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digital vs analog mixers: dun dun dun
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| Sirocco |
well what do guys think? from what ive heard digital has a warmer feel...im gonna end up getting a soundcraft ghost with 24 channel expander for a midas venice 320....digital mixers look to small and lack good features
whats your opinion? |
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| hey cheggy |
| I think it really all boils down to what you want to use the mixer for. If its for controlling DAWs as well as for processing audio, then obviously get a digi. Your other option may be to get an analog as well as a control surface. |
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| Pjotr G |
IMHO the issue is not so much sound quality anymore. Digital can sound just fine today. But it's more of a control matter....what do you want:
Digital - total recall of all the settings (so you can work on 2 tracks simultaneously for example)
Analog - total control and overview of all your settings (i.e. you can see exactly how all the eq's and auxes are set, no browsing through menu's)
Pretty personal I guess. I still go for analog. |
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| TraNcerke |
I've got a used yamaha promix 01 with modified coax i/o and I must say i'm happy with it.. The only way the sound may be different is because digital doesn't color the sound as much as analog and sounds more clear. The only advantage I see in analog is the hands on interface instead of scrolling tru menus and (as mentioned above) the total overview.
pro's :
-you can recall your settings for every song (whereas with an analog mixer you have to redo all your mixes)
-you can send data to your sequencer so everything is ready when the song starts (sysex) / automation of efx
-2 efx blocks / 3 compressors
-you can group and pair faders , so if you turn a fader down the other one will also go down (automated faders)
-large display with graphical view of the eq
for me it is digital all the way.. |
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| Tranquil010 |
| what i am doiing, is buying an analog mixer , then purhcase a macki control surface. have the best of both worlds |
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| Vlad |
Choosing a Mixer
Go there, it will tell you everything you need to know.
My preference as per suggestions from friends is getting a digital mixer first and learn on it because its easier, than move up to an analog mixer. |
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| Sirocco |
| quote: | Originally posted by Vlad
Choosing a Mixer
Go there, it will tell you everything you need to know.
My preference as per suggestions from friends is getting a digital mixer first and learn on it because its easier, than move up to an analog mixer. |
rar i wanted a opinions from trance producers not some bimbo who only knows facts |
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| Vlad |
| Its good to know the facts sometimes before you actually buy a mixer. |
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| fieroavian |
digital mixers pack tons more functions than analogue mixers for the same price: onboard processors and effects on EVERY channel, snapshot store and recall, motorized faders etc. most of them can serve as control surfaces as well. apparently better than mousing around your DAW!
but analogue mixers are more intuitive to learn and cost more because every knob and fader has its own function, not like digital mixers where one V-pot on a channel strip can be Trim, Aux Sends, Channel Pan, Mix Pan, Mic-pre Gain and ahh... you name it. every digital mixer has its learning curve, but if you know an analogue mixer well, you'll learn using other analogue mixers in no time.
more bang for the buck? GO DIGITAL.
getting stuff done the old school way? STAY WITH ANALOGUE.
but don't forget that digital mixers always depreciate quicker than analogue mixers. if you buy a Yamaha 02R96 today, in 5 years it'll worth less than one third. so what i'll go for (i can only speak for myself) is what Tranquil010 suggested. glad that i'm not the only one thinking that way!
| quote: | Originally posted by Vlad
My preference as per suggestions from friends is getting a digital mixer first and learn on it because its easier, than move up to an analog mixer. |
shoot your friends. they don't know what they're talking about. |
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| fieroavian |
| quote: | Originally posted by Sirocco
well what do guys think? from what ive heard digital has a warmer feel...im gonna end up getting a soundcraft ghost with 24 channel expander for a midas venice 320....digital mixers look to small and lack good features
whats your opinion? |
i'm afraid it's the other way around. :toocool: |
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| Dj Thy |
Usually it is said that analogue is warmer than digital indeed (guess why all those tape and tube emulations are spreading like a disease lately). And generally that is true. But this is mainly due to the convertors. With great convertors like Apogee, Weiss or dCs, etc... the former statement isn't really true, but then again, those devices cost A LOT. That's the only constant in the audio business, you get what you pay for. The problem is, very few people have actually heard good analogue gear and good digital gear. And it's only when you heard the good stuff that you realise how wrong you were before. It's really a humbling experience to hear high grade analog and digital gear.
It also depends on how high you set your standards. If I have to choose between an analogue desk or a Yamaha promix, I'd take an analogue one for sure (of course I'm not referring to cheap stuff like Behringer and such).
Usually the people are right. Analogue desks have a more hands on feel. You get a separate control for almost every feature, while with digital systems you usually have to scroll through different pages, or use one single button that's able to change 10 options for example.
Digital has the advantage to stuff a lot of features in a small format, and has recall/automation abilities.
Now, more and more you see hybrid systems. Basically analog gear, but driven by digital technologies. It's perfectly possible to have an analog mixer with motorfaders that have a recall function. Again you get what you pay for.
The conclusion is : it all depends what you favor most and how high you set your standards. If you want lots of features and versatility, go digital. If you want ease of use, go analog.
The third option is the best, but it's one most people don't like. If you want the best sound, you can go either analog or digital, but be prepared to spend a BIG amount of money (just an example, a Weiss ADC2 costs about 6000$, and with that you only have Analog to Digital conversion -but one of the best you can get-, a DAC of the same calibre would cost you as much). |
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| Etherium |
| quote: | | a Weiss ADC2 costs about 6000$, and with that you only have Analog to Digital conversion -but one of the best you can get-, a DAC of the same calibre would cost you as much). |
Which is EXACTLY why I recommended the RME ADI, some say its on par with Apogee. |
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