The Real Reason Why Analog Recording Is Better

[stevea]

(according to this guy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq4BOSaKiYo

[Dude111]

Thank you Stevie. You knew I would reply to this thread didnt ya buddy??

[GoldenTV]

One problem with analog audio medium is that sound will degrade over time after repeated playing. The guy in that video even mentioned it (at 1:13 mark) where he said that after each play, a tiny bit of high end will get erased from the tape. And that is mostly due to friction (wear and tear) caused by physical contact between the tape and tape head, or the needle and vinyl record.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Thank you Stevie. You knew I would reply to this thread didnt ya buddy??

I figured you'd like it, but mainly, it was interesting. However, his reasons are different from yours. He's on the technical side of things.

One of the main points against the digital side is the constant change of technology on the digital side making older digital storage media obsolete. Meanwhile, analog is analog--tape is tape. And there will probably always have to be the capability to play analog tape.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

One problem with analog audio medium is that sound will degrade over time after repeated playing. The guy in that video even mentioned it (at 1:13 mark) where he said that after each play, a tiny bit of high end will get erased from the tape. And that is mostly due to friction (wear and tear) caused by physical contact between the tape and tape head, or the needle and vinyl record.

Loss of the high end data, and master tape wearing out after repeated play, is definitely a minus. The Simon and Garfunkel mixdown masters wore out after repeated playing years ago (due to repeated mastering of new LP copies). So Bob Irwin and Vic Anesini (producer and engineer) had to remix the albums, "closely working with Roy Halee" (the original S&G engineer/producer).

What happens in the future when these original people are no longer around? Probably the answer is to make backup copies of these analog LP masters.

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by stevea

Loss of the high end data, and master tape wearing out after repeated play, is definitely a minus. The Simon and Garfunkel mixdown masters wore out after repeated playing years ago (due to repeated mastering of new LP copies). So Bob Irwin and Vic Anesini (producer and engineer) had to remix the albums, "closely working with Roy Halee" (the original S&G engineer/producer).

What happens in the future when these original people are no longer around? Probably the answer is to make backup copies of these analog LP masters.

I think that is one of the reason alot of musicians choose to go the digital route because of problems associate with analog medium, including (or lack of) proper handling and storage with controlled environment.

[Dude111]

Analogue is just goregous

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Analogue is just goregous

With the right equipment that is very true. I could be wrong but one probably can not get better sound quality than Reel to Reel audio tapes. 8-Trak and cassettes tapes which you like are alright, but their limited frequency response and low dynamics hamper their sound quality. That is the main reason they are obsolete audio medium

[biffbronson]

Even with current ideal storage conditions for original masters, there's no guarantee of their protection going into the future. The 2008 Universal Studios fire is a primary example:

"...estimated more than 500,000 different recordings were obliterated."

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/201...-studios-fire/

One is reminded of how many silent films are believed to be no longer extant, due in large part to nitrate prints catching fire -- although discoveries of surviving prints sometimes do happen.

In the case of recorded music of course, quality of the surviving materials is usually the issue, as opposed to being truly "gone" altogether. Very sadly though, in the 2008 fire, that wasn't always the case:

"According to UMG whistleblower Randy Aronson, the lost Steely Dan archive included outtakes and other recordings that were never released — and are lost forever."

[Dude111]

This thread says it all dues