Digital vs Analog

[icarus88]

Digital sound: it sounds FLAT. Lifeless, "tinny", cold, empty. It doesn't feel loud when it's loud.

CD quality is 16 bit 44,100Hz sample rate, meaning, it takes a sample of the sound wave 44,100 times per second, and the bit depth is how many steps are available for it to place the amplitude of the sampled wave. i.e., say the bit depth allows the amplitude to be placed at a resolution that makes 1, 1.5, & 2 available. Therefore, if the sample's amplitude is 1.6, it will be placed at 1.5, if it is 1.75, it will be placed at 2. And, 44,100/sec might seem like a lot, but what ultimately happens is the wave ends up in squared off step shapes. It is no longer a smooth, curvy wave. AND, a CD song is one wave containing the whole of the song. That's why everything sounds flat, because it literally is. With analog, every instrument, the reverbs & delays, all keep their own space in the Ether.

I HATE mp3!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!

They are utterly SICKENING! Digital has killed music. Streaming has $#@-(& it in the #@$$#-. Artists aren't making money anymore cuz no one buys albums anymore. I mean, there's still a significant number of us that still do buy the CD, but we are the minority by far.

I'm so mad that I have to use a computer to make music these days. $600 for Ableton Live 11 Suite (& thats $150 off) & it still sounds like crap. And what's the point of 192,000Hz interfaces if your CPU can't handle it if your song is anything more than just a beat (and, in the mixdown, the max it'll be is 44,100 anyway).

Digital destroys hi hats! Transients suffer the worst, bass second.

I had started getting CDs of tapes I had, then I heard analog and bought back all my tapes, and all the more tapes I could find until they went extinct.

Yes, convenience wins, and quantity over quality: everyone just wants a million garbage songs on an iPod. But are they really listening/enjoying? Everyone I've ever seen with an iPod just skips thru songs constantly. They never just put it on and let it play. Occasionally they find a song and, “oh, I love this song!"… then they skip it halfway through!


Analog will always be the superior medium, and if people actually respected music as an art form instead of entertainment, digital would not have taken over.

 

[KenD]

There is small but very knowledgeable and committed group who are avidly into reel-to-reel audio as the highest analogue format. I agree but can't afford the luxury

Check out Doc Bottlehead to start:

Bottlehead

 

[icarus88]

There is small but very knowledgeable and committed group who are avidly into reel-to-reel audio as the highest analogue format. I agree but can't afford the luxury

Check out Doc Bottlehead to start:

Bottlehead

I know, such analog works are a luxury nowadays

 

[icarus88]

That's why I never want software intervention even if my music is poopie, it's better to be poopie than soulless

 

[TheArchitect]

Digital sound: it sounds FLAT. Lifeless, "tinny", cold, empty. It doesn't feel loud when it's loud.

CD quality is 16 bit 44,100Hz sample rate, meaning, it takes a sample of the sound wave 44,100 times per second, and the bit depth is how many steps are available for it to place the amplitude of the sampled wave. i.e., say the bit depth allows the amplitude to be placed at a resolution that makes 1, 1.5, & 2 available. Therefore, if the sample's amplitude is 1.6, it will be placed at 1.5, if it is 1.75, it will be placed at 2. And, 44,100/sec might seem like a lot, but what ultimately happens is the wave ends up in squared off step shapes. It is no longer a smooth, curvy wave. AND, a CD song is one wave containing the whole of the song. That's why everything sounds flat, because it literally is. With analog, every instrument, the reverbs & delays, all keep their own space in the Ether.

I HATE mp3!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!

They are utterly SICKENING! Digital has killed music. Streaming has $#@-(& it in the #@$$#-. Artists aren't making money anymore cuz no one buys albums anymore. I mean, there's still a significant number of us that still do buy the CD, but we are the minority by far.

I'm so mad that I have to use a computer to make music these days. $600 for Ableton Live 11 Suite (& thats $150 off) & it still sounds like crap. And what's the point of 192,000Hz interfaces if your CPU can't handle it if your song is anything more than just a beat (and, in the mixdown, the max it'll be is 44,100 anyway).

Digital destroys hi hats! Transients suffer the worst, bass second.

I had started getting CDs of tapes I had, then I heard analog and bought back all my tapes, and all the more tapes I could find until they went extinct.

Yes, convenience wins, and quantity over quality: everyone just wants a million garbage songs on an iPod. But are they really listening/enjoying? Everyone I've ever seen with an iPod just skips thru songs constantly. They never just put it on and let it play. Occasionally they find a song and, “oh, I love this song!"… then they skip it halfway through!


Analog will always be the superior medium, and if people actually respected music as an art form instead of entertainment, digital would not have taken over.

Your understanding of digital audio is just wrong and its not close. There are no "steps" as your describing them among many things

 

[icarus88]

Your understanding of digital audio is just wrong and its not close. There are no "steps" as your describing them among many things

then explain the mistake

 

[TheArchitect]

then explain the mistake

The math used in conversion rebuilds the wave form from the sample points. It's not stepped.

 

[icarus88]

The math used in conversion rebuilds the wave form from the sample points. It's not stepped.

That's the problem anyway, music is completely mathematicized and engineered and its soul is lost, I accept that the sound quality is perfect, that's the soul I'm talking about. Why do we use analog circuit guitars then? Let's open a garage band and play digital bass there, it's the same thing after all.

 

[icarus88]

All this new "3D sound" and 5.1 or 7.1 surround is a reaction to the digitalization of sound, it's all a means to compensate and make up for what was lost during digitization. When sound was analog, we didn't need surround sound or 8 speakers or special "dynamic bass boost" functions on stereos, you just needed a good stereo amplifier (150W+) and an EQ and 2 proper speakers and you got "surround sound" because the recordings were analog.

Moreover amp simulators are poopie

 

[icarus88]

Long ago with analog everything was more complex and more expensive. I think that is why older bands had more longevity than what happening now. Drummers too have been replaced majorly as a percussionist (unless live issues) in recordings as well within the last 20 years. Soon all instruments will be replaced in recordings with AI and DAW. One must fully admit such issues are ruining any possibility or real music to ever exist again.

There will be no such thing as musicianship anymore because our AI friends will play bass for you

Here is the end of digitalization

 

[moody]

All this new "3D sound" and 5.1 or 7.1 surround is a reaction to the digitalization of sound, it's all a means to compensate and make up for what was lost during digitization. When sound was analog, we didn't need surround sound or 8 speakers or special "dynamic bass boost" functions on stereos, you just needed a good stereo amplifier (150W+) and an EQ and 2 proper speakers and you got "surround sound" because the recordings were analog.

Moreover amp simulators are poopie

You've never heard of quadraphonic hi fi? Plus your mention of needing 150 watt plus hi fi amp is outright wrong. 15-20 watt per side is plenty for most high quality listening without wrecking your hearing. Headroom can only go so far.

 

[moody]

Digital sound: it sounds FLAT. Lifeless, "tinny", cold, empty. It doesn't feel loud when it's loud.

CD quality is 16 bit 44,100Hz sample rate, meaning, it takes a sample of the sound wave 44,100 times per second, and the bit depth is how many steps are available for it to place the amplitude of the sampled wave. i.e., say the bit depth allows the amplitude to be placed at a resolution that makes 1, 1.5, & 2 available. Therefore, if the sample's amplitude is 1.6, it will be placed at 1.5, if it is 1.75, it will be placed at 2. And, 44,100/sec might seem like a lot, but what ultimately happens is the wave ends up in squared off step shapes. It is no longer a smooth, curvy wave. AND, a CD song is one wave containing the whole of the song. That's why everything sounds flat, because it literally is. With analog, every instrument, the reverbs & delays, all keep their own space in the Ether.

I HATE mp3!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!

They are utterly SICKENING! Digital has killed music. Streaming has $#@-(& it in the #@$$#-. Artists aren't making money anymore cuz no one buys albums anymore. I mean, there's still a significant number of us that still do buy the CD, but we are the minority by far.

I'm so mad that I have to use a computer to make music these days. $600 for Ableton Live 11 Suite (& thats $150 off) & it still sounds like crap. And what's the point of 192,000Hz interfaces if your CPU can't handle it if your song is anything more than just a beat (and, in the mixdown, the max it'll be is 44,100 anyway).

Digital destroys hi hats! Transients suffer the worst, bass second.

I had started getting CDs of tapes I had, then I heard analog and bought back all my tapes, and all the more tapes I could find until they went extinct.

Yes, convenience wins, and quantity over quality: everyone just wants a million garbage songs on an iPod. But are they really listening/enjoying? Everyone I've ever seen with an iPod just skips thru songs constantly. They never just put it on and let it play. Occasionally they find a song and, “oh, I love this song!"… then they skip it halfway through!


Analog will always be the superior medium, and if people actually respected music as an art form instead of entertainment, digital would not have taken over.

Question as your objections don't seem to be well directed.

If Digital audio could capture the analogue signal as well as good analogue equipment (I personally would prefer a good digital recorder than a cheap tascam 4 track - which is why I am referencing good analogue equpiment). Would that remove your issues?

 

[icarus88]

Question as your objections don't seem to be well directed.

If Digital audio could capture the analogue signal as well as good analogue equipment (I personally would prefer a good digital recorder than a cheap tascam 4 track - which is why I am referencing good analogue equpiment). Would that remove your issues?

I would prefer to record the analog signal on an analog recorder

This topic is also hypothetical. Is analog recording still there? Analog recording is now a luxury hobby with a few enthusiasts.

If engineers had devoted the years they devoted to digital systems to analog systems, we could have talked about different things about analog systems

 

[icarus88]

You've never heard of quadraphonic hi fi? Plus your mention of needing 150 watt plus hi fi amp is outright wrong. 15-20 watt per side is plenty for most high quality listening without wrecking your hearing. Headroom can only go so far.

Analog systems need higher watts

 

[VicDiesel]

Your understanding of digital audio is just wrong and its not close. There are no "steps" as your describing them among many things

Well, the samples are in a way steps. If you could play each sample at its constant loudness for 1/44.1kHz you would have stepped sound. However, the analog equipment can not and does not play it like that. Proof? A stepped sound would have frequencies to infinity. But trace the signal anywhere and you don't see these. That's because the analog equipment smoothes them out.

 

[SharpCat]

I think DSD sounds a lot better than most PCM formats.

 

[Element Zero]

Sigh.

I’m happy with a lot (not all) of newer and older albums that have been master or remastered on iTunes. Sounds quality is outstanding on albums like 311- Mosaic, Jamiroquai - Automaton, The Zenith Passage - Datalysium, Dream Theater - Images & Words…

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Nuh uh

 

[Pings Bass]

I too don't like things I don't understand. I believe this makes me a discerning listener.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

There’s still great music, it’s just so easy to make music now, there’s simply more music than ever before. I don’t necessarily agree that digital sucks, you can do a lot more with gain staging now than ever before if you play your cards right with tracking, mixing, reamping, summing. The sky is the limit with digital. And it never wears out and breaks. You can use the same plug in on 30 sources instead of having 30 pieces of hardware or having to multi track different sources 30 times.
I have plenty of outboard gear for tracking and mixing but there’s so so much you can do in a computer that would be unimaginable with a console and a tape machine.