I dunno, maybe it's weird to see a totally analog studio nowadays... But I thought it was more common until I realised that most forums here are talking about digital stuff lol

 

I started out analog, with a Teac 246 in the 80's and paid like $1200 for the privilege of making non-fidelity recordings...but still loved it. After that it was a couple of ADAT machines and now on to hard disk recording. I'd venture to say that just a few are still all in.

 

Me not but look at this Video on Youtube ;) By the Way the biggest Problem nowadays would be that all this Analog Gear is very Expensive and most of the Young Generation Producers won't even know how to use it.

 

Only in the morning at breakfast when I listen to classical music on my portable FM radio from the 80's.

 

I never worked fully analog. When I started in 1999, we were already on Digital Performer and Motu at the studio where I got hired. Some part of the process was obviously analog but I've never been involved in a fully analog project from start to release.

Talking of Hybrid, I am thinking of getting a rig to do a part of mastering in the analog domain. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get all the modules to do that but that's my next step. ( please audio god, rain 30K$ on me soon )

 

I still work with outboard gear, mostly old synth racks and desktop modules run through a line mixer and recorded into the computer. All the sequencing and recording I do in Maschine and the final arrangement mastering in Cubase. Not 100% analog but pretty close to how I used to work in the 90's early 2ks.

 

I'm reading this on my totally analog computer. Steam driven, no less.

 

I had a Korg Mono/Poly from 1981 but even that one is driven by an 8049 CPU

 

Fully digital here. Started with analog centuries ago, but kept up with technology and eventually went fully digital.

 

I guess a hybrid setup is somewhat fair to me, there's probably still a lot of people who are using analog outboard gear recorded to standalone HDRs

 

Haven't been all analog since about '95.

 

Well, i think not. When we look at what "tools" we use irl, then the answhere is no.
We are slowly all becoming digital subjects.

 

Last time I worked completely analog was when I got rid of my expanded Pro Tools III system in 1997, in favour of a beautiful 24 track 2" machine. The happiest and most enjoyable part of my journey. I loved everything about it: the relaxed workflow and its particularly tactile nature, the sounds, the sights and yes, the smell of tape and the 2" machine.

Two years later I had to buy a DAW again. By that time everyone around had one, the paradigm was forever changed and I could no longer make a living without it.

It's immensely rewarding and if I could, I'd go back there in a heartbeat, regardless of the limitations and costs.

 

Ya gotta remember, even back in the good ole days "all analog" either meant a $100,000 investment in equipment (or more) or you were on 1/2" 8 track at best, and probably 4 track or a PortaStudio (or Fostex cassette).
A pro project studio was all analog right up until the signal went onto the ADAT. (Or the DA-38.)

 

Most of them wouldn't even know the first thing about maintenance, which is about half of your time in an 'analog studio'.. Biasing the tape machines, demagnetizing, degaussing, setting/calibrating your levels with test tones, etc.. Seen lots of folks on the 'forums' raving about how they're all 'analog' now with a shitty Tascam 424.. Dream on, you couldn't pay me to go back to my 424mk2 I bought in 1997 for more than I paid for my 24 channel MOTU interface heh. "Oh damn I forgot to turn on the DBX before we recorded, looks like this is now a noise record"..

 

Fully analog set up here,giving me the option to produce and record 100% OTB. From the SSL console, to the sequencers (e.g. Oberheim, Moog,) to the synths, to the Otari 24 track reel to reel, and to the outboard gear, I am able to fully produce, record, and mix 100 analog. But who the fuck wants to go back to 2" tape, and fully analog recordings in 2023? Indeed, with a very extensive patchbay set up, and a pair Ferrofish A32 Pro DANTE I can be in a hybrid set up within a couple of minutes. A hybrid set up is ideal but neither a fully analog nor hybrid set ups are cheap.
As some have mentioned, analog is expensive to acquire, and maintain properly. Be ready to spend thousands every year on maintenace alone. Luckily for me, I do not depend on techs to repair or maintain my analog gear.
Likewise, a pro level hybrid set up is no different. Running a fully pro hybrid set up becomes even more expensive. Converters, patchbay, and routing do take a lot of cash, and expertise to put together. After more than 40 years of using analog, and digital systems I ended up contracting a professional system designer and set up guy to do it for me. Without the hardware (patchbays, and cables) a well designed patch bay routing will cost on average $600 per patchbay. And, the number of patchbays will depend on the number of outboard gear you have, the number of audio interfaces, the number of mic inputs in your room, the monitor returns, and console.
When you start adding it all up, your 96 point patchbays are filled up quickly. Now, buy the DB25 cables, the patchbay cables, and you will wish you had remained ITB.

 

yea if for some reason we lose computers we'll be back the the stone age. we will learn a lot if the electricity goes off good.

 

I like to keep my options open so I have both, except everything ends up in Reaper, so it's not 100% analogue. It's a hybrid setup, with an analogue mixer, outboard compressors, gate, effects, outboard synths and samplers which I use less than I use VSTs. Similar to what @aymat said.

I've spent a couple of years working in a completely analogue studio in the 90s and got hooked, but then I discovered and was fascinated by what digital can do later on, so it's been best of both worlds almost all the way for me. Started with Atari and Cubase, then PC and Cubase around 2000. Then Reaper on 2007, I think. Whatever works, whatever inspires me, goes.

Cheers!

 

Just bought a Hairball Rev F, absolutely does things that no 1176 plugin of mine can. Other than that, it's all in the box for me.

 

Yeah, back to the stone age and not much to do, so...