Vol. I No. 2

A great deal of confusion exists because of the difficulty in distinguishing between records and tapes that are true all-analog productions and those which have been digitally processed at some point in the production sequence.

In my own case there was a period of years when on numerous occasions I obtained vinyl and magnetic recordings and listened to them without realizing that, despite being in an analog format, these recordings were not truly analog because they had been subjected to digital processing.

If you, the reader, are a music lover it is possible or likely that you have had similar experiences. What I recall is a feeling of dissatisfaction with the music on those occasions, a thought to myself of 'where is the magic?' or 'somehow this record just isn't grabbing me.' I recall making continuous, repeated efforts to try to 'get into' the music with limited success. Whereas the case with a favorite recording in all-analog playback is that typically it will powerfully move you with an overwhelming feeling that can be described as contagious, infectious, enchanting.

What I often get with digitalized music is a kind of prickly sensation in my nerves and spine. I suspect that may happen also to other listeners and they may tend to attribute this to the presumed quality of the sound.

It may be hard to remember for older readers, while younger ones may never have had this experience, but when all-analog reproduction of a favorite song occurs, the listener will typically feel a whole gamut of emotions and may in some cases be 'swept away' by the feeling the music engenders.

Digitalized music, as the superficial simulation that it is, irritates the nervous system rather than inducing the powerful motions and emotions formerly always associated with music.