Mixing down to analog

[NOSTRIL KING]

I've heard that mixing your tracks digitally, and then recording them to reel warms the tracks up a little bit (i.e. gives a familiar, cozy, almost inaudible tape hiss).

Can I get the same effect by mixing down to ADAT instead?

 

[Doberman]

That makes sense because you would be transferring your audio from a top-notch medium(digital) to a lesser form...tape!
Therefore you will have a reduction in audio quality...giving you that familiar warm sound. As far as digital to ADAT. You might as well say digital to digital. There may be a "slight" reduction of quality, but I don't think you would create that warm embedded feeling that you are looking for.
There may be other ways for you to aquire that warm feeling digitally , without going through a transfer process!
Peace!:devious:

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

im sure that you can get a decent plug in to warm up your tracks, but if they would help it or hurt it i do not know.

 

[BIG J]

The antares Tube is a coo plug-in. It works great on Pads, Strings, Basses, ambient sounds. not so much for percussion though

 

[surrill]

yea adat is digital tape so i dont see it making much of a diffference....what i do is i track all my instruments thru a fat man compressor ( not actually compress it but just run it thru the tube) then after mix down i run the mix thru my analog mixer and that warms it up a good amount..


T-racks and PsP Vintage Analog Warmer are good plug-ins to warm up your mixes too.

 

[Sick Wid It]

Despite storing to magnetic tape, running thru ADAT will not add warmth since they use digital signals. I agree that plug-ins (now days) are good at giving audio the same warmth that passing thru analog tape does.

If you go with plug-ins, just remember......a little is a lot. Don't overdue it.