Best Macs for Pro-Tools!!!!!

[Kiskeya]

I'm a record producer who's looking into upgrading all of my computers to Macs. I'm now using a couple of Vaios and Dells and they've been nothing but headaches once I upgraded to ProTools.

Can anyone suggest the best MacBooks and iMacs for ProTools Studios?

I also record allot of instruments (Guitar, Bass, Piano, Violin) straight into my recordings with Pro-Tools LE, so the options of recording Midi is very important. I'm currently using an Mbox via usb, will anyone suggest that I also upgrade to firewire for example?

I'm a newbie to the Mac world so excuse me in advance if I'm not familiar with the right terms?

Thank you.

Kiskeya.

(Thanks CanadaRam for pointing me to this forum)...🙂

 

[furious]

I have a feeling you will need RAM. The best Mac for you then would be a MacPro.

Otherwise what is your budget? Do you need portability?

 

[Kiskeya]

I'm trying to get as many Macs I can for 5K. I do need portability since I do travel allot.

 

[CanadaRAM]

I'm trying to get as many Macs I can for 5K. I do need portability since I do travel allot.

OK then: Your choices are limited. MacPro loses for price and portability

iMac -- this is still the value champ, however you have to be willing to ship it or lug it, it is not a grab and go laptop.

So you can get approximately 2 MacBook Pros or approximately 3 MacBooks plus a large LCD external monitor or 2.
For reasons stated in the other thread (larger screen size, expansion slot), the MacBook Pro is the safest choice -- but you give up at least one machine in the fleet.

Definitely go to 4 Gb RAM. Definitely get external drives. Consider an ExpressCard interface for Firewire or eSATA as a way to improve drive and interface performance. Carefully consider whether the $5K budget is really practical if you need 2 or more machines AND want portability.

 

[quigleybc]

i'd get as many old PPC PowerMac G5's as you can afford.

You could get em for really good prices, and they're rock solid for MultiTrack Recording.

You could get mo bang fo yo buck.

🙂

 

[CanadaRAM]

i'd get as many old PPC PowerMac G5's as you can afford.

You could get em for really good prices, and they're rock solid for MultiTrack Recording.

You could get mo bang fo yo buck.

🙂

With monitors though they would be more expensive than intel iMacs, especially refurbs, and the RAM is cheaper in the iMacs & MacBooks/MBPs than either the older G5s or the MacPros.

The G5's are more expandable than the iMac, granted, but portability is still a problem.

 

[Kiskeya]

OK then: Your choices are limited. MacPro loses for price and portability

iMac -- this is still the value champ, however you have to be willing to ship it or lug it, it is not a grab and go laptop.

So you can get approximately 2 MacBook Pros or approximately 3 MacBooks plus a large LCD external monitor or 2.
For reasons stated in the other thread (larger screen size, expansion slot), the MacBook Pro is the safest choice -- but you give up at least one machine in the fleet.

Definitely go to 4 Gb RAM. Definitely get external drives. Consider an ExpressCard interface for Firewire or eSATA as a way to improve drive and interface performance. Carefully consider whether the $5K budget is really practical if you need 2 or more machines AND want portability.

Well, portability is very important. I will like to get two iMacs and one MacBook pro. I want to split the iMacs between one primarily for recording and one for instrumentals making software. Is my 5k budget too limited? If not, I will be greatfull for some specific recommendations.

Thank You

 

[zimv20]

I want to split the iMacs between one primarily for recording and one for instrumentals making software.

why?

 

[-igor]

I have a question about pro tools that is a bit too basic to make a thread about so I am jumping on the first pro tools thread I saw. Where is/how can I see the master volume?

 

[zimv20]

I have a question about pro tools that is a bit too basic to make a thread about so I am jumping on the first pro tools thread I saw. Where is/how can I see the master volume?

you have to instantiate a master fader object (create new track, select master fader). then whatever you set its "output to" assigns it to the internal volume object for that track.

lost yet?

no time to explain now, just make a master fader track, set its output to analog out 1/2 (or whatever you want to hear), and away you go.

 

[Nightshivers]

I would stay away from the G5 personally.. I have the low end Macbook and it runs loads pro tools fine.. I have a Mbox 2 with Pro tools LE and I can multi track record just fine.. you might want to turn down the Hz for playback issues but the Standard macbook with 2.0 ghz Processor is more then enought.. the only thing I would say it new egg some cheap mac ram and install it yourself.. its super easy.. but my gig of DD2 is fine.. and I got a bunch of extra junk on mine

 

[Avatar74]

If you're using ProTools LE, even a MacBook will do the trick.

I have a digi001 with ProTools LE on a single-processor G4/933MHz w/512MB RAM and record, mix and master up to 32 tracks just fine.

I do even more intensive video postproduction on the G4/933 which is what I'd originally geared it to handle. You could even pick up an older Mac like the 933, an older MacBook or a G5 dual processor (1.8GHz dual processor can be hand on Ebay I think for $900) and then use the difference to get sound cards, etc. whatever else you need.

 

[Plumbstone]

. I will like to get two iMacs and one MacBook pro. I want to split the iMacs between one primarily for recording and one for instrumentals making software.

As Zimv20 said , why?

It just makes recalling your sessions more of a hassle, you have 2 computers to backup, you need 2 soundcards and you need to sync them together. Just get 1 powerful computer that can run everything at once, if you need portability it probably has to be a macbook Pro with an extra monitor and some external firewire drives. If you are happy with the sound of your Mbox, stick with that. Even though it is USB it is more than capable of doing what it was designed to do. If you really want to run a lot of virtual instruments alongside your audio, you may want to think about switching to Logic Pro as it has tons of instruments built in and can run Audiounits natively, and once mastered is more flexible (MIDI wise) than Protools LE (which you have anyway).

If you're using ProTools LE, even a MacBook will do the trick.

I have a digi001 with ProTools LE on a single-processor G4/933MHz w/512MB RAM and record, mix and master up to 32 tracks just fine.

Except the moment you try to run a few modern software instruments that G4 will fall over faster than Amy Winehouse on Grammy night.