Looking to ditch Logic and Apple. Help!

[Fabriciom]

Hi,

So my old 2009 Mac Pro is almost done and I don't have 10k to spend on a new Mac Pro.

I've been looking for a logic replacement and I believe studio one 5 might be the answer.

Can anyone that has made the switch please give me some advice.

Thank you!

[antic604]

I don't get why you need to spend 10k? You can get a pretty well specced-out Mac for 3rd of that. Also it would be wise to wait for 2nd generation of Apple Silicon hardware next year, that might bring lots of performance cheaper.

[mgw38]

I switched to Windows this year, although not on the desktop end. I switched from a MacBook to a Razer Laptop. Has its pros and cons.

In terms of DAWs there isn‘t really a full replacement for Logic. I settled for Studio One.

[mike_the_ranger]

You're definitely good to go with Studio One (and Windows of course). I didn't make a switch but worked with Logic in school.

[W23]

If you’re comfortable working with Logic, I see no point in moving to another DAW. I think moving on to another Mac (even a used one) would be fine. The standard price for just about any other DAW out there is higher and doesn’t offer half the instruments and content that comes with Logic.

[Fabriciom]

I don't get why you need to spend 10k? You can get a pretty well specced-out Mac for 3rd of that. Also it would be wise to wait for 2nd generation of Apple Silicon hardware next year, that might bring lots of performance cheaper.

Well considering a base Mac Pro is about 7k and upgrading CPU on your own would be another 3k. Base model has 8 cores.

I have a 12 cores (24 threads) running at 3.2 GHz that runs out of CPU quick with logic. I get lonely threads that pop logic really quick. Logic threading is really bad.

Doubt this can be solve by a "well specced-out Mac". And I highly doubt that after all the years apple waited to update the Mac Pro they will replace it next year with their own chips. And best of of all at affordable prices.

[Fabriciom]

If you’re comfortable working with Logic, I see no point in moving to another DAW. I think moving on to another Mac (even a used one) would be fine. The standard price for just about any other DAW out there is higher and doesn’t offer half the instruments and content that comes with Logic.

I am confortable and while I do like it I can't stand its bad performance.

I can barely work with a couple of synths tracks at a time. I have to be freezing stuff all the time.

This gets very annoying.

[W23]

Fair enough, but you are using an 11 year old computer. Logic’s performance is pretty good on a newer machine. I have a 2018 MacBook Pro, and while I’m not all that happy about the price of one of those, Logic runs fine on it. I’m not really a Logic user. I bought it mostly on a whim. I went back to Ableton Live after about 6 months. It was more about the learning curve than anything else. That is, it was more about me than Logic.

[antic604]

If you’re comfortable working with Logic, I see no point in moving to another DAW. I think moving on to another Mac (even a used one) would be fine. The standard price for just about any other DAW out there is higher and doesn’t offer half the instruments and content that comes with Logic.

I am confortable and while I do like it I can't stand its bad performance.

I can barely work with a couple of synths tracks at a time. I have to be freezing stuff all the time.

This gets very annoying.

You have 12 cores at 3.2GHz and it struggles with couple of synth tracks?

That's why I said you don't need 10k Mac Pro nowdays, because a 2-3k laptop can run dozens of plugin tracks currently. Or a 1k Apple Silicon MacBook Air

[chk071]

I switched to Windows this year, although not on the desktop end. I switched from a MacBook to a Razer Laptop. Has its pros and cons.

In terms of DAWs there isn‘t really a full replacement for Logic. I settled for Studio One.

I also think Studio One is a good candidate, as it will have a similar workflow, and similar approach (little bloat, straight forward).

If you don't like S1's GUI, you could also take a look at Cubase.

[kovacs]

Which version of Mac OS X and Logic are you running on your 11 years old Mac Pro? El Capitan was the latest which supported 2009 Mac Pro, that’s getting pretty old now.

Wait for the M1X chips to be released in a few months. It could be a gamechanger. The M1 chip already shook up the market by being both powerful and extremely efficient.

Edit: I run Logic Pro X on a 2016 MacBook Pro and have zero performance issues.

[fmr]

I would go with Cubase Pro. Studio One may be good in the audio part, but it falls behind in the MIDI parts of the job, IMO. And Cubase instruments are way better.

[Fabriciom]

If you’re comfortable working with Logic, I see no point in moving to another DAW. I think moving on to another Mac (even a used one) would be fine. The standard price for just about any other DAW out there is higher and doesn’t offer half the instruments and content that comes with Logic.

I am confortable and while I do like it I can't stand its bad performance.

I can barely work with a couple of synths tracks at a time. I have to be freezing stuff all the time.

This gets very annoying.

You have 12 cores at 3.2GHz and it struggles with couple of synth tracks?

That's why I said you don't need 10k Mac Pro nowdays, because a 2-3k laptop can run dozens of plugin tracks currently. Or a 1k Apple Silicon MacBook Air

When you start using buses it doesn’t matter. It guess thrown in one thread and you are screwed.

[fmr]

Wait for the M1X chips to be released in a few months. It could be a gamechanger. The M1 chip already shook up the market by being both powerful and extremely efficient.

Compared with what? Low spec'ed Macs?

[Fabriciom]

I switched to Windows this year, although not on the desktop end. I switched from a MacBook to a Razer Laptop. Has its pros and cons.

In terms of DAWs there isn‘t really a full replacement for Logic. I settled for Studio One.

I also think Studio One is a good candidate, as it will have a similar workflow, and similar approach (little bloat, straight forward).

If you don't like S1's GUI, you could also take a look at Cubase.

I haven’t used cubase in a LONG time. But unless things have change drastically, to me it was the worst performer of all.