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macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:23 pm
by Lazure
im thinking about picking up a mac for my music production but im scared it wont beable to process like my pc lol is the macbook pro capable of like handleing 20 midi tracks plugins and such or will it just lag the fuckkout?? i dunoo whats the best macbook for music production?!?! ty dsf mcuh love

Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:52 pm
by futures_untold
Macs can handle anything a PC can handle. Much depends on the hardware inside.
But if you're thinking of dropping over a grand on a Mac, why not do a little research and get yourself a better specced PC for the same price?
I'd like to see a Mac running an i7 with a RAID array plus a separate hd for the OS etc. And with a PC, you get more than two usb ports lol.
Going the self-build route, you could even build a Hacintosh if you insist on using the Mac os. Mac os features like the docker and Expose can be installed on a Windows PC too, so you won't actually be missing anything. Finally, if you want to use some of the great freeware out there, forget buying a Mac.
Macs are for gays. Build yourself a monster PC and chuck Windows 7 on it.
You won't regret it.
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:58 pm
by Lazure
ts what i have now lol i have always been pc but im required to get a mac for audio school which is why i began this post lol
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:58 pm
by stompzi
futures_untold wrote:I'd like to see a Mac running an i7
That's easy enough, just look at a Mac Pro - they use the Nehalem-based Xeon's, which is the same core as the i7 but targeted at the workstation/server market rather than consumers.
futures_untold wrote:and chuck Windows 7 on it.
You won't regret it.
I regretted it.
And no, I have never owned a Mac.

Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:59 pm
by nitz
Lazure wrote:ts what i have now lol i have always been pc but im required to get a mac for audio school which is why i began this post lol
is that compulsory?
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:07 pm
by futures_untold
Say whaa!??
What is there to regret from using Win 7??
How much would a Xeon based MBP cost? Would it have multiple terrabytes of HD space? would it cost less than a grand?
Stick to PC's I say.
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:20 pm
by stompzi
No, it wouldn't cost less than a grand, but then nor would the equivalent PC unless you cheaped out on some of the components.
And I found much to regret from Windows 7, to the point where I'm now running Reaper in Wine just to avoid the clusterfuck that is Microsoft. I really, really wanted to like Windows 7, but it still has all the problems MS operating systems always had, just with a sugar coating on it. :/ But, I digress.
@OP It obviously depends on the plugins etc. you use - what spec is your current PC and what Mac are you considering getting? Would probably help people give you a rough idea of what to expect.
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:37 pm
by futures_untold
I must admit, my posts here aren't very constructive. I just don't like Macs, mostly because of the way the OS works but also because of the perception amongst many people I meet is that one 'has to use a Mac' for creative tasks. The high prices don't endear me either, but as you point out, a top spec PC will cost a bit too.
Out of interest, what do you mean by 'clusterfuck'? Are you refering to multicore thread handling or something?
Patrick

Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:50 pm
by stompzi
Yeah I didn't mean to imply the opposite side and make out Mac's were the best thing since sliced bread either, I think a lot of my issue with Windows is similar to your view on Mac - it's probably just not for me. I definitely don't agree that everyone has to use a mac for creative stuff, that's just the result of some pretty aggressive Apple marketing I guess.
As for why my experience with Windows 7 has been painful... it's more lots of little things constantly thrown at me than massive issues. The biggest deal for me is that Microsoft still haven't shaken this idea that they can dictate what I do with my machine - they flat out lie about their reasons for not supporting > 4gb ram on 32-bit, they don't allow me to choose what drivers I run on my machine (I have to run in test mode and self sign a bunch of stuff because of their 'certification' process, which I suspect they're also lying about their motives for but I won't say that for certain, since it's not completely clear cut like the RAM issue), there are still gaping security holes that everyone knows about, yet they'll keep smiling happy rainbows and telling everyone that this version of Windows really IS the most secure yet! I just don't like them as a company, and probably never will after all the shit they've pulled.

I'm not one of the die-hard free software advocates, but I empathise with their cause enough to dislike how Microsoft royally takes the piss out of those guys, too.
There's still tools missing from the base os, I still need to buy a load of extra stuff to get a complete development environment, I still need to pay Microsoft Press or whoever for the books on their latest technology that they'll obsolete in a few years, I still have to put up with substandard components they won't drop (oh why god why do we still use NTFS, my sample drive hates me so much).
Man, I am shitting on this thread with the MS hate. I have a headache and someone provoked me into complaining, sorry thread.
On the plus side, they did make some much needed UI improvements in Windows 7, and it does seem much more stable than XP/2000 to me. I haven't had any issue with Multi-Core stuff except with certain badly behaved apps, but I don't know a hell of a lot about that stuff. Concurrency hurts my brain.
Perhaps the OP's school uses Logic and that's why he needs a Mac?
EDIT: Oh I'll pre-empt the obvious "I don't care about any of this stuff I just want to turn my computer on and it works" - so do I, that's the point

Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:22 pm
by futures_untold
True, neither Microsoft or Apple are saints when it comes to it.
I just hate Apple more!

Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:33 pm
by collige
Macbook Pros kick ass and are not outrageously overpriced for their specs. Go for it.
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:38 pm
by Lazure
errmmm.. guys im just going to get a macbook pro.. thanks guys

ill still always have my pc
Re: macbok for production?
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 5:13 pm
by setspeed
been running a 2007 white macbook (not pro) for nearly 3 years now. it's a core2 duo with logic 8, and I can still get up to about 65 channels going without having to bounce anything. but then i don't use any of these massively CPU intensive plugins, although most logic native shit is so good you don't really have to
it's been great, totally recommend it
