Going iMac

[gsgroff]

I've handled my LAST PC mess! I'm planning to get a new iMac in the very near future. Quick question:

I have a recording setup in my home. I do all recording/mixing/effects on my stand-along Roland 2480 and just fly a stereo pair Via SPDIF into the PC. There, I use Soundforge for final editing and mastering, with some Waves plugins.

Here's what I'm planning: ESI U24XL interface to get the SPDIF into the iMac. Does anyone have any experience with this interface?

What recording/editing software do you recommend. The ESI comes with QbaseLE, which I've never used. I see a new Soundforge for Mac is out now. I hate to go full-blown Logic, as all I need is to edit and master a stereo pair. No tracks, mixing, or midi stuff on the 'puter. All that is handled on my Roland.

Any advice or opinions out there for this?

Thanks,
Gordon

 

[Macman45]

Should work fine...I've used similar setups with my Macs...Not that specific interface, but you should not encounter issues...I use a couple of Roland boards and have connected them by SPDIF and Via USB without any problem at all.

 

[gsgroff]

Thanks, Macman.

What program do you use for editing/mastering?

Gordon

 

[Macman45]

Thanks, Macman.

What program do you use for editing/mastering?

Gordon

It's kind of a hybrid version of Cubase which is burned to a rom in one of my boards....I do most of the editing and FX directly on the board, save to a 32GB Super fast SD card ) Also on the board and I rather successful DIY job) then take it all over to the Mac. I try to keep away from too much fiddling around so that by the time it's on my imac it's really just a case of a final master....The board will also master and burn, but it's a little fiddly...it works, ( at least I think It does ) as I have never put a DVD in the drive...It's all backed up to a Pegasus R4 after that...A lot of stuff I do is trails....Promo etc, which is okay, ut kind of a pain as I have to keep all of it, resulting in GB's of stuff and more T/bolt storage...!

 

[Fishrrman]

Are you sure you'll never need at least a pair of XLR inputs on an interface? That one seems to have none...

 

[gsgroff]

Are you sure you'll never need at least a pair of XLR inputs on an interface? That one seems to have none...

Yep. I never intend to record directly into the iMac. My Roland 2480 sits just a few feet from my computer desk. It's got 16 XLR, 1/4" balanced, etc. with pretty good preamps. Full physical slider controls for all channels and some pretty good effects built in. I even have a 2 channel Millenia Media Pre, just for those times when I must have two channels of pristene input chain. I only need to get SPDIF from there into the iMac, then do final stereo pair edits/mastering and CD burning and graphics creation on the iMac.

I know this is contrary to 99% of what folks are doing these days, but it's the way I go.

Thanks for the input, Gang!

Gordon