SBweekly.tv Episode 53
Does Analog sound better than Digital?
Host: Stephan Bollinger

The debate continues, and has been raging for decades. Analog or digital, which one actually sounds better? Some will swear by the glow of vintage tubes, others trust the neat little box on their desk.

The truth, of course, is a little less dramatic. Every part of the chain, from the microphone you choose to the pre-amps, compressors and mixing desks you run it through, makes a difference. A touch of roundness here, a sprinkle of harmonics there, a bit of smoothness that takes the edge off the harsh bits. And yes, much of that can be done in the box these days as well.

But here’s the thing: None of it matters without a performance. A singer who pours their soul into a lyric, a guitarist who shapes notes with feel, a drummer who lives in the pocket, that’s the stuff that overshadows gear and wires and plugins.

A bad performance, on the other hand, will stubbornly remain a bad performance, no matter how many racks of boutique equipment you throw at it. In the end, it’s not the ones or zeros that count, but the human element. The moment.