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-- To Mac or not?
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Thanks everyone for their input. I think I may have to bite the bullet and go to mac. Or at least try out hackintosh on my lenovo. Reason being - even though this was my job for many years and I enjoyed it, when it comes to my own systems - I absolutely hate trying to figure out why my system is crashing or occasionaly having glitches - it's unproductive waste of time (aside from giving me ample experience in troubleshooting, which is not something I'm after).

I think I'd like a stability for a change. The fact that it takes me a long time to get the system the way I want it and then spend time keeping it that way - makes Mac that much more attractive right now.

I come to studio, on those rare occasions, not to troubleshoot my system but piece some ideas together. The time I'm working in the studio should be spent on focusing on the music, not chasing bugs. Appliance-based approach would certainly suit me.

Building systems was the only way to fly for me - as a testament tothat is my vast collection of components cluttering my basement and bunch of my old DAWs collecting dust and spiders in the corner (previous versions having gone to best buy for recycling). However, hours spent trying to build the system and then running around chasing parts was just a waste of time. Of course, now it's easier - you buy stuff online, just glue it gother but my time is better spent on other things. If it takes me say.... 10 - 15 hours more to build a PC than go with Mac, it's already better for me to buy a Mac, since that time is that valuable to me.

I think the productive thing for me to do would be to get a Mac Pro (tower) - as that one has Pci-e slot that I can leverage with my existing RME multiface setup. This way I can do what's needed, have room to grow and I don't need to waste my time on distractions.

thanks for everyone for chiming in. I'm still debating, if anyone has any arguments to swing either way - I can still be helpful, if not for me - then for others.

I think I'll try the hackintosch route first - see if it suits my purposes, though.

a hackintosh is inviting more issues than a normal pc setup. It just isn't worth the time.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad a hackintosh is inviting more issues than a normal pc setup. It just isn't worth the time.

give it some time, there is a massive trend with apple now and people usually choose the worst option but some trust worthy people give strong facts about macs. It's the same of Windows vs Linux, windows is easy and you know it well but has some limitations, once you master Linux you can do anything. Anything.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad a hackintosh is inviting more issues than a normal pc setup. It just isn't worth the time.

Once up and running my hackintosh has been rock solid. I have had some issues though. One that I'm messing with now is some software I've acquired requires me to input a locking code generated by my ethernet card but it's coming up as 0-0000. Google tells me I have to do alot of shit to rename my card from en2 to en0. I bench marked my hack against my friends mac pro and my computer won He has since sold his mac and built a hack with that money and had some money left over.

Again not for the person who isn't really computer savy. Editing command line in unix at first is no fun.

I love it though because like I said I'm computer geek, troubleshooting gives me headaches and a boner because I learn something new. I'll never take any computer to a repair shop or buy a computer from a store. Only exception would be a laptop and then I would buy one that's hardware allowed me to install OSX on it Unless I had money coming out of my ass then I would buy the 12 core mac http://store.apple.com/us/browse/ho.../family/mac_pro

quote:

Originally posted by kevin shawn I love it though because like I said I'm computer geek, troubleshooting gives me headaches and a boner because I learn something new.

I'm not sure whether I'm ashamed or proud to recognize this . Upping the ante for myself by learning about Linux (CentOS) right now and going to do some (sort-of) cloud computing at home this week. Should be fun.

get a mac.

quote:

Originally posted by kevin shawn Once up and running my hackintosh has been rock solid. I have had some issues though. One that I'm messing with now is some software I've acquired requires me to input a locking code generated by my ethernet card but it's coming up as 0-0000. Google tells me I have to do alot of shit to rename my card from en2 to en0. I bench marked my hack against my friends mac pro and my computer won He has since sold his mac and built a hack with that money and had some money left over. Again not for the person who isn't really computer savy. Editing command line in unix at first is no fun. I love it though because like I said I'm computer geek, troubleshooting gives me headaches and a boner because I learn something new. I'll never take any computer to a repair shop or buy a computer from a store. Only exception would be a laptop and then I would buy one that's hardware allowed me to install OSX on it Unless I had money coming out of my ass then I would buy the 12 core mac http://store.apple.com/us/browse/ho.../family/mac_pro

I've been working in IT for about 17 years, starting out as a PC tech, building PCs. I came from a command line and know Microsoft OS's starting with DOS 4 and up like the back of my hand. I've wrestled with BSD on Sun Sparc as my ipchains firewall - now, that wasn't fun. I'm not a Linux geek but I don't mind messing around with it.

However, that's not my idea of a productive use of STUDIO time. As I said, if it takes me to build a hackintosh 10 - 20 hours, those hours are billable time for me, most of the time. I'd rather just do the job that I know, get paid for it and pay someone for something that's not going to require me to get frustrated (too much) in the process of building it.

Let's see what black friday / computer tuesday bring round... if no sweet deals emerge, I might pull a trigger on Mac Pro, as much as it would suck...

quote:

Originally posted by aNYthing Reason being - even though this was my job for many years and I enjoyed it, when it comes to my own systems - I absolutely hate trying to figure out why my system is crashing or occasionaly having glitches - it's unproductive waste of time (aside from giving me ample experience in troubleshooting, which is not something I'm after). I think I'd like a stability for a change. The fact that it takes me a long time to get the system the way I want it and then spend time keeping it that way - makes Mac that much more attractive right now. I come to studio, on those rare occasions, not to troubleshoot my system but piece some ideas together. The time I'm working in the studio should be spent on focusing on the music, not chasing bugs. Appliance-based approach would certainly suit me. Building systems was the only way to fly for me - as a testament tothat is my vast collection of components cluttering my basement and bunch of my old DAWs collecting dust and spiders in the corner (previous versions having gone to best buy for recycling). However, hours spent trying to build the system and then running around chasing parts was just a waste of time. Of course, now it's easier - you buy stuff online, just glue it gother but my time is better spent on other things. If it takes me say.... 10 - 15 hours more to build a PC than go with Mac, it's already better for me to buy a Mac, since that time is that valuable to me. I think the productive thing for me to do would be to get a Mac Pro (tower) - as that one has Pci-e slot that I can leverage with my existing RME multiface setup. This way I can do what's needed, have room to grow and I don't need to waste my time on distractions.

This is EXACTLY why I like working on a mac now. It's not that I don't have the ability to completely manage every line of code on my computer, but just that I don't want to spend what precious little studio time I do have doing maintenance. From power up to actually producing is less than 2 minutes on my imac, and apart from verify disk permissions every other month, I just don't even think about maintenance. Do a format every couple of years and spend every other moment producing.

I do agree to an extent with kit - macs are really for people who just want to work on their system for the purpose it was built, in our case music production. I think the bit about 10 year old systems only really apply to protools ops, who just need a rock solif specific funtion dain, day out. Nearly everyone I know who uses macs for EDM/any other audio application have systems less then 3 years old.

in terms of crcked software, just about everything is available on both platform. Really waves was the last thing holding out but as of a few months ago it all a level field now.

Hackintoshes are simply not worth it IMO. All it takes (as past track record has proven) is for apple to release a software update or one of the parts to need a firmware update and your system can go to shit. Maybe for a mac pros which don't offer the same value as imacs I could see why trying to fuck about with an alternative might be option for someone with loads of time on their hands but honestly, you'd be hard pushed to assemble a PC as good value with same quality components as the imacs ( at least if you live in the USA or UK).

The myth that MAC's never crash still exist?

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN you'd be hard pushed to assemble a PC as good value with same quality components as the imacs ( at least if you live in the USA or UK).

Rubbish. Absolute and utter rubbish.
The components in iMacs are the same as many PCs these days. Intel boards from the same factories, GPUs from the same factories, firewire and USB chipsets from the same factories. Need I go on?

is the same components than pcs but of higher quality. But a 1000$ computer should have the same than a 1300$ mac, if you build your pc from the ground you'll have a lot more than if you buy a mac indeed for the same price.

If you know what you're doing (and the OP seems to) then building your own PC will leave a Mac in the dust and for half the price or less as long as you utilize either Windows XP or 7. There are really no ifs, ands or buts about it. The only reason why the OP should consider Mac is if they want to use Logic.

/2cents

storms a brewing. I/m just curious if anyone has ever gone from a mac to a pc.

quote:

Originally posted by Nightshift If you know what you're doing (and the OP seems to) then building your own PC will leave a Mac in the dust and for half the price or less as long as you utilize either Windows XP or 7. There are really no ifs, ands or buts about it. The only reason why the OP should consider Mac is if they want to use Logic. /2cents

The problem with XP is that most new CPUs, unless you get a cheapy one is A) Supports only 2 CPUs - that means quad core is out of the question, unless it has a custom HAL pre-loaded by manufacturer - not an option anymore, since you can't buy XP from vendor these days. B) No more than 3GB of RAM

Win7 - not all apps support it yet, it's still a new platform that did not have the time to mature yet. Many of Win7 bugs are yet to be discovered or addressed. If you also consider it from a standpoint of a 64bit OS, not all apps can take advantage of the new architecture and added RAM, contributing to a mixture of issues.

I get it that I can build a system that will outdo Mac in performance for significantly less. What about hour for hour? Hardware is cheap but time is invaluable.

quote:

Originally posted by aNYthing Win7 - not all apps support it yet, it's still a new platform that did not have the time to mature yet. Many of Win7 bugs are yet to be discovered or addressed. If you also consider it from a standpoint of a 64bit OS, not all apps can take advantage of the new architecture and added RAM, contributing to a mixture of issues. I get it that I can build a system that will outdo Mac in performance for significantly less. What about hour for hour? Hardware is cheap but time is invaluable.

Unless you plan to use very specific outdated hardware or something from a shitty manufacturer this is nonsense.

All the apps that can't benefit from the new architecture are usually 32-bit. Thus outdated.

the problem is that many of those so called outdated plugins are standard tools and some of the most used plugins.

quote:

Originally posted by aNYthing The problem with XP is that most new CPUs, unless you get a cheapy one is A) Supports only 2 CPUs - that means quad core is out of the question, unless it has a custom HAL pre-loaded by manufacturer - not an option anymore, since you can't buy XP from vendor these days. B) No more than 3GB of RAM

None of this is true.

some of it is.

the ram part and the xp not officially being sold anymore part.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad some of it is. the ram part and the xp not officially being sold anymore part.

The RAM part is related to the OS being 32 or 64 bit, not whether it's XP or not.

But I concede that you can't officially buy XP anymore.

Perpective guys:

- Name me one item that does not work under Win7?
- Name me 1 single win7 Bug?
- Name me 1 product that's available for MAC but not PC?

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie - Name me 1 product that's available for MAC but not PC?

There's a few!

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord There's a few!

Like?

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie Like?

Apogee stuff

Logic

A synth I can't remember the name of but looks 'different'

I recall some MOTU stuff being Mac only too.



I imagine there's more.

Some new Apogee products, like Duet are the exception together with Euphonics, rest MOTU and Logic are available for Win.

In general Windows is the leading platform what developers develop for first.

Also if you really want to know how a Mac performs with Cubase? read the Mac section on Cubase.net

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie Some new Apogee products, like Duet are the exception together with Euphonics, rest MOTU and Logic are available for Win. In general Windows is the leading platform what developers develop for first. Also if you really want to know how a Mac performs with Cubase? read the Mac section on Cubase.net

Cool

Link me up to that Windows Logic then. I won't have to buy a Mac to use it now.

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