Macs for recording...

[alxths]

I'd like to apologize in advance, since I dislike tell-me-what-to-buy-becuse-i-have-no-judgement-of-my-own-threads as much as any of you; but I'd really like it if some of you could tell me if there are any benefits to using a mac for music recording/editing... Is the notion of macs being better for music editing yet another one of those things that at one time were very true but have since crippled into mere stereotypes? The factors that I can see are fan noise(btw, im looking at pbooks, not the pmac/wind tunnels), software and cpu speed(i think the impending ppc 970s hold the answer to that question though)..

Also, does anyone know of any good music-related message board where I could get some instrument-related questions answered?

Thanks.

 

[patrick0brien]

-alxths

Let me attempt to shorten this thread as much as possible by saying this:

For either Wintel (XP, 2k) or OS X there are very capable hardware and software, and yes there are some platform-specifics.

So what advantages are there to using a Mac?

Due to the uncluttered nature of both the OS and the hardware of the Mac, I find that the operations of recording smoother, and definately worry-free. I find with XP I still have a teensy worry in my mind that there will be a click, pop, and even a crash. And this actually comes true a lot of the time.

I also find that Macs have less hardware requirements to do the same work, and that includes PCI Cards, Input Devices, etc.

 

[springscansing]

coreaudio/coremidi is the main reason to go mac. PCs have nothing like it.

 

[howard]

yes macs are so much better...when i had a pc none of my gear would work right...there was always SOMETHING failing or not responding...

my mac...especially with os x...its just..perfect.

god...try setting up midi on a pc...with a mac you plug it in and the latency is near 0. theres also more hardware and software out for the mac for recording

 

[maka]

http://www.osxaudio.com/

I think Core Audio is a very good reason to use the mac if you are in dubt... I myself no longer question which platform is best, it's possible to use both, but I just love macs, so that's what I'll use

there's a great site for audio on os x:

http://www.osxaudio.com/

check it out.

 

[ninjachild]

honestly i can tell you that it is just easier on a mac.

I have both an XP machine (that used to run 2000 pro) thats a P4 1.6 ghz with 256 and a 20 gigger hardrive.

and an Ibook with the 800mhz 256 ram, 30 gigger and the Imic usb audio adapter.

I can't comment on the powerbook, with the fan noise, but depending on what you are recording it shouldn't make that much difference.

I use mine for live recording from a pair of turntables and a mixer straight into the Ibook, and its powerful enough (just because i wanted to try it) to run Itunes, play a song, and do visualizations all at once while still recording live into the hardrive at 16bit wave format.

I can then burn that .wav directly to a CD with no problems throught itunes.

its just a lot less hassle then a winbox (and hey im one of the few on here that don't mind intel)

and the fact that it allocates processor performance so there isnt any "catch up" on the processor causing the .wavs to skip or studder.

i guess what im saying is its just a whole lot easier.

 

[alxths]

Thanks for all the help guys .. I really didn't think there'd be that big of a difference between the two..