PCs vs MAC

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Ganu

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I am buliding a computer based system from scratch. I used to use a Tascam 64X 4 track
tape/mixer. Sould I start with a MAC or something completely different? I would like
to record analog and midi as well as burn
CDs and interface with the internet.
 
You'll have to narrow your question a tad as either platform will do all of the above quite well.
Personally I like PCs.
But that's not what you asked.
 
Ok....I've been looking into G4 and G3 on the
MAC side...are they faster and better then
PCs at Audo & Video? I've been using PCs
Games and such...but are MACs faster in
general ,,,buss speeds to the hard drive.
I am willing to learn new tricks if the MACs
are faster and better.
 
you ask a tough question , because usually people are biased torwards one or the other , so non jaded answers are tough to come by.. i have never used a mac , but i do know that software and hardware is more plentiful for the pc platform , not to mention the pc is easily upgradeable , where as the mac isnt..

GO PC DOWN WITH MAC !!! :D

- eddie -
 
I agree with Eddie N - upgradability is a big plus for the PC option, and if you've been using PC's for a while, it's going to be much easier to get everything going.

Mind you, if you've got lots of $$$ (and it's something I haven't seen mentioned on this BBS), why not go the whole hog and get either a Silicon Graphics or Alpha system - they'll be all over the PC and the Mac for speed. Both will run NT (although they use a special version of NT).

Yeah, I wish ...

[This message has been edited by gaffa (edited 03-05-2000).]
 
A year ago I switched my platform from MAC to PC. I haven't regretted it. PC's are now just as easy, if not easier, to use as the MAC. There's a lot more choices in hardware and software titles. Not to mention the much lower prices.

Goodbye MAC.
 
hey folks,

with the new g4 towers, mac's use the same ide hard drives and the same sdram that pc's use. so as for upgradabilty, mac's are as easy as pc's and for the same $. (you gotta see the inside of a g4 tower to really appreciate it! VERY COOL! upgrade heaven :-) they also now use the same monitor connections. you also get the benefit of having both usb AND firewire and rock solid built in ethernet. it's obvious apple is trying to hone in on the pc market by making the g4 towers more pc compatible. i've owned a pc daw (pII, 300mb ram, fast ide hd's) and now own a mac g4 daw running digi 001 and the mac is faster and more solid/trouble free than my pc daw hands down! BUT, your hardware and software options for a pc are much more plentiful and cheap on the pc side. the myth about mac's being 'easier' to use is completely bogus. windoze is every bit as intuitive as the mac os in most cases, and arguably easier to troubleshoot. if you're already familiar with pc/windoze, i'd stick with it. while the mac g4's are faster and more bang for the buck, i don't think the difference is noticable enough to outweigh all your choices in hardware and software. mebbe the market will be different a year from now. but for now your choices are defintely limited using a mac :-( all this being said from a devout mac guy :-) hope this helps.

tony
 
If you want an Audio dedicated computer, I would go with a Mac.

I personaly use a PC and find it quite capable but..
I have yet to hear/see a unhappy Mac user, but have heard of PC users almost taking a gun to then heads.

I tend to feel that each PC has got a soul of it's own and some will kick ass while some will kick your ass or worse your balls.

A friend of mine who works for Digidesign in Eroupe tells me that when sombody with a Mac wants to install an Audio card, He clamly tells him "go home and do it yourself" but when a Pc user comes along for a AMIII or WILL come for the 001 PC version, He suggets that He does it for them.

By the way Tony, Are you happy with the preamps on the 001 ?


[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 03-08-2000).]
 
hey shailat,

for the money, they're ok. i'd say they sound about as good as the pre's on my little mackie 1202vlz mixer. i prefer to use a dedicated pre. even the little art tube mp is a huge improvement over the mackie or digi 001 pre's. (fwiw, the mics i've been using are a rode nt2, oktava small diaghragm condensers, senn md241, and sm 57's) i do wish they also had trs inputs on channels 1 and 2 to bypass the pre's, but... for the money, the 001 can't be beat! oh, and you're exactly right! the install of the 001 into my g4 was closer to plug'n'play than any pc/windoze periphial i've ever installed! my main complaint with the mac os lies in the 'extensions manager'. way too cryptic when troubleshooting, which isn't often. windoze is much more intuitive in this area. tho' you do have to do alot more problem solving with it :-) i use pc/windoze all day at work in my lab and the mac at home. all in all, the mac is a much better machine! now if the audio market would just catch up!

tony
 
I use both. If you want to go budget, go PC. If you are at a intermediate or pro level, and have the budget to match, go Mac.

Ultimately, if the material being recorded is good, it doesn't really matter.
 
One thing that I've noticed about PC's, is that they do a lot of things. But very rarely do they do any one thing very well. Another thing is that PC's are filled with mix 'n match parts which cause errors, etc... And if they aren't mix 'n match, then they are proprietary like the peice of dung Compaq I'm using now. Very good price, but they only want compaq stuff in it so I get less upgrade opportunities. Now the Mac's, on the other side have a pretty good monopoly over their systems which helps them run a lot closer to perfect. I'm interested in purchasing a Mac G4/400mhz computer, and the Digi 001. does anyone know a good online dealer that I can order from? I'm looking to spend around $3000
 
One thing that I've noticed about PC's, is that they do a lot of things. But very rarely do they do any one thing very well. Another thing is that PC's are filled with mix 'n match parts which cause errors, etc... And if they aren't mix 'n match, then they are proprietary like the peice of dung Compaq I'm using now. Very good price, but they only want compaq stuff in it so I get less upgrade opportunities. Now the Mac's, on the other side have a pretty good monopoly over their systems which helps them run a lot closer to perfect. I'm interested in purchasing a Mac G4/400mhz computer, and the Digi 001. does anyone know a good online dealer that I can order from? I'm looking to spend around $3000
 
Mix and match is the way to go, it's a good thing. It's only recently that Macs can even partially do this - talk about proprietary. Trying to Mac Mix and match
- will cost you 400% more. They may have a monopoly, but I don't quite see how quality or perfection fits into this one.
 
I've been in the computer business for 17 years and the MAC vs. PC debate has raged for as long as they've both been available. It's a debate that never seems to be won by either side. They both have their advantages and disavantages.
As much as I hate to get involved in this topic, I'm just sittin' here waiting for Terminal Server to install, so I'll add my observations.
Here where I work, we have about 6000 PCs and about 150 MACs. I deal with BOTH systems on a DAILY basis. My personal preference in systems is the PC because of the wide availabilty of hardware and software, I like choice. But, the MACs are HANDS DOWN better systems. They're far more stable than the PCs. Partly because of the proprietary design. If MS only had to support a handful of options, then Windoze would probably be stable as well. Apple has chosen to control what gets connected to their systems in order to provide superior stability and supportabilty. It works, we have very few problems with the MACs. I've NEVER had to reinstall the OS on one.
But, with that being said, I still prefer to have choices. So, Ganu, figure out what's more important to you and go with it....
 
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