analog vs digital mixer

[jusballin]

this may sound like a dumb question but could someone explain the difference between an analog and a digital mixer and what are the pros and cons of each. i would greatly appreciate it.

thanks

 

[Track Rat]

Well, an analog mixer handles just analog type signals (audio at either line level (+4 or -10) or microphone level) and digital mixers can usually deal with both to some degree. In a digital mixer you can take something like a couple of ADATs or a hard disc recorder and mix, route and manipulate signals in the digital domain which theoreticly is a cleaner, lossless way to deal witha signal.

What's the pro's and con's of each platform? That could generate a holy war as there are many views on that subject. I will say that IMHO, FOR THE MONEY, you can get more mixer for your money with an analog console over a digital one. Primarily in the mic preamps.

 

[JR#97]

It all depends on what you need. I personally like having real knobs and buttons instead of multi-purpose buttons and menues to wade through. However, there are a lot of things about digital mixers that I like as well... automation, scene recall, onboard effects or option for onboard effects, multiple routing configurations, MIDI capabilites, MMC....

I prefer to track through an analog mixer and mix on a digital.

 

[Downside Studio]

I don't agree with the fact that an analogue console gives you more for the money than a digital. I think the opposite. If you look at something like the yamaha or tascam digital consoles they offer a lot for their price, including dynamics and effects.

I myself started analogue (topaz), than digital (02R and TMD8000) and now own both (02R & Solitaire).

I think both sound great, and I would never traded in my digital console if I could have upgraded it. I do understand the difference in sound between analogue and digital.

Analogue sounds 'fat' and colouring.
Digital sounds 'clean' and uncolouring.