[noob]I'm told mac is better for recording. Is firewire the only reason?

I haven't yet switched but I plan on it. I want to do it for the right reasons though. I've used line 6's usb 2.0 ux2 and it's incredibly overwhelming on my cpu. I can't spend a grand on a new mac though. I've seen good mac's go for around 600 though. please enlighten me.

The reason most people use Macs for recording is

a) The OS is very stable and user-friendly

b) Originally, Pro Tools (the industry standard package used to record today) was Mac only

c) Logic, almost up there with Pro Tools, is an Apple application, and will only run on Macs (It is a favourite among electronic producers)

d) Great customer support (up to three year warranty and free support)

e) They run very quiet (fans aren't going mental all the time)

f) A while back, Firewire may have been a selling point, but not currently. The new Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 technology is faster. FW is almost dead in the ground.

g) The OS does a good job of maintaining itself in the background. distances the jobs that would disrupt creativity and recording sessions

h) As of the Intel switchover you can now run Windows too, for Fruity Loops or other Windows only apps

recent Macs (and especially the newest range) will not go belly up when using a simple audio interface. the CPUs are very powerful and can handle more than that by far.

my 2006 macbook still works great

my 2ghz 2ram macbook still does a great job using ableton live. I've tried other daws but prefer live. But if you are the type who likes to use a lot of instruments simultaneously with effects too,then thats another story...

My take

I a noob too. I just bought a mackbook pro 15.4". The speed is a big difference the only processes truly running are the ones you are working with. Another plus is its less hassle when it comes too compatibility issues with software either it works or it doesn't. I don't have to install tons of drivers when i plugged in my degi design mbox everything was smooth

For me, my '07 MBP is strictly my DAW and I love it. I only have music apps and a few system improvement apps (CCC, namebench, CleanMyMac, Cocktail, iDefrag) so it's not bogged down with a bunch of useless apps.
I also use both FireWire ports... the FW800 for my external HD for Logic and Ableton projects and the FW400 port for my M-Audio FireWire Audiophile interface (for MIDI controllers, hardware samplers and for DJing).
After I maxed out the RAM to 4GB, I've been using this same set up for almost 4 years and haven't had any hiccups.

Hello .. my 2 cents worth on here...
I use both, Mac and PC and in my opinion there is no better DAW than Logic. Seems like a hard but smart thing to me Apple bought "emagic" some years ago and stopped any new versions and support for microsoft based computers. I tried Cubase as well, but it looks like a toy store to me. Very irritating, very disappointing as it seems to be the most advanced software for PCs. The audio engines both sound brilliant, so there's no real difference but it's just the surface and the workflow that's clearly unbeaten in Logic.

Hope that helps. Firewire can be achieved by very cheap PCI-Cards on PCs as well...
Cheers!
m

Markuse said:

I use both, Mac and PC and in my opinion there is no better DAW than Logic.

Click to expand...

I hate that blasted program; but am forced to use it. It really needs a facelift.

robduckyworth said:

I hate that blasted program; but am forced to use it. It really needs a facelift.

Click to expand...

... wow, you are the first person i meet that hates using Logic... interesting, have you ever tried Pro-Tools? Since Version 8 it looks far better than before and with a little bit of time, you get used to it very well. I use it at work for sound editing on feature films, but never saw the point in using it for my music stuff, which is more my private fun...
Well, like i said... it was only my little, unimportant personal opinion.

But did you EVER try to use Cubase on a PC ??? You'll change your mind regarding Logic needing a facelift... i'd bet

Cheers, all the best,
markus

*COUGH* geeez, i just read your system's setup in another thread... forget about everything i wrote before... excuse me for sounding like a smartass... you surely know what you are talking about!!!

Cheers, again!

markus

Markuse said:

... wow, you are the first person i meet that hates using Logic... interesting, have you ever tried Pro-Tools? Since Version 8 it looks far better than before and with a little bit of time, you get used to it very well. I use it at work for sound editing on feature films, but never saw the point in using it for my music stuff, which is more my private fun...
Well, like i said... it was only my little, unimportant personal opinion.

markus

Click to expand...

Pro Tools is my DAW of choice, i currently use Pro Tools 8 LE, with an M-Box 2 at home. Not exactly the most beasty of setups I much prefer using the studios at my university (full Pro Tools 9 w. Digi 192's to a 24 track mixing desk). I found PT to have the best sounding plug ins, with the sleekest interface.

I find working with Logic clunky, the workflow cramped (too many things going on on one screen) and rather uninspiring. These are personal gripes, and even though i hate using it, it is still the DAW i turn to when I want to get ideas down on the road. (This will probably change when I upgrade to Pro Tools 9, with its native support.)

i have also experimented with Reason & Live, however, like Logic, are more geared towards electronic music producers, whereas i prefer to record live instruments, etc.

I have never used cubase, was interested to try it, but i really have no need.

Im also curious to see which thread this was that had my setup? I dont recall posting it anywhere.

robduckyworth said:

Im also curious to see which thread this was that had my setup? I dont recall posting it anywhere.

Click to expand...

well, you didn't but your knowledge about things told me that you definetly play in some higher leagues than i do.

cheers and excuse me if i may have sounded like a smartass!

markus

i know nothing of digital music and being a DJ..

im drunk atm.

but how much better does a glowing Apple look at a DJ stage or whatever then some glossed cheap plastic dell or HP.

just sayin...

reason enough right there!!!!!!!!!!!


HAHAHAHHA fun times

I must rise in defence of Firewire, which is most certainly NOT "almost dead on the ground" any more than USB2 is.

Until Thunderbolt and USB 3 become ubiquitous industry standards for everything -- at LEAST a year away if not longer -- FW800 is the fastest and most popular connector for common pro video and pro audio peripherals and will remain so for a while.

The newer, faster connectors won't magically make your hard drives operate even one RPM faster than they do now, so for the majority of people USB2 and FW800 and to a lesser extent eSATA will continue to be more than fast enough for their current a short-term future needs.

I'm very excited about Thunderbolt as a technology, but don't kid yourself on how fast it will be adopted -- USB3 has been out on the market for over a year now and is still not finding much mainstream love, and I think it was only a couple of years ago that the last PCs came out with floppy drives pre-installed. The pace of change in some communities -- particularly pro video/pro audio -- is slow.

only joking. your are most certainly right. But I do think as soon as these technologies develop, pro - audio and video will move onto LightPeak/Thunderbolt. We have all seen the bandwidth benefits.

In the Pro-audio sector at least, I wouldn't see FW as a favourite: I would say about 70-30 USB/FW800. But definitely video.

And just out of interest, a lot of ATX motherboards on the market don't include FW ports or headers, so you have to buy a separate PCI-e card: so anyone out to build their own computer for these purposes is far likely to use USB2/3.

USB2 has the advantage of being compatible with USB3 ports, so I reckon they will stick around a lot longer.

Imo and lengthy experience, I've had less problems with latency and audio programs/hardware issues with FW400/800.

Yes, FW (and soon, Thunderbolt) have a huge advantage over (any flavour) USB in this regard -- no matter what speed you see a USB port listed at, figure getting 60% of that speed AT BEST. USB has a lot of "overhead" and what they used to call "chatter" that means it never, ever, EVER hits its theoretical maximum. FW, on the other hand, gets near its max *all the time* in routine operation.

Thunderbolt, so far, seems to take the best qualities of FW and transfer them to PCI Express. I would expect FW800 adapters for TB to be among the first adapter offerings.