Switching to Mac

[abre]

I am switching from PC to Mac so I need some advice please. I am using PTMP 7.4 on Windows. I have an Audiophille 192, a 2496 and a Blackbox. I also have an RME 9632 which I was using with Sonar. As you can see my cards are PCI with one USB. I can use Logic with the RME. Which Mac is for me? A refurbished or used one is OK.

[fizzler]

only a used powermac G5 could do the job, since all mac pros have PCIe slots only (no PCI!).
since you don't mention your budget it is difficult to give you the right advice:
i wouldn't invest in old technology and the power-pc architechture is outdated.

...if you are heading for logic 8, better check the logic forums, how well it performs on G5 macs.

[ericdano]

I am switching from PC to Mac so I need some advice please. I am using PTMP 7.4 on Windows. I have an Audiophille 192, a 2496 and a Blackbox. I also have an RME 9632 which I was using with Sonar. As you can see my cards are PCI with one USB. I can use Logic with the RME. Which Mac is for me? A refurbished or used one is OK.

Actually, you'd pretty much lose the Audiophile cards as they are not supported on Intel Macs, and even some of the G5s. Same for the RME. Blackbox would work on a Mac, but I'd check out M-Audio for driver info. So, basically, your PCI cards are useless on a new Mac. You could go and find yourself a used Mac, but, that seems rather pointless. Or you could sell your PCI cards on Ebay.

I'd suggest keeping your PC setup as it is (or getting a new PC that would support PCI cards), and starting a new setup with a new Mac (iMac or MacPro) and new interfaces. Macintoshes seem to like to ditch old technology a lot quicker than PCs (old tech would be PCI, new MacPros use PCIe). There are a ton of Firewire and USB2 interfaces from M-Audio/Digi, and others that could easily replace what your 3 PCI cards are doing and more.

[abre]

I can put out maybe $1,300 US. I am now loking at an iMac to use with my USB interface for the while. I would get a firewire HD and sell the PCI cards. Did you say the G5s are old?

[mindnoise]

hi,

iMac with at least 2GB of RAM is a good choice. Take notice that the smaller models have a glossy TFT.
Some people don´t like that because of the smaller viewing angle.
Your Blackbox should work fine with the Mac.

you say the G5s are old?

compared to the intel Macs: yes.

Don´t get me wrong if you would happen to already own an G5 it will get the job done for a few more years, but all in all they where not so much the tech. design excellence everybody says.

Heat and cooling probs are quite common and I read in another thread that in older liquid cooled
G5 the cooling system tends to leak, meaning certain death to the CPU.

regs

[ericdano]

compared to the intel Macs: yes.

Don´t get me wrong if you would happen to already own an G5 it will get the job done for a few more years, but all in all they where not so much the tech. design excellence everybody says.

Heat and cooling probs are quite common and I read in another thread that in older liquid cooled
G5 the cooling system tends to leak, meaning certain death to the CPU.

I'd say with Apple's roadmap, you'd really should jump on the Intel bandwagon rather than sticking with PPC. The next version of the OS, due out in about a year, should easily make things faster and better on existing hardware as well as new hardware.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/0...-snow-leopard/

Plus, the next OS will have better support for multicore CPUs, and even using Graphics cards for tasks other than graphics.

[abre]

Thanks for your advice guys. I have ordered an iMac 2.4. Bye for now.