Can you ever "warm" something up with digital?

[Ah_Dziz]

Things aren't going to be as easy as having an expensive piece of outboard gear but as you just said. A digital mix can be warm and punchy. People do this every day. It may be easier with nicely designed desks and gear, but it is very doable.

[Boy Wonder]

It's been a while since I've dipped my toes in the film vs digital photo/video pool, but I'm curious how close digital photos & videos come to film stock. Back in the day, like Michael Mann's Collateral film with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, the harsh stiffness of digital video was evident. I'm guessing the technology's much better now?

I suppose, after all these years, software compressors, filters, warmers, etc are just as good as their hardware counterparts? I don't have any hardware to A/B test that, just as I don't have any hardware synths to compare my VSTi's to, but I'm guessing that, here in 2022, the two technologies are equal?

[teilo]

We should start talking about Shannon Nyquist Sampling Theorem now.

Yes, and also about the true fact, that it makes no sense to talk about a single analog gear, when you have a digital component later in the production or reproduction chain.

Because you might know - when you have a digital compenent, it destroys inrecoverable all the analog warmth in the signal chain, but that is normally swept under the carpet from the digital lobby, trying to flood us with cheap digital components from Asia.

it's becoming increasingly hard to discern between satire and serious posts here

Poe's Law.

[teilo]

It's been a while since I've dipped my toes in the film vs digital photo/video pool, but I'm curious how close digital photos & videos come to film stock. Back in the day, like Michael Mann's Collateral film with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, the harsh stiffness of digital video was evident. I'm guessing the technology's much better now?

I suppose, after all these years, software compressors, filters, warmers, etc are just as good as their hardware counterparts? I don't have any hardware to A/B test that, just as I don't have any hardware synths to compare my VSTi's to, but I'm guessing that, here in 2022, the two technologies are equal?

The photography and video world is 99% digital. You likely can't remember the last time you saw something modern shot on celluloid.

The same arguments apply: We can simulate pretty much any film idiosyncrasy fully ITB. Especially now, in the AI era.

And the same arguments are had, claiming that film is superior. These arguments are usually made by younger guys who think they are anti-establishment artists, but are generally just posers. All the really old photographers I know (some in their 80s) are all exclusively digital now.

[zerocrossing]

10 years ago, I’d have told you that analog was the best for such things, although some dedicated digital devices, like my Kemper Amp Profiler, were great.

But that was then and this is now. I keep my AxeFX (replaced the Kemper), because I really like it and it would cost more to buy individual plugins that did all that it does, but I got rid of all my hardware effects and I don’t miss them. All the hardware synths I own are things that don’t yet exist in plugin form.

[Ploki]

What doesnt exist in plugin form

[Azbest]

What doesnt exist in plugin form

TC Phoenix.

[SoftSynthLover99]

Things aren't going to be as easy as having an expensive piece of outboard gear but as you just said. A digital mix can be warm and punchy. People do this every day. It may be easier with nicely designed desks and gear, but it is very doable.

To be clear, I meant that “warm and punchy” digital mixes still sound digital, and analog “warm and punchy” is a totally different thing.

It’s kind of like porn, sure you can have an endless amount of beautiful women (or men if that’s your thing) at your fingertips, but it doesn’t come close to the real thing.

I’ve had (what I thought was great) ITB mixes going. Sounded great in the car, phone tablets airpods etc etc. But then I run it through some outboard comps and eqs or master processor, and the mix gets an extra 5-10% boost in clarity, becomes more 3D, and overall the tone is much more balanced.

So in summary, “digital warm” is still somewhat cold, lacks a bit of life. But “analog warm” is like sitting by the fire place with a nice warm blanket, drinking hot cocoa.

So to the OP, you want analog warmth? Go get yourself some analog gear!

[vurt]

wait, whut? porn is like soft synths?
why isn't my missus interested in soft synths then?

[El°HYM]

I’ve had (what I thought was great) ITB mixes going. Sounded great in the car, phone tablets airpods etc etc. But then I run it through some outboard comps and eqs or master processor, and the mix gets an extra 5-10% boost in clarity, becomes more 3D, and overall the tone is much more balanced.

So in summary, “digital warm” is still somewhat cold, lacks a bit of life. But “analog warm” is like sitting by the fire place with a nice warm blanket, drinking hot cocoa.

So to the OP, you want analog warmth? Go get yourself some analog gear!

Why cant we all just agree to these facts and continue from there?

There is a Problem with 'Digital' mainly in the Upper End of the Frequency - spectrum, which can elegantly be solved by adding some Outboard - gear; lets say a Tegeler Creme or an SLL Fusion, or even cheaper, older Units, which will really help your Mixes and also not abuse the Ears of your Mastering - engineer. Call it Glue, 3D and clarity or just the last 10-15% you cannot achieve with Digital (only).

[zerocrossing]

What doesnt exist in plugin form

Lots of things. For instance, there’s nothing in software that comes close to approximating my Prophet 12. There’s great “hybrid” sounding plugins, but none come close when you start getting into feedback. Plus, there’s a general character to it that I really like. Massive X is very nice, but no MPE or polyphonic aftertouch gives it limited use in my studio.

Even looking at a fair simple synth, like my ATC-X, you’ll be hard pressed to find a good analog emulation that covers its feature set. Even getting a third envelope seems like a bridge too far. You can make things in Softube Modular, NI’s Blocks or VCV, but they don’t sound quite like same and it’s not as nice as having it all in one fixed architecture synthesizer.

It’s really a matter of what kind of music you want to make and sounds that you want to hear. I’m working on a game and there was a call for a teleporter sound. I wanted it to sound retro, like OS Star Trek, but also sound more like one of would expect when converting a human’s mass into energy. I used a bunch of software for various aspects of the sound, but for that “power throb,” my plugins were failing.

[_leras]

There is a Problem with 'Digital' mainly in the Upper End of the Frequency - spectrum, which can elegantly be solved by adding some Outboard - gear; lets say a Tegeler Creme or an SLL Fusion, or even cheaper, older Units, which will really help your Mixes and also not abuse the Ears of your Mastering - engineer. Call it Glue, 3D and clarity or just the last 10-15% you cannot achieve with Digital (only).

Yeah, I guess. Unless of course you're wrong.

Most of the top mixers in the world are ITB these days.

I also reckon my mainly UAD master buss chain would give all that hardware a very good run for its money.

And of course digital plugins can warm up sound. Less harshness, less highs, more low mids and maybe some saturation is all you need. And plenty of great digital eqs, filters and saturation plug ins exist.

[martinjuenke]

wait, whut? porn is like soft synths?
why isn't my missus interested in soft synths then?

She wants the real thing, distorting and saturating.

[El°HYM]

So the essence of this thread seems to be;
My Aliasing is stronger than yours.

Guess, I have already made my Points.

Have fun.

[_leras]

So the essence of this thread seems to be;
My Aliasing is stronger than yours.

Guess, I have already made my Points.

Have fun.

Whilst aliasing may occur... If I roll off high frequencies and boost lows with a digital eq, even a basic one, the EQ changes heard will be clear and aliasing will be as good as inaudible.

Not a single EQ I have, even stock DAW, ruins a signal and makes it harsh when applied. You'd have to be doing some extreme edge cases...

I'm sure the analog equipment you have is great, but good plug ins are not that far behind. Even with a chain of 6-7 plugins the signal don't get audibly affected by aliasing!