Hi
I'm hoping someone can help me. I have a few ADAT Tapes. all 8 track  digital audio. I'd like to transfer these tracks to Sonar. Each song,  8 tracks to a Sonar project. No Synchronization to external drum machines or synths is needed as it's all audio.  No external modules. I just want to transfer 8 tracks at once per song.  I have a Scarlett 18i6 which "seems" to have an optical "IN". (It's got what looks like a cover on it). But anyway. I have the ADAT. It's got an ADAT optical IN  and OUT.  Is there a simple solution to this or do I have to connect My Frontier design  "Tango" Converter, and 8 in 8 out snake too ?  Sheesh. Why do things have to get so complicated ? I'm hoping not.   Any solutions to this ?
 
Thanks
Brad J Hofrichter

If the 18i6 "in" that you are looking at is called lightpipe then you simply need an optical/lightpipe cable connect to out of the ADAT and the in of the 18i6. Then set the "input" on each SONAR channel as the mono of the "ADAT channel..." or something like that (don't own one so I'm not sure how the lightpie channels show up for you).
 
I did this about 7 years ago but have since sold my ADAT so.... I'm working on memory (of a 63 year old's brain).

My transfers were a little more exotic since I had 24 tracks to transfer but I only had one ADAT at the time of transferring  and so I needed to "sync" the three tapes once pass at a time.

I've transferred ADAT tapes into Sonar several times.  Bapu's  steps (post #2) are the easiest way to transfer from a single 8-track ADAT to Sonar.  I use an RME Fireface UFX interface, and assume the 18i66 has a similar ADAT light-pipe setup.
 
Here are some other tips:
 
Make sure your project is set to 48kHz sample rate since that's the default on the ADAT.  Hopefully, your ADAT tapes were recorded at the default sample rate.  In the 18i6 driver control panel, you might have to set clock synchronization to the ADAT input, but I would try without this step to start.  My RME seems to sync automatically.  Even though the ADAT XT is 16-bit, you should be able to set your project bit depth as you please. 
 
Note: In case any recordings were done on a black ADAT (pre XT),  the recorded digital signal is inverted, and the Sonar channel phase should be set to "inverted" too. 
 
I have an ADAT XT in the rack, and can probably walk through the process if things get complicated.
 

This reminds me that I have 12 ADAT tapes sitting on a shelf that are recordings of a great 8 piece R&B band that broke up a long time ago. They had this semi famous engineer record them and it all fell apart. They where left with these tapes that no one has listened to. The band had a huge following. Apparently they will be re uniting next summer and playing at  http://www.cannafest.ca/ .
I ended up with the tapes because I was their soundguy for many years and I recorded the only album they ever released. I have been keeping my eye out for a ADAT machine but have never followed through. I guess it might be better to find someone in Sonar land to do the transfers for me. 
The tapes say 24 / 48  and there are 2 tapes per song.  so must be 16 tracks. 

Let me know if you figure it out. I will try, I'll connect the  Scarlett 18i8 optical in to the ADAT XT 's optical out and just run the tapes. I probably won't be able to hear it as it records, since I'm only connecting to the ADAT out.  So, I'll record the complete tapes to one Sonar project then afterwards I'll slice and dice each 8 track song to individual songs and place them into individual Sonar projects.    

Brad
Let me know if you figure it out. I will try, I'll connect the  Scarlett 18i8 optical in to the ADAT XT 's optical out and just run the tapes. I probably won't be able to hear it as it records, since I'm only connecting to the ADAT out.  So, I'll record the complete tapes to one Sonar project then afterwards I'll slice and dice each 8 track song to individual songs and place them into individual Sonar projects.    

Brad,
You should be able to monitor the ADAT through either SONAR or your Scarlett 18i8.  The ADAT inputs should act like any other audio input device.  I assume the 18i8 has some kind of monitoring controls.  Or, you can just engage the input echo buttons on the SONAR channel inputs.  
 
Hope that helps.

Thanks, I'm gonna give it a try. Strange though. The Scarlett 18i8 has a optical IN THAT HAS A "door" or covering sort of like a doggy door. Am I supposed to pull this off somehow, or push the optical cable through to connect ? 

Brad
Thanks, I'm gonna give it a try. Strange though. The Scarlett 18i8 has a optical IN THAT HAS A "door" or covering sort of like a doggy door. Am I supposed to pull this off somehow, or push the optical cable through to connect ? 

Yes, line-up the optical plug and push it through the door -- it should connect easily.  Your ADAT probably has/had a dummy-plug which is used to keep the optical port covered.  Those were easy to misplace. 
 
FYI: Those optical cables/connectors are also known as "TOSLINK" connectors. 

O.K made the connection.. I see the track meters in the ADAT jumping but no input signal in Sonar. I armed all the tracks left /right  mono - ADAT 1- ADAT 3 -ADAT 5- ADAT 7, but nothing yet.  And I used  first tracks 1 through 8  but then I saw something in MIX control that showed ADAT INS on tracks 9 through 16. So I armed those. Nothing showing on the armed tracks yet.