Hi Bill,
 
 While some of the distinctions between pro and semi-pro equipment are 
blurring, it is still quite clear in most ways that semi-pro and pro 
equipment ARE in fact different. Yes, your Otari is a pro level analog 
recorder. 
 
 > If it sounds the same, is it semi-pro?
 Just because it sounds the same (or nearly so) as some other digital 
recorder, (SONY Dash/Random Access Workstations), a pile of ADATs trying to 
sync together is NOT professional at all in comparison. While ADATs may be 
"used" professionally, they are NOT what most real professionals use and rely 
on for day to day use. Some clients may prefer using and have already done 
considerable production on these machines, that's why you will see an ADAT 
style machine in most studios these days, to accommodate those clients. You 
will also normally see some "real" equipment in there as well. Be it a DASH, 
workstation, console/workstation combination. ADAT is also fastly becoming a 
cheap 8 track digital backup standard. That would be how I would use ADATs 
mostly, and to convert to the "house" format.
 
 On another note... do you really think that the A/D/A chain in an ADAT is 
going to be as clean, accurate, and quiet as a set of high quality ones?
 
 The ADATs, DA88s and the rest are making it easier for semi-pros to make 
near pro level recordings, providing the engineering is in place, yet can not 
be considered to be a replacement for a considerably more expensive, 
flexible, quiet, and accurate digital pro deck.
 
 The old addage, "you get what you pay for" is a little harder than this to 
get around.
 
 Bonnie *:>
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