Upgrade help from PC to iMac

BobbyP

New member
I'm about to upgrade to imac from PC and I'm looking for some pointers please. My signal chain is as follows: AKG mic-Art channel strip-Delta 44 interface- pc by large cable. I use Sonar 7/cakewalk.

Can I use the same gear? how does the interface work with iMac or do I need one. Don't want to spend a bunch of money but on the other hand I need it to work. I only record voice over, so I basically record my voice and slide some music underneath it. Open to all thoughts, concerns and suggestions.

Thanks Bob in Canada
 
How's that an upgrade? Maybe the other way around.
:D

Just kidding. Someone will chime in with actual useful help.
 
Hi Bob,
The delta 44 uses pci card, right?
If so, it's not compatible with any imac. Only desktop tower/box PCs have pci slots.

Ideally you'd want to find a usb, firewire, or thunderbolt (depending on the imac) interface with dedicated line inputs, or digital inputs.
Imacs should have a digital input that you could use but if it's via combo jack then monitoring is tricky. I wouldn't really recommend that road.
 
OK and thank you. So it looks like my delta 44 will be obsolete in a iMac situation. I get it that it is a sound card for a PC tower. I have a bit of home work to do. The Mac is not bought yet but I'm seriously thinking about it and which one to buy. Good info Steenamaroo...
 
How's that an upgrade? Maybe the other way around.
:D

Just kidding. Someone will chime in with actual useful help.
'

I know this was meant in jest but nowadays the differences in performance between Windows and Apple are negligible, particularly if you keep the PC nice and clean...i.e. free of tons of rubbish programmes.

Even if you need to upgrade your computer, I'd go with a top notch Windows machine with plenty of RAM, an SSD Drive, an HDD and the most recent version of windows has drivers for the Delta 44.

Put the money saved into microphones, acoustic treatment...and beer.
 
OK and thank you. So it looks like my delta 44 will be obsolete in a iMac situation. I get it that it is a sound card for a PC tower. I have a bit of home work to do. The Mac is not bought yet but I'm seriously thinking about it and which one to buy. Good info Steenamaroo...

No worries man.
Have you a reason for going apple? It seems like Sonar for OSX was announced but I don't see confirmation that it was released.
Usually people switch platforms because of hardware of software, not in spite of it, so I just though I'd ask....
Are you going apple because you think it's the done thing?

If you know windows and you're comfortable there, I'd go the upgrade/replace PC route too.
Nothing to do with cost, though. They hold their value ridiculously well.
 
I know nothing of macs but as others have said, there does not seem the "gap" there was when I started an interest in PC recording 10+yrs ago.

However, if you DO go the iMac route can I suggest (!) the Native Instruments KA6 USB interface? It has two extra line inputs (4 outs) and so you would be able to use your pre amp. MIDI of course and S/PDIF. The Ka6 is well known to work fine with macs.

Me? I like something I can get into the giblets of and tinker!

Dave.
 
Initial cost with a Mac is greater.

This seems like deja vu(?). :D

I'd also be curious why they feel the need to head in that direction.

Lol yeah, I imagine we've been here before.
It's a fair point though. They're more expensive when you buy them and more expensive when you sell them.
I'm not sure it's just as true for Mac minis, but certainly the models I've had have paid me back well.

The reason for the jump is key. If there isn't one, don't jump. :)

if you DO go the iMac route can I suggest (!) the Native Instruments KA6 USB interface?

Looks like NI published full OS Sierra (most recent) support for their hardware and software. Good news!
 
You make a good point with monitoring. Now it's fairly easy to do as I can plug my monitors in to the break out box of the delta 44. Very helpful Steenamaroo.
 
To be honest, i'm just tired of learning how to use the DAW in general. I'm not tech savvy nor am I an engineer but I certainly wish I understood it better. I just want everything to work when I want it to and not have to figure it out all the time. I guess I thought the imac would relieve a lot of that but I'm having second thoughts about switching after reading the gentle and empathetic replies to my post. I'm closer to getting than I was and I suppose and I should give myself more credit but it has been a hell of a journey for this old dog. Maybe I should have started with easier software and not a semi-pro product.
 
Very interesting comment Bobbsy and you are right I'd be better served upgrading my mic and some room treatment now that you mentioned it. Only a few comments here and so far and I'm leaning back towards the PC. I'm easily swayed but I do listen to logic, thank you kindly.
 
Thanks ecc83, that's just it. I don't want to tinker with the giblets because I don't even know what a computer giblet looks like or what to do with it. I was hoping the imac came without the need to tinker but I'm changing my mind on the whole idea of iMac for now anyways.
 
Thanks ecc83, that's just it. I don't want to tinker with the giblets because I don't even know what a computer giblet looks like or what to do with it. I was hoping the imac came without the need to tinker but I'm changing my mind on the whole idea of iMac for now anyways.

To be honest, it sounds like maybe you just need to find DAW software that fits your way of thinking, rather than finding a new platform.
If you're having OS related issues, though, do tell. Maybe someone can help. :)

I'm sure most people here would agree they've had some experience with software that just didn't click for them.
Most people find something that works the way their head does. For me that's Protools, for Jimmy it's Cubase. Lots of others are really digging reaper and it's free to try and cross platform,
so based on what you've said so far, I'd recommend just downloading reaper and giving it a go.
 
Thanks ecc83, that's just it. I don't want to tinker with the giblets because I don't even know what a computer giblet looks like or what to do with it. I was hoping the imac came without the need to tinker but I'm changing my mind on the whole idea of iMac for now anyways.

Oh! Don't mind me! I am just an old valve jockey who can't leave FA alone! You will not need to "tinker" especially now that PCI/PCIe gear is just about gone. Mind you, if you stayed with a PC you might like to uprate the memory? Worth knowing how that goes but even there a shop would not charge you more than a nominal amount to fit ram.

Any new PC is going to have at least 2 USB 3.0 ports and so you would not need to install a second internal drive. USB 3 is not AS fast as an internal drive but still PDQuick! Fine for backup/samples etc.

Dave.
 
Main question has already been answered, but in case anyone wants to RTFM:

m-audio.com said:
Minimum System Requirements (Mac)

G3/G4* 500MHz
G5 w/PCI-X expansion slots** - Incompatible exceptions
OS 9.2.2 w/128MB RAM, Opcode OMS 2.3.8 for MIDI
Mac OS X 10.2.8, 10.3.8 w/256MB RAM
Mac OS X 10.4.5, 10.5.1 w/512MB RAM
* G3/G4 accelerator cards not supported
** Intel based Mac Pro & DuelCore G5 with PCI-Express expansion slots not supported.
*** No ongoing updates/support for Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X 10.2.8
M-Audio suggests you also check the minimum system requirements for your software, as they may be greater than the above.

MacOS is 7 major revisions past that, so it's probably incompatible, especially if there's a hardware component that you would need to install in the computer. (You'd at least void your warranty)

Steen is probably right tho. If your biggest reason for updating is that you don't like the user experience (UX) of your current DAW, then you'd be better served by trying different software.
 
If you switch to Mac, you will not only have to learn the DAW, but you will need to learn how a mac works. That seems like double the work.

The thought that Macs are easier to use isn't necessarily true, it's just different. If you are used to Windows, there will be a learning curve just to learn how to get around in the mac os.

If you were thinking of switching just because you thought that Macs were easier that use, that not true. Especially if you plan on using the same daw. The platform really wouldn't change the way that one daw works.
 
Everyone's different but simplicity and ease of use is one of the primary selling points, in my opinion.
The fact that you can depend on that learning curve happening once, rather than once every few years, almost stands as a counter argument.

I hear you, though. I can't get on with Reaper at all but I can acknowledge that it's very well designed and simple to use. I recommend it all the time but it's just not for me.
 
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