Why Buy Analog?

Usually, the only time I hear somebody ask “Which is better, Analog or digital?” is when they’re getting ready to buy their first amp or effects pedal and they notice the difference in price.  “Why spend $100 on a single Analog sound when I can get hundreds of digital tones for the same price?” If you’re not discouraged by complexity, these digital processors can be a great way for beginners to “dip a toe” and get to know all the different types of effects out there from amp modelers, overdrives, distortions to the myriad of MOD effects, delays and reverbs. BUT…As the following scientific facts will show, Analog is better! 

So why do all those touring guitarists and musicians out there lug around those huge, heavy tube amps and pedal boards full of a dozen single effect pedals when they could just use something more compact? It’s not for the convenience! The simple fact is: Analog tones are UNSAMPLED. Yes…What does this mean? Analog tones are continuous, smooth and literally have an infinite number of data points that can be “sampled” for digital production. They directly represent the fluctuations of sound pressure in a medium like the grooves on a vinyl record or the varying magnetic fields on a cassette tape or just vibrating waves through the air. There are no "breaks" or "steps" in what is produced.  It is a direct and uninterrupted mapping of the original sound wave produced, for example, by the plucking of a guitar string.

Digital sound, however, IS sampled. To convert a continuous Analog sound into a digital format, the sound wave is sampled at regular intervals. (44.1 kHz is used for CD recordings) This means that the continuous wave is broken down into a series of discrete data points, 44,100 per second in this case. “Sounds” like a lot, doesn’t it?  Each of these “samples” has a value that represents the amplitude of the wave at that specific moment in time. The more samples you take the more accurate your digital representation is likely to be, BUT even the highest sampling rates can't capture a sound wave's infinite variations.

For most listeners you might think 44.1 kHz is plenty. The average range of human hearing tends to max out at 20 kHz (allegedly), so 44.1 is more than twice what you should need. Your ears and brain hear these discrete data points as a continuous sound wave just like when we see individual frames on a movie screen as continuous motion. And like comparing modern cinema to the old black and white silent films, the more frames (or samples) per second, the more realistic the experience becomes for the viewer (or listener). 

Now, if you’re still thinking “How am I supposed to tell the difference between a movie and reality?”😂 Think about this: digitized tones are also limited by things like:

• Bit Depth: Limits the dynamic range or the difference between the loudest and the quietest sounds.

• Quantization Error: All digital recordings have a degree of quantization error or noise which can be reduced with higher bit depths.

• Digital Clipping: Unlike analog signals, which can be "softly" overdriven for a desired effect, digital signals that exceed 0 dBFS (decibels full scale) will clip harshly, resulting in an unwanted distortion.

• Equipment Limitations: Cheap or low-quality analog-to-digital (ADC) or digital-to-analog (DAC) converters are guaranteed to compromise sound quality.

• Software Limitations: Low quality digital audio workstations (DAWs) and plugins certainly have their limitations and can introduce limited digital artifacts based on algorithms or processing methods.

And lastly, if you still think even the highest digital sampling rates (192 kHz) can compare with the infinite samples available from analog sound, consider the more recent conclusions of the concept of Neuroplasticity.🤔🤔 We now know that the human brain is almost infinitely adaptable. It’s also been long known that trained or practiced musicians can greatly expand the depth of their tonal perceptions. That, combined with the fact that the last several generations of listeners have been exposed to increasingly higher and higher quality of digital recordings over the decades, with maximum sampling rates over 9 times what was once considered the maximum of human audio perception…One might theorize that the human ear is evolving more rapidly than ever. And maybe we have digital audio production to thank for the idea that 44.1 kHz is really just a drop in the perceivable bucket for the modern listener.🤯🤯

So, do I hate all digital effects? No. But in my experience, there IS a noticeable difference between the average digital effect and its analog originators, especially when we try to digitally replicate the raw, unadulterated clarity that comes from something like a good ol’ fashioned vacuum tube. Why do you think people still prefer to go to live concerts to hear new music instead of just streaming it? What is that magic that we all know from listening to an “unplugged” acoustic session from your favorite artist? There is an undeniable warmth and richness that is the signature analog sound.  BUT, there are a few things that digital can pull off where going analog would be impractical or too expensive. Like setting up a recording studio in an underground cave that’s partially filled with water with the ceiling covered with crystal wind chimes in order to get that specific magical sound you want. That is where we can tip our hats to the convenience that quality digital software and algorithms provide, and that is where I believe digital effects can shine!

BUT PLEASE! Don’t take my word for it! Experiment! Find Your Sound! And Stay True - Stay Analog.