With modern software, artists can now record, mix, and master music entirely from a laptop. Plugins are powerful, accessible, and improving every year — so it’s fair to ask:
does analogue gear still matter, and what actually sets a great mixing and mastering studio apart today?
The answer isn’t analogue or digital. It’s how — and why — each is used. Or, as I like to go about it, analogue and digital.
From an artist’s perspective, the analogue vs digital debate isn’t technical — it’s emotional.
You’re not choosing gear. You’re choosing whether your music:
Great mixing and mastering studios aren’t defined by how much hardware they own. They’re defined by how effectively they combine personality and precision.
Analogue hardware processes sound in real time using physical components — tubes, transformers, capacitors — that subtly react to signal level, voltage, and even temperature.
What this creates is:
These non-linear behaviours are why analogue processing often feels “three-dimensional.” It doesn’t just shape sound — it responds to it.
This responsiveness is especially noticeable on vocals, drums, bass, and full program material during mastering.
Digital tools are indispensable in modern production.
They offer:
In a professional mixing and mastering studio, digital tools handle tasks where accuracy matters more than character.
For an overview of modern digital loudness standards, this breakdown is useful:
AES: Loudness Basics
High-quality plugins do an incredible job modelling analogue behaviour — but they’re still approximations.
The limitation isn’t sound quality alone — it’s static behaviour.
Analogue hardware:
Plugins, by design, capture a snapshot. They model an idealised version of a circuit, not a living one.
That last few percent — the unpredictability — is often what separates a technically good mix from one that feels alive.
When engineers talk about analogue “character,” they’re really talking about controlled imperfection.
No two hardware units sound exactly the same. Age, component drift, and maintenance history all become part of the sound.
In a skilled studio, these imperfections aren’t problems. They’re creative tools.
The difference isn’t the gear — it’s the experience to know when to lean into the colour and when digital precision is the better choice.
The best mixing and mastering studios work in hybrid environments.
A typical high-end approach might look like:
This workflow combines the emotional impact of analogue with the reliability of digital.
For a deeper technical explanation of hybrid workflows, AES provides useful insight:
Audio Media International: Hybrid Audio Production
Two studios can own the same hardware and software and produce wildly different outcomes.
What matters is:
A great mixing and mastering studio doesn’t chase trends or presets. It listens carefully, works deliberately, and prioritises musical intent over technical novelty.
If you’re choosing a mixing and mastering studio, the question isn’t:
“Do they use analogue or digital?”
It’s whether:
Analogue and digital aren’t opposing philosophies — they’re complementary tools.
What sets a great mixing and mastering studio apart is the ability to balance precision and personality, consistency and emotion, technology and taste.
At Moreish Studios, we focus on that balance — using analogue character where it enhances the music, and digital precision where clarity and control matter most.
Because in the end, listeners don’t care how a record was made. They care how it feels.
Learn more about our Mixing, Mastering, or Recording services, or get in touch to talk through your project.
