| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: Tape vs Digital
by Todd Ward | 03/06/01 at 20:40:45
I have used a Fostex X-18 recording device in the past and I am considering the purchase of a new (used) recorder. Can you give me input as to the benefits and detriments of a digital recorder. I must inform you I do not have a computer in my home.
Does this matter in the digital stage? Do you reccomend a specific model or brand?
Thank you in advance
Todd
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by BananaHead | 03/07/01 at 16:34:30
You can't do fun stuff like tape compression with digital... and that's no fun. Plus it doesn't sound as good as a quality analog machine.
But digital is cheaper and smaller. You can get a used DA88 or ADAT for under $1000.
Subject: Re: Tape Êvs ÊDigital
by meezonhizneez | 03/07/01 at 17:31:05
Digital sounds just as good and usually better than analog, PROVIDED that you're running fully digital in your home studio. If any part of your signal chain is runing through something analog, then forget it, you might as well be running all analog. But beyond the sound quality- digital gives you a lot more options with editing, overdubbing, retakes, etc....
you also have more versatility when you want to transfer your tracks to use them somewhere other than in your home.
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by BananaHead | 03/07/01 at 18:26:42
Ya, but the pro world does conversions all the time. The standard being 2" analog tracking, then dumping to protools for editing, then mixing analog. People are still avoiding digital mixing due to the fact that digital summing blows. Digital formats and in/outs and transfering to other locations is as much of a problem as with analog. It's a mess.
Not that this has much to do with home recording. Generally digital is just easier for home stuff.
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by Silent_Bob | 03/07/01 at 20:16:53
To start, most digital is tape so tape vs digital isn't a valad argument. Now I'm done being nitpicky & stupid so down to business.
I have both analogue and digital setups. I like the ease of use and sound of analogue far more than digital. However, digital provides tools you can't get otherwise. So IMHO it's a toss up.
I have run testing on both formats for the last 3 years along with research in sound and recording. I may not be the greatest engineer but I know what I see and digital does all sorts of stuff to the sound you wouldn't believe if I showed you. On the other hand, the tools provided by that technology can be well worth it if you know what your doing.
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by Puke | 03/09/01 at 00:19:35
If I had to choose between small format analog (like 1/4" or 1/2" 8 track) and low end digital,I'd probably pick digital.
But if I had to choose between full format digital and full format analog, I'd choose analog every time.
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by Dolphin | 03/13/01 at 00:42:10
I like digital recording,but I also love running the signals through analog processors,i.e. tube preamps,compression.I don't agree that if you leave the digital domain you might as well be recording in analog.
First of all,analog is not a bad thing,but I think it was insinuated that if you bring the signal out of the digital domain and back in again,you are defeating the purpose of recording digitally.That is to say your adding noise.
However,if you use proper gain structuring, high quality cables,and optimize your levels,there is no significant increase in noise.That is not to say there is none,because it's the nature of the beast for tube gear to generate a little noise.I,personally don't feel it's detrimental to the music however.The sound of good analog compression far outways the minimal noise it generates.
One of the biggest differences between analog & digital is that analog tape wears and loses some of it's fidelity after a number of passes.Digital stays just as clear as the day you recorded it.(well, time will tell........but for now it does,anyway)
Subject: Re: Tape vs Digital
by oesmghroth | 03/13/01 at 11:31:02
i use both formats
both work as long as you have good ears
if yr needs are small then go digital you get more for yr money
if your going for the gusto then consult the major recording studios in yr area and see what their up to
digital is great for nonlinear editing and dosnt degrade like tape but i can get screwed by a big magnet if on removable media
i like the editing and storage possibilities of digital
i like analoug PERIOD!!!!!!!!!