Computer recommendations

[Dave Nachmanoff]

This may be a familiar question, but I'm just putting together a project studio and need recommendations on what computer to use. I plan to use a 001 and the LE system, and have a fairly limited budget. Most friends have suggested a Mac G4, but differ on the speed etc... required, a PC sounds possible, but not as popular. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[SoundWrangler]

The speed required for your G4 depends a lot on how you're going to work (plug-ins, track no's, routing, SW synths, etc.); same stmt applies for HD requirements - but definitely plan on needing 512MB of RAM no matter what, if you want it to run "smooth". Good thing RAM is dirt cheap these days.

[Dave Nachmanoff]

Originally posted by SoundWrangler:
The speed required for your G4 depends a lot on how you're going to work (plug-ins, track no's, routing, SW synths, etc.); same stmt applies for HD requirements - but definitely plan on needing 512MB of RAM no matter what, if you want it to run "smooth". Good thing RAM is dirt cheap these days.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Thanks for the advice on RAM... I'm hoping to be able to run 24 tracks audio with moderate number of plugs (eq, compression, verb) but don't plan to use lots of midi instruments and synths. Probably never recording more than 3 or 4 people (max) at a time - mostly just overdubbing myself.

[robertallen1977]

I have a G4 933MhZ PowerMac with a second hard drive (practically required) and 1.25 Gig...

No problems here as long as you don't overdo a lot of Plugins.

[DaWhole9]

Most bang for the buck is the eMac. $1100 bucks with a 17" monitor, 5 USB ports and 2 Firewire ports, 700Mhz G4. This will work great for what you want to do. Get a nice external firewire drive and up the RAM and you are set.

JR

[Slim Shady]

He said he wanted to use the 001 system, which won't work on an eMac - no PCI slots. Just wanted to clear that up. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Dean G]

Not to beat it into the ground, but I have used a PC since retiring my ATARI computer (Before that it was a TRS 80 radio shack computer). I chose a G4 Powermac 733 because of my limited budget it was $1245 plus a 80 gig 2nd drive 7200RPM and a total 256 RAM (I was being cheap that day and I'm sorry I would suggest 512 RAM but NO MORE as this seems to be a "feel good" item after that number).

Said and done it delivered at $1550 two months ago and I bought a referbished Cornerstone 21' monitor so I'm pretty happy. It is a dedicated studio and digital video machine and therfore it's a MAC. Unless you ask it to,it does one thing at a time and does it very well. You know what a mac is thinking, to me windows is kind of half assed at everything it does. You got to pray alot with a PC. Never know when an app is going to activate and glitch your audio. (Iknow because I "finalize" on a PC with Soundforge.)

I added some plugins, did some rearranging, and by mistake put some wrong stuff in the plugin folder. Started PTLE and it politly asked me where my plugins were and I said "right there stupid" so PTLE opened, ran fine but froze when I tried to quit. I finally figured what I DID WRONG, fixed it, and not a prob since. In windows I'm sure PTLE would have crashed right away (with the wrong code in the wrong place?? It crashes with all the right code in the right place- sometimes yes and sometimes no- macs are much more consistant. I fell windows 3.1 was way more stable that '95 or '98, not sure about NT. Why don't they just fix the damn thing???

And before the PC guys flame, It's a matter of taste,I Know. But I've read your threads so I know the truth!!! Sorry [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Old Timer

[WorldOfWiz]

Dave: Get the fastest G4 you can afford to get. Don't be fooled by the PC trolls who say they can get a system for cheaper. They never compare the system to system. They just look at the most expensive Mac and then look at the least expencive PC. If you are a gamer then get a PC, but if you want to do audio, video, graphics. Get a Mac. There are many reasons why Macs are better. But the main thing is you will spend more time making music on a Mac than PC.

Wiz

[keysmia]

I can't understand why there are so many postsd here in the mac forum by pc users. I have used both but personally prefer the mac. However I don't bash the pc , If that's what works for you use it. don't bash the mac in the mac forum.

[DaWhole9]

Thanks Shady...I use the Mbox and I also use the MOTU 896...Firewire. Forgot about the Digi001 and PCI card....