Analog vs Digital Debate - What does everyone prefer?

[cryophonik]

I bet 20$ that there´ll soon be a majority of people preaching their radical "it´s all equal and sounds equal" philosophy.

OK, I'll start that ball rolling right now...

I'm currently using mostly analog (Prophet Rev2, Sub37, Slim Phatty, Minitaur, Pulse2, Bass Station 2) and some hybrids (Peak, Shruthi XT, MiniFreak) and just two digitals (Kurtzweil PC3X, Roland JU-06a), but I'm in the market for another Virus (digital) and probably won't keep the BS2, MiniFreak, or JU-06a, since I don't have the space or inputs for this many synths (not to mention my DrumBrute Impact, Digitakt, and Model: Cycles). I also regret selling my Minilogue XD keys (hybrid), and would like to pick up the module at some point.

Personally, I'm an equal opportunity synth enthusiast and find that my preference comes down more to the individual synth than whether it's digital, analog, or hybrid.

[kritikon]

Purely depends on the synth. I bought Wavestate & Opsix before they became plugins and still pleased I did. Both very individual and unique synths. Otherwise mostly analogues in my studio. I'll buy anything if it sounds good and unique - doesn't matter whether it's digital or analogue. I do however draw the line at VAs - just don't see the point in those. In the same way I wouldn't buy an analogue that tries to emulate a digital synth - WTF would be the point of that? Although I have had some pretty pathetic specimens of analogues in the past that could pass for some shitty digital thing...early 80s had a few of those. Juno 106 made a good effort at being shit, and the Korg DW things were even better at not being better.
Actually the best synth I ever had was a mix of both...OSCar. A sublime synth.

[vurt]

Analog v Digital what?

Girls I guess?

can i get a digital examination from an analogue girl please?

[ghettosynth]

Analog v Digital what?

Girls I guess?

can i get a digital examination from an analogue girl please?

I will second this idea, can we get a tird?

[foosnark]

Personally, I'm an equal opportunity synth enthusiast and find that my preference comes down more to the individual synth than whether it's digital, analog, or hybrid.

This.

I think people make too much of analog vs. digital in general. In a perfect world nobody would care about analog vs. digital except the engineer that designed the thing, and neither of those words would be used as a marketing gimmick.

There's some analog gear I really like that does not have a readily available digital replacement. This doesn't mean it's impossible, it just means it hasn't been done (and might not ever be). And I think analog signal paths and control paths can bring some fun stuff to the table, some happy accidents and quirks that wouldn't necessarily be there in a straightforward digital setup.

There's also a lot of digital emulations of analog stuff that serve me extremely well. I don't need to hunt down (and maintain) a Space Echo or a Realistic "Reverb" or actual dub plates. I sold my analog spring reverb because Twangstrom could match it in an A/B test and it's less hassle. I can live with a cheap emulation of a Buchla Music Easel instead of shelling out for the real thing. I can slap multiple instances of DDMF MagicDeathEye into a project, instead of sitting for years on a waiting list and shelling out $5K for the "real" mono tube compressor.

And there's a lot of digital stuff that would be absolutely absurd to try to do with analog circuits.

[imrae]

I'm finding that in a modular synth, each module has good technical reasons to prefer one or the other. While they can sunstitute each other, in practice that will usually come with a difference in cost, size or limitations.

It has been interesting starting to design my own modules. I have one design in progress that was originally inspired by analog parts but in the end will be mostly digital; as the requirements developed it became obvious that the digital approach would work better and be simpler to design and build for comparable cost. There is one part of the design which is more challenging in digital (a soft clipper) and this will be easily and cheaply implemented in analogue domain.

[vurt]

modular, mine is totally hybrid.
dont see a point worrying about what technology is making the sound, if it does what i want it to do

[ghettosynth]

I'm finding that in a modular synth, each module has good technical reasons to prefer one or the other. While they can sunstitute each other, in practice that will usually come with a difference in cost, size or limitations.

It has been interesting starting to design my own modules. I have one design in progress that was originally inspired by analog parts but in the end will be mostly digital; as the requirements developed it became obvious that the digital approach would work better and be simpler to design and build for comparable cost. There is one part of the design which is more challenging in digital (a soft clipper) and this will be easily and cheaply implemented in analogue domain.

This is the way! Pictures please!

[aMUSEd]

I prefer analog debate - digital debate is so either/or

[Silaris]

Both.

[BertKoor]

[astralprojection]

4 liter of analog and few grams of digital.

[whyterabbyt]

i prefer all my digital processors to be implemented using analogue transistors, and all my analogue gear to be passed through an ADC/DAC chain.

[elxsound]

For me I don’t care as long as it whatever I’m using says “pro” in the name. That’s how you know your digital stuff sounds professionally anal-log.

[cryophonik]

For me I don’t care as long as it whatever I’m using says “pro” in the name. That’s how you know your digital stuff sounds professionally anal-log.

If a company ever makes a synth with “Amateur” or “Novice” worked into the name, that would be an insta-buy for me

Introducing the new Novicetron 0.01 by Amateur Audio