newbie question re:analog mixers

[glimmertwins]

...searched through the archives and didn't see an answer to this but then again - I didn't really know what I was looking for.

Just curious what happens on analog mixers when you play through it "in the red"? I know with digital stuff it just clips at the limit - do analog mixers compress or do they clip too?

I guess where I am getting tripped up is I have read several analog v. digital debates on these pages, but the mixer is rarely addressed when refrencing how the two mediums differ. If I had an old 80s Tascam mixer and a new tascam mixer sitting here in front of me, how would they differ sonically?

Thanks for your help - I know this is a basic question but I better ask before I say something stupid later on down the road...

..well, I still probably say something stupid to spite myself.

[chetatkinsdiet]

Same as with any gear. Some sounds ok when pushed to the limits and some sounds like ass. If you're talking about some old analog mixer with iron, then it might sound amazing. If it's some sort of old, but even cheap when new gear, then it's probably going to sound like transformerless IC ass.

Analog vs Digital WHO CARES.

The real question is expensive vs. cheap. Expensive wins everytime.

later,
m

[Tim Farrant]

If you push any analog device into the red (or beyond!) then it will clip. This is when the signal level attempts to go beyond what is possible determined by the power supply rails of the device. Clipping results in high amounts of distortion. In tube circuits, the clipping will be soft and can sound quite pleasing (overdrive on a guitar amp for example). Tube circuits may also display a certain amount of compression before clipping due to the inherent non-linearity, depends on the circuit. Clipping in solid state circuits is usually sudden and generally less pleasing (your Tascam mixers for example). So yes, it is similar to clipping in digital I suppose.

Cheers
Tim

[glimmertwins]

That makes sense. So the two favorable(subjective I know) types of natural distortions are tube compression and tape compression...

..and mixers - even though they may be analog, will still behave similarly to digital when pushed hard

So can someone explain exactly how tape compression works - the science of it. I have an idea of how tube compression works from working on my amps...

Thanks!