Analogue Floyd

[Marco]

I suppose it could be the low level of accuracy in analogue reproduction? ;-)

Ha - don't you start!



Marco.

[Rothchild]

A few truths about digital recording and mastering from someone who knows a thing or two about mastering.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...=0&FORM=VDFSRV

The best (and for me most accurate) comment in there was 'the moment you put a microphone up you're faking, the whole thing is an illusion' a lot of the rest of it was myth and wishful thinking.

For instance them talking about the latency of plug-ins. It is indeed true that each process takes an amount of time to complete, but it's also the case that this delay is calculable and therefore can be dealt with - all digital workstations worth any attention have had 'PDC' (plugin delay compensation) for years now, I can even bring analogue gear in to my digital domain with sample level accuracy by pinging a signal out and timing the delay of it turning back up at the input - my mixing software automatically compensates all the tracks to deal with the loopback latency.

Anyway, in other news I had a further little play with the 2 versions of Nightfly earlier, I can get the digital version very close to the analogue one with a small, fairly wide boost at around 140Hz, that certainly brings the low end in line, some mild multiband compression in the low-mid and mid range brings the keys and vox out. It's not completely exact but then I only spend half an hour on it and I'm not Bob Ludwig! Even with this treatment the attack of the snare is still not as squished as on the record so I'm guessing the master to vinyl was compressed a bit harder than what I'm doing.

[Jimbo]

The best (and for me most accurate) comment in there was 'the moment you put a microphone up you're faking, the whole thing is an illusion' a lot of the rest of it was myth and wishful thinking.

For instance them talking about the latency of plug-ins. It is indeed true that each process takes an amount of time to complete, but it's also the case that this delay is calculable and therefore can be dealt with - all digital workstations worth any attention have had 'PDC' (plugin delay compensation) for years now, I can even bring analogue gear in to my digital domain with sample level accuracy by pinging a signal out and timing the delay of it turning back up at the input - my mixing software automatically compensates all the tracks to deal with the loopback latency.

Anyway, in other news I had a further little play with the 2 versions of Nightfly earlier, I can get the digital version very close to the analogue one with a small, fairly wide boost at around 140Hz, that certainly brings the low end in line, some mild multiband compression in the low-mid and mid range brings the keys and vox out. It's not completely exact but then I only spend half an hour on it and I'm not Bob Ludwig! Even with this treatment the attack of the snare is still not as squished as on the record so I'm guessing the master to vinyl was compressed a bit harder than what I'm doing.

Are you anything to do with the same bandcamp that handles Rodrigo y Gabriella?

[Rothchild]

Nah, Bandcamp is just a distribution platform. The Pony Collaboration are on Spotify too but we're not connected to anyone else on there either. (although I wish, Rodrigo and Gabriella are great!)

Anyway there's an interesting read here http://tapeop.com/interviews/105/bob-ludwig/ which suggests that the digital issue may (ironically) not be as close to the digital multitrack as I'd initially assumed. The fact of the matter remains though that the digital version is cleaner and more dynamic but the analogue version is warmer and more 'fun'.

[Jimbo]

Nah, Bandcamp is just a distribution platform. The Pony Collaboration are on Spotify too but we're not connected to anyone else on there either. (although I wish, Rodrigo and Gabriella are great!)

Anyway there's an interesting read here http://tapeop.com/interviews/105/bob-ludwig/ which suggests that the digital issue may (ironically) not be as close to the digital multitrack as I'd initially assumed. The fact of the matter remains though that the digital version is cleaner and more dynamic but the analogue version is warmer and more 'fun'.

Ok thanks. In the end you have to choose which sound you prefer and enjoy and really that is all the matters.

[struth]

Funny but I find now I am only listening now to my headphone rig. I am going to seriously consider stopping buying records full stop Not even sure I need the main system these days...heresy I know

[Jimbo]

Funny but I find now I am only listening now to my headphone rig. I am going to seriously consider stopping buying records full stop Not even sure I need the main system these days...heresy I know

Whatever floats your boat Grant and if it sounds good then great, after all the youngsters all seem to live in that headphone world!