End The Battle!

  • Thread starter Thread starter 13th_Omen
  • Start date Start date

Which "sounds" better, analog recordings or digital?

  • analog

    Votes: 11 39.3%

  • digital

    Votes: 17 60.7%
  • Total voters
    28
13th_Omen

13th_Omen

New member
I want to end an intense disagreement. Me and my drummer argue daiky as to whether digital recording sound better or worse than analog. This is just one of those things that were gonna have to leave at MAJORITY RULES! What do you think? And I know that everyone is going to add that they both have the goods and bads, but I am hoping to get a good poll count to end this battle!
 
This sort of like asking what's better, pepsi or #2 pencils.
 
Analog sounds better, in terms of "sound" as digital has none.

Let's face it, why do we use 50 year old technology (tubes, opto etc) to make the digital sound better ?
 
This sort of like asking what's better, pepsi or #2 pencils.
Click to expand...

Interesting anology, although I don't follow! My vote would be for pepsi, lead is not good for the digestive system!:D

43? I prefer 46 and 2!!!!!!!
 
This is all about the recording medium here! Our band's last CD was done on 2" reel to reel in order to get that "fat natural" sound. I personally don't think we got that sound at all. I have listened to many CDs done digital that blows the doors off my Chevy Cavalier and generall sound GOOD!
 
Reel to reel does nothing for the sound if you don't record it in the red. Drive the tape between +3 and +8dB and you get a magnetic tapecompression that sounds great on bass guitar and drums. It doesn't have to be 2" either, although thats the ultimate size.

Recording bass & drums on a simple Fostex R8 1/4" 8-track will produce results that's pleasing to the ear, IF the tape is driven at a proper level. After that, just transfer the tracks into some digital system and continue recording.
 
Also, if a CD sounds good or not depends on a lot more factors than the recording medium. You will still need good takes, and a good mix. So of course, an all digital album can have a much better overall sound.
 
Well, to give you more of an idea how this arguement started... I read an article about the new Disturbed album. It was done all on Pro Tools, while their first album was done on tape. I told him this, so he made a point to listen to each CD, one song from one the one song from the other and he likes the older one more. I tried to explain to him that he isn't really listening to the dynamics right because they are totally different songs, that to really be able to hear the difference you need the same song or track done by two different mediums. Agree?
 
My point is that neither is "better" only different. Personally, I'd take high end digital anyday but not because it's better or worse, just more affordable and MUCH easier. As in any medium, it's how you go about tracking that dictates how the final product sounds, not the storage medium.
 
My point is that neither is "better" only different. Personally, I'd take high end digital anyday but not because it's better or worse, just more affordable and MUCH easier
Click to expand...

I agree totally, i actually wanted to make the poll "Which would you rather use..." but the issue at hand is sound quality. I also wanted a choice of "niether, they are both just as good" but I am looking for a definate answer, yeah or neah!
 
I guess my opinion is if you can't make a decent digital system sound good, it's more of a problem with the engineer, not the medium. Same with a decent analog (tape) system. I will say I don't like digital mixing as the two buss summing sucks. It has nothing to do with mixing with a mouse, I'd prefer that as it's infinately repeatable. I just feel that the summing in an analog console sounds MUCH better to my ears. YMMV.
 
13th_Omen said:
that to really be able to hear the difference you need the same song or track done by two different mediums. Agree?
Click to expand...

Agree.
In all comparisons between 2 different things, all other factors should remain the same. If you wanna compare recording mediums, it should be the same song and the same mix.

The easiest way to do this would be to mix to 2 different mediums, DAT and reel to reel for example.

Trackrat: I'm not saying that one is better than the other.... but if we cut it down to the plain sound, the analog wins hands down.

The digital doesn't even have a sound in my book, but it has some wonderful editing capabilities up it's sleeve.

Myself, I record digital for convinience, but I do have a 8-track 1/4" standing in a corner, that I intend to try out on drums & bass when the right band comes in through the door.
 
Track Rat said:
I guess my opinion is if you can't make a decent digital system sound good, it's more of a problem with the engineer, not the medium.
Click to expand...
Bingo!


Track Rat said:
I just feel that the summing in an analog console sounds MUCH better to my ears. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Mine too....!
 
Strange Leaf,
you said .."I'm not saying that one is better than the other.... but if we cut it down to the plain sound, the analog wins hands down."

That is not a fair statment to me.

The goal of digital is quality, not color. The idea is to get zero artifacts, and to color the way that we want to later. To record analog just means your planning your color up front and not going back and changing it later. Not nessesarily good or bad.

To me I would rather, per say, record a completely dry vocal and go back and color it later. I can run it through "analog" tubes, a reverb box, bounce it off some tape, or damn near anything later. Because the source is clean. <or at least as clean as I can get it on MY gear> No different than tracking on tape or tracking Hi Fi and bouncing it on tape.

One thing to remember too is what "sounds" good is simply what we associate with sounds that we like. We tend to go after sounds and methods mimiced from things we like, and if THEY said they did it THAT way then damn, we sure as shit need to do that way too and OUR stuff will be just as good. All a frame of mind. Ever notive how you change your mind of what "sounds" good after hear other things?

Last thing too, I always remember that movie The Rock when Nick Cage spends $200 on that Beetles record in the begining and when asked why not spend $15 on the CD, he says.. "It sounds better". I often think, I bet he couldn't even tell the difference if it was recorded digital, and mixed down through "vinylish warmth" to a cd.
Yes that sounds like alot of work, but again its control.
On analog, you commit, digital you control.

Just my thoughts, and now I'm done..

SpaceBoy
 
I will ad my .02 to this one.
I have read alot on this site.
I haven't had the opputunity to answer alot of peoples troubles as I am always beat to the punch.
But I do remember what I read.
I wish I had a nickel each time I have heard the statement "listen with your ears"
This tells me that "everyone" is different. Each individual will hear things better or worse to themselves than to the next guy (gal).
How can something be answered when peoples opinions are what decides it?
Everyone is different.
In the experience that I have had, I went from 4 tracks of analog to n-track.
Well I can tell you this, if I recorded the same song on the same day both ways I would find them different, not any better or worse just different to my ears.
This question is headed for the same response that my question about panning/stereo was.
I got some great answers and a wealth of knowledge was tranferred amongst us.
But in the end, I conceded on the arguement and now everything is fine.
This is because it is an opinion, not a definite.
So tell your friend this "you were right, I was right" buy him or her a pepsi and a number 2 pencil and get on with recording whatever way YOU want!!!
This is a fun art not a pissing contest.

Best of luck to you 13th_Omen


Denver
 
Very cheap analogue = crap

Very cheap digital = crap

Good analogue = very expensive and sounds acceptable

Good digital = less expensive and less acceptable than the above

Very good analogue = very expensive and very good sounding

Very good digital = very expensive and very good sounding

Difference in $ between the last 2 = notalot
:cool:
 
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