Is my iMac enough computer?

R

Resoman

New member
My ten year old TASCAM 2488 seems to be failing, and I'm again looking at the option of moving to a desktop computer based recording system. My recording projects consist of acoustic string band music, with vocals.
I've dug out my older iMac and it seems to run fine. It's an early 2008 with the 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and it's maxed out with 6GB RAM. This iMac could be dedicated to recording uses exclusively.
It seems there are several audio interfaces with eight inputs on the market, and that's about all the inputs I can imagine using during one recording.
So, it this computer up to the task of doing the recording I've described? Any suggestions as I proceed will be appreciated!
Gary
Elgin, TX
 
I think the two concerns I'd have would be the disk and the ram. I don't think they came with SSDs back then and 6GB ram is probably too small to use any sample libraries. But if you're just recording you might be good. I'd try some recordings with GarageBand (it's like $5 in the app store) and see how it holds up.
 
I'm not an expert on macs, but if all you're doing is straight up audio recording, then yes, it should work fine for you. Even with a Core2Duo, audio recording is not a heavy load on a computer. When you start using sample-based virtual instruments or multiple instances of reverb plug-ins, you can bog your computer down.

The one problem with an older mac might be compatibility with newer software or hardware drivers. I'll let the Mac experts address that, though.
 
Agree with the guys before me.
Unless you're going really intense with lots of effects and VIs, it should be up to the job.

An 08 imac will take you as far as El Capitan which is pretty recent.
Lots of people are staying back on Mavericks or Yosemite anyway. The minor additions in the OSs these days aren't really that relevant to, or helpful with, recording.

Also agree about the SSD. If you find the machine struggling, I think it'd be worth the money to put an SSD in as the system drive.
 
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