Windows vs Mac

[Steenamaroo]

You definitively didn't get my point. I won't keep arguing with semantics.

Never mind and carry on.

Your point changed.
Yes, manufacturing and selling apple OSX on generic hardware will land you in shit but building and running a hackintosh, having purchased OSX, isn't considered piracy.

It's been discussed plenty of times on this forum and others like it, and never a finger has been waved.

 

[YanKleber]

 

[Steenamaroo]

I get your point.
The EULA is a contract that says that you agree to use the OSX only on Apple-branded computers. If you breach that contract then you've committed a copyright violation so, yeah, it's potentially very not cool, but it's generally not treated like piracy on forums like this.
Maybe that'll change? Who knows.

 

[Rod Norman]

Personally I'm a mac user, but when I upgraded to an animation, film and recording system, I had a computer built for me, so it's a Windows. I agree with a lot of the comments. The last thing you want is for the system to get in the way, so use whatever you're familiar with. Mac is considered easier to learn, but if you've been using Windows at all, it's not that hard. Remember, it's really the recording interface you're contending with when you work. BTW, this is the last post for me. I am now working with several budding engineers who quit using the newsletter because of how they were treated. I just ran into the same thing, a moderator even telling me they would ban me if they could. I've been called an idiot, stupid, and accused of being a troll pretending to be an engineer. For two years I've given my time and experience to helping anyone with a question. I didn't comment on the numerous other answers even though a lot of them were not on the money. Since I'm not getting paid for it, there's no reason for me to put up with the treatment I've been getting. The moderator even called my posts "dangerous". So, if you want to talk you can reach me at rodjnorman@yahoo.com I have a long document outlining the basics and there are numerous links for advice from other engineers I can give you. Good luck,
Rod Norman
Engineer

Hi Guys
What system would you prefer to work in? Please advise what are the advanatages of one or other?
Currently looking for PC to buy for small home studio.
Thanks!

 

[jonny deep]

Nah, building a Hackintosh is easy. Installing OS X is easy. You just have to do your research. Buy components that are from a recent mac model and it will be supported for years.

---------- Update ----------

Oops, there seem to have been several pages since the post I was replying to.

 

[Bobbsy]

As an aside, a couple of days ago I read on one of those IT industry news sites that Apple are seriously considering moving away from Intel and using their own custom designed processors in their computers.

I have no idea if this is true but if, by any chance, it turns out to be factual, it might eliminate some of the more exotic hackintosh/dual boot solutions suggested here.

 

[hellstens]

As an aside, a couple of days ago I read on one of those IT industry news sites that Apple are seriously considering moving away from Intel and using their own custom designed processors in their computers.

I have no idea if this is true but if, by any chance, it turns out to be factual, it might eliminate some of the more exotic hackintosh/dual boot solutions suggested here.

Well does it matter, if you have a system that works 100% Why should you upgrade? You can have it for 10 years or more, if it do the job you need, and don't give any problem, Or SLOWS, Then Why not!!

 

[Chili]

Hi Guys
What system would you prefer to work in? Please advise what are the advanatages of one or other?
Currently looking for PC to buy for small home studio.
Thanks!

You got a lot of great answers and most everyone is in agreement: buy what works for you.

If you're going to use firewire interfaces for recording, I say look at the Macs. I am a windows guy, but because of all the issues I had with the firewire card and my interface, I came real close to buying a Mac for recording. Eventually, I got it worked out, but it was a major headache for a long time. Now, for my day job, I'm helping customers with PC/Firewire issues everyday. Whatta nightmare.

If you're going to any other kind of interface, get whatever you want. Typically, a PC for recording will be cheaper.

Common-wisdom advantages:
Pc - cheaper
Mac - easier integration.

 

[MrWrenchey]

If you're going to use firewire interfaces for recording, I say look at the Macs. I am a windows guy, but because of all the issues I had with the firewire card and my interface, I came real close to buying a Mac for recording. Eventually, I got it worked out, but it was a major headache for a long time. Now, for my day job, I'm helping customers with PC/Firewire issues everyday. Whatta nightmare.

I'm just going to point out that I built my own PC from scratch, and the Motherboard had the 1394 port built in. I haven't had a single issue running my Firestudio Project on it in the last 4 years, but if you ARE going to buy a new computer, do as I did, and buy a motherboard with the firewire card built in, NOT a firewire card as Chili mentioned, otherwise you'll likely have driver issues like he did.

But with that out of the way, as everyone else has been saying, I use both a Mac and PC for studio work, so whatever you're used to honestly works fine. Any issues I've had with one I've had with the other, so in my opinion, neither is inherently more stable, but I do work in IT, so it's considerably easier for me to figure out the problem if it's Windows based than other people might have, so take my advice with a grain of salt. xD

 

[gvdv]

Today I only see two types of users for Macs: people that always used them and are very used to the platform so they simply doesn't want to change and people that likes the Apple status/community stuff. If you are in one of both teams, just buy a Mac. If not, stick with a PC.

Not trying to be rude when I say I disagree with your assessment wholeheartedly, and respectfully point out that many - if not the majority - of 'name' studios/users use predominantly Macs.

Now, I am no Mac cultist, and I had a particularly difficult time buying a Mac because they ripped off The Beatles Apple in name, and logo (just check the lawsuits if you do not believe me, and read Steve Jobs's accounts of being a huge Beatles fan), and The Beatles are very important to me.

However, I do think that there are many people such as myself who still are less familiar with Macs but appreciate their use for tracking without buying in to the awful (and infantile, if you ask me) cult-like appeal that the Mac people try to use in their advertising.

 

[jimmys69]

I'm just going to point out that I built my own PC from scratch, and the Motherboard had the 1394 port built in. I haven't had a single issue running my Firestudio Project on it in the last 4 years, but if you ARE going to buy a new computer, do as I did, and buy a motherboard with the firewire card built in, NOT a firewire card as Chili mentioned, otherwise you'll likely have driver issues like he did.

But with that out of the way, as everyone else has been saying, I use both a Mac and PC for studio work, so whatever you're used to honestly works fine. Any issues I've had with one I've had with the other, so in my opinion, neither is inherently more stable, but I do work in IT, so it's considerably easier for me to figure out the problem if it's Windows based than other people might have, so take my advice with a grain of salt. xD

Actually the issues with the Firewire on PC's involved certain interfaces that would only work with the TI Instruments chip-set versions. I am not sure what the standard is today, but there were (from memory so I could be mistaken) ASUS boards that did not have the TI firewire and it caused all kinds of havoc with some interfaces. The solution was actually a PCIe firewire card that had the appropriate shizz on it.

Not sure that matters as much anymore anyway. I don't know. I am just fine with my fully USB setup.

Never had the necessity to use firewire for anything myself.

Not stating that anything is better, just that 24 simultaneous input tracks work seamlessly with USB 2.0 for me. I don't need any more myself.

 

[MrWrenchey]

You're getting 24 tracks out of a USB 2.0? What interface are you using?

Shoot, I only have gotten firewire/lightning interfaces because I thought it was a necessity given how many of the higher end interfaces are firewire. If I can get 24 out of a USB interface, maybe it's time for a change! xD

I mean, recently I was looking at getting the Orion 32 because I might be coming into a TAC Magnum, courtesy of the boss man, which is a USB converter... But ya know. I didn't think this was a situation the OP was looking for a $3,000 set of converters with their new computer!

 

[Bobbsy]

Well does it matter, if you have a system that works 100% Why should you upgrade? You can have it for 10 years or more, if it do the job you need, and don't give any problem, Or SLOWS, Then Why not!!

If you're happy to sit still for that ten years then absolutely fine and dandy. However, software and OS manufacturers have a habit of changing things and ceasing support for old stuff. My personal preference is to be about one version of everything behind the newest stuff. Too new is risky, too old will eventually cause you problems with compatibility and more expensive upgrades.

 

[Bobbsy]

You're getting 24 tracks out of a USB 2.0? What interface are you using?

Shoot, I only have gotten firewire/lightning interfaces because I thought it was a necessity given how many of the higher end interfaces are firewire. If I can get 24 out of a USB interface, maybe it's time for a change! xD

I mean, recently I was looking at getting the Orion 32 because I might be coming into a TAC Magnum, courtesy of the boss man, which is a USB converter... But ya know. I didn't think this was a situation the OP was looking for a $3,000 set of converters with their new computer!

Twenty four tracks is well within the THEORETICAL capability of USB 2, at least at 44.1/48 sample rates. I haven't done the math for higher sample rates...call me lazy.

However, for that to be reliable you have to have a well-set up computer like Jimmy's. The bandwidth of a USB port is shared and if you have, say, your keyboard and an external hard drive also using USB then all bets are off.

My interface needs are set for the next few years but at my next upgrade I'm seriously wondering if I can find an ethernet based solution. There are lots of such thing now in use in the live sound world and I really wonder if it'll eventually move over in to the studio side of things.

 

[jimmys69]

You're getting 24 tracks out of a USB 2.0? What interface are you using?

Shoot, I only have gotten firewire/lightning interfaces because I thought it was a necessity given how many of the higher end interfaces are firewire. If I can get 24 out of a USB interface, maybe it's time for a change! xD

I mean, recently I was looking at getting the Orion 32 because I might be coming into a TAC Magnum, courtesy of the boss man, which is a USB converter... But ya know. I didn't think this was a situation the OP was looking for a $3,000 set of converters with their new computer!

Two Steinberg UR824's. Actually overkill on those as I am using the second as a slave. 16 tracks direct to Cubase at under 3ms latency.This with a full mix worth of VST's running. Granted I spent to get a PC that is capable of doing this. I still have 8 channels of ADAT input (Via ADA8000) which due to not giving a crap really about quality so much as these inputs I use for scratch tracks while recording the drums and whatever is possible to save during initial tracking.

I don't really care about anything else really. On rare occasions where the band is so good that they can nail tracks live, I will spend time micing the other instruments in their own isolation rooms. Most important is the 12 or so mics recording the drums. If the drums suck, the whole project does as well.

So to be clear; I have a PCIe USB 3.0 card that runs the interface. USB interfaces do not share well with other shit. I record to A USB 2.0 external drive that is actually on the same hub that holds my Cubase dongle and iLOK crap. Another drive that connects via FW or USB 2 to back up the main recording drive.

Two system (OS) drives running in RAID1 so if one fails I don't need to spend 6 days reinstalling software. Been there one to many times..

 

[hellstens]

If you're happy to sit still for that ten years then absolutely fine and dandy. However, software and OS manufacturers have a habit of changing things and ceasing support for old stuff. My personal preference is to be about one version of everything behind the newest stuff. Too new is risky, too old will eventually cause you problems with compatibility and more expensive upgrades.

You don't get the point... If every thing work as you need it, you don't need a upgrade, that's including hardware to, or am I wrong?

 

[BroKen_H]

You don't get the point... If every thing work as you need it, you don't need a upgrade, that's including hardware to, or am I wrong?

Only in that you've missed Bobbsy's point. The point is, everything wears out or breaks down, and software is continually transitioning. If you don't upgrade periodically (and that may be every couple years, or every couple months) you will have a HUGE learning curve when you DO (and you will) break down. It can be hugely frustrating to go from Cubase 3 to Cubase 8 or Reason 4 to Reason 7.1. Those are huge jumps and lots of new stuff to learn. Hardware and OS is a completely different story. If you're running a Windows 98 machine for the last 10 years, and your hard drive goes down, you will have a MAJOR task on your hands to get it back where it was. A 10 year old hard drive may or may not still exist on the market, and finding a useable version of Win98, all your software, and all your plug-ins may be near to impossible.
You are correct in assuming the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" adage still is true. If you get good sound from your system, go ahead on! But you may have a problem fixing it when it breaks.

 

[acidrock]

Only in that you've missed Bobbsy's point. The point is, everything wears out or breaks down, and software is continually transitioning. If you don't upgrade periodically (and that may be every couple years, or every couple months) you will have a HUGE learning curve when you DO (and you will) break down. It can be hugely frustrating to go from Cubase 3 to Cubase 8 or Reason 4 to Reason 7.1. Those are huge jumps and lots of new stuff to learn. Hardware and OS is a completely different story. If you're running a Windows 98 machine for the last 10 years, and your hard drive goes down, you will have a MAJOR task on your hands to get it back where it was. A 10 year old hard drive may or may not still exist on the market, and finding a useable version of Win98, all your software, and all your plug-ins may be near to impossible.
You are correct in assuming the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" adage still is true. If you get good sound from your system, go ahead on! But you may have a problem fixing it when it breaks.

I disagree.

I use SONARX2 and I've been with them since PA9. The software upgrades are incremental so I usually wait 3 to five years before upgrading. You can back everything up to an external HD and I've never had a problem switching to a different OS. BTW, I'm a knuckle dragging construction worker, not a software engineer or a guy who works on a computer all day.

At the end it's different horses for different courses. IMHO the constant upgrades works better for the business than it does for the consumer. I don't think there's a wrong way of going about this, just different ways.

 

[David Cooke]

I disagree.
I use SONARX2 and I've been with them since PA9. The software upgrades are incremental so I usually wait 3 to five years before upgrading. You can back everything up to an external HD and I've never had a problem switching to a different OS. BTW, I'm a knuckle dragging construction worker, not a software engineer or a guy who works on a computer all day.

At the end it's different horses for different courses. IMHO the constant upgrades works better for the business than it does for the consumer. I don't think there's a wrong way of going about this, just different ways.

+1

Talk to the guys that are still rocking lynx auroras and apogee rosettas/ad16xs no reason to fix what isn't broken. Otoh if you buy entry/prosumer thats a different story. The local studio down here that records an allman brother still rocks on an older version of nuendo.

 

[Bobbsy]

I really meant it when I said "if you're happy to stand still, fine and dandy". However, for many of us, lot's of external pressures make standing still not an option.

However, for that to work for you, you have to work (to some extent) in a vacuum. If you want to collaborate with other people or if you need to stay competitive with others, then, like it or not, you have to keep somewhat current with hardware and software updates.

Horses for courses.