06-24-2006, 05:12 PM

Okay, I've barely used a mac before, but I'm now convinced it's the computer for me. I'm tired of my Dells dying on me. The problem is I've invested in recording equipment for my last dell, which has now just died. I have a M-Audio Delta 44 PCI audio recording card, Delta series Pre-amp, and a Nice set of NHT PRO studio monitors.

If I got a new powermac g5 tower, could I just plug in my PCI card, install drivers, and go?

If I decided I could live without the PCI card, and get an IMac, what's the best way I could still use my studio monitors? They need to plug into a 1/4" audio plug.currently they plug into the preamp, which has a connection directly to the audio card.

Also, side question, would garageband work with the new inputs, or do I need another program to actually record through new inputs?

06-24-2006, 08:05 PM

ox77,

Not sure about the PCI card in the Powermac G5, but I don't see why not.

If you didn't want to go that route and get yourself a 20" iMac, then I would suggest the M-Audio Ozone midi controller. It's got 25 keys, 8 assignable midi knobs, XLR in with a PREAMP, 1/4" in, and 1/4" outs that will go right to your studio monitors. And since you're switching to Mac, I would suggest Logic Pro in the future. My Ozone works flawlessly in both Garageband and Logic Pro.

Typically, I record in Garageband because it's really easy and quick to get done, and then I import the project into Logic for mixing, effects, and mastering.

If you do decide to get Logic Pro, I'd sugges getting your hands on the Martin Sitter Book about Logic Pro and Logic Express. Also, he's got Quicktime videos on MacProAudio.

Keep in mind, the Powermacs are still PowerPC based, so you can't dual boot Windows or anything like that.

06-25-2006, 01:44 PM

So I guess now I need to decide if it's worth getting a the cheaper 20" iMac and getting some new equipment. (pricing the ozone, it seems to be about $250) or getting the more expensive PowerMac G5 and using the interface equipment I already have. Both options appear to about the same price.

So I guess the real question is which computer would be better for recording? If i chose the iMac setup, I would be using Intel chips, USB MIDI interface, have an extra monitor laying around (not sure if you can do dual monitors with iMac). Of course I guess I could sell of the pci card and preamp, but I'm not sure how much I could get for them.

If I chose the PowerMac version, I would be using PowerPC Processors, PCI Interface and audio card, and one monitor.

The PowerMac seems like a more powerful solution. I haven't been keeping up with USB recording equipment, but when I bought my audio card a few years back, PCI was the way to go. Technically the card has twice the recording power of any USB device. Able to record twice as much information at once, but then again I really don't record more than two inputs anyways.

The other major difference would be the processors. I can't admit to any real knowledge about Macs and their processors, but I've always been under the assumption that it was the processor, not the OS, that has allowed Macs to excell in audio, video, and image editing. Is there a real incentive to get an intel processor if I'm going to be spending most of my time, editing images and audio, possibly video?