Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

lanervoza

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 8, 2007
56
0
I did a search - couldn't find anything easily, so sorry if this has been asked before.

I'm thinking of buying a mac pro for audio work (recording and mixing). I'm maxing out my powerbook g4 like whoa, as you can imagine. At this stage, I'd probably be more than fine with the 2.66, but you know, I want to be prepared. I'm wondering what the compatibility would be for future processors, or even the 4-core chip that's in the octo-core machine now, if I wanted to just drop it in. Is it feasible? or am I pushing my luck. I just wouldn't mind saving 700 dollars on it now, and maybe waiting for prices to drop a bit.

Any insight appreciated :)

Thanks,
Alex
 
I use my Mac Pro 2.66 with 5 gigs of ram and 4 HD's with Logic Pro.
So far for what I do, I record approx. 20 stereo audio tracks, 6-8 audio instruments, BFD, EZDrummer, Ivory and lots of plugs on all those channels. For that I usually end up around 18% peaks and I haven't bothered to push anymore. It's been so nice to make a template with everything inserted and disabled, ready to go so I can just work.
I'm sure I'll want something new 5 years from now but damn this thing is just smokin for recording music. Now if they can just release iLogic 8.... ;)
 
I'm thinking of buying a mac pro for audio work (recording and mixing). I'm maxing out my powerbook g4 like whoa, as you can imagine. At this stage, I'd probably be more than fine with the 2.66, but you know, I want to be prepared. I'm wondering what the compatibility would be for future processors, or even the 4-core chip that's in the octo-core machine now, if I wanted to just drop it in.

You can replace them with the current Clovertown quad core offerings, and with the soon to be released Penryn based Harpertown Xeons.

Is it feasible? or am I pushing my luck. I just wouldn't mind saving 700 dollars on it now, and maybe waiting for prices to drop a bit.

Prices have already dropped. The quad core 2.66GHz Clovertown processors are very closely priced to the dual core 2.66GHz woodcrest processors the Mac pro currently used ($800 to $700). This is the cause of many of the "waiting" threads on here. In all likely hood you won't be tapping the full power of the current MP unless you really change how you are using computers for what you are doing with more power at your disposal.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.