What do think of a recording studio that has this on their website?
“We use a two inch tape machine to provide the warmth that is lacking in digital recording.”
They had one of those at WGHB. They used it to record Boston Symphony performances. I think theirs was 16 track. It’s basically an enormous, expensive, multi-channel, analog tape machine. If you want to make your heart stop, price the tape.
Also see: People who listen to warm vinyl sound instead of cold, crisp CD quality.
Koz
I wouldn’t choose them. It’s OK if they want to offer it to their clients as an option but if they use it by default that’s a bad sign.
“Warmth” isn’t really defined (1) and analog tape is technically inferior.
The main issue is tape hiss which digital doesn’t have.
There is one possible desirable effect of tape. If you push it “loud” into saturation it soft-clips like a limiter. And the tape record/playback equalization further softens the distortion.
That’s not the normal way of using a tape machine and there are plug-ins that can simulate tape saturation without the tape hiss and without any flutter or other possible tape problems/limitations.
I’m reading Ethan Winer’s book and he says:
And with a touch of sarcasm, he says:
He says similar things about tubes and other vintage equipment.
(1) I used to think warmth was a mid-bass boost but sometimes it means “pleasing” distortion or who-knows-what.
The neo-vinylists are not entirely mad: the dynamic-range on vinyl is typically wider than the CD version. Not because of the inherent properties of those media but because of the loudness war when mastering the CD format.
Older vinyl was made before digital processing so it may be more dynamic. The loudness war began in the analog days but they didn’t have the modern weapons.
With modern vinyl the analog and digital may be from the same master, possibly with additional processing for vinyl. We usually don’t know…
But a lot of people are fooled because vinyl cutting and playback often increases the crest factor ('DR") making the dynamic range on vinyl “measure better” without changing the sound of the dynamics. Something similar happens with MP3. The MP3 often has peaks over 0dB, even though the original didn’t. (MP3 also has more dynamic range capability than CD.)
The cartridge, the ton-arm and the pre-amp all are capable of adding the “warmth”.
Peter
Dump the tape machine
Audacity can be used to reprint your file
You can use a DAC via USB out at 192 k even though your file is 44k if your not using
PC MME you may have to change your file to a 192k wave
Connect your Dac to a ADAC via analog and set it at 44k and back to the computer
via USB
Now place a EQ and a Compressor in this analog chain
Go to Audacity and set the DAC for playback and the ADAC for recording
For your monitors use the ADAC analog out for this if you are able to monitor in Digital
Then use this (very impressive sound)
When you have a file loaded in you DAW (Audacity) just press record and signal
will be converted to analog and back to digital (reprint)
There are many ways to adjust this setup
I use what is called a TOP DOWN MIXING
I set the analog devices to my room or headphones or a CD and or a standard setting
The latter for MP3
And Using the DAW plugins mix into this
All settings are your preference of course
Other settings include a pink noise generator
by setting your out put on your pink noise out put to -18 to -14
Either adjust your PC master out put or the DAC to match and also your recording
Input or ADAC as the same
Doing this will allow you to control volume at the DAW
IT is ok to push a little harder in to the analog crkt and use the compressor to tame it at the recording ( reprint) end this will give warmth like a tape
MY start settings for MP3 analog:
PEQ
8k
gain 4.5
width 6
5k
gain -3
width 6
1k
gain 4.5
width 6
COMPRESSOR
threshold -20
ratio 2: 1
Attack 3 o clock
Release 9 o clock
If your using pro equipment place them in the pos 4 setting
AS you can see I start of with high transits on my compressor
and drive the DAW for input and Adjust the Compressor for out put
Now by using the analog as the out put it is ok to drive the ADAC 44k around 2 Db
over the 44 k 16bit will act like a limiter
Experiment with all settings not all systems have the same settings
A good setup will give a - 80 to a-90 Db noise floor which equals to about 14 to 15 bits
A CD is 16
If you just have to you can denoise the file and get it well below -92 Db
But to remember to normalize or limit the fill again when it is on your DAW
YOU will be impressed with the fullness of the file
A little trick is to compress till you hear the reverb of the vocals or at least the room
that the file was recorder in
The faster the attack the lower the highs and cleaner until you destroy it
The faster the release the higher the lows until you destroy all small monitors
a neg 2 DB on the meter is a good start for over all reduction
So yea dump the tape this will give you the best of both worlds…
IF you can come up with a way to loop back to the ADC and monitor the reprint then
then you do not need a ADAC you could use 2 DACs or have monitor amp that can handle 192k
and some sort of like a tape out ( home stereo ?) Then set you DAC as also the recording device at 44k 16 bits in Audacity you can do this also If you find high clicking noises
Lower the out put to 176k using these high settings should give you a DVD like sound
But your DAC and Analog equipment will play a big roll in achieving this
So will the power or you computor ( lotsa RAM) and core(s)
You now have a basic hybird playback and recording machine…
YES SIR ENJOY
Mike
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