> Surely the reproduction of an ancient hardware drum sequencer in today's software should be perfect.
Often it isn't. This can be for a number of reasons:
1. Ignoring the 'leaky' nature of components and just assuming that sticking a software oscillator, followed by a low-pass filter, followed by an envelope etc... will be the same as VCO, attached to a wire, attached to a PCB, ...
A lot of old gear needs to 'warm up', it often has inconsistent characteristics from machine to machine, so each one has its own character. Reproducing the effects of the components isn't trivial and can often fail at the extremes (for example: high resonance/low cut off on a TB-303; or the self-oscillation of a Moog filter).
2. When an emulation is running as a plugin (VST, RTAS, AAX), it has to share the host machine with other plugins. Plugins include: other virtual instruments as well as virtual effects plugins and mastering plugins. There's clearly a trade off when the plugin can't use all of the juice that the host has, and therefore their emulations may compromise on time-slicing, or component emulation to save processing time. I use the Universal Audio DSP which emulates a lot of old compressors, tape machines, EQs, reverbs, etc. Some things it's exceptional at emulating (like the Pultec EQ for example), others less so, like the tape emulations.
3. I can't prove this, so take this with a pinch of salt, but there's a 'certain something' that you get from analogue gear, and perhaps that's down to the 'infinite' resolution you get from real physics. Emulations which rely on time-slicing will always create artifacts. I have lost count of the amount of times either I or friends have responded very favourably to an analogue synth or something mixed on an analogue desk (like an SSL).
I personally use a combination of both. The UAD emulations are pretty close most of the time, and remove the need to manage a really difficult device, or spend multiple thousands on a machine that's hard to get. I have a Nord Lead A1, which I would describe as a 'clean analgoue' emulation. It's not trying too hard to repro the real analogue synths, it has its own character. I have the TR-8, which sounds pretty close to the 808 and 909, but I can't help feeling something isn't right. And then I have some real Waldorf analogue synths, and everytime I use them it's like being wrapped in warm marshmellows, it's fantastic and unique in a way that my digital equipment isn't.
It nearly always comes down to a feeling, rather than something quantifiable. But that is also what music is about.
Often it isn't. This can be for a number of reasons:
1. Ignoring the 'leaky' nature of components and just assuming that sticking a software oscillator, followed by a low-pass filter, followed by an envelope etc... will be the same as VCO, attached to a wire, attached to a PCB, ...
A lot of old gear needs to 'warm up', it often has inconsistent characteristics from machine to machine, so each one has its own character. Reproducing the effects of the components isn't trivial and can often fail at the extremes (for example: high resonance/low cut off on a TB-303; or the self-oscillation of a Moog filter).
2. When an emulation is running as a plugin (VST, RTAS, AAX), it has to share the host machine with other plugins. Plugins include: other virtual instruments as well as virtual effects plugins and mastering plugins. There's clearly a trade off when the plugin can't use all of the juice that the host has, and therefore their emulations may compromise on time-slicing, or component emulation to save processing time. I use the Universal Audio DSP which emulates a lot of old compressors, tape machines, EQs, reverbs, etc. Some things it's exceptional at emulating (like the Pultec EQ for example), others less so, like the tape emulations.
3. I can't prove this, so take this with a pinch of salt, but there's a 'certain something' that you get from analogue gear, and perhaps that's down to the 'infinite' resolution you get from real physics. Emulations which rely on time-slicing will always create artifacts. I have lost count of the amount of times either I or friends have responded very favourably to an analogue synth or something mixed on an analogue desk (like an SSL).
I personally use a combination of both. The UAD emulations are pretty close most of the time, and remove the need to manage a really difficult device, or spend multiple thousands on a machine that's hard to get. I have a Nord Lead A1, which I would describe as a 'clean analgoue' emulation. It's not trying too hard to repro the real analogue synths, it has its own character. I have the TR-8, which sounds pretty close to the 808 and 909, but I can't help feeling something isn't right. And then I have some real Waldorf analogue synths, and everytime I use them it's like being wrapped in warm marshmellows, it's fantastic and unique in a way that my digital equipment isn't.
It nearly always comes down to a feeling, rather than something quantifiable. But that is also what music is about.