So we know that digital processing can be too perfect or harsh. And by comparison, analogue is usually described as ‘warm’, ‘punchy’ and ‘fat’. But why is this?
Digital is a practically perfect system for representing sound. For 44,100Hz audio, for example, all frequencies up to half that point (22,050Hz in this case) are perfectly represented. With audio processed at 64-bit and saved to 24-bit files, signals can be super-loud or incredibly quiet with no practical loss of quality. When digital audio is copied, routed, processed or adjusted in level, the quality remains intact. No noise is added. No frequencies are removed. Dynamics and transients are unaffected. It’s a near-perfect medium.