For this week’s blog, let’s talk a little bit about analog recording versus digital recording. This will be a 2-part blog. I say a “little bit”, due to it’s vast depth and points to understand and consider when discussing this subject. I will cover analog recording versus digital recording in a seminar one day in much more detail.
There are pros and cons to both types of recording, however when all things are considered, the advantages of digital recording outweigh analog. Cost, maintenance, foot print of space so on. One of the most important advantages of digital recording Is the “UNDO” feature.
This can be an audio engineer’s best friend just as cut, copy, paste, click and drag. These are not easy to do with an analogue machine. I know because I have done them all on a tape machine, both in mastering and multi-track. A window cut on a multi-track machine is very hard to preform without a mistake. I can go on, however, we must be brief here.
Many engineers love the distinct sound of analog. Make no mistake there is just a certain sound to when using tape. The digital designers are very well aware of the distinct analog sound and have been working tirelessly to duplicate that sound since the beginning of the concept of digital recording. I have found that by today’s standards, and how far the designers have come, that the digital sound is superb.
Here at Tahoe Production House, we took a hard look at whether to go digital or analog. With all things considered for the past, present and future, we chose digital. In a nutshell, we chose Personus for digital. The designers are top in the audio field. They built their own design, with quality, accuracy, and ease of use in mind. They also have a great understanding of what’s happening now in recording and listen to what engineers are saying about what they want. I feel very confident that where Presonus is going for tomorrow is very solid. I feel that Presonus is in the state-of-the-art with many products of their products.
This leads me to my final point with Presonus, and just one reason of many, as to why we picked them as our recording provider. The operating platform is easy-to-grasp and outstanding in sound and operation. The other products they manufacture, interface and “hand shake” seamlessly. The 24.4.2 mixing console is one example of this. The FireStudio 10 X 10, (which we will have for use for mobile recording) is yet another. The “Fader Port” we just purchased gives you a “hands on” feel rather than having to use only the computer mouse to execute the operations. Their “Tube” pre-amps are outstanding in sound and operations and among the best in the biz by todays standards.
Watch for a part 2 next week on this Analog VS. Digital subject.
– Wayne
