PC user thinking of going Mac.. question.

[SixChurchStreet]

I've been using Pro Tools LE since 2001, and always on PCs I've built myself. I've had relatively good stability doing this, but little quirks and an increasingly declining desire to be a computer tech has led me to start looking at the iMacs for my next "upgrade".

My main question is... Anytime you get a computer, you buy it understanding that in X number of years, you will need to either upgrade what you have or buy a new one. If, say, today for example, I bought the 27" i7 Quad iMac with 8GB ram installed, how long (based on what you know about past Pro Tools and Mac software/hardware upgrades) would it be until it's time for a new Mac?

A followup question is... Is the top of the line iMac actually a good choice? The Mac Pros are way out of my price range, this is why I ask.

Thanks!

[stoneinapond]

Originally Posted by SixChurchStreet

I've been using Pro Tools LE since 2001, and always on PCs I've built myself. I've had relatively good stability doing this, but little quirks and an increasingly declining desire to be a computer tech has led me to start looking at the iMacs for my next "upgrade".

My main question is... Anytime you get a computer, you buy it understanding that in X number of years, you will need to either upgrade what you have or buy a new one. If, say, today for example, I bought the 27" i7 Quad iMac with 8GB ram installed, how long (based on what you know about past Pro Tools and Mac software/hardware upgrades) would it be until it's time for a new Mac?

A followup question is... Is the top of the line iMac actually a good choice? The Mac Pros are way out of my price range, this is why I ask.

Thanks!

While it's difficult to say for sure, as an example I had a first generation G5 that I bought early in 2003, that was finally retired late last year because of OS X support. Otherwise I'd still be using it today.

The i7 Quad is an insanely powerful machine, but be aware that there have been shipping issues with them, with computers arriving with cracked screens. I'm sure that will be addressed, and you need to understand that Pro Tools under Snow Leopard is still not fully supported.

But that looks like one beautiful machine.

[TheBarber]

Just as a tip, don't underestimate the limitations of mac's, I've been on an iMac since a year now and I'm about to switch back to PC+Win7.

I thought a Core2Duo would be enough, but then I started becoming better and better on the technical and mixing side, my taste changed and I had high expectations on plugins suddenly, I started using quality plugins that take up a lot of CPU and now my iMac is not enough anymore it starts cracking on every project lol.

Instead of spending a hell lot of money on a new Mac I'll just throw 1/3 of the money on upgrading a Quad PC that I already have.

I also like Win7 (more than OSx right now), Vista was the reason why I switched in the first place, who could have expected that Microsoft is coming out with such a release like Win7 straight after Vista.

And don't forget the limited plugin availability on Mac's, there are a good amount of plugs that I miss from the PC days, I didn't expect that I'd miss those like that.

[abre]

True. PCs are good. Macs are good. With me it was what sequencer I was better familiar with. Logic is my choice. When apple stopped supporting Logic on PCs I had no choice. So if it is Protools solely you would be using then you have both options.

[humpback]

The place at which I work uses 50+ imacs of various revisions running PT with mBoxs and 002rs and 003rs... They generally run quite nicely. Most issues we have are user related and network related. Some sessions are large, some are small... the machines seem to handle the loads pretty nicely. A friend of mine also runs a 24" inch Intel (not sure which CPU right now - can't remember) with a 003 in his studio handling full mixes without any plug or session issues at all.

Of course, with the new machines, there is Snow Leopard to consider (though we're all hoping Avid/Digi will release full SL compato PT soon - can anyone say winter NAMM?), and expandability has always been an issue (can't install those bitchin' UAD cards or an extra FW card for example). But it seems to me that as a standard machine for everyday work, you'd probably get some good use out of the machine, for a pretty good period of time.

Just my .02... YMMV

Best

Nathan

[SixChurchStreet]

Thanks everyone for your replies, and for the "straight talk" regarding Macs.

I figure my next PC upgrade will not be for another year or so, so I'll have plenty of time to decide between now and then whether to once again do a PC motherboard/ram/cpu upgrade, or put the money into a Mac instead.

Thanks again.

[Nate Hoffman]

If you can afford a top of the line iMac, I would strongly recommend getting a refurbished 2.66GHz Nehalem Mac Pro ($50 cheaper). Pro Tools is much happier on Mac Pros because of the system architecture and they're insanely expandable. I've had my quad core Mac Pro for a year and plan on using it for at least 3 more. My system is stable and powerful. It just works. I always dread having to work on the PC at my part time job because it's not always stable (we just stick to recording voice on it mostly). I am still on Leopard running PTLE 8.0.1cs1.

[SixChurchStreet]

Originally Posted by Nate Hoffman

If you can afford a top of the line iMac, I would strongly recommend getting a refurbished 2.66GHz Nehalem Mac Pro ($50 cheaper). Pro Tools is much happier on Mac Pros because of the system architecture and they're insanely expandable. I've had my quad core Mac Pro for a year and plan on using it for at least 3 more. My system is stable and powerful. It just works. I always dread having to work on the PC at my part time job because it's not always stable (we just stick to recording voice on it mostly). I am still on Leopard running PTLE 8.0.1cs1.

Good tip. I'll definitely keep that open as an option.

[systemexclusive]

I was using Windows many years. 3 years ago i was started to build solid-state workflow which include sound design, arrangement, recording, mixing and mastering.
It was not successful on PC. On PC environment was cluttered.
After switching to Mac solid-state workflow was achieved.
I still use PC, but Mac makes possible to immediately put musical ideas into concrete material.

[Carl Fuehrer]

I am running a working studio with session 4 to 6 days a week. I am also a former computer tech. For me it was the issue of having my studio equipment be reliable and without hiccups, so I choose Mac. As far as longevity, I just purchased a used PowerMac G5 2.5GHz quad processor for $500 that will keep me working for the next 2 years until I can upgrade to whatever the new future HD system will be and a 12-core Mac Pro (or whatever they are up to then). I am stuck at Leopard with this current machine, but I am not using all of Digi's toys that are currently available (elastic audio, TCE etc) and most to come in say PTLE 8.1 and so on. I need a rock solid computer to record/play and use my handful of choice plug-ins.