Any Apple users here? Help ...

freemind · Post by **freemind** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:45 pm

Hi, I am going to buy a new computer this autumn, but still have to decide ... This year I am going to buy a desktop - macmini price is the top. Next year I hope I will earn enough to buy macbook or even macboook pro.
Now - my questions :
Do you think that macmini will be powerful enough to handle the whole recording process (fruity loops, ableton live, sonar with lots of plugins etc)? If not, I will have to buy an ordinary PC now (more power for the same money), record everything in windows, buy that macbook next year and use it just for playing final tracks in ableton.
Or is there any other way? Any suggestions?

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:51 pm

As someone who uses the first Macbook with comparible specs to the cheap macmini and Live...I can say yes...it is powerful enough. Just make sure you max out the ram to 2gb. However, I have not tried running PC apps in bootcamp, so I'm not sure how that works out. To me, if you want to use PC apps...and don't have alot of cash, it is smarter to just go PC again until you can afford the Mac and software solutions you truly want.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:56 pm

Why are you buying a Mac when you run mostly Windows only software ?

Yoozer · Post by **Yoozer** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:15 pm

It depends on your plugins. Ableton as well as the entire Native Instruments (and more) catalog will happily do its job. FL Studio obviously won't. Take the platform that supports your sequencer of choice. Also - I'll receive my new PC (I selected the parts) tomorrow. It'll have a powerful graphics card - more powerful than the built-in stuff Apple provides, but still passively cooled) that has 2 DVI outputs. I can use my 2 19" monitors with it, and the overview is a blessing in Ableton and other sequencers. Once you go dual, you'll not go back.

For dual outs on a Mac, you either have to use the laptop or iMac screen (or the Mac Pro), and an extra monitor, which means a more obvious seam and color difference between the two. The Mac Mini doesn't have this.

freemind · Post by **freemind** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:45 pm

jupiter8 : I use lots of VSTs, so I would have to order mac with dualboot and XP. The main reason for me is that I want to use it live - I visited few music festivals this year and literally no one was using PC live. So for my home purposes - I will create music using both OS, for playing live I think I will prefer Mac (+ableton+my synths and kaoss pad).

This is my budget - macmini price + 22´ LCD screen for starters, macbook or macbook pro next year.
You know, if I buy PC this year and next year realise that I can only afford Macbook, I will go mad if I will have to create music on that tiny screen.

JSRockit : yep, I know, I will boost it up to 2GB for sure.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:54 pm

freemind wrote:jupiter8 : I use lots of VSTs, so I would have to order mac with dualboot and XP. The main reason for me is that I want to use it live - I visited few music festivals this year and literally no one was using PC live. So for my home purposes - I will create music using both OS, for playing live I think I will prefer Mac (+ableton+my synths and kaoss pad).

This is my budget - macmini price + 22´ LCD screen for starters, macbook or macbook pro next year.
You know, if I buy PC this year and next year realise that I can only afford Macbook, I will go mad if I will have to create music on that tiny screen.

JSRockit : yep, I know, I will boost it up to 2GB for sure.

I still don't get the point of buying a Mac. You have lot's of VSTs. So ? You can't run Mac plugins with Windows and vice versa.

When you played live noone used a PC. So you're buying a Mac to impress your friends ?

I had a quick look at my local computer pimp and i was able to spec a system that was cheaper than the cheapest MacMini with a quadcore CPU 320 gig HD and a DVD burner. The Macmini has dualcore 80 gig HD and no DVD burner. And the PC had room for expansion. Two PCI slots and room for another HD.

MitchK1989 · Post by **MitchK1989** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:01 pm

You don't buy a mac because you want the best specs for the money, you buy a mac for the operating system, and in some cases for the better designed hardware (the iMac, for instance, beats the s**t out of the tower + monitor setup as far as keeping your desk organized... And I'd like to see you design a PC better than the mac mini and cheaper while also keeping it as small)

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:09 pm

MitchK1989 wrote:You don't buy a mac because you want the best specs for the money, you buy a mac for the operating system, and in some cases for the better designed hardware (the iMac, for instance, beats the s**t out of the tower + monitor setup as far as keeping your desk organized... And I'd like to see you design a PC better than the mac mini and cheaper while also keeping it as small)

You're right about the size.I was going to mention that but forgot about it but my impression is he's going for the Mini because of the price more than anything else.

And i'm sure OSX is a fine and dandy OS but that is a moot point if it does'nt run the programs you want. And in Windows he can run all three.At the same time should he wish so. Why change to MacOS for one program that also runs under windows ?

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:09 pm

jupiter8 wrote: You can't run Mac plugins with Windows and vice versa.

Well, the intel macs can boot windows...so that's not necessarily the case.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:15 pm

JSRockit wrote:
jupiter8 wrote: You can't run Mac plugins with Windows and vice versa.
Well, the intel macs can boot windows...so that's not necessarily the case.

I know that but you can't run Mac plugins while running Windows and vice versa.

xpander · Post by **xpander** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:22 pm

buy an iMac, you won't regret it. i use an OS9-bootable one and the giant 24" duo core 2 one.

Post by **nathanscribe** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:12 pm

I moved from PC to Mac for general use a couple of years ago, and now I've replaced my music PC with an iMac. The software I have runs on both Windows and OSX, so that's no problem, but after an initial short learning curve transferring from one OS to another, I find Macs to make more sense and are simpler to use. I only use the PC now if I really have to. There's an argument that PCs allow you to do more tinkering with the system, but many of us just want a box that works as flawlessly as possible.

There are also plenty of PC vs Mac threads around, and I hope this doesn't descend to the level of mudslinging that some do...

but overall anybody wanting to make music with minimum fuss would do well to pick up any of the relatively recent Macs. They're all quite capable. Just consider the level of expansion you might want - unless you buy a tower Mac, you won't be able to just nip out and buy a cheap replacement soundcard or extra Firewire card etc.

WhinyLittleRunt · Post by **WhinyLittleRunt** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:11 am

I have a mac mini, intel core solo with 1 gb and it works fine for audio recording. I know that VSTi's will eat up a lot more resources than what I usually do, so I would recommend the 2gb upgrade. Also, you won't have to worry about getting a solo processor version anyway since they no longer make them - only core 2 duo. With the max ram it should be fine.

Keep in mind the mac mini is really just a glorified macbook in a small case. If I had the money I would have bought an iMac but then again, as an Apple tech, I hate them because they break so god damn much... eh.. I'm happy with my mini.

piRoN · Post by **piRoN** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:37 am

MitchK1989 wrote:And I'd like to see you design a PC better than the mac mini and cheaper while also keeping it as small)

Well, once you've added the cost and size of screen/keyboard/mouse, you could just get a PC laptop for the money and have some free desk space left over.

freemind · Post by **freemind** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:23 am

jupiter8 wrote: When you played live noone used a PC. So you're buying a Mac to impress your friends ?

It is not about impressing my friends ... I mean that all electronic music producers that I like (not my friends) and that I saw playing live, use Macs for live gigs. SO lets say something like that - ultra cheap way to get apple

1.) home studio : PC with two 19´screens for creating samples and tracks + ableton
2.) live gigs : macbook (or macbook pro) + ableton

?