Best way to get "analog" sound
- Thread starter Vagodeoz
- Start date
mikeyhasnobones
"stop dropping my mics."
this is interesting but yeah i would probably track and mix on my vs-880 and reaper like i do now but then pass the entire mix through a sweet old compressor and master it onto 1/4" or something like that. cheers! 
Bobby Darko
New member
I'd choose a cable. No serieously, this question doesn't make sense nor is it answerable. You can't record something on a tube. If you don't want the "coldness" that you have, you should check the way you record not the gear. Analog doesn't mean warm, digital doens't mean cold. Good luck!
psychedelicsoun
New member
don't let people give you a hard time. it's a good question
i think analog tape sounds very analog, but with the right ribbon/tube mics, outboard, and miking techniques I think you can make stuff sound very analog and oldschool. I know i was using a 4033 and a ribbon room mic and it was very natural and old fashioned sounding especially with some lowpass on the ribbon. it even had hiss from the preamp noise when the ribbon was turned way up.
i used to joke with my friends who are analog snobs - dude just record an extra track of noise from a synth, rolloff some high end and boost the bass and there you go!
of course i'm all about analog but can't really afford most of that old stuff
i think analog tape sounds very analog, but with the right ribbon/tube mics, outboard, and miking techniques I think you can make stuff sound very analog and oldschool. I know i was using a 4033 and a ribbon room mic and it was very natural and old fashioned sounding especially with some lowpass on the ribbon. it even had hiss from the preamp noise when the ribbon was turned way up.
i used to joke with my friends who are analog snobs - dude just record an extra track of noise from a synth, rolloff some high end and boost the bass and there you go!
of course i'm all about analog but can't really afford most of that old stuff
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
I may get into problems with my analog brethren but here are my thoughts...
I've heard some God awful analog recordings, which sounded cold and I've heard warm digital recordings and vice versa. While I prefer to record to tape and always will, it's not only about the tape recorder. It's very important but other variables play a role too. It's the totality of it all which makes an "analog" sound, including the type of recorder and tape you're using, speed, noise reduction or not (type of it), mics, preamps, consoles, outboard gear, room, the way it is mixed, mastered etc....
IMHO, if you wish to get a certain sound, you should recreate (as best as possible) the ENTIRE SIGNAL CHAIN (including rooms and recording techniques) of your favorite recordings.
You should have added more options in your poll, including "all of the above".
I've heard some God awful analog recordings, which sounded cold and I've heard warm digital recordings and vice versa. While I prefer to record to tape and always will, it's not only about the tape recorder. It's very important but other variables play a role too. It's the totality of it all which makes an "analog" sound, including the type of recorder and tape you're using, speed, noise reduction or not (type of it), mics, preamps, consoles, outboard gear, room, the way it is mixed, mastered etc....
IMHO, if you wish to get a certain sound, you should recreate (as best as possible) the ENTIRE SIGNAL CHAIN (including rooms and recording techniques) of your favorite recordings.
You should have added more options in your poll, including "all of the above".
Farview
Well-known member
Like cjacek was saying. The sound that you think is 'analog' is really just top notch equipment. It's not about tubes, it's not even about tape, it's about good quality gear, good technique, and good mixing.
The good analog sound you are looking for will not be found on a cassette 4-track, a sub-$500 tube mic preamp, a sub-$1000 tube mic, etc...
It really is the whole signal chain. If you are chasing the beatles and pink floyd sound and only have $1000 to spend, you are out of luck. The equivelent stuff nowadays would cost $3k - $6k for the a mic, $2k for a channel of preamp, 2k for a compressor, a reel to reel tape deck (a good one), and $250 worth of tape for every 10 minutes of recording time.
Even though some things get cheaper over time as technology marches on, you are looking for old technology that is just getting rarer and more expensive. The people at ART, MXL, etc... do not make anything that compares to the high end stuff. If they did, it wouldn't cost $200. The good stuff costs more than that in parts.
The good analog sound you are looking for will not be found on a cassette 4-track, a sub-$500 tube mic preamp, a sub-$1000 tube mic, etc...
It really is the whole signal chain. If you are chasing the beatles and pink floyd sound and only have $1000 to spend, you are out of luck. The equivelent stuff nowadays would cost $3k - $6k for the a mic, $2k for a channel of preamp, 2k for a compressor, a reel to reel tape deck (a good one), and $250 worth of tape for every 10 minutes of recording time.
Even though some things get cheaper over time as technology marches on, you are looking for old technology that is just getting rarer and more expensive. The people at ART, MXL, etc... do not make anything that compares to the high end stuff. If they did, it wouldn't cost $200. The good stuff costs more than that in parts.
Vagodeoz
One-Man-Band
I've heard some God awful analog recordings, which sounded cold and I've heard warm digital recordings and vice versa.Exactly, probably becouse they "compensated" the coldness of their digital recordings with all kind of "warm" stuff (ribbons, tubes...)
You should have added more options in your poll, including "all of the above".
I though of that, but everyone was going to vote for "all of them"
The question is, if you can ONLY afford one part of the chain, which one it would be.
Seeing how most people voted for recording, I'm glad I got my Tascam 414
I know a 4 tracker is never going to be like a reel-to-reel, but it's the best you can expect in Bolivia.
I'm having really hard times looking for Type II High Bias cassettes. I can't even imagine looking for 2" tape...
But I, however, can order some tube mikes, I have a ribbon, a tube pre-amp... But it looks like THE way to go is with tape.
*Goes cleaning and petting his 414*
Oh, before I leave... I have this doubt that just came to my mind...
Can you "over-analog" a recording?
Like, with a ribbon mike, through a tube pre-amp, recorded on r2r (or cassette), mixed on a vintage mixer and mastered though all kind of fancy gear.
What is the worst that can happen? Can it gets TOO warm? TOO noisy?
Frequency build-up is always something that can happen, due to gear choices, room acoustics, EQ or lack of same, poor mixing....
If you had all-tube, all analog all the way, you would have a sonic signature that still could be influenced by many of the above considerations, but wouldn't necessarily in itself be 'wooly' or all 'warm midrange', unless you wanted it that way.
It would still be at the mercy of your ears, the room, the music performed, mic placement, and mix and eq.
In other words, yet another chain, with yet other choices
Best,
C.
If you had all-tube, all analog all the way, you would have a sonic signature that still could be influenced by many of the above considerations, but wouldn't necessarily in itself be 'wooly' or all 'warm midrange', unless you wanted it that way.
It would still be at the mercy of your ears, the room, the music performed, mic placement, and mix and eq.
In other words, yet another chain, with yet other choices
Best,
C.
Farview
Well-known member
This is where you are taking a left turn to nowhere. There is no coldness to compensate for. Digital more or less gives you back what you give it. Analog tape doesn't. The 'digital coldness' thing comes into play when you are still compensating for what analog tape does to the sound when you aren't using analog tape.
For example, when I'm using tape I always add the high end to the kick drums on the way to tape. I do that because tape tends to smoosh the transient (especially when hit hard) which makes it come back a little less bright that you gave it. The other reason is because of tape hiss. Adding 10db of shelf at 8K is just going to give you a crapload of hiss.
Now, if I were to do the same thing when I recorded digitally, the kick would sound really thin and weak, because i've lost the effect of the tape. So, instead, I record flat and compress and EQ in the mix.
The other thing that you are mistaken about is tube = analog warmth. It doesn't. Just try out a Belari tube preamp, it's the opposite of warmth.
If I were could only get one thing in a quest to get a 'warm' sound, it would be a high quality solid state preamp like a used amek 9098, Langevin dual vocal combo, Great River, etc... These are all world class preamps and will give you more warmth that the rest of your chain might be able to reproduce.
A good preamp will also make your mic collection sound much better, even cheap mics are brought up a notch when run through a quality preamp.
Lo-Fi Mike
New member
2cents
If i was going after a classic sound, i would be more concerned with good quality musical instruments and players, like a valve Marshall over a spider amp simulator. Electro Harmonics pedals over digitech.
If you are after a certain sound you need to start with the actual sound.
If i had a nice big room full of classic well keep gear, i would have no problem using Apogee converters over a reel to reel.
so in answer to the question, i guess i would have more concern with whats going on on the other side of the glass.
my next concern would be the guy turning the knobs.
just my 2cents worth.
If i was going after a classic sound, i would be more concerned with good quality musical instruments and players, like a valve Marshall over a spider amp simulator. Electro Harmonics pedals over digitech.
If you are after a certain sound you need to start with the actual sound.
If i had a nice big room full of classic well keep gear, i would have no problem using Apogee converters over a reel to reel.
so in answer to the question, i guess i would have more concern with whats going on on the other side of the glass.
my next concern would be the guy turning the knobs.
just my 2cents worth.
Dr ZEE
Anti-Pro Circles Insider
I'd agree with the comments about good equipment through the whole signal chain. But perhaps just as much as what was already mentioned, the Beatles were a well-rehearsed band that had played lots of times in front of live audiences for a couple of years before they started recording albums, they had interesting musical ideas, they recorded in a very big and excellent room in a top notch studio with lots of highly trained people... in addition to all that mature technology and high quality gear they used to record it.
Cheers,
Otto
D
danny.guitar
Guest
If you're not using tube cables then you're never going to get that sound...
Somnium7
Noise Criminal
I agree with this statement. The much feared digital coldness monster is no longer with todays higher headroom digital formats. Even more interesting is how some older digital stuff actually sounds warmer. For example, the converters on my old Akai sampler sound better to me than my brand new sound card. The sampler was made in 1999.
I've mentioned before that I am a Synth-DIY guy and as such I build analog synthesizers. Amongst us there have been many tediously long debates about the merits of analog over digital.
The general consensus is that analog is less static. More prone to little errors and non-linearities (the randomness). This is what gives analog sound character. For this reason I always find myself somewhat amused when I read a person inquiring about getting an analog preamp for their digital setup and everybody is suggesting the cleanest possible analog gear available. To me that kinda defeats the whole point of it. I really don't recommend taking the advice of "audio snobs" when you are trying for an analog sound. Often they recommend stuff that is so clean it's clinical- yet still technically analog.
You want to make a digital recording sound analog then it's very easy. Run it through something with cheap opamps. A typical home stereo receiver will work wonders. Or you can pick up some 12 bit FX processor on Ebay for $10 and it will do the same thing only in the digital realm. I absolutely love my Korg DRV-1000 which I paid exactly $10 for. It has this wonderful way of making anything sound warm and analog - go figure.
strangedogs
New member
i remember the early 70's when we all started to go to Solid State... We wanted DIGITAL... hehe - it really does "go in cycles" I guess...
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
I apologize to the original poster in advance and no disrespect is intended but this poll doesn't make sense. I would like to expand on what Herm said earlier and that to get 'analog sound', by its very definition, demands an analogue tape recorder just as to get a "digital sound" demands a digital recorder. What does this prove? It says really nothing about its sound characteristic. This is more due to the type of gear used and not necessarily that its analog or digital. For example, a tube mono open reel recorder, at 15 ips sounds very different to a 2" 24 track or a cassette - all analogue though. Furthermore, the above will sound yet even more different depending which tapes, mics, rooms and other outboard gear is used. What are we talking about? A sound capture device, a characteristic of that certain device, a sound, tape? But yeah, if I were to vote, certainly I'd say "tape recorder" but then that wouldn't tell the whole story and be misleading. What the hell do I know..