The new analog

I've just finished a really good read. Damon Krukowski's, The New Analog. This book is centered around the notion that in the transition from analog/tape/vinyl to digital audio, much was lost. In particular, noise. Krukowski's both a musician, (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi, Magic Hour) and the editor/publisher of Exact Change. While I don't agree with everything he writes, I do agree with his basic premise. Too many producers and recording engineers have lost sight of what was good in analog and focused more on emphasizing their new found digital toys: loudness, compression, endless tinkering. The purists among us take advantage of the areas of digital where it clearly outshines analog: dynamic range, full frequency response. To his point, I do miss noise. There's a comforting, enveloping aspect to hiss. Near the end of this series of essays, he attacks something near and dear to my heart. Subwoofers. I understand his hesitation, but not his outright dismissal. Here's a case where yet another musician hasn't been exposed to high-end audio, an all too common experience. Regardless. The book is worth the read. I highly recommend it. Oh. And you must get the analog version. Hardcover.