PC or Mac for recording?

Do you use PC or Mac for recording

  • PC

    Votes: 343 51.9%

  • Mac

    Votes: 217 32.8%

  • Both

    Votes: 80 12.1%

  • Other

    Votes: 21 3.2%
  • Total voters
    661
ccouch7 said:
A new Mac G5 cost around $2,500.00 with only 1gb Ram. I think you could have one badass PC for that money. What kind of PC's are you comparing the Mac to? You can't compare a $2,500.00 computer to a $500.00 or even a $1,500.00 computer.
Click to expand...

Was that a response to me? If so.... I wasn't talking about value. I was talking about reliability and stability. Two different things. Besides, Macs are slightly more expensive, but not a ton more expensive really when you look at the high qend parts that mac uses. For instance... my macbook pro has a 6 pin firewire 400 port, AND a firewire 800 port. I haven't seen any pc notebooks with both of those standard.

PS - a 1gb stick of ram that is mac compatible costs about $30... at best buy....
PPS - a mac g5 isn't new.
 
Another influenced by advertising

Dax Productions said:
I think for most recording that people are doing on here... what people are saying is true. Mac=PC. Exactly the same. Just as powerful. Definitely true.

However... If you're serious about really getting into PRO recording. You NEED a mac.

There is a reason that nearly EVERY pro studio in the world is running mac. It is WAY more reliable.

Yes, its true. If you go in and tweak your windows settings and know what hardware to get so that your pc will run as fast as possible, it will be reliable as well. But look at it this way... Knowing enough about PCs to be able to do this is a job in and of itself. A serious engineer is already holding a ton of knowledge in their head about mics, consoles, acoustics, musical styles, outboard gear. They don't need to include "building and maintaining windows pcs" in their skill set on top of everything they're already responsible for.

I made the switch recently, and I finally get what mac users are talking about.
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All the best studios do not use Macs. Where did you ever get that? Ahhhh, you must have read a lot of MAC advertising. That's gospel, right?

Sonar for Windows has an enormous who's who list of professionals using it, as does Ableton Live.
 
So much FUD here.

Anyone who claims to spend too much time keeping their Windows machine running is either a liar or a complete moron.

Use what works best for you, but stop fucking lying. This isn't a switch ad.
 
My PC is Badass

I really can't say much about how reliable or stable a Mac is because I've never owned one. But I had my PC custom built by PCAUDIOLABS about a year ago, and I've never had a problem with stability or reliability and have never had to reboot it. I've never had to do anything to it, it works like a dream, and I record and mix ect.. pretty much. I think if you use good parts and have it built by somebody who knows what they're doing "stability and reliability" isn't going to be a problem at all with a PC.

I'm not trying to bad mouth Mac computers, to me it's like the Ford-Chevy thing, it's just silly.

ps- If you go to the store and buy one it is "New" or at least I hope it would be.
 
My PC is Badass

I really can't say much about how reliable or stable a Mac is because I've never owned one. But I had my PC custom built by PCAUDIOLABS about a year ago, and I've never had a problem with stability or reliability and have never had to reboot it. I've never had to do anything to it, it works like a dream, and I record and mix ect.. pretty much. I think if you use good parts and have it built by somebody who knows what they're doing "stability and reliability" isn't going to be a problem at all with a PC.

I'm not trying to bad mouth Mac computers, to me it's like the Ford-Chevy thing, it's just silly.
 
My PC is Badass

I really can't say much about how reliable or stable a Mac is because I've never owned one. But I had my PC custom built by PCAUDIOLABS about a year ago, and I've never had a problem with stability or reliability and have never had to reboot it. I've never had to do anything to it, it works like a dream, and I record and mix ect.. pretty much. I think if you use good parts and have it built by somebody who knows what they're doing "stability and reliability" isn't going to be a problem at all with a PC.

I'm not trying to bad mouth Mac computers, to me it's like the Ford-Chevy thing, it's just silly.
 
Toddskins said:
All the best studios do not use Macs. Where did you ever get that? Ahhhh, you must have read a lot of MAC advertising. That's gospel, right?

Sonar for Windows has an enormous who's who list of professionals using it, as does Ableton Live.
Click to expand...

Out of all the major commercial studios in the world - I'm talking serious studios tracking major label stuff - probably upwards of 95% are running pro tools on a mac, a handful may run logic, and a minute percentage being people running cubase/nuendo on mac/pc, PT on pc, or sonar.

I'm not hacking on anyone's machines or software here... I used sonar for years and LOVED it! Now I'm on protools, which really is quite similar in most respects. The only difference being that HD is just too powerful to consider using anything else. It's true, native is creeping up behind, but its just not there yet.

As far as my comments about pc reliability in the studio, this is what I've heard from countless serious engineers that do this for (a very good) living! I happen to be a serious computer guy as well as an audio guy, so I've been fine with pc, but the fact is a lot of engineers aren't, and don't want to be!
 
Dax Productions said:
Out of all the major commercial studios in the world - I'm talking serious studios tracking major label stuff - probably upwards of 95% are running pro tools on a mac, a handful may run logic, and a minute percentage being people running cubase/nuendo on mac/pc, PT on pc, or sonar.

I'm not hacking on anyone's machines or software here... I used sonar for years and LOVED it! Now I'm on protools, which really is quite similar in most respects. The only difference being that HD is just too powerful to consider using anything else. It's true, native is creeping up behind, but its just not there yet.

As far as my comments about pc reliability in the studio, this is what I've heard from countless serious engineers that do this for (a very good) living! I happen to be a serious computer guy as well as an audio guy, so I've been fine with pc, but the fact is a lot of engineers aren't, and don't want to be!
Click to expand...

PC Reliability can be fine as long as the setup is good in the first place and heavily locked down.

This is a PC based film colour grading system we use in my place of work:
http://www.filmlight.ltd.uk/products/baselight

It runs on a modified version of Red Hat Linux.
It's all high-end PC hardware - not an Apple logo in sight.

Trust me when I say it has to be stable 100% of the time and that the things it does are hundreds of times more complex and machine-intensive than what is asked of a DAW.

Another example is the Autodesk Flame - a special effects box i was working on a few months ago.

Here are the specs:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7131498

The OS is again, a modified Red Hat Linux.

No Apple logos here either.
 
Codmate said:
PC Reliability can be fine as long as the setup is good in the first place and heavily locked down.

This is a PC based film colour grading system we use in my place of work:
http://www.filmlight.ltd.uk/products/baselight

It runs on a modified version of Red Hat Linux.
It's all high-end PC hardware - not an Apple logo in sight.

Trust me when I say it has to be stable 100% of the time and that the things it does are hundreds of times more complex and machine-intensive than what is asked of a DAW.

Another example is the Autodesk Flame - a special effects box i was working on a few months ago.

Here are the specs:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7131498

The OS is again, a modified Red Hat Linux.

No Apple logos here either.
Click to expand...

Yes, and that's great! I'm not denying anyone that a PC can run amazing - with some work! All I'm putting forth is what is running in most major commercial studios, and therefore, what you need to be able to work with if you want to have a career in one of them! Mac + Pro Tools.
 
"ps- If you go to the store and buy one it is "New" or at least I hope it would be."


In any case, a g5 wouldn't cost $2500. It's a few generations old at this point. An 8 core intel mac pro starts around $2800.
 
not silly

ccouch7 said:
I really can't say much about how reliable or stable a Mac is because I've never owned one. But I had my PC custom built by PCAUDIOLABS about a year ago, and I've never had a problem with stability or reliability and have never had to reboot it. I've never had to do anything to it, it works like a dream, and I record and mix ect.. pretty much. I think if you use good parts and have it built by somebody who knows what they're doing "stability and reliability" isn't going to be a problem at all with a PC.

I'm not trying to bad mouth Mac computers, to me it's like the Ford-Chevy thing, it's just silly.
Click to expand...



Oh, definitely Ford!
 
IMO comparing a PC to MAC is more like comparing a Chevy to BMW.
the PC is for the garage mechanic type- you can have the stock family station wagon, or the fuel burning dragster- what you want is up to you, there is a million of hopups, along with the millions of headaches.
The MAC is for the non mechanic type- you have a luxury machine right there-
the least hopups, the least headaches, a dash of arrogance with owning one.

what you want is up to you- I have used both and prefer PCs- I just like the wrenching factor ;)
 
drumzzzzz said:
a dash of arrogance with owning one.
Click to expand...

Just a dash?!?

I still have the right to be arrogant just because I used to own a PowerBook. It's a Mac user entitlement to be arrogant. Not just a dash, but VERY arrogant, darnit! :p

I switched :rolleyes: back to PC because owning and using a Mac made me realize that Mac OS has as many problems and annoyances as Windows. They're nice, but they're not any better. :cool:
 
I was turned down by a client not long ago for not "using a Mac to record".
He didn't care what the PC was. He said he knows "PCs can't record music as well."

I had no idea MAC/PC was still an issue. Afterall, PCs and MACs practically use practically the same hardware, and the OS is just a flavor.
And AFAIK the same audio hardware and software can be used on either for the most part.
 
I bought a powerbook G4 about 2 years ago and a week later they changed to Intel,Typical lol.

Since then my mac has had a host of problems from broken slot disc drives to battery and software problems.

Ive recently bought a top spec pc for alittle more than half of what I paid from the mac which is completely useless to me now.

I definetly think you get alot more bang for buck with pc and they are easier in my opinon to upgrade :ie: ram,HD etc and to get them fixed if there are problems.

Mac is basically the designer pc in my eyes and out date very fast in comparison to pc.

But like everything else its all in how you takecare of the product.

But PC is better :p
 
Niall Maxwell said:
I definetly think you get alot more bang for buck with pc and they are easier in my opinon to upgrade :ie: ram,HD etc and to get them fixed if there are problems.
Click to expand...

The upgradability thing is complete BS. Macs use the same RAM, hard drives, and optical drives as PCs. I don't recall the late G4 PowerBooks, but in the current MacBooks, it takes less than a minute to replace the RAM and/or hard drive. (MacBook Pro is easy to upgrade RAM, but the HD is not quite as easy.) Heck, in the desktops (at least the Mini and the Tower), the CPU is socketed and replaceable just like a PC, so you can even upgrade that if you want to do so.

As for difficulty of getting repairs, there's some truth to that if you aren't in a city (there are authorized Apple service centers in most major cities), but you can always call AppleCare and do a mail-in repair, at least for laptops. No idea how that works for desktops as I've never needed to repair one except in cities where AppleCare provides on-site service.... :)

My advice: buy an AppleCare protection plan. Always. It usually pays for itself in a single repair.
 
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