appreciated.

[@cmath8577]

In 2013-2014, I purchased a Radar 6 system because I simply loved Barry's passion and his team . My Radar went to Canada twice for a power supply upgrades , a new drive bay upgrade for solid state drives, and again the Radar studio upgrade so one could run protools or Ableton live. I spared no expense. Plugged it all in and the touch screen didn't work right but IZ was able to calibrate the screen over ethernet remotely via team viewer app. IZ had a"RADAR STUDIO" launch party in Burbank in Nov/ Dec 2015 with a performance by Daniel Lanois. In 2017, just as I'm getting my Radar dialed in The official annoucement , Barry and his team were no longer part of the company. I was shattered after spending quite a bit of cash I otherwise would not have. Barry Henderson where are you?

[@stringsnare]

Sorry to hear man

[@creativeartsmediallc]

RADAR was always on my "radar" but was always beyond my wallet. This was until the IZ Radar Converter was launched. I also pick up a couple of Nyquist '96 cards on the secondary market to go with it. Because it uses the Dante Virtual Soundcard, I'm able to use the RADAR converters with my existing DAWS- Logic, Pro Tools, Ableton. In fact, a lot of long time radar users, like your self, are taking their existing RADAR cards and putting them into the new Converter Box .Some say they can't hear a difference at all and some say they hear a slight improvement.

[@churlishbeardo]

Thanks for this - RADAR, the old Akai DPS-24, Sound Devices MixPres and similar still hold this... almost irrational appeal for me for the reasons you've described here.

[@duxgarnifex3678]

Agreed. I used the RADAR in a Vegas Studio in 1998. It was solid. The DAW stability issue is alive in 2022, thus over the years, I continued to enjoy the workflow of the Roland 2480 and Akai DPS24 for the reasons you're stating from 2000-2015. Now with a 24-core super computer, I still have driver issues. I want that rock solid stability. Thinking about RADAR or Tascam X48 or Tascam MX-2424 to work with a Yamaha DM-2000 for Audio and an Akai MPC for a sequencer and synch. Maybe an Alesis or Mackie 24. What should I do?

[@jesdadotcom]

I loved BeOS. I used to run BeOS Central looooong ago. I miss that scene.

[@fjn667]

I'm still nerding out on BEOS as a virtual machine. Fantastic OS for it's time

[@neaituppi7306]

I found a way to go on youtube and check videos, from a radar system. But then I come to a radar video.

[@night_speed]

Whatever works for you. I've heard Aphex Twin still records to DAT. I just recently went back to 4 track cassette after 20 years and have never been happier.

[@stringsnare]

Like a car tape deck style cassette? How is it working for you still?

[@travisraab]

i love this

[@kedavis]

Nick, you're a wise man! You probably create quite a bit of music.

[@zonarecordingstudio]

Is there anyway to sync a Yamaha motif with the radar via midi, I do sync processor card installed

[@zonarecordingstudio]

Need help syncing my radar to my console via smpte time code,works sort of ,the frames keep on spinning on my console?

[@zonarecordingstudio]

Love mine

[@KristofferLislegaard]

What an awesome box! Also why fix it if it isn't broken :) I really think the problem with modern computers is that they are made to do everything. That is of course the great thing about them, but something like the Radar (and the Kyma which I have also watched videos on on your channel :) ) are really so much nicer.

[@powerseostrategy]

I know people that still use Radar. I still use E-mu Paris Pro as it's a great sounding DAW and has most of the benefits of the Radar except it's computer based.

[@andrediaz392]

2024- I hadn't heard of the Radar system. Seems similar to the Alesis Adat 24. Mine still works great too. I bought it in late 2000s, just like you I prefer the machine recording to DAW recording without a doubt.

[@darrylweller6143]

Using classic 96 or ultra nyquist card?

[@velosasi]

I Recently acquired Aretta to system and have some difficulties putting it together properly. I get some errors. I haven’t been able to find technical support from Otari any chance you could share their information?

[@AT-eh2eo]

have you tried scsi to SD?? i use it for my Workstation from 2004...

[@laurentciron4951]

Hi ! I've just grab an OTARI RADARII to recover (on my DAW) the material of 3 lps recorded 22 years ago ... Everything looks fine (interface, meters ...) ... but no sound comes out from the analog output (SUBD25)... I've read the manual a thousand times and I can't understand why it's not working ... any clue ? (my Sub D 25 are connected in regular analog 1 to 1 mode) . thank you ! Laurent

[@TheBelse]

great video ..SSD?

[@stringsnare]

I want to disconnect from the computer. Its killing me creatively. I hate it so much esp cuz I work in IT. Thank you for this.

[@kevinsmusicroom1362]

Which radar version are you running?

[@garretthaines9485]

Other than it sounds fantastic, is super-stable, and it comes from a company with decades of demonstrated excellence, there is no reason to use RADAR.

[@stringsnare]

Lol!

[@vintageaudioworkshop]

Just found out the apollo can be unreliable, now considering this move. Thanks for the advice

[@TheRealNewBlackMusic]

We use the alesis hd24xr. We try using ftp file transfer but it never works. If u cant afford to get an old radar check out the alesis with a brc remote🤗

[@pontram]

The Hd24's Ethernet, if it works (it sometimes does), is excruciatingly slow. I think, it's 10 MBits (10BaseT). But there is an adapter (Alesis Fireport) existing, that can connect a HD24's drive enclosure via Firewire400 to a PC, and you can then transfer your data. Hopefully this works too, if you have an IDE-SATA converter mounted and a SATA SSD inside (I can not test that). Unfortunately, the Fireport is rare and not easy to get. And of/c you need a computer with FireWire400, and HD24tools. I use the HD24tools with the SATA drive directly via a USB adapter, though it is a bit of a process to disconnect the drive from the SATA converter in the enclosure. But it works.

[@bobsbits5357]

hi have used susi audio recorder like akai dd16 dd8 and yahama d24 it's what the file are what format are they save as big reel to reel decks yes i have alot of them yes 40 plus i can fix them i kind of fix them and hang on the them love the soundcraft 381-8 760-2 24 16 track decks otari mtr 12'5 1/2 1/4 i got a 14 inch scully 280-14 i am fixing up 4 track on 1/4 and 1/2 got adat as well and betacam audio as well i used to have a you tube i pulled it was getting to many emails finding home for gear they had got a 1/8 tape bin dubbing and real time mono full track for cassette pancakes

[@zonarecordingstudio]

Its time for a radar studio bro

[@scottstrang1583]

All this time I’ve been thinking that the RADAR system was from Otari.

[@galleryofrogues]

STILL?! Doesn’t the Radar have like the BEST A/D D/A converters ever made? That’s what I keep hearing.

[@tomkent4656]

Still only16 bit?

[@zonarecordingstudio]

I do 24 bit 48ktz

[@joelthacker1852]

if you keep your scsi drives below 80 percent full and defrag them regularly they can actually last forever..almost forever.

[@andregodfrey559]

Wow sounds like a no nonsense piece of gear seems like the only thing that's needed is upgrade to 2022 technology 🤔

[@aarocka11]

Bruh. You’re complaining about having to use gigabit Ethernet to transfer files over ftp even though it’s faster the usb 2.0.