Is the imac too noisy?

[jonny munka]

I'm considering buying a new G4 imac and the Mbox. However, I've noticed that the fan noise of this machine is quite prominent. I need to be able to record on a condenser mic in the same room as the computer. Has anyone tried this and is it ok?

jonny

[Ben Jenssen]

Hmm...
Sounds like trouble, to me. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[chealy]

I don't have any figures but the new iMac seems quieter than my G4.

[EvilD]

the new iMac's are ok for sound. They do have an internal fan unlike the old ones [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] but it should not be too bad for monitioring while mixing. Like another post said, it's ment to be better than a G4 tower. However why they need the fan I'll never know. The G4 cube (anyone even remember that one? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ) didn't need a fan so why does the new iMac? But as long as you are not recording some lute solos or even a dilicate flute part you should be ok. As a temporary solution you could cover it in a sound proof blanket - just remember to take it off once you have fininshed!!!!!!! I guess it'll stop those guitar solos going on too long!

[mentalmusic]

One idea that I saw a couple months ago on the DUC was to get a longer cable that goes from the Digi001 to the PCI Card so they could put their computer in a closet and be able to track right beside the display screen. I thought this was a good idea (and I'm still considering it) but the cable costs about $45 I believe.

[PDupre]

Sure it's quiet but the problem is that the CPU is sitting on top of the desk. That's why it seems louder. The G4 is loud but you can stick somewhere it doesn't matter.

[Carbon111]

The bottom line is:
go listen to one before you buy and maybe, like me, you'll find that its not an issue. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Jamble]

Well, I actually bought one to really check out the noise issue. I had to pay the re-stock fee but I had lots of fun playin' with it for 10 days! First of all, you have to know where I'm commin' from. I use the cube and anything that makes any noise at all annoys me. That said, I found it to be too noisy for my taste (even though it's really quiet). I think if you just keep the mics a ways from the mac you'll be okay. I'm working in close quarters here and the mics are very close to the mac. What a way cool mac though! I looked at the new 17" version today and it runs 1440 X 900 resolution! The screen wobles slightly as you move it around (maybe the arm needs a little tightening or just the mass of the bigger screen) Anyway, it's aspect ratio looks great for editing audio or video. I'm used to using a Cinema display and when I used the imac (15") I found myself scrolling more than I wanted to when editing in PT. The 17" should be pretty cool though.
BTW, I tried running the new 23" Cinema HD off of my cube (with the stock video card) and it wouldn't work. You definitely need an upgraded video card for that one.
I clecked out the new E-mac as well. Definitely too much noise for my taste (man, the cube spoils you!)
So, for silent computing, get an ISO box, a longer 001 cable, a mac cube (with a 002 or a MOTU 828 to track with and edit in PT Free--8 tracks), or an older CRT i-mac later edition with no fan.

[Tubelover]

I record with large condenser mics in the same room as my Titanium and a Magma chasis. If you think a G4 or an iMac is loud, well let me tell you, it's nothing compared to the fan noise from a Magma.

I gobo with a sound blanket and keep my equipment position at the backside of the mic. If I'm using an omni or figure 8 pattern I put the Magma out through a doorway into a hallway and gobo the doorway.

Nice quiet tracks without a problem.

[Carbon111]

Imac fan noise was a big concern for me too after reading the recent article in SOS regarding using the new iMacs for audio. So, I went straight out to my local Mac dealer expressly for a listen. IMHO its very quiet...quite a lot quieter than the tower under my desk now! A decent cardioid/hypercardioid capacitor probably wouldn't pick it up as long as the Mac was in its blind spot. Anyway, it turned out not to be a concern for me at least. I was actually impressed by how quiet it was, not how loud it was. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]