KVR Audio

3mph · Post by **3mph** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:43 am

I consider myself as a serious musician. The past few years I've experimented with software-effects and instruments and now I see things happening really fast. I've made the decision that the future of my career as a semi-pro producer will rely entirely on software products. It simply gives me everything I need, and I'm sure that in the next few years software will sound as good as advanced hardware - and maybe even better. I aware of most of the arguments againts this point of view, but this is MY decision, and nothing's gonna change it (for now anyway).

When you rely this much on software the question about choosing platform is very relevant. Today it seems that it'll come down to 2 choices: PC with windows and Sonar, Cubase or ProTools or Macintosh with ProTools or Logic. The most important thing for me is stability and minimizing downtime. I think I waste too much time on making drivers work properly, ruling out unstable plugins and problems concerning the OS itself. When I have a devoted singer in front of the mic, the last thing I want to tell him/her is that he/she will have to wait untill I can make the software act as I want to. It is simply not tolerable that I can spend hours and hours on recover crashes, finding out why something suddenly acts wierd etc.

now I'm considering buying a Mac and equip it with an entry level digisign hardware (like the mBox) and protools. When I talk to people who have this or similar setup they simply haven't heard of the problems that I have. It seems that the Mac just work. No latency problems, no annoying problems with crashed sessions, odd plugin-probs and so on. They claim that ProTools and OS X is stable like nothing else.

Is this true? Is it really worth the money? I'm not interested in starting a heavy discussion on what's best, I was hoping that some of you who have experience with both Mac and PC could tell how they see things on these issues.

I'm using Sonar right now, as I have had too many problems with Cubase. Getting everything right requires a long-term study of Cubase's inner structure and the way it handles things. I have that kind of experience with Sonar, so it works for me. It isn't solid as a rock, but compared to my friends using Cubase it seems at least equially stable (and I would say a little bit more, but then again I haven't really spend enough time with it myself to claim this as "the truth").

Honestly - PC with Sonar/ProTools or Mac with ProTools/Logic?

Kim Lajoie · Post by **Kim Lajoie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:41 am

3mph wrote:The most important thing for me is stability and minimizing downtime.

Go Mac.

If processor speed or price are important to you, go Windows. Otherwise I recommend Mac.

Forever,

Kim.

settle · Post by **settle** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:27 am

i honestly think that if u choose to use a computer u r always going to have problems no matter the platform. much of the problems, such as crashes happen when trying to use plugins inside of another program, some programs just dont interface well with other programs. my roomates mac laptop crashed yesterday while using reaktor, so dont believe the hype. shit happens no matter the platform. it really is up to the software and what platform it works well with. so if u know what software u want to use, go to these forums and pick the platform with the least complaning users.
if u just want to record bands ect, then a mac with protools would be a great setup, just expect to pay a lot of money, but u get a really stable recording set up.
if u want to do it all on the cheap build a top-knotch pc to ur own dream specs(this is a good way to get to know ur machine like a thirdeye), get ableton live(one of ur problems right now is using sonar and cubase, live is more stable in my vpoint and with built in midi coming in live4...man), fl4, a couple of nice mics, a good soundcard and make some fukin music.
computers are a pain in the ass...until u know them.

realmacgeek · Post by **realmacgeek** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:43 am

if u want to do it all on the cheap build a top-knotch pc to ur own dream specs(this is a good way to get to know ur machine like a thirdeye),

well thats exactly what he didnt wants..building a pc is maybe a option for the passioned home user but not the professional. And if your paying some1 to build it the costs will be almost same as a mac. A computer *should* be a black box: you turn it on and the software works. No need to know how its built inside...

i honestly think that if u choose to use a computer u r always going to have problems no matter the platform.

Sad but true. I still think you'll have less problems when using a mac. Simply because one source of problems, the hardware, is standardized and there not so many options and combinations like in wintel world. I'm using Logic on G5 which runs solid, when it crashed (which happens) is mostly due to an 3rd AU party plug (never with the built in plugs though). I think the magic formular of a stable system is to be happy what you got once all software is up and running. adding plugings and/or installing always latest os upgrades is no good. Ive switched from AMD (that dreaded via chipset

) to an G4 two years back and didnt regret it..

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:08 pm

Hi 3mph,

Some very valid points here.

This is just my opinion as an ex PC now Mac user...

There are amazing/cool/wierd third party VSTfx/VSTi's available for Windows (some of the SE creations sound awesome). Many of these just wont be available to you if you decide to go Mac but do you really want to have a sound designer hat also?

Once you spend a little time setting your Mac system up - in my experience it just works. End of story.

I have no idea about ProTools or Logic sorry (I use SX and thats the only thing that ever crashes on me with certain plugin configurations

).

Remember - OS X was written for this hardware, Logic was coded to use the G5 and OS X is a Unix based system.

Best of luck!

Dave

3mph · Post by **3mph** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:55 pm

I thank you all for sharing your experiences with my and not making this into a traditional "buy-this-or-be-lame"-discussion. You all came with interesting point of views that have made my choice easier.

Though it's a scary thing to change something radically as the entire computer-system, it seems to me it'll be worth it in the long run. I know that in the future I will concentrate mostly on recording for other people, and all of you said that Mac would be the right choice.

To make things a little bit less scary I've made a wough with a close friend that the next major upgrade will be a Mac. That way i won't be alone on figuring out things, and moral support is for me just as important as technical.

Thank you all. This forum really rocks!

settle · Post by **settle** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:02 pm

"No need to know how its built inside..."
that is theeee best mac user quote ive ever heard! i should become a mac tech in ur town. damn

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:07 pm

If you're considering this to be a profession then you need both platforms. Each has its own strengths. Collaborators will have different platforms as well. With both a mac and a pc there is little you couldn't handle.

tetraplan · Post by **tetraplan** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 4:25 pm

mckenic wrote:There are amazing/cool/wierd third party VSTfx/VSTi's available for Windows (some of the SE creations sound awesome). Many of these just wont be available to you if you decide to go Mac[...]

Well, there's alway SmEx and Pluggo.

Groet, Erik

mauseoleum · Post by **mauseoleum** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 5:07 pm

olala, I always thought real pros use hardware only - but yeah, you are up to go semi-pro route ...

bless you!

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 5:53 pm

tetraplan wrote:Well, there's alway SmEx and Pluggo.

Yep and I couldnt live without 'em

Dave

SantosMarcos252 · Post by **SantosMarcos252** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:07 pm

My PC/Cubase set-up works just fine. A few crashes here and there but nothing that can't be handled. In the end I would go with the system that feels better to you "inside" <<<< heheh. Sad but true.
No way I am ever going to Mac. Not that I don't like it, but I prefer the open possibilites Windows based software provides.
Unless of course I am recording the London Philharmonic, then i would def go Mac. But, methinks that the London Philharmonic is using something a bit more hard (as in Hardware) when they record. Certainly not some guys computer from his house. Blah Blah Blah . . . ad nauseum.

Sicklecell666 · Post by **Sicklecell666** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:20 pm

I was a rabid Macintosh user since my computer experience began 6 years ago. My powerbook died a pig's death last year, & financial constraints forced me to purchase a PC desktop.

One year later, the only thing I miss on the Mac platform is accessing my modifier keys with a thumb instead of a pinkie.

That's all. I would have shot myself in the face a year ago if I knew I would adapt to PC use this easily.

And to be truly honest, the Art Fag trend that Jobs is ever shoving the mac platform towards has me really not missing the dandy OS..powerful or not, it's just to damn fruity for me.

cron · Post by **cron** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:27 pm

sickle666 wrote:And to be truly honest, the Art Fag trend that Jobs is ever shoving the mac platform towards has me really not missing the dandy OS..powerful or not, it's just to damn fruity for me.

Real world art fags (like myself) use Windows

In my experience, there's little between the two stability wise. It all depends on how well configured they are really. Which one is better depends on which suits your workflow. I choose Windows for the hardware price, the software available for it, and because I prefer the OS.

My sexuality nearly swang it mind

mauseoleum · Post by **mauseoleum** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:40 pm

hollyfood gets rendered and composited on linux. i'd be quite happy to have a cubase.rpm and some rme_driver_galore_xy02z576.7879.rpm

yet another question about pc vs mac