Author Topic: Mac user help please (Read 5991 times)

Dakine · « **on:** August 24, 2006, 02:15:47 PM »

OK, pretty skint but wanna be able to record from my amps.
My mum's PC is too slow/old.
My new laptop is in Texas.
Been looking on Evilbay and Mac G4's seem CHEAP!

What kinda of system (minimum) can I get away with for this task?

I have looked at usb/firewire interfaces (like a Firewire Solo) but would a card (like an audiophile 2496 soundcard) be better.

Example, a Powermac G4 400Mhz, 512 Mb ram, CDRW, Iomega Zip 100, ATI Rage Pro 128, 10Gb HD, Apple Keyboard and OS 10.3.

Any good (enough)?

or this?
Apple G4 466mhz desktop machine with approx 750mb ram and 30gb hard drive

Tower:
Although this is getting quite old it is still a fast machine and can handle photoshop CS etc with large 200-300mb plus files with ease. I'm running it on OSX panther. It has a CD-RW and comes with various software if required. It has been well looked after and has no marks on it.

Monitor:
This is a great quality Apple Studio 17" CRT monitor and still looks unusual and quite stunning with its transparent casing that shows the workings inside etc. It has very good colour, contrast etc and is still sharper than any LCD TFT screen.

Speakers:
Apple Pro Speakers with harmon kardon components that look and sound fantastic for something not much bigger than a tennis ball. Great deep bass and tone :)

Or PLEASE tell me the specs I need to be looking at as am TOTAL Mac newbie.

Thanks,
Nick

Kilby · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2006, 02:45:53 PM »

Although I am not a great fan of Apple products (an understatement) I would say the following.

Apple tend to abandon their older products like no other company on earth, with the switch to intel based macs the G4 platform support will vanish, and be left with a deadend system very quickly.

If money would permit I would suggest looking at a new Intel based mac with a new mac mini costing less than 400 quid as they outclass any G4 mac.

Rob...

b0ng0 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2006, 02:54:16 PM »

Is your heart totally set on getting a Mac? From my experience you can probably get a better spec PC for less money. Don't be pulled in by their evil marketing

Quote

It has very good colour, contrast etc and is still sharper than any LCD TFT creen.

While it may give a nice picture, TFT's are better than CRT's and CRT's are outdated (you can buy them for about £50 for 19"). The guy who is selling this Mac seems like he is really trying to make it sound better than it is, and since it's eBay I would be a little hesitant buying from someone like that.

I would say, if you can, build your own PC so you know exactly what's in it. There are plenty of guides online to building your own and it's really not that hard - plus it saves a few pennies.

Also, if you buy first hand you get the sacred warranty should anything go wrong with your new purchase. eBay users will not refund your money 8 months down the line when the computer explodes and burns your house to the ground.

Anyway, thats my thoughts - sorry it's not got much advise on buying a Mac though :?

Dakine · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:00:33 PM »

Not set but my mate/teacher (pro musician for many years, ex. Tokyo Blade) is a convert and has a Mac hookup for free software. He has two Macs he uses in his studio (need to speak to him later to find out more specs) and swears by em.
Just skint and seeing VERY cheap Mac towers on evilbay and am sure I think they outdo PC's processor to processor (so hear anyway). It's just for recording really anyways.

b0ng0 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:10:25 PM »

I know loads of people (mainly architects) who swear by Macs. My flatmate does. However he happily aknowledges that you can do exactly the same thing on a PC - it's just the fact that since all the big companies use Macs, you might as well learn to be an architect on one.
The same thing with your tutor - he will have been using them for ages to do this kind of stuff, and if it does the job then he will be inclined to swear by them. But it doesn't make them the only option.

But I still say get a cheaper PC first hand if you can. Unless you are absolutely certain about getting one of these Macs, I wouldn't spend £400 on one. In terms of processors, they are almost identical. They might have slightly different architecture but Macs are limited to their own brand. AMD do beastly processors that run cooler than intels and are cheaper. There is no reason to get an Intel unless you are doing Video Editing in my opinion.

For sound recording, etc. you want a computer with a sexual sound card and decent sound software - creative labs are the most popular sound cards.

Anyway, sorry for waffling on, i'm bored off my face at work. Hope there's some good advise in there somewhere :D

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:23:34 PM »

Quote from: Dakine

Not set but my mate/teacher (pro musician for many years, ex. Tokyo Blade) .

Who's that?
Andy, Ray or John?
Have met John a few times in the past

All good players !

I use a couple of Macs and love em
There is so much BS talked in the computer market : Mac vs PC
MAcs are a lotr more stable and in many ways user friendly.
There is less software in some ways but some truly brilliant shareware made available from 3rd party sources and from the open source community.

I would however agree that Apple does tend to move on and not look back
However OS10 is stable and the Power PC G4 will still work under the next release OS10.5 (Leopard).
Firewire is great and pisses all over USB 1 and even over USB 2 in some ways

There will be a lot of cheap G4/G5s available as people switch over to the Intel Macs and a good spec G4 or G5 tower and they will be great machines as long as they didnt cost you too much bearing in mind that support will eventually be withdrawn.

However whether Microsoft will ever get Vista/ Longhorn out and will it be worth the long wait is another matter

gingataff · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:27:56 PM »

As regards memory I'd say try and get at least 1 Gig, Thats what I've got and its enough for laying down a track at a time with quite a fe tracks of backing but if you ever plan to record a group together you'd benefit from more. Garageband is a really friendly and easy to use recording programme too, and you can get free versions of Cubase with most audio interfaces these days.

Dakine · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:36:53 PM »

Well, going over his place in cpl hours and will see what he has.
A few ppl local to me are selling G4's and Mini's at less than £50 on Evilbay and just seemed cheap.
What needed to know was the spec needed to mic up and record from my amp.

My Laptop in Texas is dual chip intel and only 3 months old and will breeze this, but it's in Texas with missus for now so was hoping to find el cheapo way to record here.

The Black Box and Zoom are great but really wanna mic up my amps (as LOVE the Mesa tone esp., so much am prob. gonna sell all pedals now).

Feline, it's Andy. Known him for years but (obvioulsy lost touch when I moved). He lives 1 mile away. Know Alan very well also and he is still in the area.

Dakine · « **Reply #8 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:39:43 PM »

Another idea is to just buy a mic for my zoom and use it solely as a recorder. It does NOT have phantom power though.
This is ALL new to me, any suggestions? please

b0ng0 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2006, 03:54:09 PM »

Make sure you can definitely record from your amp to your computer. I have tried several times but can't get it to work, so just have to direct plug the guitar into the mic port :(.

gingataff · « **Reply #10 on:** August 24, 2006, 04:00:53 PM »

I've got a Presonus Firebox firewire interface for recording (and for listening too as I don't have a hifi, just my apple connected to the box then to Fostex monitors, sounds pretty good and thats compared to my 5K hifi back in the UK). Its 24bit, up to 96k, is powered by the firewire port (one less cable!) has 2 mic/instrument level inputs with 48v phantom power for mics (the mic pres are supposed to be very good for the price too) and a bunch of other inputs and outputs. Sounds great, really ballsy, and is small and cute and has a blue light.

Dakine · « **Reply #11 on:** August 24, 2006, 04:03:35 PM »

Think I may just get a mic (maybe battery powered condenser, as no phantom on Zoom) and give the Zoom 8 track a go. Must be easier/cheaper solution for now.

Just need to find good mic now.

Kilby · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2006, 04:05:19 PM »

Quote from: Dakine

Well, going over his place in cpl hours and will see what he has.
A few ppl local to me are selling G4's and Mini's at less than £50 on Evilbay and just seemed cheap.
What needed to know was the spec needed to mic up and record from my amp.

If you ae talking that sort of price then future proofing isn't really that important.

I'm not the best person to mention the recording side of things, but I would say that a slow machine may not be a great idea. As you will eventually start running plugins. Straight horsepower and RAM will make quite a difference in the frustration stakes.

Rob...

Dakine · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2006, 04:14:51 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AKG-C-1000-S-Condenser-Mic_W0QQitemZ330020493715QQihZ014QQcategoryZ15198QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Maybe summit like this into my Zoom 8 track then. As this is battery powered (as well) the lack of no phantom on the zoom will be ok. Or would be better to buy a phantom power interface?

gingataff · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2006, 04:19:45 PM »

Check around to see if that mics good for guitar amps first, maybe it is but I don't know mics well. A phantom power box would give you the freedom to find the mic (or mics) thats right for you and your amp. If you really get into it you may want to multi mic your amp in which case the latter is better.