Analogue v.s Digital

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 2:25 am

What's the differences between the analogue and digital recording chains?? advantages and disadvantages of both??

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:25 pm

I think you stopped everyone in their tracks with this LOL!

It is a deep subject but I will generalize the high points.

Advantages of Dig.

Lack of generation loss.
Transportable media via the web.
Flawless editing and fast too!
Universal formats.
User friendly, does not require as deep a learning curve.
Back-up of analog.

Disadvantages of digital.

Copyright protection can be cracked.
Latency problems in real time.
Errors on media.
Destruction possible with a simple mouse click. (mistake)
Lossy formats are being used widespread including CD "redbook" format.
Dynamics are misunderstood.

Advantages of Analog.

Use of desirable tape saturation for compression.
Pure transfer of the sine wave.
Back-up of digital.
More organic sound overall.

Disadvantages.

Expensive.
Hard to edit properly (takes experience and skill)
High maintenance mechanisims.
Format non conformanty (one machine that records may be out of alignment for another machine across Country/World, to play)
Noise generated by the media.
Media is expensive.
Generation loss
Storage losses.
WOW and Flutter (failure to keep exact speed on many of the lesser quality units)
Wear of media.

Others want to expand on this???

That is a generalization list.

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:42 pm

I think you pretty much nailed the answer on this Bill. Ohhh it could get sooo ugly.;D I didn't want to be drawn into this on. he heh Really I think you touched on all of it.... Fats

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2003 6:19 pm

How about.....

One is old and the other is new???

or

One sounds like this and the other like that (i.e. different).

Gotta avoid the temptation here....

Steve

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2003 2:41 pm

Mmmmm.....new huh? There have been so many analog vs digital debates in the past.

All I want to say about the subject is that I have a powerful computer with Nuendo, Logic, Cubase SX, Sonar, Wavelab, Cool Edit Pro, and a couple of others. I almost never use it.

I record every day with a big analog board and a two inch machine. The studio is very busy, bands like the sound, editing is almost unnecessary with good bands. Screw ups are fixed in a minute on another track by playing a couple of bars over.

Recording like this can be done really fast and the sound of tape is still uh......different Very Happy

I just bought 50 reels of 2" tape and I love it! :p

Anyway mayday, welcome!

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2003 2:56 pm

They are both old.

First, the first true digital recording that was mainstream was Bop till you drop by Ry Cooder. Recorded in 75 and 76. Released on LP in 1976.

I personally did digital recordings in 1978 using a 14bit A/D and using the video heads of a 5600 Sony betamax. Still have the tapes and it was not too shabby.

All digital has to go to analog at some point and all of it starts analog via air motion. Ends up air motion.

The first practical analog to digital converters were made in 1959. They were used for code in frequency modulation for spying.

Digital actually goes back far..

1870's

MC. Dot dot dash dash dot dot dot.

Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2003 11:55 pm

Forgive me for being so damn uncool...

But somebody out there has a midterm...

How about it, "Mayday?"

I bet it's tomorrow, right?

Do your own damn homework...

Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 12:30 am

Mr. Roberts says,

Quote:

The first practical analog to digital converters were made in 1959. They were used for code in frequency modulation for spying.

A great example of how defense spending and technology "trickles down" to the consumer. That's why I never complain anymore about defense spending. The whole economic boom in the 90's was because of investments in defense in the 70's and 80's. I'm sure the technology sector more than recouped the investment. On the topic Very Happy

, I love analog but I can’t afford it anymore. Big Console, big tape, big maintenance bill. It does sound better though … Fats
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tannoy, Dynaudio, Blue Sky, JBL, Earthworks, Westlake, NS 10's Very Happy

, Genelec, Hafler, KRK, and PMC
Those are good. …………………….. Pick one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 1:12 am

What do u mean GT40sc??
what's ur problem??

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 3:39 pm

Your question looks like it's straight off the mid-term exam for "Intro to Audio Engineering 101." And because it was your first post, I figured you were fishing for easy answers, rather than bothering to read the book for yourself.

If I am mistaken, then "please forgive me for being so damn uncool," as I said.

But if I am not mistaken, I hope you got an "A." (Thanks to Bill Roberts.) Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 4:20 pm

When I tought professionally, 30% of the score (GPA) was the understanding of basic and complex circuits, interaction of them and therory. Building circuits to learn the signal path and how it works.

25% was Acoustics, speakers, microphones, cables, bussing, grouping, outboard maintenence, editing, formatting, interaction skills, people skills.

45% of the GPA was your actual mix.

(for the colleges out there, I am avalible to teach again...phone number at bottom of post)

I hope to open a small school for the recording arts one day. 2 students, for 4 weeks at a time. My intern learns more here in a month than he learned at *another* well know recording college. All they tought him was how to stay up all night and act cool. HE even was told not to touch any of the equipment until told too. The bullshit of it all. All for 47,000 US plus room and board. I could (and will) do it for 10% of that for serious learners.

Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:36 pm

Thx Bill...and everyone!!

GT..i'm not doin audio engineering course at the moment. well..hopefully in the future! So plz introduce me a good recordin school bro~~~
i've heard that "FULL SAIL" is the best...@@

Respected Past Moderator Joined: Mar 13, 2001 Posts: 1256

Quote:

Originally posted by mayday:

i've heard that "FULL SAIL" is the best...@@

THEY ALL SUCK....
get a degree at a four year for fallback if you really think you want to do this for a living....then go get a runner job at the biggest and best studio you can get into....be 150% more motivated/talented and politically savey than ALL of the other people starting where you're starting.....and be ready to sieze the moment when it happens.

...OH...and Analog vs. Digital?
it's the people and the material that really matter...format 's have the pluses and minuses as mentioned so eloquently by Bill.
I for one have, for multiple reasons ,been doing very good work on PT Mix+ with good analogue front ends, little or no plugins/processing, and ,mixing in a very good room on analogue boards to both 1/2 (for finals & voc ups&downs) and back into PT (for accapella's, track & tv mixes, ect).

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2003 6:02 pm

Agree with most of that mr Recorder Man...but;

No college/institution can really make you a good anything unless you, as the individual, have the drive and the motivation. I did the engineering program at Berklee in Boston, and do not consider that a waste of time or money (not that it was cheap!). This mainly due to the fact that I met several great engineers that had good brains to pick, and wanted to be picked! Naturally, the unmotivated can spend a lifetime there and not learn a thing, same as with any college. But good teachers are everywhere (this forum features many).

On A v. D...

Notice that lots of engineers are willing to spend extra time and money on doing things analog- and there's a whole bunch of people next door at tech talk spending long evenings trying to build recreations of their favourite piece of analog gear. I doubt very much that twenty years from now, anyone will be trying to recreate that legendary Protools sound!

(cheap shot there...sorry!)

Bjorn

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2003 7:46 pm

Mayday, where do you think I was a professor at Smile

Bjorn Zetterlund

You are most accurate in that.

I knew a kid that dropped 100K USD$ to become a dupe operator for 12 hrs a day at a tape plant running machines for 8 dollars an hr.

His parents were happy he was in the field.

Cat could mix his ass off. For the same dough, he was already 3/4 there before school. The money would have bought him a nice room and a great sounding studio and advertising for a year.

Too bad..

Hope he makes it. Been 12 years since I spoke to him and I heard he was still duping 2 years ago for about 11/hr/. Stuck/

Talent wasted.

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