Difference between Digital Sound and Analog Sound
There is a great debate by musicians about whether analog or digital is better choice of recording. Since many sound devices are either or when the sounds are being created, many musicians and other developers of certain fields rely on technology for them to produce and manipulate the quality of sounds. Being able to distinguish the value of analog and digital devices is entirely dependent on one's knowledge of how they both work and operate. Although, almost always, sound is developed naturally analogous, digital will always depend on a form of analog devices in order for the digital to operate effectively with quality.
A Description of Analog Sound Process
Analog is the process of a sound traveling to a mechanical device that is dependent on some sort of medium. Most analog devices can be looked at as a processor of sound that is then relayed to reception device and then the device sends the signals to a mixer, amp or sound processing system that allows the sound to be heard amplified. Sound waves in its most natural state will consist of a continuous variation in air pressure. After the transducer receives the sound, it will then relay the electric energy to a visual device or speaker.
A Description of Digital Sound Process
While dependent on a form of analog sound, the digital version is a data packet of code, letters, or numbers that are used to represent certain sounds such as the key or note. In lieu of other mechanical parts, it works integrated with other switches, buttons or levers that represent a specific function used to manipulate the sound for its given purpose. In short, digital basically means digit which represents numbers and numbers are commonly used in machine language in which the processor will translate the numbers via a code platform.
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Analog And Digital
Analog does not have too much of a limit when the sound is processed through a medium. The biggest flaw of analog relies on interference of unwanted sounds that one does not want to be relayed to the listener. In modern times, most analog devices will have a filter of sorts that shields the distortion with cables and wires that are hooked up to instruments for instance. Without some digital device that records the analog sound, the analog cannot be cleaned up and converted to flawless sound. Digital devices have the capacity to correct and reformat sounds to perfection. Disadvantages would be the fact of possible data loss and restrictions in the program or code that does not operate to the sounds natural full capacity.
Summary
- Digital sound processing requires computers, software, encoding, data packets and compact discs
- Playback, editing, looping features is a major advantage for digital processing
- Analog relies on speakers, microphones, amplification in order to send sound
- In most analog receiving devices, there is a coil with copper wiring that detects the fluctuations in sound to send out via speakers and amp
- Analog is great for live performance if there is quality instruments and digital is create for mixing, remixing and formatting sounds to a drive or CD
