Which mac?

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gvillecorp8073

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Hey guys. I am new to home recording, and am going to start my setup by getting a new computer for recording. Here are my options:
Mac Mini
g4 Imac

I know, not very broad choices, but I need to save money for a nice mixer and other things. So, which would be my best option? Thanks guys.
 
just wondering if the mac mini has firewire ports.

if it doesn't you may want to go with something else. you need some sort of hookup for a soundcard other than usb. the imac would probably work ok for you.
 
minofifa said:
just wondering if the mac mini has firewire ports.

if it doesn't you may want to go with something else. you need some sort of hookup for a soundcard other than usb. the imac would probably work ok for you.
Click to expand...
yes, it has a firewire port.
 
Also, what soundcard would you reccomend? I was just thinking of getting a Tascam US-122.....a lot of people seem to like theirs.
 
Choosing a Mac for recording is the same as choosing a PC:

Get the biggest, fastest sucker you can afford, max out the memory and all the hard drive space you can get....
 
Lol, that's what I plan on doing. I am getting a mac mini, and in a couple weeks, the tascam us-122. My band mates got the mixer and everything, so we should be set for a little recording studio. Pretty excited, especially to get my mac, which I am ordering here in a few minutes :D .
 
Id have to say the imacG4 - these are good machines, ive used them quite a lot as a song writing tool. i personally use a imacG5 which is great but the G4 is stilll good compared. I have seen and read bad things about the mini mac. And in one test, by the time the guy had set it all up how it would be working best, it cost a bomb considering its power. Id re-think.
 
Hmm....ok, thanks. I am looking at the Imac g4's on ebay, there are some refurbished ones for 800. Of course other used ones going for 700 or so.....I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled. I would be paying that much anyways for a mac mini.....so I might as well one of these Imacs.
 
Remember that Mac Minis dont have PCI slots so you will only be able to use USB and Firewire. It all depends on how much your going to be moving around, the mac mini is the ultimate in portabillity and the imac isnt as much. (though it still quite easy to move around). Theyre more or less the same in power, if i was you, id get on eBay and check out some upgraded ones! See if you can get yourself a deal :)

Good luck!
 
I checked out the refurbished macs from apple on apple.com.....and found an ibook g4 for 799......thinking of just upgrading the ram, getting a tascam us-122, and hooking my mixer in. Let me know what you guys think....
 
If you can get it go for it! Refurbished would be even bette because you have a 1 year warranty with that with the option of getting Apple care. The G4 iBook is very nice, i say go for it :)
 
An iBook's a great choice because you can get a small 12" for portability, but then have the option of hooking up a big ass monitor for home use. It's a Mac Mini w/ a screen!
 
There are two iBooks. One with a 1.2ghz processor, 256mb of ram, 30gb harddrive, and just a cd drive. The other is the same, but has a 1Ghz processor, and a combo drive. I was thinking the combo drive would be better to get, because the processor is not THAT much slower, although i would rather have a 1.2Ghz processor. Also, I am planning on getting an extra 512mb of ram within a month of purchasing this. Please let me know, because I am about to order in about 30 minutes!!! :D :D :D
 
Well why dont you get the 1.2ghz and buy an external DVD drive? That way you can have both ;)

Whichever you choose, youve done the right decision!!! :D
 
Ohhhhhhhhh.........i just found a brand new ibook, all the things i want, for 850.......i think i shall get it....lol, thanks so much man.
 
TimOBrien said:
Get the biggest, fastest sucker you can afford, max out the memory and all the hard drive space you can get....
Click to expand...

If you get the fastest computer from a year ago you'll have plenty of power for recording and money left over for things that will hold their value and have a long life like microphones. Definitely put all the RAM in you can.
 
Oh no.......lol, im full of problems arent I? I just read that the new iBooks will be released in April? Not that I can afford one when they do come out, but I can't help but wonder if they will be so much better it will make me sick? Or should I not worry, and just get this recording studio up and going?
 
Don't worry about it. I use a 750MHz Duron PC with 1 MB and 30GB and 120 GB hard drives. I've got way less than $1000 in it and it works great. If I needed more power I could put a new motherboard in for about $200.
 
Also, about my above post, I assume the only thing different would be the G5 processor, and looks anyways wouldnt it? The rest I could get on the iBook I am ordering wouldn't you assume?
 
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