PC or MAC???

  • Thread starter Thread starter skaman
  • Start date Start date
S

skaman

New member
I am buying new computer for my home studio.

I am considering two options! The first is eMAC with monitor 1,25 Ghz, 512 MB-RAM, 80 Gb disk! Second is PC Pentium4,3Ghz 1 Mb L2 chache, 1 GB-RAM and 120 GB disk with 8 Mb chache. The prices of both machnines are comperable!

What do you suggest? :confused:
 
I suggest you do a search on here and Harmony Central, because it's the most covered topic on the planet.
 
PC all the way, you'll get much more for the money. The mac will "look" better though ;)
 
Just for the record,

Nobody can say

"Windows is the best, it's so much better than Mac. Mac is junk."

"OSX is superior, Windoze is unstable crap"

without sounding like an uneducated dumbass. Seriously, if someone honestly thinks one is so much better than the other, than they obviously haven't spent enough time with one or the other to form an educated opinion about reliability, efficiency, etc. They just haven't.
 
i'd say go with the PC. not because it's better, but because you'll have more options with it including upgrading. the Emac is similar to the old IMacs. They're mainly for home use and not for audio recording...in my opinion. Installing another harddrive or more RAM or anything else that you want will either be incredibly hard to do or impossible. What software are you planning to use?
 
Had both..stayed with Mac

I also pondered your question about 2 years ago. I started with Windows because I was more familiar with Windows from using one at work. I ran Cakewalk. It did work and there is alot more software for Windows you will find however it wasn't uncommon to experience problems with plug ins and mastering.....I don't know why...maybe it was me.
A friend recommended Mac and since then I've never looked back. I have a Powerbook G4 and love it. I also like MOTU DP and you can't even run that on Windows. I can't give you a technical reason but I guarantee you ..if you try a Mac you won't look back.
 
The general arguement for each is:
PC: Access to more programs, plugin's, ect...
Mac's: Superior stability

Polaris gave you the best advice. Search on it. You will get much more info than you can get from this thread.
 
THe mac has technology that the PC is TRYING to catch up to. I own both and both of my systems are high quality but for me I love the mac.
 
I have never personally recorded on a MAC I have recorded on PC. I have heard recordings on MAC's versus PC's. The difference in sounds has so many variables to consider. If your a PRO engineer you may be able to hear subtle differences. I use a PC at home. I have demo's I can email if anyone wants to here. I recorded my last Album on a PC too. www.jamesrogersband.com

PC vs MAC?

Unless your a $$ PRO engineer you should go with the most affordable and not worry about the image of what kinda gear you have, the bottom line at the end of the day is what your recording's sound like. Heck I would assume the Beatles would have LOVED to have the chance to record with the cheap set-ups most people have now, back in the 60's.
 
Find your budget. Choose your software. Then pick the corresponding platform. Mix well and serve. It's really not that hard to pick.

What looks nicer? What do you like using better?

Sweet Jesus go to the Mac store and play with one for an hour. They'll let you.
 
I actually disagree with Jimmie in that it all matters what you want it to sound like. Neither PC nor Mac will make your sound better. They are all just programs that hold your audio programs. What IS going to make it sound better are your audio cards, editing program, plugins, and YOU. Not the computer.
Mac's OS is generally considered more stable than Windows which is why a lot of people like it (no Blue screen of death). At the same time, Windows is generally more user friendly and more programs are written for it. But what I think the biggest reason for going to PC is, is because of the more options you get. PCs are farely easy to build on your own so you can have it exactly the way you want it. And the thing with Mac's is that they tend to create an updated OS every few months. I'm betting we see an OS11 or G6 here next year. This creates a problem because everyone runs to create a new update of their software for it just to stay current for the new users. And every consumer wants to go out and buy the new G6 because "it is more stable than ever before."
That being said, your question was which computer that you have listed will be better for you. I still stick with the PC decision. Because it will give you more upgradable options...and the eMac wasn't really created with the audio workstation user in mind. :cool:
 
I usually try to shy away from the ole Mac vs. PC debate...but the best case for me was to go with both! Call it a 'hybrid home studio' if you will.

There's advantages with both (as everybody has been saying). As I'm writing, it's on my Mac. I don't dare go on the internet with my PC these days! lol :P

But ---> I do use both systems for pro audio. The mac is more stable, there's no doubt about it. As far as sound goes though, I personally cannot tell a difference. In all fairness, my preferred software is Sonar and Sound Forge with the PC....cakewalk has come a long way from a few years ago.

Remember, you can build a really really powerful PC for pennies compared to what you'd be spending on a high end Mac....plus building your own PC is fun (in my opinion)

My mac is more user friendly and I've never really had to worry about a virus, you just don't find that kind of thing on Mac OS the way it is with PC's but it all goes back to the whole 'supply and demand' thing.

I just think it's important to be skilled on both platforms these days, it'll teach you so much patience. :P

by the way: I've seen plenty of people using Emacs and older Imac DV's for pro audio, they work great! The only problem is that you have to use a firewire interface (no PCI slots)forget about recording via USB. the Emacs are espescially nice (and cheap!) RAM upgrade is easy and firewire hard drives work fine....but that's just my opinion.

hey, if Trent Reznor can record "Pretty Hate Machine" in a hotel room with cheap mics, drum machines and a 4 track then you should be ok with whatever platform you use

good luck!

Adam
 
Thanks everybody!!!

I thank you for your answers. I choose PC option, couse I found out, that eMac doesnt even have pci slots.

Special thanks for jimmi and his wonderfull free mp3s.

Everybody have a great recording time!

Niko
 
Both can rule

Both PC's and Macs are great for Audio production. It is true that PC's need a little more tweaking than macs to get the same sort of stability out of them, probably because MS are trying to appease office users more so (out of the box) than engineers. It is MS's hope that engineers are likely to be a little more savvy and able to tweak there OS a lot easier that a pen pusher would be. There are about 16 crucial tweaks that make the windows (XP) OS a lot more stable than it was at first boot. These include adjusting the performance settings in the 'system>advanced' tab regarding performance over appearance and virtual memory (becoming redundant). Registry edits (regedit) also and msconfig etc... Go to www.musicxp.net if you want to know how to hotrod your system yourself. There is a tuning tips link on the right hand side that rules. The fact macintosh bought out emagic proves (to me) just how much they realise the windows potential for audio production.

the bonus of PC recording (if you care for this sort of stuff) would be your likely to learn more about the technology you are using than if you were on a mac as they are more open to ugrades etc...

Either way, don't get lost in the platform, get lost in the playing and production!
 
I actually have been bidding on a couple Macs on EvilBay the last few days, because I'd like to experiment with networking them together with Linux and Windows, and make them all talk nicely together.

I also think that OSX is a beautiful operating system.

I also think that Steve Jobs is an assclown for not letting people build their own Power Macs and install his OS.

This is why I have a really hard time getting serious about Macs. Because I want to tweak, tinker, take apart, upgrade, get shocked, scar up my knuckles, swear, and bitch about all the machines I own :D
 
What kind of music?

skaman said:
I am buying new computer for my home studio.

I am considering two options! The first is eMAC with monitor 1,25 Ghz, 512 MB-RAM, 80 Gb disk! Second is PC Pentium4,3Ghz 1 Mb L2 chache, 1 GB-RAM and 120 GB disk with 8 Mb chache. The prices of both machnines are comperable!

What do you suggest? :confused:
Click to expand...

If you're going to purchase some sort of music production program like reason or acid pro and maybe even a popular workstation like cubase or sonar to lay vocal tracks and a few live instruments, then no matter what always get a mac. Cubase and Sonar are closer to video games than audio production software. PC's are mass produced and if your gonna get one your better off building it yourself. I would recomend a power mac ( I have 2 ) so I'm biased, and with the new OSX.3 and soon a newer OS everything is getting better. More expensive, yeah, but better than having you computer crash and you've forgoton to back up your files.

Just my humble opinion
RCX
 
RCX said:
If you're going to purchase some sort of music production program like reason or acid pro and maybe even a popular workstation like cubase or sonar to lay vocal tracks and a few live instruments, then no matter what always get a mac.
Click to expand...

It's going to be pretty tough to get Sonar or Acid to run on a Mac, don't you think?
 
Cubase and Sonar are closer to video games than audio production software.
Click to expand...
I know it! I was deathmatching on Sonar last night with Polaris20 and I was just constantly fragging his ass with teh rocket launcher. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that his sound card is teh suck and was only giving him something like 20tps (tracks per second).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top