When does Digital become Analogue?

ok so i have a hybrid set up, mainly software instruments and analogue effects.. my question is when i process my digital sounds through analogue gear, besides sounding awesome, is the sound now, in effect, analogue? is it the source that matters most or the last path in the chain? i know everything goes back to "digital" when bouncing the track back on the computer/cd, but im talking the overall nature of the sound now. vice-versa too, if i start with an analogue synth and appply some digital effects, does it now become digital?

The sound you are hearing is always analog, because our ears work analog and not digital. Thats why the sound card in your computer or connected to it has a a/d converter for input (in most cases) and a d/a converter for output (always).

Whenver the talk is about analog vs. digital it refers to the devices used in the process of music making. For instance analog synths have a certain quality to them, that cannot be modeled 100% by digital devices or software. That doesn't always mean 'better', just different, because less predictable. Likewise there is no point in sending your music through a cheap analog mixer or effect device because that will likely have a negative effect on your sound. If on the other hand you have very good analog gear - like a high end console, compressor, or tape machine , to name just a few, it can add a positive nuance to the sound before it is routed back into the digital domain of a computer.

That seems a little like Analog praise over Digital, which is pretty much another can of worms to be opened.

MR4Y wrote:That seems a little like Analog praise over Digital, which is pretty much another can of worms to be opened.

I didn't mean to say analog is better then digital. Like I said there is a lot of unspectacular analog hardware out there that will do no good to your sound. But of course there is a reason that many plugin manufacturers go to great lengths to make software that sounds like praised hardware units of the past. I you gave me an LA-2A for the price of the software equivalent I wouldn't hesitate a second

Is it worth spending three thousand dollars for it though? I don't know. I would spend the money on something else...