[Ardour-Users] analog summing

[Will J Godfrey]

On Sun, 17 Dec 2017 13:54:36 -0600
Brent Busby <brent at keycorner.org> wrote:

>Matt Keys <matt at mattkeys.net> writes:
>
>> I'm not really trying to do anything at the moment other than
>> understand when and why you'd want to use something like the 2-bus
>> (http://dangerousmusic.com/product/2-bus-plus/), or how it is
>> different than for example the stereo main outs of a 16 channel analog
>> mixer? Is the extra 'color' claim completely bullshit?  
>
>I don't think it's bullshit in principle.  I have an Allen & Heath
>console which I've proved to my own satisfaction provides color and
>thickness that isn't there naturally by A/B comparison, to the point
>that when it's not there, instruments that I normally think I know the
>sound of, sound anemic and thin when I plug them directly into my
>interface.  And it's not a Neve or anything remotely that classy at all.
>So yes, I can say from my own observation that going through a mixer can
>sound way better than direct hookup.

Analog systems using discrete components in conventional configurations will by
their nature add a tiny amount of even-order distortion, mostly 2nd harmonic
and it's this that gives to impression of thickening the sound. They will
sometimes also add some odd-order distortion but that usually ends up macking
the sound less pleasant.

I'm talking really tiny amounts here, barley measurable. Too much and the
impression breaks down and you recognise the individual harmonics.

-- 
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... the hard part is not dodging what life throws at you,
but trying to catch the good bits.