Are you in the analog or digital camp? In other words, do you prefer the sound of analog (LP’s) or the sound of digital (CD’s)?
Before you answer, let’s get geeky and look at some definitions and also a list of pros and cons for both types of recording:
| Analog: An electrical signal that continuously varies in strength as related to some form of input.
Analog Recording: A means of recording audio or video whereby the recorded analog signal is a physical representation of the waveform of the original analog signal. Some examples of analog sound mediums are vinyl records or LPs, cassette tapes, 2” 24 track tape, 8-track tapes, VHS tapes etc.. |
| Digital: A reference to a system whereby a continuously variable analog signal is reduced and encoded into discrete binary bits that establish a mathematical model of an original signal or other information.
Digital Recording: A method of recording in which samples of the original analog signal are encoded on tape or disk as binary information for storage or processing. Some examples of digital sound mediums are CDs, DAT tapes, Digital Betacam tapes, MP3’s, WAVs, AIFs, etc… |
So, an analog recording is a signal that’s actually stamped upon a recording tape or medium.Now that we have a little background, let’s discuss some of the pros and cons of each:
Analog Pros
- It’s a an accurate representation of sound but is limited by the device and recording medium.
- Many people find analog sound warmer and more pleasing to the ear.
- Distortion caused by over driving the recording with volume saturation can deliver a more pleasing result than digital methods.
Analog Cons
- Recordings are susceptible to degradation.
- Copies of the original recording are noisier and more distorted.
- Editing is more cumbersome and time consuming.
- The background noise of the media (tape hiss) and recording device become a part of the recording.
Digital Pros
- Easier editing.
- Duplicates are an exact copies.
- Noise floor usually exceeds human hearing ability.
Digital Cons
- Recording at too loud a volume results in a harsh unpleasant sound.
- Conversion from analog or one digital format to another must be done carefully to avoid loss of fidelity or gritty sound.
- Most people feel that digital recordings are colder or more sterile than analog.
Ok, made up your mind yet? Did the techno-babble above change your position? Or are you more conflicted?
Let me throw another wrench at you. Most people, even most sound engineers, have a hard time differentiating between the sound of analog and digital.
Take a few minutes to watch this Wired Science episode that ran recently on PBS and you’ll see what I mean. Audio Files Vs. Audio Files.
| Tech Note: Analog tape saturation offers a natural compression, lowering the audio peaks causing softer sounds to seem louder, smoothing high-frequency content (cymbals) and boosting the low bass frequencies. |
Ok, here’s my two cents worth – I prefer analog sound because it’s artifacts are more natural and actually pleasing to the ear. Analog distortion is warmer and more acceptable. But digital recordings are easier to manipulate and each copy is an exact replica of the original.
Today there are a variety of tools (Plug-ins) available to the audio professional that can add an “analog” feel to digital recordings.
It’s possible to get the best of both worlds, the ease of digital editing and the warm sound of analog. People will always debate Analog and digital recording methods. Today the best sound engineers use both.
Please post your thoughts and comments below. Look for a future blog entry on this topic including some wild stories …
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