www.loopzorbital.com

Potential to start a long debate with this one perhaps!!!

Seriously tho - FINALLY managed to save enough cash for a decent computer to plug me analogue bits into and was all set to buy a posh G5 Mac (I like what I've seen of Logic) but then Future Music goes and seriously disses the powerbook as underpowered for musicians!

So where do all the varied musos and remixers stand on this one? Any advice very gratefully received!!!

I'm not a music-maker, but I am a Mac user...
The G5 processors are only available on desktop systems, the Powerbooks are still G4s.

If you want Logic, go for Macs. Although if someone tells you PCs are useless, they're a moron. I have absolutely no trouble on XP at all, just a Mac is a little more versatile at times and has newer versions of Logic.

I've been making music with a PC for over 8 years now, the odd major glitch but never any real worries.

And I dont like Macs one liddle bit!

If you're set on using Logic, you won't have any choice but to use a Mac. Other than that, it really makes no difference which machine you choose. I've been using PCs for audio/midi apps for a long time with no troubles to speak of. So... choose which application suits you and then choose you machine based on that. Best of luck in your quest.

bentley wrote:If you're set on using Logic, you won't have any choice but to use a Mac.

I've been using Logic 5 on the PC for a couple of years and have had absolutely no trouble doing anything I wanted to do.

purlieu wrote:

bentley wrote:If you're set on using Logic, you won't have any choice but to use a Mac.

I've been using Logic 5 on the PC for a couple of years and have had absolutely no trouble doing anything I wanted to do.

Yes, I'm aware that Logic used to be available for PC until Apple bought them out. For someone just getting into this game buying the "latest and greatest" version of Logic would require using a Mac as development for the PC platform is discontinued. I still use Logic 5 as well on my PC with no problems. My point was, choosing what you want to work with will determine which platform you need.

Thanks for the help guys.
What I really want to get to the root of is the massive discrepancy between the specs of the top of the range in each class.
Most high end PCs these days seem to have huge processor speed and Ram etc compared to a top G5 tower to accomplish similar tasks yet the Apples are twice the price.

What gives?

Is the Mac OS more efficient with its memory? As Apple sell the G5s as the top of the range music and video editing suites why don't they have 3Ghz processors or tons or ram like the PCs? Don't they need it? Explain somebody please!!!!!

My PC setup here uses Propellerheads Reason 3, Rebirth 2, Ableton Live Sequencer 5, Sony Soundforge 8 and Adobe Audition 1.5. I also use a couple of other little tools as well as a massive refill/sample library too.

Cubase is OK but really you need a shedload of VST instruments or a rack full of gear, as you pretty much do with Logic. I just find that having all the synths or samples of them all is so much easier and cheaper than a rack full of gear. Reason only cost me £300... How much is a Supernova II these days?

Use my PC for music - current set up is Reason 3, Cubase, Moog Modular, Absynth, Wavelab and Soundforge.

Never had any problems yet - but never used a Mac so have no frame of reference to compare the two....

I use my PC to do music too.
Never even sat infront of a Mac

I too use Reason 3, Cubase (which I only really use for mastering and EQing), Recycle and Wavelab. I have a P4 3GHz processor, 1024Meg of Ram and I have a Soundblaster Audigy soundcard too.

I dont have any problems with this setup really.
The odd glitch sometimes when I am messing around with Reason and I am online surfing too (who said men couldn't multitask??).

But like Shady said, I have no basis for comparison.

JIMBO wrote:Thanks for the help guys.
What I really want to get to the root of is the massive discrepancy between the specs of the top of the range in each class.

You can't compare the two based on processor speed. The G5 towers are absolute monster machines with dual 64-bit processors, you can be absolutely certain that they would be able to handle anything you can throw at them. They are quite expensive, however.

One thing to note is that Apple is notorious for selling systems with less RAM than you actually need, but it is cheap enough and easy enough to add more afterwards.

If you're interested in Macs, I remember reading that Apple have recently opened a new store in Birmingham. If it's anything like the one here they even run workshops and short training programmes you can attend to see what it's all about.

Hmmm choices, choices.

Yeah Stargurl I will pop in to the Apple store and see what the deal is. They'll just want to flog me a Mac of course!

Cheers for the info Dog. I would really like to go more analogue than PC if possible for more hands-on knob twiddling/keyboard fingerin', but as you say buying 303's and Jupiters is NOT cheap!!!

Did you once mention having the X-station as a controller? Is it any good?

As I've got a bit of analogue gear I just want to have some device to record onto and move things about. I just forget stuff otherwise!

What does anyone think to FLStudio?

Bolly wrote:What does anyone think to FLStudio?

no comment