A Look at Analog and Digital Studios

Size and Space:
Analog
Analog studios include a recording console. For large-scale recording facilities some of the consoles can be as big as a hundred and twenty seven channels witch can span up to 30ft long. These types of consoles like Amek 9098i, or the Neve 9000J aren't easy to move. In fact they come with a team of movers and a team of installers upon purchase. They also have their own semi trailer. The mixing consoles are the biggest pieces of equipment in the studio but all of the processors can combine to weigh even more. Analog processors can be built into the wall or come stacked onto of each other in a big case so they take up as little space as possible. Prices for some of the equipment can range from a $50 effects processor at a garage sale to a $50,000 vintage compressor at a music store. While space is not a big deal with these they can combine to get extremely heavy.

Digital
These studios take up limited space. The biggest mixing boards in the digital series can average about 10ft. all of the processing equipment is done via computer chips and circuitry. Most digital recoding studios are only about a third of the size of an Analog. People who use digital studios build it to become very replaceable. With the rapid change in studio equipment, engineers need to be able to adapt to newer technology. Analog equipment is just too expensive to replace. All of the processor can be put into a computer as software, although mot digital studios use outboard gear instead.

Price
Analog
Price of analog equipment far exceeds digital. Most of the sought after equipment is analog. Since they aren't manufactured anymore the price has jumped up. Analog seems to have more technical problems because of depreciated metals and other gear.

Digital
Most digital equipment is easily repaired. The main problems come from bad circuits or cables that can be replaced. As far as any software problems, most manufactures offer warranties on products. These are also easily replaced through upgrades and subscriptions. Also most software comes with self-analyzing programs that aim to save money.

Sound
Analog
These have a sound that is hard to trace. The point of digital is to emulate an analog sound with as little resources as possible. Analog tape is very expensive but most producers spend money on it because of the sound quality. Many say that running it through analog equipment puts a curtain flavor to it that digital can't match.

Digital
Digital recording are recorded in binary segments. The computer calculates the waveform and rewrites its version of it's comprehension. With this said, a computer never copies an actual signal it only can make a guess as to what I really there.