Analog tape vs Digital

[jazzgitter]

I just finished listening to a compilation album of Michael Franks material from the 70s to recently and it's almost depressing how much better, deeper, bigger the analog tape recordings sound compared to what I hear these days. Just had to vent a little. I want a Studer!
Steve

[Ruudman]

I hear you.
Very frustrating for me that all
I want is analog,
but all I can afford
is digital................




ruudman

[Jose Mrochek]

jiji Analog vs. Digital Not a studer, but the AC2 from McDsp does the job pretty well. Try it.

[Hammer v2]

here we go again.......

[max cooper]

I lament the fact that my home rig was an Otari 5050 MKIII back in tha day, and now it's PT on a G5.


Know what?


I have lots more finished songs...


I also have more spare $$$ to spend on sessions in real studios with real engineers.

[Ruudman]

Originally posted by Jose Mrochek
jiji Analog vs. Digital Not a studer, but the AC2 from McDsp does the job pretty well. Try it.

I have AC2 and a Studer A80 2-track.
Still, all I want is analog................

max, I know digital makes most of us productive.
But my experience is that when I aim for the sound
that makes me want to listen, not just to get my job done,
I spend a ridiculous amount of
time getting it right- in digital.......



ruudman

[NIGHT'SCHILD]

Why do people want to make it analog vs digital? Utilize the best of both. Make good sounding recordings on analog than use digital programs and editors to mix. Somehow you have to use digital.
There is only one studio I know of that does everything solely analog and that is in London where the White Strips made there last album.

[Jose Mrochek]

I love the Analog vs. Digital threads.. and Yes, nightschild I agree with you.. some very good stuff comes out using the best of both worlds. but anyways, it's cool to talk about analog vs. digital, it's always fun

[rainsinvelvet]

Originally posted by NIGHT'SCHILD
Why do people want to make it analog vs digital? Utilize the best of both. Make good sounding recordings on analog than use digital programs and editors to mix. Somehow you have to use digital.
There is only one studio I know of that does everything solely analog and that is in London where the White Strips made there last album.

www.electricalaudio.com

Though, they did have a CD burner for refs.....

ERic

[blackbox]

and here :

easleymccainrecording.com

tubes and tape all day long.
the whites stripes cut their teeth here

[denial]

One of the great things about recording to tape is the tendency to listen more and look less.

Tracking to a Studer A827 and mixing to an Ampex ATR102 is a beautiful experience.

One of the many things I dislike about using digital is perfecting and editing something to within an inch of death. Tape seems to lessen the obsession for perfection which gives the record some sustainable character for years to come.

[Bob Olhsson]

I've had this frustration many times when mastering compilations.

I'm not sure the difference is as much a matter of analog vs. digital as it is of attitude and time pressure. Studios used to be far too expensive for most of us to own. Recording was all about preparation, rising to the occasion and going with the flow because there was never enough money to get things precisely the way we wanted. Often what we wanted wasn't as good as what we wound up getting.

Exceeding our expectations left us in awe of our own recordings because they pretty much always took on a life of their own.

[ToddF]

.

I'm not sure the difference is as much a matter of analog vs. digital as it is of attitude and time pressure. Studios used to be far too expensive for most of us to own. Recording was all about preparation, rising to the occasion and going with the flow because there was never enough money to get things precisely the way we wanted. Often what we wanted wasn't as good as what we wound up getting.

Bob, that was beautiful. Todd F.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
Exceeding our expectations left us in awe of our own recordings because they pretty much always took on a life of their own.

Bob this has to be your quote of the year.

[lucey]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson

Exceeding our expectations left us in awe of our own recordings because they pretty much always took on a life of their own.

So true.

Whereas today the attitude is often "i want this done for this much $" resulting in a demo disguised as a record.

There is no discovery in the rush and the perfectionism and the flat tone of most digital multitrack.

There is no letting go of our ego to music, no being played by the muse ... no magic.

[jbuntz]

What about the fact that studios with tape machines on average have more experienced engineers? I remember some of the stuff from the 90's when digital was REALLY unhip (and worse) and there were a lot of indie bands going to low end analogue studios that sounded really shitty. Don't mess with tape unless you want to clean your heads daily and keep it calibrated. Low end digital studios usually sound better than ghetto analogue studios and it doesn't require as much work or skill.

I heard that a studio here in town tracked a band on a test tone tape. That's funny.

[lucey]

Originally posted by jbuntz
What about the fact that studios with tape machines on average have more experienced engineers? I remember some of the stuff from the 90's when digital was REALLY unhip (and worse) and there were a lot of indie bands going to low end analogue studios that sounded really shitty. Don't mess with tape unless you want to clean your heads daily and keep it calibrated. Low end digital studios usually sound better than ghetto analogue studios and it doesn't require as much work or skill.

you're right ... digital is for lazy people

it only takes an hour to explain and demonstrate the basics of tape machine set up and general maintenance

it takes 20 minutes or less to calibrate a machine for tip top sound before a tracking session

and 5 minutes before every mixing session