Is virtual analog an advertising ploy?

[Teksonik]

And yes I’ve become very skeptical of virtual analog-ness and pretty GUI’s. And I have no problem with digital in general, it has its strengths. My skepticism applies to the claim that so and so plug in is accurately modeled after so and so analog compressor, Eq, synthesizer, or effects module. There are many many software companies that make a living off this claim.

Have you ever owned any analog hardware?

Somewhere along the line someone said "analog is superior" and a whole bunch of people bought into that theory.

Hence a whole bunch of people have been chasing the elusive and mythical analog magic Unicorn ever since.

[Kaboom75]

If an effect is fully digital no analogue emulation at all then it will clip the audio instead of saturating it. Better it saturates than clips and analogue hardware is loved for the way it saturates so that's why we have lots of analogue modelled plugins some do it better than others much older ones were aimed at less performing CPUs. Tape is very unique the way it saturates so it is very sought after, delay effects makers prefer the tape delay sound. A lot of nice sound was lost when many companies took up digital hardware, it was more versatile and cheaper to mass produce.

I would love some Empirical labs hardware a Mike e and Lil FEQ on each track use them as a channel strip, Mike E has a nice sounding mic preamp but I would never afford it so I use Softube emulation of it and Slate's Distressor. I have two hardware synths and I'm out of room so use Ik, u-he and Spectrasonics. I have some pure digital effects that I love for sample and bit crushing.

Demo everything and buy what you like but watch out for stuff that is over marketed and claims to be 100% accurate and don't add loads of subscription collections because you loose the lot when you lose your job.

[Kaboom75]

Somewhere along the line someone said "analog is superior" and a whole bunch of people bought into that theory.

Hence a whole bunch of people have been chasing the elusive and mythical analog magic Unicorn ever since.

Yamaha CS-80 you mean that magic unicorn?

[skonghi]

Virtual analog emulation comes close to hardware but they are not the same. Not even two pieces of the same analog equipment sound exactly alike. Virtual analog is like a snapshot of the real stuff, and sometimes has a better workflow than the modeled gear. In a loud busy mix is almost impossible to tell if someone used good analog emulation plugins or real gear. But to my ears, I can tell if someone is using Amplitube or a real guitar amp if no other instruments are playing along.

[Pilonsky]

And yes I’ve become very skeptical of virtual analog-ness and pretty GUI’s. And I have no problem with digital in general, it has its strengths. My skepticism applies to the claim that so and so plug in is accurately modeled after so and so analog compressor, Eq, synthesizer, or effects module. There are many many software companies that make a living off this claim.

Have you ever owned any analog hardware?

Somewhere along the line someone said "analog is superior" and a whole bunch of people bought into that theory.

Hence a whole bunch of people have been chasing the elusive and mythical analog magic Unicorn ever since.

Well the makers of digital plug ins said analog is superior. Otherwise, why would they be trying so hard to accurately model it?

[Pilonsky]

Virtual analog emulation comes close to hardware but they are not the same. Not even two pieces of the same analog equipment sound exactly alike. Virtual analog is like a snapshot of the real stuff, and sometimes has a better workflow than the modeled gear. In a loud busy mix is almost impossible to tell if someone used good analog emulation plugins or real gear. But to my ears, I can tell if someone is using Amplitube or a real guitar amp if no other instruments are playing along.

The only problem with the “you can’t tell the difference in a mix”, or the “average listener can’t tell the difference” logic is that if that is the case, then why use one instrument over another? Why not get a $30 keyboard at Walmart mart and make your tracks with that?

[Pilonsky]

If an effect is fully digital no analogue emulation at all then it will clip the audio instead of saturating it. Better it saturates than clips and analogue hardware is loved for the way it saturates so that's why we have lots of analogue modelled plugins some do it better than others much older ones were aimed at less performing CPUs. Tape is very unique the way it saturates so it is very sought after, delay effects makers prefer the tape delay sound. A lot of nice sound was lost when many companies took up digital hardware, it was more versatile and cheaper to mass produce.

I would love some Empirical labs hardware a Mike e and Lil FEQ on each track use them as a channel strip, Mike E has a nice sounding mic preamp but I would never afford it so I use Softube emulation of it and Slate's Distressor. I have two hardware synths and I'm out of room so use Ik, u-he and Spectrasonics. I have some pure digital effects that I love for sample and bit crushing.

Demo everything and buy what you like but watch out for stuff that is over marketed and claims to be 100% accurate and don't add loads of subscription collections because you loose the lot when you lose your job.

I think I’m gonna use the plug ins included with logic for a while, and worry about getting the sound and tone I want before going into the computer.

I spent some money on books on mixing which has helped. The next round is monitoring.

What digital effects do you use for sample and bit crushing? I do a lot of sampling myself.

[Agreed]

The only problem with the “you can’t tell the difference in a mix”, or the “average listener can’t tell the difference” logic is that if that is the case, then why use one instrument over another? Why not get a $30 keyboard at Walmart mart and make your tracks with that?

That's one end of the slippery slope here, the other would be that you have to have only the most pristine and most expensive analog hardware or else you can't make music. I like mixing analog and digital as I can and as it pleases me personally, and you can create with a wide range of stuff. If you're getting paid for it, it makes good sense to invest more in what you're doing (but of course you're also free to do that if you can just afford it through other means - nothing wrong with investing in your hobbies, either).

[zerocrossing]

I’m not a golden eared audiophile, but it’s definitely not an advertising ploy, at least not always. I have a bunch of analog and a bunch of emulations, and the emulations are getting pretty damn close these days.

[lajosuti]

If you think 500$ is much then it will be tough when you will try to get those real analog equipment and maintain them in working condition for years, with the extra cables and hardware for routing.

[t3toooo]

So, Walmart is selling analog synths lately?

[Agreed]

Actually, yeah

[ramseysounds]

Virtual analog emulation comes close to hardware but they are not the same. In a loud busy mix is almost impossible to tell if someone used good analog emulation plugins or real gear.

The only problem with the “you can’t tell the difference in a mix”, or the “average listener can’t tell the difference” logic is that if that is the case, then why use one instrument over another? Why not get a $30 keyboard at Walmart mart and make your tracks with that?

because he means when you compare a hardware analogue piece of kit to a digital emulation of it. But you knew that. And he is 100% correct of course.

[noiseboyuk]

I almost think it’s only online forums that even have this debate any more. Most pros use virtual and hardware - all the time, often interchangeably. Just look at any Finneas video to see how the newer generation think. He’s fantastic at demystifying it all. Ears and talent are everything. Much of the rest is ergonomics and workflow.

I do a lot of work in broadcast TV. UAD racks replaced hardware years ago for many people, mostly for convenience and reliability. There’s just no debate on the sonic differences.

[chk071]

Ok, after spending close to $500 on virtual analog plugins, including both processors and effects, I feel like maybe this virtual analog thing is a sham. An advertising ploy of sorts. I can’t help but feel that that money would have been better spent on some actual analog hardware. Like maybe it’s a better idea to get the analog tone and saturation you want going by using preamps and such going in the box, and then just using digital Eq, compression and effects for mixing purposes? Maybe analog is analog and digital is digital, and each serves its purpose? Maybe this idea of virtual analog is a pipe dream?