Mellotronists

I keep hearing the myth that mellotron sounds are always degraded in
some way when using digital recording methods.  It may have been
always true 25 years ago.  (using poor converters, low resolution
filters, short word length and low sample rates).

With modern, good quality digital recorders, you can still end up with
a cold / harsh  "digital sandpaper" recording. (degraded).  OR you can
get results that are pure and sweet.

The initial recording at 24 bit / 96k sample rate will always sound
great.  The trouble is, engineers fuck with the recording over and
over and over again....and the sound quality deteriorates ever so
slightly each time it's processed.  (There may be no generation loss
when making digital copies, but there is generation loss when
processing the signal).  In addition, some of the processing that's
intended to improve the sound, degrades it.  

EQ, gain adjustment, Downward compression, reverb, upward expansion,
EQ, upward compression, downward expansion, more EQ, more gain
adjustment, a pinch of Q sound, a dash Aphex Exciter....run it through
the DA - AD converter just one more time and presto!  Harsh digital
sandpaper!  

No problem... We can always use an Analog tube (valve) emulator to fix it.

Clay