ProTools vs. Analog

[uno1234]

I'm recording an album of alt pop/rock in ProTools with a Mixplus. I love the system for all it's flexibility, it's plugins, and everything else that ProTools is.

But it has come to my attention that the sound quality isn't all that great.

I mean, it's GOOD... but it's DIGITAL. I know lots of major rock/pop records were recorded with digital equipment, and often ProTools, but the fact is... THEY DON'T SOUND VERY GOOD.

Ricky Martin? Lenny Kravitz? This is radio made music-- heavy on the compression, light on the soul.

Listening to albums that I know were recorded on Neve consoles with "old school" 2 inch tape, etc, etc... they just sound beautiful. Especially the low end. Darn.

So what gives? ProTools is great for what it can do, but as far as using it exclusively, it leaves something to be desired. I don't want to sound like I'm blaming any engineering shortcomings on the equipment I use, but I really feel that the age of "no tape" albums is overhyped.

For me, it's a cost concern. The 20K I've invested in ProTools alone is about as much as I can handle at once.

But so many PROFESSIONAL studios are centered COMPLETELY around ProTools rigs, or digital this and that, and I don't get it! I'm not advocating the eradication of ProTools-- it does what it does well (I couldn't live without it)-- but as far as being ultimate recording machine, it just seems to fall short.

comments from the dedicated user base..? anyone?




[This message has been edited by uno1234 (edited February 27, 2000).]

[blairl]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I would rather have a great engineer working on mediocre equipment than I would have a mediocre engineer working on great equipment. The engineer and his/her abilities is so important, I can't emphasize this enough. I have heard some great stuff done on Pro Tools and yes I have heard some garbage done on Pro Tools. I can also say the same about analog tape and consoles. Pro Tools works well. In the right hands productions can't be beat.

I've heard of people buying Pro Tools systems and expecting their productions to suddenly sound "professional". What are people expecting? Experience, experience, experience is essential.

I just bought the Lenny Kravitz album to see what kind of sounds he was getting. I was severely disapointed. Is that Pro Tools' fault? Absolutely not, because I have heard top notch productions done on Pro Tools. There are plenty of professionals using Pro Tools systems successfully and I think that people are too quick to point the blame of bad sounds to Pro Tools. Again the engineer and his/her abilities are far more important than almost anything I can think of.

[Dead Space]

Too true blairl!

They mixed Lenny Kravitz's album through his vinage API. Hmmm...

[Dead Space]

Then again...I recorded some drums on a Studer A800 which were then dumped into ProTools for overdubs and oh mommy, did it ever sound good!

[Stratman]

So Uno,

Are you referencing albums that you know were total analog recordings with CD's that you have read about that were done completely in PT's, or are you speaking from your own experience from all the analog and now PT's oriented records you are making?

Just curious.

[This message has been edited by Stratman (edited February 27, 2000).]

[Stratman]

Whoops, wrong button.


[This message has been edited by Stratman (edited February 27, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Stratman (edited February 27, 2000).]