Mac Pro and Pro Tools 8 (buy now or wait?)

[Drumjim85]

ok. so on the front page it's saying the new mac pro might be released at the end of march. Then you'd need to wait until digi approves it.
It might work just how it is, but it might require an update from digi. So if 2 months and a roll of the dice is worth it to you, just for a faster processor (which will only really show you improvements in rendering times.)

 

[Fomaphone]

The only other difference is you get a brown box instead of a nice shiny box with the Mac Pro logo printed on it.

f*** that. what do you think we are? PC users?

 

[spacetycho]

decision.!?

I have made a decision.

I can care less about the packaging. The question is, get a new Mac from Macmall or a refurb from ?

I am not going to wait for the 'new' Mac. If I 'ever' tap out my system I will upgrade it. Plus I know the current model will be stable out of the box, for the most part.

So how do I get the best deal for a Mac Pro 8-core 3.0 w/ 8GB RAM?

I will be using it with Pro Tools 8, Digi 003 Rack+ and Command 8. These are the last major components for my home studio, outside of any outboard gear I buy in the future. I will also be using Final Cut Pro.

What really sucks is that the bonus I thought I was getting last week won't come until mid-March. Well, at least it's coming. In the state of our sour economy, I'm not spending it until I have it. Although my bad concious of a credit card keeps whispering in my ear. That evil bitch!

So, help me find the best deal on the computer and RAM. This is your next objective. If you complete this objective I will wire $10 million to your bank from one of my many swiss accounts. If you fail to complete this mission you will be terminated. This forum post will self destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

BOOM!

 

[byrgenar]

Good choice

Hi

I guess your in the US?

For once it seems that the prices this side of the pond are lower (gotta be a first).

If you are in the UK there is a refurb dual 3.2 on the Apple site at £2,475.00
($3,505). Personally I think that you could easily get away with less than that (in terms of spec), but it's a good price. I picked up my 2.8 Quad there @ £1204 ($1,705). No complaints at all.

Best of luck

N

 

[Chaos123x]

They make a different 003 with a control surface built in also.

Seems nicer then the command 8.

 

[justit]

f*** that. what do you think we are? PC users?

... and you're a PC.

IMHO Apple refurbs are the best in the industry. My MP 2.8 Quad came in a white box. The power cord looked like it had some dust and the plastic on the CDs were crinkled. Other than that it has no scratches, dust, finger prints, dings at all. The casing both inside and outside are emaculate. It even smelled new. And to think I had 2 weeks to find any flaws.

All this talk about waiting for Nehalem... like ppl in 2008 couldn't get any work done.

EDIT: The OP shouldn't bother with macmall, they have a terrible return policy. I'd rather buy an apple MP refurb than a new MP from someone else.

 

[Chaos123x]

... and you're a PC.

IMHO Apple refurbs are the best in the industry. My MP 2.8 Quad came in a white box. The power cord looked like it had some dust and the plastic on the CDs were crinkled. Other than that it has no scratches, dust, finger prints, dings at all. The casing both inside and outside are emaculate. It even smelled new. And to think I had 2 weeks to find any flaws.

All this talk about waiting for Nehalem... like ppl in 2008 couldn't get any work done.

EDIT: The OP shouldn't bother with macmall, they have a terrible return policy. I'd rather buy an apple MP refurb than a new MP from someone else.

i actually did not get any real work done last year on my Mac pro.

Everything I did was at production houses and TV stations using their setups.

But yeah the 2.8 octos are still awesome machines, and still will be after the Nehalem come out. But it looks like the Nehalems will cost more so it's just moot.

 

[Tallest Skil]

But yeah the 2.8 octos are still awesome machines, and still will be after the Nehalem come out.

I've never understood why people believe their machines will break instantaneously after the newest model is announced...

But it looks like the Nehalems will cost more so it's just moot.

The performance gains are worth the price, though.

 

[Chaos123x]

Yeah I was thinking about selling my current setup to get the Nehalem.

But I think I am gonna buy a nice Omnirax or Winsted desk, get a new Mbox 2, some new mics and be good.

Then I bet the Nehalem will come out the day after I buy that stuff, at cheaper than expected costs!

Then I will feel depressed that I should used my money for the new machine.

 

[Music_Producer]

Just get the current MP if you cannot wait - they are MORE than powerful enough to handle PT8 and its daddy.

Btw, you might want to invest in a nice converter like an Apogee - the 003's converters suck.

 

[Ploki]

agreed

Although PT HD can be run on a g5 or even older mac if we make the assumption that the new mac pro will be i7 this will provide a dramatic improvement with regards to latency.

no it wont.

PT HD TDM technology does not rely on CPU. if running pure TDM you only use DSP and the computer is your tape. TDM doesnt induce latency (well, few samples. but thats the converter latency and faster cpu will not do anything about that )

and it took some time to even get the PCI-e interfaces. so...
i wouldnt bet on it PT supporting everything mac in a snap.
it took them some months to even support leo.

but anyway, he uses 003. which is not TDM...

@tallest skill:
performance gains are usually worth the price.. ;D (especially if the price is the and machine is better?) like the base model went from quad to octo. that was a big bang.

but, all that said, Snow leopard is also coming out and have made big promises about multicore utilization. so, 8core should keep you covered for a while

 

[Chaos123x]

Even though the Apogee stuff is awesome, PT will only run on DigiDesign hardware. Digidesign hardware sucks for prosumers and midlevel pros, it only gets good when you start spending like major $$$$$$$$ like buying a new house cash.

 

[Drumjim85]

Even though the Apogee stuff is awesome, PT will only run on DigiDesign hardware. Digidesign hardware sucks for prosumers and midlevel pros, it only gets good when you start spending like major $$$$$$$$ like buying a new house cash.

not true ... sorry ...

Plenty of studios run different converters.
and my home studio is running a m-audio interface with mytek converters.

(mytek > apogee)

 

[spacetycho]

If you visit my last band's myspace link below you can hear a couple MP3s I recorded. Sometimes even old DAWs can sound good in the end.

This was recorded by me in South Florida through a Digi 001 on a G4 867mhz with PT 5 and was mixed by a producer in Portland on a Mac Pro with PT HD.

It was great to be able to just send the sessions without doing anything to them. The integration between the LE and HD platforms is nice.

As I said before. I am just going to buy the current Mac Pro.

You know what? F*ck the Nehalem! That's right. I am getting the current model and when the next, next Mac Pro comes out, better than the Nehalem, I will buy it and say mines, better than your's.

 

[byrgenar]

re:above

PT (HD and LE) are good for working audio. That's always has been digi's bread and butter. They are less good at VI's and Midi (still ok though).
To pick up an new mbox for £170 with good software IS good and is not overpriced (my 001 was the cheapest reasonable PTLE system 8 years ago, and was £1100).
As far as I can remember most if not all music studios were running (or had the option to run) Logic or Cubase via the TDM bridge. Don't really know if that is still the case? But their dominance was always contingent on things like that (in music anyway. In post it was the avid workflow). It wasn't because they where any better or worse than the competition.
Whichever way. No doubt the next gen MP's with be faster. Maybe even REALLY significantly. PTLE isnt going to use it. Like someone above mentioned, get better converters with the spare cash, or even better, a nice condenser.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is, do you see any 20yr old mac's in the studios? I see 20 year old mic's in the studios.

Good luck with the music

 

[spacetycho]

PT (HD and LE) are good for working audio. That's always has been digi's bread and butter. They are less good at VI's and Midi (still ok though).
To pick up an new mbox for £170 with good software IS good and is not overpriced (my 001 was the cheapest reasonable PTLE system 8 years ago, and was £1100).
As far as I can remember most if not all music studios were running (or had the option to run) Logic or Cubase via the TDM bridge. Don't really know if that is still the case? But their dominance was always contingent on things like that (in music anyway. In post it was the avid workflow). It wasn't because they where any better or worse than the competition.
Whichever way. No doubt the next gen MP's with be faster. Maybe even REALLY significantly. PTLE isnt going to use it. Like someone above mentioned, get better converters with the spare cash, or even better, a nice condenser.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is, do you see any 20yr old mac's in the studios? I see 20 year old mic's in the studios.

Good luck with the music

You said it, "working with audio". While I do experiment with VI's and MIDI I am all about real instruments. REAL rhodes, organ, piano, analog synths, etc. I just want a great music recording and editing interface and that's why PT. Now i just need to get everything. been back and forth between a 'refurb' and a new one. Only $175 difference too! That's $175 for a Apple box instead of a brown box. hmmm, what to do?