The real reasons why analog synths are superior to softsynths

[lionscub68]

putting a bucket over your speaker and slowly pulling it back sounds better than any analogue filter

Totally gonna do this in a live show.

[cryophonik]

Wow, that looks like it sounds really warm!

Oh yar, it's real warm sounding.

The first mod will be slide out panels so that I can choose different types of wood (to fine tune the sound during mixdown).

I heard a rumor that Camel Audio is coming out with Walnut Warmth and Redwood Retro expansions for this soon - any truth to that, Andy? C'mon, you can tell us...

[ZenPunkHippy]

I heard a rumor that Camel Audio is coming out with Walnut Warmth and Redwood Retro expansions for this soon - any truth to that, Andy? C'mon, you can tell us...

It's true Walnut has been a very popular request from the old timers and purists out there, but a recent user survey suggested 3-ply veneer is actually a lot more popular that we though it would be.

I think it's the younger generation coming through, IMHO they just don't have the experience to know the sound of real wood from a bucket of clay!

[thecontrolcentre]

Analogue tastes better ...

[cryophonik]

Analogue tastes better ...

Digital is less fattening.

[IncarnateX]

Been done to death. Boring. Moving on.

And yet you could not resist coming here, you naughty little devil you

[IncarnateX]

1. Well, yes. Analog is more in line with my philosophical stance; unpredictable and ever changing becoming in contrast to the predictable and static being of digital discrete states.

2. My analog is in plastic, and my computer is in metal, so I do not think it has any effect on authencity.

3. It is no more sophisticated than NI Reaktor. Naturally, since the being have the possibilities the becoming does not need.

4. I do not feel more of a real musician playing with my analog synth. I have never been a musician and my tools does not influence that.

5. To an extent, but they are still dead-end boxes my cat does not see the difference in.

6. As long as both are a part of space both have the same authencity.

7. I believe my PC more often need to be repaired than my analog synth.

8. They do not feel more authentic, but stable in another way. Since it is becoming its chaotic behavior feel more natural than the BSOD in being.

9. My computer was more expensive, and the value in the analog synth is not an economical value to me, but a very other value.

10. I have not noticed any special smell from it... Should I?

No problem. You are just the exception that confirms the rule.

[ras.s]

I think it's in the summing and the flow of signals.

Consider a real-life mixer with 16 channels - 12 tracks and four auxes returned to four channels - and a stereo output. A recorder of some sort feeding those 12 tracks.

You need signal flow to the recorder (12 tracks), signals from the recorder (12 tracks), going through 12 channel strips, some (X amount of signals) of the tracks sent to aux buses and out to effects (atleast 4 in this case), returned (4 tracks, 8 if stereo) to their own channels (4 tracks, 8 if stereo), all summed to stereo (2 tracks).

That's roughly 50+X amount of signals.

In a computer, all you need is the stereo output, which only feeds your amplifier/speakers. (And computer can of course be a digital synthesizer.)


To me, the magic with analog signals is that they are actual, physical waves passing through time and space. Computers, yea, sure there's signals of some sorts (voltages, currents, etc), but they aren't actual waves of the sounds, but the CPU crunching commands.

[Flandersh]

To me, the magic with analog signals is that they are actual, physical waves passing through time and space. Computers, yea, sure there's signals of some sorts (voltages, currents, etc), but they aren't actual waves of the sounds, but the CPU crunching commands.

And it is more to it... the analog sound is continuous. In the same way as our experience of time is continuous wherease the clocktime is divided into discrete entinities and not able to catch up on our experience of different speeds of time. The differences between digital and analog may be subtle when perceived, but the facts behind may be our key to reality.

[lionscub68]

I still prefer missionary.

[DSmolken]

putting a bucket over your speaker and slowly pulling it back sounds better than any analogue filter

Totally gonna do this in a live show.

Then argue online about whether a traditionally constructed wooden bucket sounds better.

[vurt]

I think it's in the summing and the flow of signals.

nah, its winter dude, im f**king freezing :brrr:

[Kriminal]

My hypothesis:

1. You know they are analog and thereby better pr. definition.

2. They are often made in more robust materials than plastic, which makes them feel authentic.

3. They have real wires and often complicated to set up, which make them feel sophisticated.

4. Playing them makes you feel like a real musician compared to clicking softsynths with your mouse, which makes you feel like a computer nerd.

5. They are more beautiful than a PC.

6. They are three dimensional not two dimensional, which enhance their authenticity.

7. The fact that you sometimes have to get them repaired enhance their authenticity.

8. They feel more authentic to bring to a jam - or live gig than a PC and a controller.

9. They are much more expensive, which makes them feel more valuable.

10. They even smell better, especially when they get hot.

Now this is not to say that these are not perfectly valid reasons to the ones who adore them, but just to say that if analogists or digitalists discuss their status with focus on their particular sound only, they are deluding themselves. How they actually sound should really be a minor issue compared to these major psychological advantages.

Remember it is only a hypothesis. Maybe it could even be tested with the right design?

Discuss.

The real reason is: it cost you a fortune, you're very disappointed, but you wont let it upset you because you can publicly vocalise you own an analogue synth, and its 'better'....so you can feel mildly better about raping your bank account on a chilish whim..

[werp]

I heard a rumor that Camel Audio is coming out with Walnut Warmth and Redwood Retro expansions for this soon - any truth to that, Andy? C'mon, you can tell us...

It's true Walnut has been a very popular request from the old timers and purists out there, but a recent user survey suggested 3-ply veneer is actually a lot more popular that we though it would be.!

It's probably just more Poplar.

[Sendy]

To me, the magic with analog signals is that they are actual, physical waves passing through time and space. Computers, yea, sure there's signals of some sorts (voltages, currents, etc), but they aren't actual waves of the sounds, but the CPU crunching commands.

And it is more to it... the analog sound is continuous. In the same way as our experience of time is continuous wherease the clocktime is divided into discrete entinities and not able to catch up on our experience of different speeds of time. The differences between digital and analog may be subtle when perceived, but the facts behind may be our key to reality.

Planck length. I think if the universe turns out to be essentially digital in nature it'll be the ultimate troll for analog purists.

I mean, I totally get what you're saying with the time and space thing, it's just I think the simulations of a wave travelling in time and space on a computer are good enough now that I can't hear the difference.