Overview of differences It is a subject of debate whether analog audio is superior to digital audio or vice versa. The question is highly dependent on the quality of the systems (analog or digital) under review, and other factors which are not necessarily related to sound quality. Arguments for analog systems include the absence of fundamental error mechanisms which are present in digital audio systems, including aliasing and quantization noise.[not in citation given] Advocates of digital point to the high levels of performance possible with digital audio, including excellent linearity in the audible band and low levels of noise and distortion.
Accurate, high-quality sound reproduction is possible with both analog and digital systems but in general it tends to be less expensive to achieve any given standard of technical signal quality with a digital system. One of the most limiting aspects of analog technology is the sensitivity of analog media to minor physical degradation.The principal advantages that digital systems have are a very uniform source fidelity, inexpensive media duplication, and direct use of the digital signal in today's popular portable storage and playback devices. Analog recordings by comparison require comparatively bulky, high-quality playback equipment to accurately read the signal from their analog media.
