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Should I get an ACD?

F

fearoftigers

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 21, 2010
79
0
I run Logic on a Hex Core Mac Pro and need a bigger monitor than the 17" discoloured one I have at the moment.

I don't really do any graphics work but I do need a fair amount of screen space and 27 inches is just about right.

But do I really need the ACD? Would a cheaper monitor like this work for music ?
http://uk.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=214102897

My current monitor is really block and I would appreciate something that's nice and sharp.

The Apple displays do look great but I could save myself £500 or so, but what would I be sacraficing. Are these cheaper screens going to be terrible?

I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to the specs so any advice is much appreciated.
 
You should read up on display panel technology to get an idea of what you are missing out on if you opt for a much cheaper display.

You can read more about LCD technology here.

Apple uses an IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel in some of their products (Cinema Display, iMac, iPad and iPhone 4) and these offer superior color accuracy and viewing angles.

The downside is that the panel is more expensive but you can sometimes get a great deal on an IPS display at Dell, HP or LG if you are looking for a cheaper alternative.

What's your budget?
 
Budget wise would be the price of a 27" ACD (prob around £800) but if I could get something cheaper i could spend the rest of the cash on plugins
 
fearoftigers said:
Budget wise would be the price of a 27" ACD (prob around £800) but if I could get something cheaper i could spend the rest of the cash on plugins
Click to expand...

I'd say defiantly not, you don't need colour accuracy at all (even if you do Post for moving image, you won't be doing any colour balancing)

For that money I'd get 2 of these: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-033-BQ

I have them and it's an awesome screen for the money (It's LED so it's bright as hell) and it's full 1080P so you can watch full HD vids through it.

Having 2 is great for music production/engineering because you can have the arrange page on one monitor and the mix window in another.

In total for both that's £300, spend the remaining £500 on a UAD card and some nice plugins!
 
I've just had a look at some monitors on Tottenham Court Rd (that's London's electronics er... mecca), and it really does seem like the Apple Displays are a lot clearer.

Mmm but can I really justify the extra cost.

I defo don't want two screens though, this much I know. One 27" is much better for me.
 
fearoftigers said:
I've just had a look at some monitors on Tottenham Court Rd (that's London's electronics er... mecca), and it really does seem like the Apple Displays are a lot clearer.

Mmm but can I really justify the extra cost.

I defo don't want two screens though, this much I know. One 27" is much better for me.
Click to expand...


Go back and go to yo-yo tech off Tottenham court road (It's just on a side road past the odeon) it's a gaming PC shop, that's where I got my monitor from, and and it's far from murky.

If you want to buy an ACD, buy one. But you can something just as bright and crisp for your needs for a 1/3rd of the price.

it's the same as buying a pair of £5000 B+H or PMC or ATC audio monitors for someone just to play mp3's through. It's really overkill.
 
Right, I shall try Yo-Yo tech.

I did go to the one next to Spec Savers that has all the Macs but wasn't convinced by their non mac monitors...
 
fearoftigers said:
Right, I shall try Yo-Yo tech.

I did go to the one next to Spec Savers that has all the Macs but wasn't convinced by their non mac monitors...
Click to expand...

Yeah give them a go, or check it out online. Generally I found the other monitors stocked in all the shops on that road to be very small and not an indication of what's out there at all. I guess they just go for the ones with the biggest profit margin :/
 
Depending on how many tracks you got at any given time, the 2560 x 1440 resolution display of the 27" Apple Cinema Display may come in handy or a similar 30" 2560 x 1600 display.
 
Getting a hi res 27'' display is going to cost you, so it's really up to you whether it's worth the money. IMO unless you have the cash to drop, it makes much more sense to get a couple of 23 inch monitors. You can get a Dell 23'' Ultrasharp as your main monitor so that you can at least have a decent IPS display, and then supplement it with a cheap 23'' display for working on projects.


The Dell 23'' ultrasharp is on sale for 240$ at the moment FYI
 
I have NEC's EA231WMi. I love it. Fantastic color and image quality and decent enough build quality. Plus it has DisplayPort, DVI and VGA inputs and a few USB ports to boot.
Check it out here: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/nec_ea231wmi.htm

(TFTCentral also has a wealth of info on higher end flat panels as well.)

The NEC definitely has a few cut corners, but for the price you can't get a better screen. If you care about the screen being an Apple though, you might as well get an Apple. They are the best looking from a design standpoint and are definitely up there in quality (not the best but pretty close).

I would also second the two screen idea. A larger screen doesn't always mean you'll have more USEFUL space to organize your windows. Sometime I find having 2 screens lets me better organize what I am looking at. Of course just as with a larger screen, you get spoiled. Once you go bigger you cant go back!
 
I have the 23 ACD for work and whilst it is fine, I would never spend my money on it. If you want a good 27" screen go for the Dell - 12bit v ADC 7+1bit (so more tone) and much better on the eyes. I know it is for music so image it not a thing for you, but the reduced contrast is actually better for detail and sharpness (which we all need...), and better on the eyes.

The Dell gets my vote.
 
Ok I have made a decision. I am not going to get the 27" ACD. Why?

The price was released in the UK today and it's £900. If it was even a bit cheaper I'd reconsider but as a musician I think I could spend the money I'd save on extra software. I would love to get an ACD as they just look so great but I kind of feel that I'd be selling out my music for rampant consumerism!

OK so I'll get a cheaper monitor say £300 budget. It should be a single 27" screen. Any suggestions?

At the moment I'm thinking about this:

ViewSonic VX2739WM - 27"
 
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