Do You Record to Analog, Digital, or Both?

[Anderton]

So how many of you are still recording to analog? I'm not talking about mixing, just tracking and recording. Take the poll, and let's find out.

[blue2blue]

I've owned 10 analog, reel tape recorders. I'm down to one, now. When I moved, I gave away two 4 tracks and an old 1/2" 8 track.

 

Even though I was extremely skeptical of digital audio when the first CD's appeared (well -- they sounded awful) I ultimately swung over to the digital camp.

 

While there may be something to be said for well-maintained high end analog tape recorders, in my market sector, the advantages of digital over then affordable analog were vivid and unignorable.

 

 

I feel digital production -- and particularly my move from an ADAT 16 track rig to computer based recording in '96 -- has served me extremely well.

[Gus Lozada]

Nowadays I don't even have a tape player, craig. No, not even a cassette or VHS thing... go figure.

[MrKnobs]

My front end (pre's, compressors, mikes, amps, etc.) are all analog. Console, HD recorder, and all delay/reverb sort of units are strictly digital. Once it comes in through a good converter, it never goes back.

 

No complaints about the sound, digital has gotten much better in recent years.

 

And I was a tape guy for many years.

 

Terry D.

[phaeton]

Most of my recordings are:

 

Record into aging Yamaha 4-track (cassette tape). I do all my bouncing and rough mastering in the 4-track.

 

Mix down to Digital (typically Cool Edit Pro on the computer) from the 4-track.

 

 

So Analog-->Digital.

 

I don't know whether i should call the 4-track a "crutch" or not. heh.

[MrKnobs]

Originally posted by phaeton Most of my recordings are: Record into aging Yamaha 4-track (cassette tape). I do all my bouncing and rough mastering in the 4-track. Mix down to Digital (typically Cool Edit Pro on the computer) from the 4-track. So Analog-->Digital. I don't know whether i should call the 4-track a "crutch" or not. heh.

 

You've got Cool Edit and you record to a cassette?

 

Terry D.

[Beck]

I usually track and master in analog, but the final product goes to CD of course, a Fostex CR300. It depends on what I'm doing. I have the original hybrid studio - analog/MIDI

 

I almost always have a sync track so all the sequenced synths, drums, etc go directly to half-track reel-to-reel during mastering. I feel those instruments benefit from going to tape before CD. I usually use outboard Dolby C on the mastering deck, a Tascam 22-2.

 

I have the following in my mastering arsenal:

 

Tascam 22-2 w/Quantegy 407 or BASF/EMTEC 468 tape

Sony SL-HF350 Super Beta Hifi w/Sony PRO-X or Sony BCT Betacam tape

Fostex CR300 CD recorder (same as HHB CDR-850 & made by Pioneer)

Tascam 102 cassette w/TDK SA or SA-X

 

My multitrack is a Tascam TSR-8.

 

I prefer the A/D converters in the stand-alone burners to any sound cards I

[Phil O'Keefe]

So far, I'm the only "I record mostly to digital, but also to analog" vote. While I normally don't track to analog, I still do the Craig Anderton "analog pass through after tracking digital" trick, and IMO, that qualifies as analog recording... or more accurately, analog tape processing. But because of that, "almost exclusively digital" just didn't seem like the "correct" answer... but after further reflection, I figured I'd probably better explain my answer. I do mix down to analog too sometimes, and although I know that wasn't something that was under consideration for your question, I'll toss that in too. Oh, and don't forget ADT and tape delay... do those qualify as "processing" or recording? Probably processing...

 

Mostly digital, but I still keep a couple of analog decks around.

[phaeton]

You've got Cool Edit and you record to a cassette?

 

 

Well yeah... A part of the reason is I'm too lazy to really learn how to use Cool Edit the way it should be. I also have Samplitude Pro as well, same scenario. I've recorded stuff directly to Cool Edit but I was less satisfied with the results. Once again, maybe if I learn to use it well that would all change.

 

The other issue is that I don't have a dedicated machine with any power to run Windows. It means I would have to dual boot and I hate doing that.

 

So i record everything to tape and then reboot once every couple of months and spend a day mixing down. I haven't been recording much of anything lately, though. In fact, the bedroom I have is too small to play guitar in, so i can't do much of anything till we move. (hopefully soon)

[where02190]

If the client had the budget:

Track to 2"

dump to DAW for editing

dump back to 2" for mixing.

 

The reality, almost everything I do is straight to either the Mackie HDR24/96 Pro or to Protools.

[Han]

I record everything to 2" tape, mix it automated with a big analog board to Adobe Audition 32/96.

[Fendercaster]

No pro here, I use a Tascam 2488 digital recorder, and mix down on it or using Tracktion. If my wife ever tells me we have enough money, I'd like to get a faster computer and a better editing program.

[UstadKhanAli]

I took the poll. I am recording about 90% of the time to digital, but still track and mix in analog occasionally (Akai MG1214). I'm recording to analog less and less, though, because the digital recordings are sounding really good and, well, the Akai tapes are getting harder and harder to come by.

 

BTW, I have been getting asked to do more and more transfers from the Akai MG1214 to digital because I have a machine that's in good shape (which is getting increasingly scarce these days apparently) and good quality converters.

[e-monkey]

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe So far, I'm the only "I record mostly to digital, but also to analog" vote. While I normally don't track to analog, I still do the Craig Anderton "analog pass through after tracking digital" trick, and IMO, that qualifies as analog recording... or more accurately, analog tape processing. But because of that, "almost exclusively digital" just didn't seem like the "correct" answer... but after further reflection, I figured I'd probably better explain my answer. I do mix down to analog too sometimes, and although I know that wasn't something that was under consideration for your question, I'll toss that in too. Oh, and don't forget ADT and tape delay... do those qualify as "processing" or recording? Probably processing... Mostly digital, but I still keep a couple of analog decks around.

 

Phil are you recording to digital then dumping it to analog ? If so are you finding a noticable difference with the analog benefits of compression and warmth ? I've recorded to Studer 2" for a couple years and loved the analog sound and now I am using strictly digital however I have been thinking about tracking to digital then taking the project to a studio with a 2" tape machine and dumping it there and do the mix there as well as mastering to a 2 track analog but i don't know if it will make a big difference. Obviously if I do the whole project in analog it will sound superior in my opinion from my experience but that would mean a lot more money being spent.

 

From my experience with both analog 2" and digital, voice is pretty good with digital as well as acoustic guitar but electric guitar especially distortion feels as though something is missing with digital recording. Drums and bass as well sound better with analog. My best example would be U2's last 2 albums which were recorded with a RADAR digital machine, when I listen to these albums it's like I can tell the songs are good but i don't really feel a connection to the songs, like i'm listening to it but something is missing in the information that's being transmitted. When I listen to all the albums prior to these two I feel a direct connection to the songs but just not that much with these last two albums yet when I hear these songs live they kick ass. I should note that their POP album and even Achtung Baby were mixed in digital but were initially tracked to 2".

[gtrbass]

I tracked five songs at Paramount recorders on Sat. to a 2 inch Studer A827 through SSL series G. Ahhh......

 

At $90.00 hr it don't happen every day.

[Lee Knight]

 

Originally posted by Gus Lozada Nowadays I don't even have a tape player, craig. No, not even a cassette or VHS thing... go figure.

 

 

That's me too. A friend brought a movie to work he'd promised to lend me... on VHS! Well... I'm not a snob, I just don't have one anymore, ya know?

 

Sometimes I wish a still had my Teac 3340 with the Sony mixer that had pan SWITCHES!! No hard drive failures...

[Cerumen]

I'm with you Phil.

I record to digital (mackie hdr)

then i send it to 2" (mci jh-114),

then back to the Hdr.

[GY]

I record mostly digital, but I will take my precious Ampexes with me to the grave.