Note: It's now 2011. I wrote this article in 2003, and DAW technology and sound has changed since then.  I'm only posting this for the sheer recording of how it was back then. When I wrote this article, I was discussing digital and audio differences with Lynn Fuston on the 3D Audio Forum. He made an excellent comparison of 30 different DAW summing busses to see if different they sound different. To answer that question, he made a mix on all of the systems -- I got the CDR and evaluated the sound of those systems.

I recommend going to Lynn's site and purchasing his comparison CD so you can hear for it for yourself. By purchasing his CD, you'll find out which system is which. Meanwhile, my listening experience was done on 3 separate evenings, so I did my best to stay fresh - yet I know that with 2 or 3 more listens it's possible I might shift my opinion here and there. I wrote all my findings out before seeing which platform was which, so I couldn't be swayed by any previous experience with those systems I was familiar with.

Different summing methods do sound different. When the quality of any given system is well established, the differences are small. But it all comes down to references (what you compare with) and preferences.

Note: I have re-arranged the order from Lynn's CDR in order to group things that are more similar. To find the differences you hear, purchase Lynn's DAWSUM CDR. Check his site for other shoot-outs of mic pre's, mics, and more.

Another note: Analog summing boxes and analog consoles get a variety of responses here. I find that major contributing factors to analog summing are the D-A converters hooked up to these boxes, the audio interconnecting cables, and the quality of the power cord going into the wall. We use the Nautilus Master Technology Commander (completely Discrete Class-A - made by Inward Connections) here for our analog summing, along with top-of-the-line D-A's and cables, as well as high-end power cords.

NONE of the comparisons below used high end power cords, or documented high-end audio cables. The openness and articulation and "flavor" of any analog summing box relies on all elements involved. Today, higher quality audio components and lots of upgrades to firmware and software have evolved. With that said, let's check out my findings from 2003!

Dawsum CD A

Now for the details on all platforms tested:

What comes to mind, is that real engineering isn't about the platform, because in a lot of cases these puppies sounded very similar, such that the average Joe couldn't tell the difference if you paid them to sit and listen. What counts is the recordist who is committed to great sound will find a way to make his or her gear work to their liking.

Years ago (when I wasn't mastering) I upgraded my recording gear from a Soundcraft board and 1" Otari 8-track machine to an MCI JH428 console and an MCI JH24 machine. I was shocked at how dull and washed-out sounding my MCI recordings were next to the ones made on that dinky Soundcraft! Yikes - some upgrade!

So I put $18,000 of custom modifications into my MCI gear and the sound quality completely changed. Legendary mastering engineer, Doug Sax, stated at that time that an album I engineered was "The cleanest record [he] heard all year." (and no - it wasn't January!)

It wasn't the board that made my recordings come to life, it was my commitment to great sound and my intention to achieve that. That old MCI 428 only had a 3-section eq (with my own modified frequencies) but along with some cool outboard stuff, that simple board worked wonders.

Many new up and coming recordists of today have tons more options available to them than I did back then... but in the long run, their intentions will be the key to their success in the audio industry.

A very special thanks to Lynn Fuston at 3D Audio for making this extraordinary test possible.

Created 02/02/03 • Modified 03/20/05 More about compression Info about Eq'ing to multitrack Info about cutting a hot CD Before-after waveform display

NEMO DMC-8 Discrete Class-A Monitor Controller