Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio use)
 

Please post comments as I'm looking for recommendations. I just received 003 factory with 6 pin firewire connect. I assumed I could use my powerful Dell M90 laptop with Windows XP Pro to run PTLE and 003. Wrong. Even though Digi touted the Dell M65 & M90 awhile back as compatible it's not. Firewire, buffer challenges abound as well as all the config, partitioning etc. of the system I'd have to do to have PT run properly. I've resigned myself to look at getting a dedicated DESKTOP for one purpose only: to run PT. I've had PC's but not Mac. I've been told Mac is superior to PC for Pro Tools. Please share some thoughts on a PROVEN compatible Mac that is not too pricey. I am using PT for simple home projects that includes an upcoming church musical. Nothing that elaborate. Thanks.

Re: Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio use)
 

Apple only make one desktop computer.

Re: Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio use)
 

Thanks. Shows how unfamiliar I am with Apple products. Are they similiar to PC where they can be configured with different components (graphics cards, bigger memory, processors?). If so I'm looking for recommendations as how to best configure a Mac for best, trouble free performance with PTLE.

Re: Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio use)
 

Like you, I'm no Mac expert (despite using one for my protools rig the past 5 years) but I just asked this same question last week so I'll chime in. Right now the current desktop macs are called MacPros. Based on the input from people here I just got a dual 2.66ghz with 1 gig of RAM. If you use lots of soft synths and plugs ins (I don't) you probably will want more RAM but even 1 gig should keep you rocking. There are endless configurations for these machines. If you don't have a problem buying and installing your own hardrives and RAM you can do it much cheaper than buying it from Apple. Sites like Mac Mall will get you this machine (Mac Pro 4-Core(2 Dual-Core 2.66GHZ Intel Xeon) 1GB/250/7300GT/SD) for around $2350 pre tax. And you get a free printer. No monitor. Based on input here this should be enough power to make you very happy. That is the machine I just bought. It has room for something like 8 gigs of RAM and 3 extra internal hardrives.

My 003 is also in the mail. I'm not sure if you got the production toolkit with yours (i traded in an 002 so I got that for free) but even if you didn't it appears we are in for quite a treat.

Re: Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio
 

Dude, go for an iMac, they're very good value for money and provide a great bridge between the mini macs and a mac pro. I've gone from a G5 to a core 2 duo, older sessions that were CPU intense barely tickle the CPU meter on the C2D.

Cheers

Re: Best Mac for 003 Factory (simple part time home studio use)
 

Thanks. Just the sort of feedback I was hoping for. Did some research since my first post, including talking with a friend who is Mac only and a PT user as well as a professional sound engineer. Says iMacs and used G5 are good values that get you quite a ways down the road (as long as it has the Intel chipset). I am also bwginning to entertain a MacPro, but with a good size monitor I'm probably around $3000 new which is about $1000 more than I anticipated. Have decided I'm going Mac though. And yes, I did get the Expansion Pack thrown in N/C.